📸 5 Things We All Need to Do in 2026 to Take Better Photos

Want to take better photos in 2026 than you did in 2025? 📸 This episode gives you five simple, practical things you can start doing today that will genuinely improve your photography.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✅ How to properly clean your camera gear and why it matters for sharp photos
✅ The smart way to learn camera settings without getting overwhelmed
✅ Why shooting in different lighting conditions makes you a better photographer
✅ How to critically review your work before sharing it
✅ Why trying uncomfortable photography genres helps you grow

These tips work for everyone - whether you're using a phone 📱, an entry-level camera, or professional gear. No jargon, just practical advice you can use today.

📸 What You'll Learn:

✅ Thing 1: Clean Your Gear Properly and Keep It Clean
Get yourself a proper cleaning kit with a blower brush, microfibre cloths, and lens cleaning solution. Make cleaning a habit before every shoot. Clean lenses make sharp photos - it's that simple!

✅ Thing 2: Learn One Camera Setting Really Well
Don't try to master everything at once. Pick one setting - maybe exposure compensation, aperture priority, or even manual mode - and become properly competent with it. Master it, then move on to the next one.

✅ Thing 3: Take Photos in Different Light
Deliberately seek out different lighting conditions. Harsh midday sun, soft overcast light, golden hour, indoor window light - each type teaches you different skills. Photography is drawing with light, so this stuff is pretty important!

✅ Thing 4: Review Your Photos Critically Before Sharing Them
Stop sharing every photo you take. Review your photos twice - once immediately, then again with fresh eyes after waiting overnight. Quality over quantity, always.

✅ Thing 5: Shoot Something Uncomfortable
Try a photography genre outside your comfort zone. Love landscapes? Try portraits. Always shoot people? Try architecture. Uncomfortable equals growth, and growth equals better photography.

📱 For Phone Photographers:
Everything in this episode applies to phone photography too! Clean your phone lens, learn exposure compensation in your camera app, photograph in different light, review before posting, and try different types of photography with your phone.

🔗 Related Episodes:

If you're enjoying this New Year focus on improving your photography, you might want to check out the previous episode - episode 222, The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 29 Essential Photography Tips That Actually Matter

And here are some other recent related episodes - episode 220, The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It: and good old episode 152,

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com

Chapters

• 0:00 If you want to take better photos in 2026
• 1:11 Hello and welcome to episode 223 of the Photography Explained Podcast
• 2:50 Thing 1: Clean Your Gear Properly and Keep It Clean
• 5:51 Thing 2: Learn One Camera Setting Really Well
• 8:01 Thing 3: Take Photos in Different Light
• 10:08 Thing 4: Review Your Photos Critically Before Sharing Them
• 12:32 Thing 5: Shoot Something Uncomfortable
• 14:10 Quick Recap
• 14:53 What if I Use a Phone to Take My Photos?
• 16:14 What Do I Do?
• 17:59 Here's Something for You to Do, Dear Listener
• 18:50 Related Episodes
• 19:41 Next Episode 💝
• 20:09 Get in Touch & Subscribe! 🤝
• 21:00 This episode was brought to you by
• 21:13 I've been Rick McEvoy. Thanks for listening. 👍

Transcript

Introduction

If you want to take better photos in 2026 than you did in 2025, this episode gives you five simple things you can start doing today.

Here's the thing about New Year's resolutions - most of them fail because they're too vague or too ambitious. "Take better photos" sounds lovely, but what does it actually mean? How do you do it? That's what we're tackling today. I'm giving you five specific, practical things you can do in 2026 that will genuinely improve your photography, whether you're using a phone, an entry-level camera, or professional gear. These aren't complicated techniques that require years of practice. They're simple actions that make a real difference, and I'm going to explain exactly how to do each one.

Hello and welcome to episode 223 of the Photography Explained Podcast. This is 5 Things We All Need to Do in 2026 to Take Better Photos.

A very good morning, good afternoon, or good evening to you, wherever you are in the world. 🌍 I'm your host, Rick, hi 👋, and in each episode, I try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 27 minutes (ish) ⏱️, without the irrelevant details. Yes, really. 💯

I'm a professionally qualified photographer based in England 🏴 with a lifetime of photographic experience, which I share with you in my splendid podcast. 📸 💝

Let's get into this.

Getting Started

Right, so these five things. They're not revolutionary. They're not going to turn you into Annie Leibovitz overnight. But they will make your photos noticeably better this year if you actually do them. Some are about your gear, some are about your approach, and one is about your mindset. They all matter. They're all achievable. And they're all worth doing, regardless of where you are in your photography journey.

