With the beginning of a new year, you might come across references to a 365 Project: committing to taking one photograph every day for 12 months in order to become a better photographer. This type of undertaking can begin anytime but a lot of people choose January to kick things off.

I'm sure you'll agree that shooting regularly is beneficial. If your camera sits idle for months at a time, you can't expect your skills to improve.

Years ago, the marketing team at Nike started reminding everyone to Just Do It. The idea doesn't apply only to sports.

That said, will taking a photo every day for one year make you a better photographer? Not necessarily. You can easily execute the task without putting much thought into it.

Even worse, it can begin to feel like a chore. Maybe you're swamped with other commitments, or you're under the weather, or you just don't feel like it that day - but you're required to make a picture. Fine. Grab the camera and get it over with.

Going through the motions won't accomplish much. A more purposeful approach will yield better results.

If you'd like to up your game photographically in 2026, these are a few things to consider:

Consistency Does Matter

Whether it's sports, music, writing, design, cooking, carpentry, or photography - whatever the skill - practice is crucial to developing competence. It's also key to maintaining proficiency once you've reached a high level of expertise. You cannot expect to become an accomplished photographer if you only occasionally pick up your camera.

However, shooting every day may be difficult if not impossible. Not to worry. Photography shouldn't be an obligation. Try committing to picking up your camera at least a few times every month.

If you're primarily a nature photographer, this doesn't mean constantly jetting off to exotic locations to avoid getting rusty. There's also the reality that, during the depths of winter, venturing into the field may not be an easy option. If you can get to the places you enjoy working, great. If not, explore your yard or walk around your neighborhood. Head for a park or a local nature preserve. Alternatively, you can stay inside; our homes are filled with plenty of subject matter.

The images you create don't have to be keepers - though you might surprise yourself.

Intentional Exercises to Train Your Mind

Assign yourself a theme: maybe it's photographing a specific color, or it could be elements like shapes or lines. Choose an idea, then find ways to visually interpret the topic. Perhaps each session has its own theme, or maybe it's one for every month.

Other assignment ideas could be to only shoot in black and white, to photograph a single object in ten uniquely different ways, or to create only abstracts.

You could limit yourself to using a single focal length, or to shooting only in portrait orientation.

Venture into a different genre. If you normally create landscapes, try street photography.

The idea is to create some sort of restriction; this will force you to think differently.

Be a Student

Developing your skills includes expanding your knowledge. Study the work of other artists. I've always considered coffee table books produced by photographers I admire to be some of my best textbooks.

Visit photography exhibits in museums. Study paintings.

If you haven't already gotten there, at some point you'll realize you are nearly always looking at the world through your photographer's eye, with heightened observation. Seeing mindfully, framing compositions even when your camera is not in your hand, noticing details - in these ways you are continually developing your personal vision. Be an active observer.

Upping your photography game includes knowing how to get the most out of your images in post-processing. Most of us are probably using Photoshop and Lightroom, which are constantly evolving, adding new features and capabilities. Look at the tutorials; stay current.

This post isn't an indictment of 365 Projects per se. It's empty exercises I find fault with.

If you'd like to become a better photographer in 2026, don't let your camera collect dust. We can't improve our skills if our cameras are sitting idle and we're not thinking about photography.

"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
~Pablo Picasso

Make it happen.