Why Photographers Improve Faster With Habits, Not New Year’s Resolutions
Every January, photographers set ambitious resolutions:
“I’ll take better photos this year.”
“I’ll shoot every day.”
“I’ll finally master my camera.”
And by February, most of those resolutions quietly disappear. This isn’t a motivation problem. It’s a goal design problem. Photography improves through behavior, not aspiration, and decades of research support this.
Why Resolutions Fail (Especially for Skill-Based Photography Growth)
Psychological research consistently shows that outcome-based goals like New Year’s resolutions fail at high rates. A widely cited study by John Norcross found that less than 20% of people maintain New Year’s resolutions beyond six months (Norcross & Vangarelli, Journal of Clinical Psychology).
The reason is simple: Resolutions focus on what we want, not what we do. Photography doesn’t improve because someone wants better images. It improves because someone practices specific behaviors consistently.
Habits Beat Goals for Skill Development
Behavioral scientists are clear on this point:
Goals set direction
Habits create results
According to James Clear, lasting improvement comes from systems, not goals. Goals are momentary targets; systems are daily behaviors that compound over time (Atomic Habits, 2018). Similarly, Stanford researcher BJ Fogg demonstrates that small, repeatable behaviors are far more effective than large motivational commitments. His research shows that behavior change succeeds when actions are:
small
easy to repeat
tied to existing routines
(Tiny Habits, 2019)
Photography aligns perfectly with this model.
Photography Is a Habit Skill, Not a Talent Skill
Improvement in photography depends on:
repeated attention to light
frequent visual decision-making
ongoing reflection
None of these respond to annual resolutions. They respond to habits. This is why professionals rarely talk about motivation. They talk about practice.
The Power of Habit
Your brain adapts to habits, but that adaptation takes time. To rewire the brain, you must start small and build momentum through repetition. Consider a common photography goal: reducing camera shake by improving handheld technique. If you’re struggling with this, it’s not because you “don’t know better.” It’s because you’ve likely picked up your camera the same way hundreds, if not thousands of times. That repetition has carved deep neurological pathways, making your current technique the subconscious default.
Changing that behavior requires repetition, not intention. Each time you lift the camera, you must deliberately use the correct handheld technique. Do this consistently, shot after shot, day after day and the brain begins to replace the old pathway with a new one. Eventually, the improved technique stops feeling forced and becomes automatic. At that point, the habit, not the goal is doing the work.
Habit Formation and the Brain: In the process of habit formation, the brain shifts from the prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision-making and effort) to the basal ganglia (which automates tasks). This shift allows behaviors to become ingrained. A study by Lally et al. (2010) found that it takes about 66 days on average to form a new habit, depending on the complexity of the behavior. This is evidence that the brain takes time to rewire itself in response to consistent behavior changes
Habits Over Resolutions
At SPS, we encourage photographers to replace resolutions with behavior-based commitments.
Resolution: “I will take better photographs this year.”
Habit: “I will take one intentional photograph during my weekly walk.”
This distinction matters because habits:
remove pressure
reduce decision fatigue
fit into real life
reinforce learning neurologically
Neuroscience shows that repetition strengthens neural pathways, while sporadic effort does not (Hebb’s Rule: neurons that fire together wire together).
This concept ties into a fundamental principle of habit formation: the more consistent and intentional your behaviors, the more likely they are to lead you to your goal. Goals give us direction, but it’s the day-to-day actions, the behaviors that turn them into something tangible. That’s why, when setting goals, we should focus more on the behaviors driving us to success than on the final destination itself.
The deeper we dig into this, the more we see how this principle connects to neuroplasticity, our brain’s incredible ability to rewire itself. When we repeat behaviors over time, our brain forms new neural pathways, reinforcing the actions that will eventually make them second nature. This process isn’t just scientific jargon, it’s how we shift from willpower to routine.
How to Set Effective Photography Habits
1. Anchor Photography to Existing Routines
Attach photography to something you already do:
morning walk
coffee break
commute
evening light at home
2. Reduce the Scope
Ten minutes is better than an hour that never happens.
Research on skill acquisition shows short, frequent practice leads to better retention than long, infrequent sessions (Cepeda et al., Psychological Science, 2006).
3. Focus on One Behavior at a Time
Examples:
noticing light
framing edges
slowing down before shooting
One habit builds confidence. Confidence sustains engagement.
The SPS Perspective
Photography is not improved by yearly promises.
It’s improved by daily or weekly attention.
When photographers build habits instead of resolutions:
frustration decreases
learning accelerates
confidence grows
photography becomes sustainable
Most importantly, photography becomes part of life, not another abandoned goal.
Final Reframe
Goals tell you where you want to go. Habits determine whether you ever get there.
For photographers, improvement doesn’t come from trying harder. It comes from showing up gently, consistently, and intentionally.
As we close out 2025, Seacoast Photography School would like to extend a sincere thank you to our community of students, partners, and supporters. Your curiosity, commitment, and shared love of photography are what make us thrive. Every lesson, workshop, and conversation reinforces why learning is better when it’s done together.
We’re deeply grateful for the trust you place in us and excited to build on that momentum. With new programs, fresh experiences, and even more opportunities to learn and see differently, we’re looking ahead to a banner year in 2026. Thank you for being part of the journey, we can’t wait to keep creating with you.