Thing 1: Clean Your Gear Properly and Keep It Clean

Let me start with something that sounds obvious but gets overlooked constantly - clean your gear. I mean properly clean it, not just wipe the lens with your shirt sleeve when you notice a smudge.

Here's what I want you to do. Get yourself a proper cleaning kit. You need a blower brush, microfibre cloths, and lens cleaning solution. Spend twenty to fifty quid or dollars or Euros on proper cleaning supplies. It's worth it.

Now, make cleaning a habit. Before you go out to take photos, quickly check your gear. Blow any dust off your lens. Check your sensor if you're using a mirrorless or DSLR camera. Wipe your phone lens - yes, phone users, your lens gets absolutely filthy from being in your pocket all day.

But here's the important bit - store your gear properly. Don't leave your camera on the table gathering dust. Keep it in a bag or case when you're not using it. If you're using your phone, get a case that covers the camera when it's in your pocket. Clean lenses make sharp photos. Dirty lenses make soft, hazy photos that no amount of editing will fix.

I cannot tell you how many times I've seen someone show me their photos wondering why they're not sharp, and it turns out their lens is covered in fingerprints and dust. Clean lenses equal better photos. Simple as that.

Thing 2: Learn One Camera Setting Really Well

Don't try to master everything at once. Pick one setting and become properly competent with it this year. I mean really understand it, inside and out.

If you're new to photography or using your phone, start with exposure compensation. That's the setting that makes your photo brighter or darker. Learn when to use it and by how much. Practice until adjusting exposure becomes second nature.

If you're using a camera and shooting in automatic modes, pick one semi-automatic mode and master it. Maybe that's aperture priority, where you control depth of field. Or shutter priority, where you control motion blur. Choose one and use it for three months straight until you instinctively know what setting to use in any situation.

Already comfortable with the basics? Then pick a more advanced feature. Maybe it's back button focus. Maybe it's exposure bracketing. Maybe it's using your histogram properly. Maybe even learn manual!

The mistake people make is trying to learn everything simultaneously. They read about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, focus modes, metering modes, and get overwhelmed. Then they give up and stick to full automatic forever.

One setting. Learn it well. Master it. Then move on to the next one. That's how you build proper photographic competence.

Thing 3: Take Photos in Different Light

Most people take photos in the same lighting conditions all the time. If you normally shoot outdoors, you probably photograph in bright daylight. If you shoot indoors, you probably use the same room with the same lighting.

This year, deliberately seek out different light. If you always shoot in sunny weather, go out on a cloudy day. If you only shoot during the day, try dawn or dusk. If you avoid shooting indoors, bring your camera inside and experiment with window light.

Different light teaches you different things. Harsh midday sun teaches you about shadows and contrast. Soft overcast light teaches you about subtle tones. Golden hour teaches you about warm color and direction of light. Indoor window light teaches you about working with limited light sources.

Each type of light presents different challenges and opportunities. The more variety you experience, the better you'll understand light in general. And understanding light is absolutely fundamental to photography. Different light, different skills, better photographer. Photography is drawing with light, so this light stuff is pretty important!

Start small. If you normally photograph at two in the afternoon, try seven in the morning instead. If you always shoot outside, spend a weekend photographing subjects near windows indoors. Different light, different skills, better photographer.

Thing 4: Review Your Photos Critically Before Sharing Them

Here's something that will instantly improve the quality of your portfolio - stop sharing every photo you take.

I know it's tempting to immediately post that photo you just took to Instagram or Facebook. But take a breath. Wait. Review your photos properly before you share them.

Here's my process. After a shoot, I import my photos and go through them once quickly, deleting obvious failures - the ones that are blurry, badly composed, or technically broken. Then I wait. Ideally overnight, but at least a few hours.

Then I review them again with fresh eyes. This time I'm asking harder questions. Is this photo actually interesting? Does it say something? Is it worth sharing? Would someone who wasn't there when I took it find this photo engaging?

Be ruthless. If a photo is just okay, don't share it. Only share your best work. Your portfolio isn't defined by the number of photos you post, it's defined by the quality of the photos you post.

This applies whether you're posting to social media, sending photos to clients, or building a website. Quality over quantity, always. Sharing only your best work makes people respect your photography more. Sharing everything makes people scroll past your work without really looking.

Review critically. Share selectively. Your photography will be taken more seriously as a result.

Thing 5: Shoot Something Uncomfortable

This one's about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Whatever type of photography you normally do, deliberately try something different this year.

If you love landscapes, try portraits. If you always photograph people, try architecture. If you shoot everything in color, spend a month working in black and white. If you're comfortable with natural light, rent a flash and experiment with artificial light.

