SEAN WEEKLY
How Sean is keeping things productive and positive as a wildlife photographer
These are tough times for everyone, but especially for those who have spent years building their photo businesses from scratch. I’m a huge believer that a positive attitude creates a positive life, and we are currently in a great situation, having all this time off, to look at ourselves and our own businesses.
It is not a reason to completely give up just because the industry is taking a hit due to the virus situation. If you take the time to pick up skills and prepare yourself during this downtime, when things return to normal (and they will) you will be able to be the first out of the gate returning to productivity.
1. MAINTAIN YOUR GEAR
The better you care for your equipment, the longer it will last. Take this time to get it cleaned and lenses calibrated. This includes giving your equipment an update of the latest firmware, which can be found on most of the manufacturers’ websites. You could also calibrate your computer monitors to ensure great colour accuracy across your images.
2. CURATE YOUR WORKSPACE
Create a nice working space in your office or room of choice. Having a clean and tidy space while editing will encourage you to want to spend more time there. If you can, order some of your own images to hang in pride of place in your office. Plants will also make it a more enjoyable place to work.
3. LEARN NEW SKILLS
There are huge benefits to expanding your skill set, whether that’s trying new processing styles or learning to write. Perhaps start a blog about your latest wildlife adventures. Don’t overthink it; the content just has to be engaging and coherent. It’s a big skill to have and can lead to opportunities giving talks, or providing content for magazines.
4. PRACTISE, PRACTISE AND PRACTISE
No one knows how long this will take to pan out. Don’t put your camera away, keep up the practice and keep shooting. If you are fortunate enough to live in the middle of nowhere, you can still photograph things outside. If you live in urban areas, see what wildlife you can see through your windows. It’s spring, and there is more wildlife around now than ever due to the current restrictions.
5. SET PERSONAL PROJECTS
Put some time and effort into new creative ventures. I’ve been searching some local wildlife reserves online, making a diary of the key subjects that can be found at these locations, so when things are up and running again I have a good list of places to visit and hopefully wildlife subjects to photograph.
There is more wildlife around now than ever due to the current restrictions