![\"Practice_Makes_Perfect\"](\"https:\/\/hbbadmin.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Practice_Makes_Perfect.jpg\")
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When we first started taking pictures, we would go out just to take pictures. We were practicing<\/em>. Then all of a sudden:\u00a0as we got busier + were constantly taking pictures for weddings\u00a0and\u00a0sessions,\u00a0we no longer had the drive to go + take pictures outside of our sessions. We stopped pushing ourselves because we were producing images our clients loved. We knew that the quality of our work was good, but we also felt the little wrench in our gut telling us that something was missing. We needed to practice. To find + set aside time<\/em> with the intention\u00a0+ purpose of developing better images. So we came up with a plan to do just that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Find something specific to Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n Unlike our time practicing when we first just started getting to know our cameras, we knew that this practice time had to have (at least most of the time)\u00a0a specific thing we were setting out to accomplish. Maybe we noticed that our photos with a certain lens haven\u2019t been turning out how we wanted, or our reception lighting was missing that little spark we\u2019ve been searching for. Whatever the reason, we do research on the subject to come up with some techniques to try during our practice sessions.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SCHEDULE time to go Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n There is something about writing something down that just makes it set in stone. We knew that if we didn\u2019t write it in our calendar, there was a good chance we would overlook our practice + fall back into the vicious cycle we just got out of. Depending on the subject we plan to work on we set an appropriate time (30 min, 1 hour, or whatever you can fit in!) during the appropriate time of day (you can\u2019t practice sunset pictures at noon!) + then we put them in our synced iCalendar with reminders so we CAN\u2019T forget.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Develop a thought out plan for your Practice Time<\/strong><\/p>\n To make the most out of our practice time, we come up with a thorough game plan. We knew that if we had a very specific<\/em> goal we were trying to accomplish for a given practice session, we\u00a0were far more likely to achieve it! If we just went out to\u00a0take\u00a0pictures, we would most likely get good images + become better (a tiny bit anyways), but we wouldn\u2019t have solved the initial problem we were trying to solve. If, during the practice session, a new subset of problems arises, we make a note + go back to step 1 so we can better master that subject.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Challenge\u00a0Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n I strongly believe that the only way to get better at something is to push yourself to the point of discomfort. Now, I\u2019m not talking about running on a sprained ankle! When you step outside your comfort zone, your brain is pushed into a new way of problem solving + you can often come up with a solution unique to you! Practice provides you with a stress free environment to push your creative boundaries.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reward ourselves if we accomplish what we set out to do<\/strong><\/p>\n Come up with some sort of reward system for achieving your goals. Maybe you really like ice cream. I mean, we all like ice cream right? Grab some on the way home! If you reward yourself for accomplishing something, you are helping your brain to automate good habits + we are all creatures of habit! If you can find something your brain likes, even though it\u2019s borderline bribery, you are helping to reinforce the habit loop ; )<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stay positive if we don\u2019t get it right the first time<\/strong><\/p>\n If you don\u2019t nail it the first time that\u2019s perfectly ok! This is WHY we practice! Don\u2019t let failure deter you from practicing. Often times when we set out to solve a problem, a handful of other problems arise. Although the problem may not have been solved, you were able to find out that it was a bit more complex than you thought!\u00a0Now, you have the opportunity to break the original problem into smaller, more manageable\u00a0problems. Eventually, if you stick with it, you will be a master at anything you put the time into!<\/p>\n I know this post got a little lengthy,\u00a0but I really believe that what you are trying to get better at, or the problem you are trying to solve, can be tamed if you attack it with a game plan + practice, practice, practice! Sometimes the most rewarding work is the work that we have to roll up our sleeves to do. The work that there is no easy way out for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When we first started taking pictures, we would go out just to take pictures. We were practicing. Then all of a sudden:\u00a0as we got busier + were constantly taking pictures for weddings\u00a0and\u00a0sessions,\u00a0we no longer had the drive to go + take pictures outside of our sessions. We stopped pushing ourselves because we were producing images […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":770,"featured_media":200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-work-life-balance"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Navy_Wedding_0020.jpg",1300,866,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Navy_Wedding_0020-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Navy_Wedding_0020-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Navy_Wedding_0020-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Navy_Wedding_0020-1024x682.jpg",1024,682,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Navy_Wedding_0020.jpg",1300,866,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Navy_Wedding_0020.jpg",1300,866,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"Practice Makes Perfect!<\/h4>\n