Four simple challenges — that’s all! Once you master these four challenges you are going to be amazed at your results and be a more confident photographer.

1) Work backwards from a photograph

Find someone’s work you really like and dissect it. Where is the light coming from? Is there more than one light source? How is the object or person positioned? What is the vantage point of the photographer (above? below? eye level?) If it’s outside, what time of day is it? Does that matter for light quality? Now replicate that photo exactly. Try it with a few different photographs; choose some in natural light, indoors, darkly lit, brightly lit, etc.

2) Think of the perfect photo, and make it happen

Maybe you want a shot outdoors with the sky super saturated blue. Maybe you want a photograph of a child in the rain with the raindrops sparkling. We aren’t just thinking of the image, but more so the lighting. How do you get your image to look like what’s inside your head?

3) Do an entire shoot without your camera ever leaving your eye

Even if you’re walking that camera better not leave your face. Learning how to maneuver with a camera at your eye is tricky business. You don’t want to be this guy, but this activity will FORCE you to learn the buttons on your camera by feel instead of by sight. It will force your camera to become an extension of your hands and mind instead of just a tool you’re fumbling with. If you’re busy looking for a button, you’re probably missing a great shot.

And guess what else? This rule will force you to never check your LCD screen!

DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNNNN!

That means you’re actually going to have to read your light meter to make sure that you’re getting a proper exposure while trusting yourself (and your settings) to take a solid image. You don’t get to preview any of your shots until you are finished with the shoot and at home.

4) Talk through your reasons for choosing a particular setting

What settings did you chose for your photograph and why? Why did you feel that those particular settings were right for that photo? How did your photo turn out? Would you have chosen alternate settings? If so, what would you have changed?

Here’s an example of a photo I shot:

I choose a high ISO because even with my aperture wide open at f/1.4 there was not enough available light and I was forced to use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion. The results were a grainy image, but I liked the artistic old-film effect it produced. My only alternative would have been to add more light to the setting (like with the use of a flash), but it would have ruined the dramatic shadows the natural light produced.

See what I just did? I talked myself through the settings, suggested alternate options, and then realized that I did the right thing because an alternate setting would have taken the drama away from this moment.

So four simple steps, that’s it! Push yourself to meet this challenge. You don’t have to worry about the technical stuff here. These goals are going to teach you (through experience) how to take a photograph, help you to be comfortable behind the camera, and have confidence that you can nail the shot you want every.single.time. And feel free to send me your shots at lexia@sugarleafphotography.com for critiquing or just to share. We may even post some of your submissions here!

Happy snapping!

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Lexia Frank is owner of SugarLeaf Photography, and blogs at Kissing Tree.org.

When we headed down to Northern Virginia a few weekends ago, we drove my sister’s car down (which I was borrowing), and swapped it for my mom’s car, which I’m now borrowing; freelancing and teaching part-time don’t exactly scream LEASE PAYMENT! But the good news is that I have the privilege of being related to some wonderfully kind and generous people who will let me hang on to their wheels until I’m able to get a set for myself. Though I will say all the warnings that come from The Lender seem a little over the top.

Watch out for pillars in the parking garages.

Be careful when you park.

That’s a mailbox!

I mean, I don’t understand why. So what if I was having my picture taken while I was driving on the highway? Later, I drove with my knee, ate a candy bar, and tickled The Boss. And the car doesn’t have a scratch on it! Well, no new scratches that is. The one from the pillar in the parking garage is still there.

(Photo taken by The Boss)

There’s something about the architectural structure and beauty of bridges that really amazes me. Whenever I drive over a bridge I can’t help but think, how exactly does one start this process? I mean, I understand the drawings, and the mathematics, and engineering that goes into it, but to think that a group of people got together and were all, Hey, let’s create a massive structure OVER A BODY OF WATER that 300,000(!!!) cars will drive over EVERY DAY will forever blow my mind.

We had a few days of beautiful evening weather out here so The Boss and I decided to pry open our sliding glass door (we literally had to take a screw driver to the handle in order to get it open; I think the cold weather really did a number on it) and step on to our balcony where we got some fresh air, and I set up the tripod to get some night time shots. Our complex is always really quiet, but on this night we could hear pieces of people’s conversations and laughter being carried through the night sky by the cool evening breeze. And it was nice; reminiscent of L.A., and comforting to know that where we are now is feeling a little more like home every day.