Perhaps you’ve just built a new website to showcase your images. Or you’re an established landscape photographer looking to attract more clients or students. How do we get more people to see and value our work?
It’s simple. Write articles that share value with the reader.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Nor does it make it any less daunting for those of us who feel out of our comfort zone when it comes to writing in general.
But the process is simple.
From Taking Photos to Writing About Taking Photos
I became hooked on landscape photography to capture—as best I could—stunning scenes in nature. The pursuit unveiled to me moments of wonder I hadn’t experienced before. To see the sun rising over rugged mountain peaks. Hiking through forests, in the rain, to feel the torrential fury of a waterfall at full flow.
What kept me hooked was not only seeking out new locations to explore, but capturing and sharing these scenes more broadly. To inspire others to do likewise and highlight the wealth of beauty our natural world has to offer.
As part of the discovery process, I documented my adventures through travel blog articles. Early posts were image-heavy, or focused on the technical elements behind the photo. Yet, through my writing, I soon shared my thoughts about the places I visited. This led to fewer pieces about photography itself, and broader pieces about creativity and embracing failure. I began to fully appreciate the power of words in expressing (and spreading) ideas.
Writing allows us to share our thoughts beyond the realm of photography. It gives us a voice to express and discuss ideas of value with others.
What Should You Write About?
While others may focus on particular keywords to boost SEO (that is, when someone searches for a particular term on Google, your article may show as a result), that alone won’t sustain your writing.
Instead, take time to consider what you care about.
Writing on subjects you have an interest in will push your development forward (and so too your blog post output). Rather than laboriously blend a collection of SEO keywords together, your passion for the subject will shine through. Your articles will be more vivid and a truer reflection of yourself and your photography.
Putting the act of writing aside for a moment, what topics are you passionate about? Perhaps a certain style of photography, like seascapes or abstracts? Or you might be an eager explorer of your local area and wish to share your travel tips with others?
Even if we’re new to the topic, but have a genuine interest in it, we can still present readers with value. Take astrophotography for example. Even if you have little to no experience, you can share your learnings along the way with others eager to try it too. You may explore the challenges you experienced on your first night session. Were the images too dark or did heavy cloud roll in? Then discuss how you might overcome these hurdles next time, such as reading the weather forecast to plan a cloud-free night days in advance.
You don’t need to be an expert to add value. You simply need to care about the topic and your readers.
How Should You Write?
If you haven't written much before, it’s worth remembering that we all need to start somewhere.
The first few blog posts will be messy and lack polish. That’s okay. The driving force shouldn’t be perfection, but progress. With each article and each sentence, you will develop your personal style and voice.
I don’t want to be too prescriptive when comes to how you should write. But here are some general tips I’ve found that may help you too:
Keep it clear and concise: Rather than add bunch of words to reach a certain word count or fluff up a description, cull them out. That shouldn’t mean your article is devoid of all personality. But, in general, less is more.
Avoid jargon (where possible): Photography can be a highly technical pursuit, but when we get too deep in the weeds, we may alienate amateurs and enthusiasts just looking to be informed or engaged. If you’re not writing ‘The Definitive Guide to Hyperfocal Distance’, don’t mention it to sound impressive.
Tell the story behind an image: Go beyond simply mentioning the aperture and shutter speed you used. Was the shot planned over months, or a mad dash from the car park during stunning light? Did you need to overcome challenges, such as leaves blowing in the wind or rogue waves rolling in?
Mix up the structure: Short standalone sentences often carry more weight than lengthy paragraphs. Use them. Likewise, consider bullet points and sub-headings to help break up blocks of text.
Publish, Revise, Repeat
When we pursue our passions, it’s often tempting to compare our efforts to masters in the field. Yet when we do, we’ll come up short. Early on, we’ll come up very short. They’ve been working on their craft for years.
Above all else, my journey with landscape photography has instilled in me the importance of persevering with the craft I care so much about.
Like writing, there are foundational elements to be built upon. There are techniques to study and apply. However, it’s through continual practice and refinement that we begin to forge a rhythm and style of our own. We learn when to rely upon established conventions—and when to break them. We find our voice.
If full blog posts seem daunting, not every piece of writing needs to be a 500-1000 word article. Even simple photo captions are a source of creative expression. Use them as an opportunity to express your thoughts on a particular location, or describe the experience of witnessing that moment to inspire others.
Like developing your skill in photography, the important thing is to put in the work, reflect on the work, and then show up to do it all again.