Taking lots of photographs means that sometimes things start to get a bit mundane…I get stuck in a rut of taking the same photo the same way time after time.  I have to remind myself to shift my position, pay attention to the lighting, look for natural frames, and play around with angles.

On Saturday I took lots of pictures of trees.  And many turned out looking like pictures of trees, pretty enough but nothing that would make you take a second look.

But here’s one that involves an interesting angle that captures the light in a way that highlights the leaves.  This is the original photo–no cropping and no filters.

I’ve also been experimenting with taking pictures of things, paying attention to composition but not doing any arranging other than moving myself to create a better composition.

I like this one of metal tubs I found on my weekend adventures.  The haphazard arrangement and the mottled light creates interest and provokes questions for me.

I find myself examining my photos carefully and critiquing them–a lot like responding to a piece of writing.  I’m looking for what is working (even some lousy shots have some things that work) and noticing what I might do differently with the next shot I take.

I still have a long way to grow in my photography skills…but I’m having fun learning!

What do you do to improve your craft?  How do you challenge yourself? (And I welcome tips and constructive critique on my photography too!)