Photographers Guide to Social Distancing at Home

They have asked you to stay at home, but the photographer in you wants to keep busy. What can you do to get your mind off of what is going on out there in the world? 

Here’s a list of ten things that you can do to help keep those idle hands busy.

1) Take an online course or look for free webinars to learn new skills. Muench Workshops has recently announced free webinars on Adobe Lightroom starting March 19, 2020. Muench Workshops will also be announcing more free programs in the coming weeks.

You can register for our free online webinars for Lightroom by clicking here.

2) Dream a little! Research that trip you want to take when we can start traveling again. Google is your friend. Research different locations, look at photos with a google image search and talk to friends to see where they have gone. The world has some amazing locations out there waiting to be discovered by you and your camera. You can even scout locations via Google Earth, for a bird’s-eye view of the area.

3) Clean up and organize your library of images. Delete the clunkers, add keywords, and make a collection of the images you want to re-edit with those new skills you learned from the free webinars.

4) Now is a great time to create photo books from your images. Check out Shutterfly to see all the great photo books you can create. Or go to Zazzle and create a puzzle out of your images. Get ahead on your birthday and Christmas gifts!

5) Create a detailed list of your camera gear for your insurance company. List the equipment, the serial number, the purchase price. If you have the receipt, put that with the list of equipment as well. While you’re at it, create an account at Lenstag, a fantastic service for keeping a record of your equipment, and a great aid in recovering it when it’s stolen.

6) Now is an excellent time to learn new photography skills at your speed. Get creative and research how to set up lighting studios in your home. Learn how to capture water droplets, get creative with food photography, or to take better photos of your pets. 

7) Learn how to be more successful using social media to drive potential clients to your e-commerce website. There are plenty of articles online that offer insight into learning how to use Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook more effectively.

8) Learn from the greats. The photographers who originally inspired me were Ansel Adams and Marc Muench for landscape photos, and Robert Bateman for wildlife. Research the greats, find the style that inspires you. 

9) Create a new website. There are lots of easy options out there where you can create impactful websites. I like Squarespace for creating an online presence.

10) Find a photography group online on Facebook. There are thousands of people like you in an unlimited number of Facebook groups. Check them out and become part of an online community that shares your photography passions. 

And, you could always join Muench University. 

I hope this post helps you take advantage of your time at home. 

Kev