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At Click Happy we believe that the key to photographic success is to make it as easy as possible to succeed so that you slowly build confidence and ability.

So we focus on building a tiny habit that will help you develop your photography skills.

The first thing I would like you to do before you even start the class is to make a plan on how you will develop three habits that will help you to begin to become a world class photographer.

  • a "one click a day habit."
  • Battery charging habit
  • Organized image filing habit.

So this means that you need to find three habits that you already have to hook these three new behaviours on to.

One click a day habit means that you get your cellphone or your camera out and you take at least one photo a day.  It doesn't need to be a masterpiece and if you only remember just before you go to bed then just pick up your phone and aim it at something and try and create something interesting in the frame and take a shot.   Then celebrate because you did what you promised yourself you would do by taking a photo a day.  You didn't say I'll take a masterpiece a day but instead a photo a day and you kept the word to yourself so give yourself a fist bump, or say "YUS!" or whatever feels good to you.

Because by celebrating such a small thing you will be reinforcing your photography habit.   And if you commit to taking a photo a day for the duration of this challenge there is a chance that will continue and your skills will grow.

So lets build a habit.

First lets hook it on to something that you already do in your life.

  • You wake up and put your feet on the floor.
  • You put on your shoes
  • You eat breakfast and put away your dish
  • You go to the bathroom
  • you take the dog for a walk
  • feed the cat
  • you put away your dishes after you eat lunch
  • you get up from the table after dinner
  • You log on to your computer
  • you play a video game
  • turn on a heater
  • brush your teeth
  • go outside...

you get the picture.  Take an inventory of at least 20 things that you do every day without fail.  Then find the trailing edge of that behaviour.  The trailing edge is the very last thing you do to complete a behaviour.  For example leaving the house you close the door.  So you could link your one click habit on that.  Such as, after I close the door to the house I will start a photo walk and take at least one photo while I'm out.

So now fill in your Click Happy success recipe:

After I ______________________________________ I will take at least one photograph, and then I will celebrate by ____________________________.

After I ______________________________________ I will charge my _______________________________, and then I will celebrate by ___________________.

After I  ______________________________________ I will download my images into a subfolder in my photo folder that is labeled YearMonthDaySubject (example 20200625GingerCat) and I will celebrate by _________________________________.

 

Now I know what you are thinking.  Mandi this celebrating thing is a little over the top.  Well according to neuroscience...no it isn't.  If you want the habit to stick the best way to do it is by positive reinforcement, to flood your mind with feel good hormones and anchor that behaviour.

 

The other thing you can do to make the habit stick is to rehearse and make it funny.   So for example to reinforce your photo habit you could anchor it to putting your breakfast plate away, pull out your phone and photograph your mum then shout "Whoop Whoop!" Then grab the plate out of the dishwasher and put it back and photograph your dog and shout "heck yes".  Then grab the plate put it back and then photograph your little sister and then celebrate with a happy dance.  repeat this 6 to 8 times.  Your family will think you have lost your mind, you will crack yourself up but you will now most likely remember to take a photograph after breakfast.

 

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