Why? Because trying new things teaches you skills that improve your regular photography. Portrait photographers learn about working with people and expressions. Landscape photographers learn about composition and light. Architectural photographers learn about lines and perspective. Each genre teaches different lessons.

And sometimes, you discover a new passion. I started as an architectural photographer. Then I tried real estate photography because a client asked. Now it's a significant part of my business.

You don't have to become an expert in your uncomfortable genre. You just need to try it properly. Give it a genuine go. Take it seriously for a few sessions. Learn from the experience. Then take those lessons back to your main photography.

Uncomfortable equals growth. Growth equals better photography.

Quick Recap

Right, let's quickly recap those five things. Thing one - clean your gear properly and keep it clean, because clean lenses make sharp photos. Thing two - learn one camera setting really well instead of trying to master everything at once. Thing three - take photos in different light to understand how light works in various conditions. Thing four - review your photos critically before sharing them, quality over quantity always. Thing five - shoot something uncomfortable to push yourself and learn new skills.

Five things. All achievable. All worth doing.

What if I Use a Phone to Take My Photos?

Everything I've just said applies to phone photography. Everything.

Clean your phone lens - it gets filthy in your pocket. Learn exposure compensation in your camera app. Photograph in different light conditions. Review your photos before posting them to social media. And try different types of photography with your phone.

Phone cameras are incredibly capable now. The limitations aren't the gear, they're usually the photographer not understanding the fundamentals. These five things will improve your phone photography just as much as they'll improve your camera photography.

In fact, some of these are easier with a phone. Cleaning your lens takes two seconds with a microfibre cloth. Exposure compensation is usually just a slide of your finger on the screen. Different light? Your phone is always with you, so you can photograph whenever the light is interesting.

Don't let anyone tell you these principles don't apply to phone photography. They absolutely do.

What Do I Do?

Let me tell you what I actually do that relates to these five things.

First, I clean my gear before every single shoot. It's part of my setup routine. I check my lenses, clean my sensor once a month, and make sure everything is spotless before I even leave the house. And when I get back from taking photos, I clean everything again so it's always good to go for the next shoot. I've lost count of how many times I've spotted dust or marks that would have ruined shots if I hadn't checked.

Second, I'm always learning something new. Right now I am debating whether to have a period of time using either an ND filter or a circular polarising filter. Even after 40 years, I'm still picking one thing and deliberately improving it. Learning never stops.

Third, I review my work ruthlessly. After every shoot, I go through my photos twice. Once immediately to delete obvious failures. Then again the next day when I'm fresh. Only my best work makes it into my portfolio or goes to clients. This discipline has been essential to building a professional reputation.

Here's Something for You to Do, Dear Listener

Pick one of these five things and commit to it for January. Just one. Do it properly for the whole month.

Maybe you'll spend January keeping your gear spotlessly clean. Maybe you'll master one camera setting. Maybe you'll photograph in different light every weekend. Maybe you'll review your photos more critically before sharing. Maybe you'll try a completely different type of photography.

One thing. One month. See what difference it makes to your photos by the end of January. And let me know how you got on please dear listener.

Related Episodes

If you're enjoying this New Year focus on improving your photography, you might want to check out the previous episode - episode 222, The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 29 Essential Photography Tips That Actually Matter.

And here are some other recent related episodes - episode 220 - The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It, and good old episode 152, How My One Photo Rule Will Help You Take Better Photos.

Next Episode 💝

Next time, we're talking about something that frustrates a lot of photographers - blurry photos. Episode 224 is titled Why Are My Photos Blurry? All the Reasons and How to Fix Them. I'm going to explain every single cause of blurry photos and give you practical solutions for each one. No jargon, just practical explanations you can actually use to get sharper images.

Get in Touch & Subscribe! 🤝

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe so you don't miss future ones. 🔔

For everything else, visit RickMcEvoyPhotography.com 🌐 - ask questions, get my weekly email, get in touch, or text me directly from the podcast feed. 📱 Find me on YouTube by searching Rick McEvoy. 📺

Check out my courses page 🎓 for "How to Become a Real Estate Photographer." 🏠

And check out my shiny new resources page, which takes you in all sorts of splendid directions.

This episode was brought to you by a cheese and pickle sandwich 🥪 and a Coke Zero 🥤, consumed before settling into my homemade, acoustically cushioned recording room. 🎙️

I've been Rick McEvoy. Thanks for giving me 27-ish minutes of your time. 🙏 This episode will be about 23 minutes after editing out the mistakes and bad stuff.

Thanks for listening. 👍

Stay safe. 🛡️ Cheers from me, Rick! 🍻