While I may have been a bit inconsistent with my posting schedule 😅, I’ve managed to create some things I absolutely loved this summer. This means it's the perfect time to update my photography journal! . Wait, what? You’re not extra like me and don’t have an ongoing photography journal to track the best and worst moments of your shoots or content days? 🤣 Well, let me inspire you to start your own! 💕 . I came up with this "Photography Journal" idea earlier this year, but I’m just now getting around to sharing it and kicking things off! It all started one night when I was sifting through photos from a Valentine's-inspired shoot and feeling strong emotions as I reviewed the RAW images. I loved some shots, while others made me cringe—and for various reasons! Maybe it was a pose I didn’t like, an angle Steven captured that I preferred, or a detail in my expression, a prop, etc. These were things I wanted to remember for the next time we took photos. And thus, the photography journal was born.
. It’s a way for me to express my thoughts about specific content, track wins and challenges during shoots, and brainstorm smoother options for next time. While focusing on how it all made me feel, because if we're not having fun, what's it even for? . As content creators, we already have so much on our plates, so I’m aiming to update mine monthly or quarterly. Let’s be real, updating quarterly might be more manageable, but I feel like I’ll capture more relevant info if I do it monthly… so we’ll see how it goes!
How I Set Up My Photography Journal
Naturally, I’m using Notion to set up my photography journal—but you can use whatever works best for you: Canva, Google Docs, an old-fashioned notebook, etc. The main thing is having a way to input entries. Personally, I have a template on my Notion Board that I duplicate for each entry. This template includes a set of questions and topic points to help jog my memory and get the thoughts flowing.
Here’s what’s in my entry template:
INTRODUCTION Name of the shoot/concept: Date/Time of Day/Location:
Shot By:
QUESTIONS
1. What was the overall theme or mood I tried to capture? Did I capture it? 2. What lighting conditions did I work with and how did they affect the outcome?
3. What was my mood before heading into the shoot? Did it affect the photoshoot?
4. How were Steven and I communicating during the process?
5. Were there any unexpected challenges, and how did we adapt?
6. Which images and/or poses resonated with me during the culling process? 7. Would I like to repurpose and/or recreate this shoot? What would I do differently or the
same?
THOUGHT PROVOKING BULLET POINTS (choose 1-3 that resonate most with your photoshoot)
Reflecting on how this shoot contributed to my growth as a content creator.
Key takeaways from the shoot that could improve future sessions.
Any spontaneous ideas or inspirations that emerged during the shoot.
Any new techniques or settings I experimented with and their impact.
Predicting which images will resonate most with my audience and why.
Ideas or goals sparked by this shoot that I want to explore in upcoming projects.
FAVORITE CAPTURES
5-10 photos from the shoot that truly capture the concept's spirit once edited.
. Now, if you want to make this a one-stop shop for all the creative thoughts in your brain, here are some ideas: .
HIGHLIGHTS
Have a piece of content that did well? Got a ton of engagement? Jot it down!
Hit a milestone (big or small) that you want to celebrate. Keep track of them all here!
.
GOALS
You know those tasks or goals that pop into your head randomly throughout the day or in the middle of the night? Have a space to keep track of them here. When the time is right, you can move them to your organizing method but always jot them down. I never remember the things I mentally think, “Okay, I gotta remember that.”
. CREATOR WISHLIST
The things you’d love to purchase on your creator journey. Add links. Keep track of prices.
.
BUSINESS PURCHASES
Again, just a quick way to jot down important information before moving it to its permanent home. I write it all down: props, Etsy presets, app subscriptions, etc.
. I’m sure this journal will continue to evolve as I experiment with it. Interested in a Notion Template Download? Shoot me a DM and let me know! .
Now, set your alarms for next week's blog post where I'm revealing my favorite and least favorite photos of 2024 and how I felt about it all! I hope it inspires you to keep scratching that creative itch and producing content—because each shoot helps you grow on your creator journey! . All my love,
Comments