Welcome to the new year! How exciting, you are starting your best photography year ever!

Over the Christmas and New Year period I’ve been catching up on my editing backlog and did one stock photography shoot. As I’ve worked through the editing and uploading of those images, I’ve had time to look back on my most recent shoots. They have been very enjoyable sessions – my three most recent shoots were a family portrait session and two stock photo shoots. They’ve provided the impetus for this post – tips for starting your best photography year ever.

My latest stock photo shoot tackled a new challenge. Shooting on location with city backgrounds.

Tip 1 – Tackle Something New! If you are going to have your best photography year ever you are going to need to get out of your comfort zone. If you typically focus on flowers and objects, is this the year to start photographing people? Or if you are a wildlife shooter, is the time to get to know studio photography and lighting? If you’ve toyed with getting into the business of photography, is this the year to make the leap?

I’ve done a lot of stock photo shoots since I became an iStock contributor in 2008. Most of these have been in studio settings, and so I’ve ended 2015 the way I want to start 2016 – tackling something new.

I’m responding to a brief from Getty Images and iStock to shoot stock images in real locations. My latest shoot was using iconic Melbourne locations as a background. It was different, it was fun, and will bring a new dimension to my stock photography in 2016. Tackle something new.

Shoot images of markets you understand

Tip 2 – Play to Your Strengths. While tackling something new will help you stretch, playing to your strengths will bring a strong foundation to your business.

After 20 plus years working in the corporate world, I have a strong understanding of the types of images which work well in that environment. I can imagine the use of the image before and during the shoot. I can almost see in advance the images being used on a website or in a corporate document.

I have a much better understanding of this market than I do for technical and industrial images. While I will tackle new things, I will also play to my strengths and shoot for markets I understand.

Tip 3 – Look After Repeat Clients. My most recent family portrait session was for a couple whose wedding I photographed in March 2012.

I’ve subsequently done family portraits for them when their son was born, and again when he was 6 months old. Last month I had the opportunity to do another family portrait session – this time with a baby daughter added to the family! Repeat sessions are a lot of fun, as you already know the client and have your previous sessions as a reference point. I feel very lucky to have great clients like them.

Look after your repeat clients as you are starting your best photography year ever.

Is this year to get help with the heavy lifting in your business?

Tip 4 – Get Help. If you are going to make a leap forward as you are starting your best photography year ever – look at where you can get help.

If you keep doing the same things, you’ll get the same results. If you are bogged down with editing – is it time to reorganize your workflow? Is it time to outsource your image editing? is it time to free up your time by having someone else setting appointments and responding to email for you? is it time to partner with others to let you focus on your strong points? is there a specific style of image you want to learn to create? is there a local photographer that can help you? Plan for great things as you are starting your best photography year ever. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Get help.

Thanks for reading Starting Your Best Photography Year Ever. The new year is a great time to re-assess, refresh, and set your business on the path to success. Have a great year.