By Wayne Cosshall

Photography is one of those subjects that no matter how long you have been doing it, there is always something new to learn. While many amateurs get concerned about how much there is to know and feel inadequate, a better approach is to embrace the fact that you can learn something new every single day and enjoy it.

Lifelong learning is a much talked about topic and, of course, we are constantly learning things without really trying. However, this is what I would call accidental learning. A more rewarding approach is to take control of your lifelong learning.  You can not only make it a positive aspect of your life, but also a source of joy.

I try to make a point of learning at least one new thing every day about my passion areas, one of which is photography.

But you may think your life is already too busy: How is it possible to find time for study? This question says a lot about the way we think about learning and our personal histories. For most of us, learning is associated with sitting in a boring classroom at school or lecture auditorium at college and having information pushed at us. This need not be the case.

Let’s examine just some of the ways that I meet my goal of learning at least one new thing about photography each day:

·         I read a number of mailing lists with discussions about photography, scanning the subject lines of digest emails (all the day’s comments in one email) to see what might interest (3 minutes per list);

·         I do a Google search on some photography topic and then go visit one website at random that I do not recognize (5 – 10 minutes);

·         When I am already out shooting I will try one thing that I do not commonly do, and see what happens (30 seconds to 5 minutes);

·         I check the newsletter or RSS feed for some photography-related website and read an article online (10 to 20 minutes);

·         I read an article in a photography journal (10 to 20 minutes);

·         I go and explore a photography-oriented teaching site, such as the HP Learning Center (10 minutes to as long as you want).

Now I don’t do all of these on each day (except for the first one) but I do at least one of these a day and usually two of them.

The Internet is a great tool and sites such as the HP Learning Center are excellent resources.  Go and have a look and see what is offered. You’ll find classes on everything from printing to Photoshop, plus a whole range of general computer skills. The great thing about online learning is that you can multi-task.  I often dive into an online site while waiting for my computer to complete some other task, such as stitching a large panorama together, uploading major changes to a website I am working on, or rendering  a complex 3D scene.

I can use what might otherwise be dead time to improve my photography knowledge or other skills.

It is also valuable to take face-to-face classes every so often.  As someone who teaches workshops in everything from general computer skills to advanced photography topics (such as infrared photography), I see firsthand the benefits of interacting with other students and sharing knowledge.  I try to attend a workshop as a student at least once every six months. Not only does it give me something to look forward to, but I also learn stuff, meet new people and have fun.

Another great way to learn is to teach.  I’ve been teaching for over 30 years at the university and adult education level, and I have learned a great deal from my students. The process of teaching also forces me to think about a topic from many different perspectives, giving me insights I might never have considered. So I recommend sharing what you know. This could be done by mentoring someone who knows less than you, contributing to an online discussion group, or writing a tutorial and posting it on the appropriate website.

Learning can be (and should be) fun. But to reach that stage, many of us must get over our school-induced phobias. The rewards are worth it. You will feel like you are making steady progress, your photography will get better, and your joy level will increase.  Sounds good, doesn’t it?