How to Change Your Life as a Photographer in 2025

Exactly six years ago (November 2018), I hit a creative wall.

I’d been on the photo treadmill for years. I’d explored every genre of photography and bought new gear to reignite inspiration, but it wasn’t enough.

Photography just wasn’t fulfilling anymore. I realized that if I wanted to keep going as a photographer, I had to approach my work with more purpose and intention.

So, in the coming year, I committed to creating a single, focused personal project—and that choice laid the foundation for the life I have now.

If you’re looking to deepen your craft, find your unique voice, or just create something meaningful, I urge you to dedicate 2025 to your own life-changing photo project. 

Today I’ll share the steps that helped me stay focused, ease the creative pressure, and ultimately produce my best work to date.

And if you’re interested in expanding into print sales for 2025, there’s an exciting update on my course The Art of Print Sales below!

How to Get Started

First of all, why spend an entire year on a photo project?A year gives you the time to experiment, overcome technical challenges, and dig deeper into telling the story of your subject.

You’ll tell that story better than anyone unwilling to dedicate a full year to something (which is almost everyone else). And the results will show it.

Step 1: Choose a Subject You’re Passionate About

Start with a subject that genuinely interests you. It doesn’t matter what it is—just find the thing that excites you most right now. 

Sometimes a good starting point is to fill in the blank: "I want to use the power of my camera to help others better understand ________."

Here are some examples to spark ideas:

• Nature: Focus on specific landscapes, animals, or seasonal changes.

• Urban Life: Capture the energy of cities, unique architecture, or local characters.

• People and Portraits: Document family stories, cultural traditions, or moments of human connection.

Step 2: Define the Core Meaning of Your Work

This part will require a little more reflection. Think about the message or emotion you want to convey. Go beyond the obvious and consider themes that resonate personally with you.Some photographers even start with the theme first and then find the subject matter to help them express that theme (think Thomas Struth).

Either way, a solid theme gives your project an emotional or philosophical backbone, making it more than just the subject itself.

If your subject is nature, are you drawn to its fragility, resilience, or quiet power? Identifying a theme will give your project direction.

Example: For a nature series, maybe the theme is “renewal” — you could focus on how plants regrow after wildfires or show how nature reclaims abandoned urban spaces. Choose a theme that feels meaningful to you.

And if you’re not sure yet, that’s okay. Get started anyway! Scout locations, research your subject, and start shooting. Sometimes the best ideas come after you dive in.

Step 3: Craft a Visual approach to the work

This step brings your perspective to the forefront, deciding how you want viewers to interpret your work through a visual concept. What specifically do you want to show visually?

How to Do It:

• Explore a Visual Approach or Angle: Here, you start defining how the images will look. If your theme is "renewal," will you use vibrant colors to highlight life or focus on contrasts between decay and growth?

• Narrow Down Focus: For an urban series, if your theme is "transience," maybe you choose to emphasize fleeting moments of human interaction against a static architectural backdrop.

• Example: In a project on urban life, you might decide to capture the juxtaposition between old and new architecture or highlight the play of light and shadow in quiet city moments.

  
  

  A cohesive visual approach that aligns with your theme shapes how the viewer sees your subject. It will add layers to your work and will make a lasting impression.

When I created my project Terminal City Noir, I wanted to show the darker side beneath Vancouver's postcard-perfect image, so I used a neo-noir cinematic approach to help bring out those hidden stories.

From the series Terminal City Noir © Scott French

When you pair a meaningful theme with a specific visual approach, your project becomes cohesive, bringing depth, clarity, and emotional impact to your work.

Again, if you’re struggling with this part, just go out and start shooting. Experiment with different approaches. If you put in the time it will come to you.

With my series on mid-century modern architecture, I wasn’t sure of the visual approach I would take until a month or 2 after I started shooting locations.

I wanted to show the optimism of the era. So at one location (see image below), I experimented with overexposure, flooding scenes with light to convey a sense of brightness and hope—the dream of a bright future. (I took several safety exposures so I could brush in any clipped highlights later). That technique became the visual approach for the entire project.

From the series Modern © Scott French

What if My Project Isn’t “Original”?

Don’t worry about creating something entirely new. Originality doesn’t come from choosing a unique subject or visual concept—most things have been done before.

Instead, what makes a project different (and great) is your dedication to seeing what others miss.Commit to exploring what others overlook, and you’ll create something uniquely yours. 

Tips:

• Look Beyond Common Perspectives: Explore different aspects of your subject—historical, emotional, and aesthetic. Spend time in your chosen locations and reflect on what resonates with you.

• Challenge Yourself to Push Past the Obvious: Many won’t invest the time to deeply explore one subject. Doing so lets you understand and connect with your subject in a way that naturally distinguishes your work.

  
  

By dedicating this time and focus, you’re setting yourself up for a project that won’t just look good—it will communicate layers of meaning, and offer viewers something they connect with.

As you take these steps, remember that this journey is about depth and intention, not perfection or speed. Committing to a year-long project lets you connect with your subject and create work that feels authentic. 

Coming up

Next week, in Part 2 of How to Change Your Life as a Photographer in 2025, we’ll dive into curating your work with purpose. I’ll discuss how to hone your vision, how many images to aim for, and how to make your project stronger.

Art of Print Sales Course Update

Many of you have asked when my new course, The Art of Print Sales, will be available again. I’m thrilled to announce it will be reopening soon—with an exclusive Black Friday offer for new students!

If you’ve ever dreamed of selling prints of your work, this could be the year to make it happen. This course is my guide to building a print sales business, even if you’re starting with little or no social media following. Many in the first group of students have already been making sales and others are gaining momentum as they prepare to launch in the coming weeks.

Here’s a glimpse of what some of them had to say:

“I would absolutely recommend "The Art of Print Sales"! It takes a big-picture dream and sets out the steps to get there without losing the joy of the dream! The course is taught in a calm, yet encouraging way. Each lesson is doable and not overwhelming so you keep your momentum going.”

Adri Spyker

"Scott has nailed down a recipe that works for photographers that actually want to do this, maybe in addition to other streams of income. He is a talented teacher who has managed to boil down complex concepts in simple and easy-to-apply steps."

Andrei Giurescu

“I would recommend Scott’s course to anyone serious about selling prints online whether you have a large social media presence or not! I have taken a few print courses over the years but most were of the get-rich-quick variety. Scott has a solid blueprint to get up and running and the necessary marketing steps to take before and after.”

David Mullin

Stay tuned for more and Part 2 of this newsletter next week! 

All the best,

Scott 

P.S. Keep an eye out for Part 2, arriving next Thursday. And if you’re ready to expand into print sales in the coming year, I’ll also be sharing details on The Art of Print Sales and an exclusive Black Friday offer.

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Fine Art Photo Insider

Insights and insider tips to elevate your photography projects and art sales.