Show Notes

Our paths as artists, as visual storytellers, is not a straight path. There are switchbacks, detours, pauses, and backtracking as we forge ahead on our quest to become stronger photographers. Yet there is a repeated pattern to our learning, a cycle of artistic improvement.

This idea of a cycle of artistic improvement crystalized for me while assembling the chapters of a new video course I’ll be releasing later this month. In this episode, I talk about the cycle of improvement. There are four phases of the cycle: Capture, Analyze, Express, and Reflect. Like phases of the moon, there is no beginning or end, the pattern is circular and we don’t get to take one lap around the track and call it good!

Capture
It makes sense to start with capturing images. We are, after all, photographers! And, a base set of images is needed - you need a starting point from which to grow and improve. If you’re listening to The Stop Down Photography Podcast and reading these show notes, you are already aware of the importance of capturing strong assets. You’re paying attention to composition, checking your angles, choosing a depth of field appropriate for the scene or subject… all those things.

Analyze
The next phase is a self-critique of your unprocessed images. The reason an image assessment is so important is that it helps you answer the big overarching question:

• What adjustments are needed to make the story of your photo stronger?

Before you bring a photo into your digital development tools, spend a few minutes of measured thought with your photo. Ask questions. What are the subjects of your photo? How do they interact? Where do you want your viewer to look? What mood do you want to convey? You need to spend a little time to understand your photo, to know the story of your image.

This phase shifts your post-processing mindset to thinking about the adjustments that will strengthen the story of your image, not just pushing sliders and throwing on filters.

Express
This phase is when you post-process. You get to express yourself creatively and artistically. The key thing is – the adjustments are in service of the story of your photo. Your processing approach will change when the story of your photo is at the forefront of your mind. Global adjustments tend to happen quickly, and you will spend more time with creative adjustments like split tones, color grading, or glows … adjustments that convey a certain mood. You will spend more time with localized adjustments, shaping and crafting light, accentuating key subjects, and guiding your viewer’s eye.

Reflect
Once processing is done, take another moment and reflect on the final image. Yes, a little more self-reflection is a means to improvement! This is an opportunity to take a step back and consider the story you’ve just told in the photo. For an image that really works, what is it that makes the photo come together? What compels you to keep looking at the frame? For a photo that falls short, what are the problems? What would you change about the photo? How would you capture it differently to tell a stronger story?

And The Cycle Continues
Reflection leads back to Capture. Apply the lessons you learned in the Analyze, Express, and Reflect phases to your next outing with the camera. Will you compose differently? Get closer? Use a different depth of field? Be more patient and wait for the right moment?

As you practice in this cycle, when you’re in the field, making the capture, you might already be thinking about the Express phase. You can see more than just the scene in front of your lens … you’ll visualize the story that will unfold.

Capture, Analyze, Express, and Reflect. You can start today and analyze a few of your images, and then keep doing it. You’ll grow as a visual storyteller and improve as a photographer.

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