You’ll find a million YouTube channels and magazine articles giving you tips on how to improve your photography, but this is a little different. While everyone is trying to help you, the best advice is to help yourself, and this one thing will help you, help yourself to get more out of your photography going forward.
Many of us take many photos when we are out on a shoot, and if we are lucky, we will get anything from one or two, to a dozen or so “keepers”. But think to yourself what you do with those images… Usually nothing more than just share them on your website or social media.
Many of us take many photos of family and friends whenever we’re together. These images will capture unscripted moments in time. It is these unscripted moments that you and your family will cherish forever.
Starting in 2026, try something new. If you’re already doing it, try and make it a more regular event. Think of your favourite 1-3 thought out compositions from the time you’ve been on a shoot. Think about your favourite dozen or so unscripted, family and friends images from that month and then print them.
Yes, I’ve written many articles about printing, but this one is setting you a target so that you can improve from those images you print.
By making yourself choose the images (1-3 from a shoot, up to a dozen of family and friends etc) after the first month or two you’ll start to really think about the images you are taking. You’ll understand what it takes to make an image worth printing… For both types of image.. And more importantly you’ll realise and understand why and what makes them more printable.
In the first circumstance, where you’re printing images from a shoot you’ll discover;
• Depth in images is important
• A story can be told just by looking at the image
• The subject you’ve taken is just beautiful and will look stunning on anyone’s wall as a print
With the second set of images, printed unscripted moments, you’ll find that it can be the complete opposite!
• Unscripted events with the focus on your family and friends
• Lighting and composition doesn’t matter
• Capturing the “moment” no matter how it looks to others who were not there
Conclusion
Printing creates memories, and also it’s the perfect practise to just look at your images in a different way and understand what is right and wrong with them. It doesn’t have to be expensive either, you can just use your standard printer and photo paper, or get an Instax printer or a Canon Selphy.
So if you only do one thing in 2026, complete your photography with print.
This has been Part 8 of a 12 part series for “12 Days Of Christmas 2025”. A collection of new articles and so much more from Mark G Adams from One Camera One Lens Photography as well as guest authors. Catch them all if you missed any here.
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