Self-Accountability: Photography as a Hobby

When your "life-life balance" [Care for a new buzz phrase anyone? No, me neither.] gets in the way of doing your hobby (or, in my case with photography, resuming), most people try but once a year by using New Year's Resolutions to motivate them to start something, finish something, or resume doing an ongoing project. My guess is it's not only the unwitting Q1 Investors of athletic gear that cease fulfilling their goals three to four months into the year.

So here's what works for me: Throughout the year I add no more than a few things to a mental and/or written list that I want to achieve. Then I make sure I think about positive/exciting aspects of the activity(ies) regularly or from time to time. This is followed by starting the project by any small means: drafting out ideas on paper, gathering materials or actually doing the activity for a short time. These are little, controlled steps that don't make the whole project seem too big, but still leaves a happy/motivating memory for me to draw upon the next time I need to contribute more to it.

Also, this approach puts far less pressure on yourself than the tried-and-not-so-true Resolution method. You have enough "must do nows". Why not pick up an "I feel like" activity?

Now my photography required a little more jump-starting, so I buttressed my accountability with an advocate through encouraging conversations. Then as I was fortunate enough to discover on Christmas morning, my fiancée created an assignment book for my photography! Yup, it's a thin, pocketed portfolio that has photography briefs tucked into each page. Now lest you think this makes it a Must Do, I simply position this book of photo briefs as my first go to when I get the twinge to shoot or even just think about my photography. And instantly, I'm productive with my hobby on some level.

So far, I have completed one assignment and have rough drafts plus a better concept idea for the second job, which asks that I explore the macro photography world. And what's even better is I skipped ahead to read the third one so it can begin to percolate subconsciously. Care to hear about what I have planned for macro photography? Of course you do because if you made it this far, you've become a virtual captive audience, and I thank you.

Having never done macro photography, I first had to get acclimated with the new lens and shoot anything to see how it all response to what I do. I also, naturally, grabbed a few seats in some YouTube classes. I ended up with some technically achieved photos of a cork coaster and my childhood snake puppet plushy (aptly named Snakey). They were okay rough drafts, but the concept I later thought up involves macros of active oil painting. This will involve arranging a time with an artist I have in mind. I am truly excited to see the results of this shoot. Even on just an experimental level, I feel I will be satisfied with the collection that is yielded.

My hope is that this has begun to show you how you might "pick up" whatever it is you want to do but just haven't yet found a way to approach your inspiration. Give it a try and know it begins with just a few thoughts about the activity itself.