| Recently, a woman from Australia wrote me and said, “Here I am, almost 84, and still have neither time nor respect for silly restrictive rules of any description.” She made me think about how, when you get older, you have less tolerance for distractions and silliness, or “noise” as I call it. I’ve found that as I’ve aged, so many things don’t matter to me anymore. For example, I have no desire to have thousands of followers so I can call myself an “Internet Influencer.” I don’t care if someone doesn’t like my work. And if I’m never recognized by the art establishment, who cares? Today I’m feeling brutally honest, and I thought I’d give you my tips on how to be happier with your photography, and it’s pretty simple: just follow these 10 steps: 1) Quit reading articles that promise that you can be happy if you do these ten things! There are no easy answers, and almost everyone is trying to lure you in with headlines like this so that they can make money in some way. 2) Find your Vision! If you’ve been putting it off because the concept seems too vague or because doing the work is too hard, please commit to starting today. Nothing good comes easy, and finding your Vision is very hard…but nothing will improve your photography or your happiness more than finding and following your Vision. 3) Take a break from social media. Looking at other people’s photography isn’t going to make yours any better. Social media breeds imitation, jealousy, and discontent. “Likes” are not a gauge of how good your work is. The temporary dopamine rush you get from them will quickly diminish, and you’ll soon be looking for your next high. Social media is addictive, it shortens our attention span, and it homogenizes us into this giant, uninteresting lump of photographic goo. 4) Answer the question: Why do I photograph? Are you photographing to become famous? To make money? As a hobby? To express yourself? Be brutally honest about your motives, because only then can you move to the next step. 5) Define what success means to you. Once you understand why you create, then you can decide what success looks like for you. For years, I chased the unspoken definition of photographic success: To be famous, to have my work in a big-name gallery, to sell my prints for big dollars, and to have a book published. As I started to achieve some of that “success,” I realized that it wasn’t fulfilling or lasting, and that’s when I defined success for myself. 6) Quit reading and watching “how-to” articles and videos. Instead, use your time to photograph more. If you want to be a better photographer, then you must photograph more often; it’s a pretty simple formula. 7) Photograph where you’re at. You don’t have to photograph famous locations, National Parks, or foreign lands; your backyard will do just fine. I regret that I have contributed to the subtle and pervasive social media message that great images come from great locations. I think of Paul Caponigro’s series of fruit in a bowl, photographed in his kitchen…simple and sublime. Edward Weston, in his final years and confined to a chair with Parkinson’s, said that he ought to be able to look down at his feet and find something interesting to photograph. 8) Learn to critique your work for yourself, spend time with your images, and analyze them. What do you love about the image, and how can you emphasize that? What don’t you like about the image, and how can you minimize that? Let it sit for a week, and then ask yourself those same questions again. And do it again in another week. And again and again. Keep repeating this cycle until no more changes are made; that’s when you know it’s done. Sure, it’s easy to ask someone what you could’ve done better or differently, but that’s just their opinion, and you really don’t learn by listening to others’ opinions. If your images are a form of self-expression, then someone else’s opinion is irrelevant. Your opinion is the important one. 9) Learn not to care what others think about your work! (both the criticism and the praise). My continual goal is to be like Georgia O’Keeffe, who said, “I decided to accept as true my own thinking. I have already settled it for myself, so flattery and criticism go down the same drain, and I am quite free.” Yes, it’s a hard thing to do, but as you find and follow your Vision, you will gain confidence in what you’ve created and can withstand the fickle winds of public opinion. 10) Photograph what you love and how you love to photograph it. Don’t let rules, common wisdom, judges, teachers, mentors, and social media determine your course. Find and follow your Vision and create what you love. And here’s a bonus tip for those of you who have a paid subscription to my newsletter: (fyi: there is no paid subscription) 11) Create honest work. I define that as work that was created from my Vision; the idea was mine (not borrowed or stolen). It is work I created with no thought of how others would receive it, and it is work I love regardless of how others feel about it. Do you want to be happier with your photography? Quit reading articles like this one and go out and photograph! | 
Damn Right Cole! THANK YOU for being a champion of ALL photographers! Happy New Year!
Thanks Holly!
Thanks Cole. I once stopped going to a local photography club because people were hyper-concerned about the monthly contest as opposed to joy of photography.
Good reason for stopping Matt. I think there are some clubs that are not all about the contests/critiques, but there are far fewer of them.
Cole:
Your commentary is always on point Happy New Year from an older photographer.
Thanks Chuck (from and older photographer)
Love you comments
Thanks Mark!
I totally agree Cole, when you understand your vision it becomes easier to decide what you want to photograph.
Yes, Vision is the key!
Yippee! Yay!! Yahoo!!!🤪😍
It’s going to be a great year. I feel it in my bones!🩻🙏
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!🎉🥳🫶
Jennie Breeze
That’s a great attitude Jennie!
