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“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it; it is in one word, effective.” —Irving Penn

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

You love photography and want to improve, maybe even start a side hustle but life keeps getting in the way. You are constantly battling with work commitments, commute times, chores, family, friends and Netflix.

At the end of each day, you’re so exhausted that you can barely speak let alone pull out your camera for a photo shoot.

When you first bought your camera you had the best intentions, the two of you were going to be inseparable. You had big plans, but life got in the way and now you are the proud owner of the world’s most expensive paperweight.

What if I was to tell you that you don’t need to find hours in each day to improve your skills?

“It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward.” –Old Chinese Proverb

Trying to learn a skill in chunks is like cramming for an exam. Your brain will allow you access to this information for the next day or so and then it gets filed to a . . .

Need some inspiration to get you across the line today? Watch this video.

“If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), ‘Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?’ chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is sacred to death.” —Steven Pressfield

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

Do you remember the last time you were embarrassed? Did you accidentally call your teacher Mum, discover that you just walked five blocks with toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your shoe, or accidentally shaved an eyebrow off when you were nine? I’ve been guilty of all of these and many more. It’s perfectly normal to be a klutz, make mistakes, do dumb things.

Now I want you to try and remember a time that someone you know personally, a family member, friend, or workmate went through an embarrassing experience? I’ll wait…

It’s a lot harder to think of someone, isn’t it? I’m racking my brains, and I can remember someone in grade two pooped in their pants, but I can’t for the life of me remember their name, or what they look like. The rest is kind of hazy.

“You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realise how seldom they do.” —David Foster Wallace

That person I remember pooping their pants in grade two probably still feels the shame and humiliation of that . . .

Keep this handy cheat sheet on your phone, or desktop to help you remember the optimum settings for Lightroom exports.

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

“When Your Why Is clear, Your How becomes easy”

When I was 9, my brother Anthony got his first football trophy.

Best Utility Under 11’s. I believed this trophy had magical powers.

That trophy transformed my brother into a rockstar. My parents treated Anthony like he had just scored the winning goal in the World Cup.

I was proud, but I was also jealous. I wanted a trophy. I wanted to feel like a rockstar.

I signed up for netball and but after two Saturdays of getting up at 8 am, and not getting a game, I quit. I hated being cold. Netball was stupid.

I signed up for Little Athletics (more medals and ribbons to win). Went once, didn’t win and gave up. Little Aths sucked.

I retired from professional sport at the age of 9 to focus on my Leggo career.

My brother played football, cricket, basketball, and every sport under the sun because he loved playing sport. He went on to win a stack of trophies, but winning trophies was not his WHY.

Anthony loved sport, and that’s why he played. He loved to be part of a team, loved how he felt when he ran or swam . . .

More info here.

Beginners, enthusiasts and pros welcome.

Feel free to email me at news@ginamilicia.com if you have any questions.