Hi ,

What if you don't shoot for awhile? I'm not talking a few days, or even weeks, but what happens if you don't pick up the camera for a few months?

You might lose a little bit of proficiency and forget a few settings, but there's nothing wrong with taking a break from certain creative pursuits. 

I've had a couple of very long dry spells lately, including one that lasted the entire winter. That's right, I didn't shoot a single frame through my X-T5 between November 13 and March 24. Not one. 

I could give you my reasons, but they're irrelevant. I just wasn't motivated to shoot for months at a time. However, the moment I pulled out out the camera during a recent hike in Arizona, the creativity came rushing right back, as if nothing had changed. 

Of course, you might get a little rusty during a long dry spell, but it can be fun getting to know your camera again and relearning what you forgot. There's nothing wrong with this, and it can actually help motivate you.

As much as I profess regular shooting to keep your proficiency up, the truth is that there will be times when you don't feel like shooting, or for whatever reason, you're not able to find the time or motivation, and that's ok. 

These "dry spells" allows us to recharge, to explore other avenues and passions in life, and when you do come back to the camera, you'll probably find that it comes right back, just as I did.

So don't beat yourself up if you haven't shot for awhile. These breaks are a natural part of a healthy creative life.

Yay!!! Brand New Video!!!!

It's been quite a few months since I posted a "real" YouTube video. What can I say, it's been an interesting twelve months.

However, I finally got around to posting something new yesterday, a YouTube Short, called Quick Photography Tips - Creating Better Landscapes.

It's a brief, bite-sized, 60 second tutorial where I give you a few simple tips for creating more powerful and visually striking landscape photos. 

I kind of like this short format, because you can digest it right away and get on with the rest of your day, it's vertical, so you can watch it in full size on the phone pretty much anywhere, and because they're easy for me to put together. 

I do plan to get back to "regular" videos, but I'll also be posting more of these Shorts, so let me know what you think and also tell me what kinds of topics you'd like to see in the future. 

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There's still time to take advantage of my spring subscriber special and save 25% on my Photography on the Brain course, or on a 1:1 coaching session. In fact, if you're just coming off a photography dry spell yourself, a this might be the perfect way to get yourself back to proficiency. 

These deals are not offered to anyone else, just you, my faithful readers, so don't miss this exclusive opportunity to learn from me at a discounted price!

Photography on the Brain - Essentials

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In this series of 30 focused video lessons, we'll explore photography with a wide range of topics that challenge you to think about photography in a whole new way. 

Drawing on over 30 years of experience, these short, concise lessons, about 10 minutes each, are designed to inspire, get you thinking more deeply about aspects like creativity, approach, method, technique, composition and vision, and motivate you to try and apply these concepts to your own image making.

With each lesson, I’ll talk to you directly, as if I were right there in the room with you. I'll expand on each topic with deep and personal insight, and show you image examples to illustrate. This will allow a unique learning experience for you, because you’ll get a very personal and in-depth style of instruction from me.

"I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS COURSE TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GAIN FURTHER INSIGHTS INTO PHOTOGRAPHY."

-Scott Anderson 

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-Patrick McGownd 

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Is there something specific that you need help with, or a particular photography technique you need advice about? Maybe it's a camera control or setting that's stumping you, or a creative technique that you could be using more effectively in your image making.
 

Get a jump on your photography process with a single on-on-one coaching session. In a single one-hour video call, you'll be able to take advantage of my expertise and get direct instruction and advice from me about any specific photography topic you feel you need help with. 
 

Whether you're struggling with composition, autofocus, creative techniques, camera controls, or any other aspect of photography,I'll answer your questions, give you a professional critique on your photos and help you get on a path towards more confidence and success with the camera.

"I highly recommend any Fujifilm user to take your class and take advantage of your private one-on-one."

-Michael M.

"I learned so much in just one hour, I am now able to understand and use many great techniques from the online course Mastering the FUJIFILM Autofocus system."

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"Dan, the one hour session was precisely what I hoped it would be: resurrected interest in photography, bettering understanding of the AF puzzle of my X-T4 and provided better shooting techniques."

-Paul S.

Here in Alaska, we were far removed from the eclipse, but I hope that some of you were able to get some great photos of the event. Be sure and tag me on social media @danbaileyphoto if you've got something great you'd like share with me!

As always, thanks for reading and have a great rest of your week!