Cole thank you for helping me see what is important as we go down one’s artistic path
You’re welcome Dave.
The simple formula in No 6 seems so important that, to me, it seems to overlap with many of the other points. As always, thank you sharing your thoughts and experiences.
Yes, there’s a lot of overlap in there. If I could choose only two, it would be #2 and #11
Agree with the tips. Question is about vision. Can having fun with your photography be your vision? It is mine. I just love to photograph for myself, don’t care what others think, don’t post many images, give away photography to others, etc. This is my vision and it translates to just having fun. As that other person, you don’t want me to mention says; “photograph what makes your heart sing.”
I only have my experience to judge by, but I’d say that having fun is the reason you photography. Vision is how you see.
Thank you! Great points – especially about social media. Happy 2026!
Thank you Scott!
Love this!! I live in a very tourist heavy place this time of year ( it is summer here)and as much as we need and love them, it takes it toll when you are used to quiet streets and beaches. So outside of going to work I have stayed home and just played with my camera in my yard ( and I’m no gardener) I had forgotten what fun it was just to shoot for your own pleasure and that so called weeds are pretty.
Where are you located Shelly?
Yes, creating just for yourself is a treat!
Right to the point as always.
We need to be reminded why we do things from time to time – it’s always for ourselves and it should be.
Thanks, Cole, for stripping away the fluff.
Thanks Peter!
Great article! Happy New Year Cole!
Thank you Tom, and back at you!
great man.
no social media at al. no kings talk. think black and a bit white
Willem is a true artist! His daily pursuit of art has inspired me!
So much of society seems entrapped in the vortex of blinking screens, predatory algorithms, and pursuit of the pose over the voice. And the pose never fulfills where it matters, in our heart of hearts. Our souls know that only the voice, that unique center of being and authenticity, is where the truth and joy of our creative expression lives. Kudos to you for making this point, and here’s to more great monochromatic photography in 2026.
John, you’re so great with words, well said!!!
About ten years ago, I came across your article: Ten Things I’ve Learned in Fifty Years. I liked it, saved it, and reread it periodically.
Now – this one. I’m saving it. Thank you!
Thanks Ivan!
Hi Cole,
You are right finding your vision is difficult. I have been looking for it for a couple of years and your 10 +1 points are a timely reminder as I keep looking.
Very best wishes.
Jim
Jim, it’s worth the hard work!
And when I “found” mine, I came to realize Vision is not about photography, it’s about life.
Well said Cole. The quote of O’Keeffes’ will be printed out and carried in my camera bag along with two others.
What are the other two quotes?
Cole – Thank you for the wisdom you imparted in this article (and on your podcast with John). I am struggling to find my vision as it seems to be all over the place but I have learned with guidance (some from you) to not truly care what other people think of my work. The joy that I get when an image comes to life through my photography and post-processing is fulfilling. I am still learning how to critique my own work so I look to others for input but not final decision on what I should do. I have found the critiques in clubs to be uninspiring and, to me, defeat the purpose of image reviews. Thank you for helping me in my journey.
Kathryn, I commend you for taking this journey! Vision is not static and it doesn’t always look the same, it’s just how YOU see any particular subject or scene.
Work on finding your Vision Blockers (see this article: https://colethompsonphotography.com/2014/05/09/finding-vision/)
Critiques generally approach an image from a technical perspective. Vision is all about how YOU see, and how YOU feel.
Keep working on it, you can do it!
I read the 1st step and then continued with my vacation. 🙂
I like seeing your pictures but seldom take pictures myself.
Keep up the good work!
Good on you Billy-boy!
That was lovely and nice. Funny and insightful. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Nicole, and I’ll take the funny comment anytime!
well, I guess I am late to the game with my comments but I’ve been busy taking photographs!
I agree with most of your points and I do feel that, as one gets older, one reaches a point of having gained enough experience that ones vision has become solidly ones own. At 72, I may be too old to change (although I still love to learn new things) and I find that I like my photographs and don’t want to change much about them. Of course, I edit many hundreds of images to a small handful of what I think of as “5 stars” and I am happy to show these to anyone. But I do agree that liking ones own images goes hand in hand with rejecting both criticism and praise equally. While I want people to like my images, I’m not going to change the way I photograph just because they don’t. I have favorite painters but if I am honest, I may like one in ten of their paintings. But that one painting … oh boyOne point of disagreement I have is that I believe young or beginning photographers SHOULD look at other peoples work and also read lots of articles. There is nothing wrong with standing on the shoulders of giants. Just be prepared to jump off at the appropriate time and strike a new path.
As always Cole I love reading your thoughts and always value your ideas and your work. May you have a fulfilling and stimulating 2026.
Not too late! I appreciate your thoughts.