Photographers, here are three gifts to give yourself in 2022

During the holiday season, we think a lot about what we’re going to give to our family and friends. We buy and make gifts, wrap them up, write the cards, and anxiously wait to give them to the ones we love. But what about us? Do we love ourselves, too?

I admit that I sometimes forget how to do it. In case you’re anything like me, I made you a little reminder. I give you three gifts that you can give yourself in 2022 or even this Christmas. And don’t worry – you don’t even need any money for two out of three!

More quality time with your camera

The past two years have been challenging for all of us, that’s for sure. Some of you might have had more ideas for personal projects, and that’s awesome! But some photographers have been a little (or a lot) less creative over the past two years, I know I have. On the other hand, some of them were forced to take on more shoots that they didn’t enjoy 100%.

Regardless of which group you belong to, spending some quality time with your camera is never a bad idea. No matter if you’re a hobbyist or you do photography for a living, in 2022 you should treat yourself to some quality time with your camera. This means with more photo walks, photo experiments at home, more portraits of your loved ones… You name it. Try to find time to work on that project that’s been on your mind for a long time. Allow yourself to lose the track of time with the camera in your hands. Do it as often as you can – it will recharge you and remind you why you fell in love with photography in the first place.

Learning something new

One of the best things about photography (and any other art form for that matter) is that you never stop learning. No matter how proficient you are, there’s always something new to master. Learning keeps you sharp and focused. I’d say that it also drives your inner child to explore and stay curious. And we must not neglect our inner child.

So, in 2022, treat yourself to learning something new. It can be a totally new genre that you’ll start exploring. For me, I hope it will be street photography and long exposure landscape photography. You can also sign up for an online or live course if you prefer learning through a structured program. After all, it doesn’t even have to be photography-related! Just keep your mind busy and stay curious, it’s another thing that will make you feel good about yourself and your work.

A piece of gear you’ve wanted for ages

Since most people think of tangible things when talking about gifts, I decided to include one of those, too. If you’ve saved some money, 2022 could be time to treat yourself with a new piece of gear. But I don’t mean the latest and greatest camera that has been released three days ago and it’s fairly similar to your current one. I mean, if that’s your wish, go for it, but I was talking about something you’ve wanted for ages.

You’ve wanted a GoPro badly, but there was always something more important. Or maybe a compact camera so you can finally be more discrete as a street photographer? Maybe you just wanted a new backdrop or an LED light bracelet? It doesn’t have to be anything big, but just something you’ve really wanted for so long yet kept postponing its purchase. For me, it was a gear bag – but I got one for my birthday this month. So, I guess I’ll skip this gift in 2022, but I definitely plan to give myself the other two.

So, which of these three gifts are you going to give yourself? Is there anything else on your list? Feel free to share your thoughts. Merry Christmas!