Do you feel like last year flew by? Or that you spent all of last year waiting for a fresh start? Well, the new year has now arrived, and it’s time to take advantage of 2026.
Going into 2026, many photographers are feeling a mix of creative burnout, content overload, and pressure to keep up with constantly changing platforms. That makes intentional goals more important than ever.
A new year brings with it countless opportunities to develop your skills as a photographer, explore new landscapes, and take your brand to the next level. The question is, where do you get started?
If you need a little inspiration to make 2026 your year, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll share 5 new year’s resolutions to develop your art and grow your photography business.
New Year’s Resolutions for Photographers
This year, I will…
1. Start Shooting in RAW Format
If you haven’t been shooting your pictures in RAW format up until now, this year is the perfect time to get started. As one of the most fundamental skills for photographers, learning how to shoot in RAW is recommended by virtually every photography magazine and expert out there.
Instead of simply adopting a file format, think about how you shoot with intention. Set a small creative constraint, like a personal project or theme you’ll stick with for a month. That way, shooting RAW also becomes part of a thoughtful creative habit rather than just a technical change.
RAW format gives you so much more flexibility when it comes to dealing with exposure, white balance, and focus of your photos. Although the files will take up more space on your hard drive, you’ll find that shooting RAW images greatly improves your chances of getting the perfect shot. Just go to your camera’s menu settings and choose “RAW & JPEG.” That way, you can shoot in both file formats at once.
2. Spend More Time in the Field
While there are plenty of editing and photography courses out there that can teach you how to make the most of your skills, few things are more effective at building your talent than practice. Ultimately, you need to find the time to get out into the field and take as many photos as you can, even if they’re not of your preferred subject.
In 2026, many photographers find that practicing with specific goals or mini-projects (like weekly themes or location studies) helps their time in the field feel more productive and creatively focused.
For instance, if you want to be a wedding photographer, you shouldn’t only shoot wedding-based images. Practicing your portrait and landscape skills will also help when it comes to capturing candid moments and picturesque shots of your happy couples. Try to spend at least one day a month doing nothing except practicing your photography skills.
3. Take More Risks
Speaking of practicing your photography skills, it’s important to take risks from time to time. You might get by with a traditional wedding photography business for a while. However, showing potential clients that you can think outside the box will help set you apart, which is crucial for growth and longevity.
“Taking more risks” can also mean embracing creative constraints. For example, limited tools, unique lighting challenges, or unfamiliar genres often unlock fresh creative thinking.
For instance, you can try playing with new brushes and filters in Photoshop to see what kind of unique aesthetics you can create. On the other hand, you could try collaborating with other photographers in your space or even seeing what you can accomplish with drone photography.
4. Upgrade My Gear
Sometimes, the best new year’s resolution for a photographer is investing in yourself. It can be difficult to take yourself seriously when you’re first getting started as a professional artist, but if you don’t, no one else will either. If you’ve decided that this is the year to start printing out your business cards and exploring new opportunities as a full-time photographer, you’re going to need the right gear on hand.
Before investing in new gear, consider whether upgrades will reduce friction in your workflow or help you produce work you can’t get with your current setup. Intentional choices over impulse buys often lead to stronger creative growth.
This could mean spending some serious cash on upgrading your camera, purchasing a few accessories and creating a home photography studio, or simply downloading new editing software for post-production. Decide what you need and how much it will cost. Then, make saving up for it a priority and invest in professional gear to take your business to the next level.
5. Create a Portfolio Website
Finally, if you want to accomplish something incredible with your photography skills this year, then you’re going to need a website where you can showcase your talent. The good news is that CMS solutions like WordPress make it easy for even complete beginners to build their own website from scratch. All you need is a domain name, web hosting, and a photography-tailored theme to get started.
Want to learn how to create a WordPress photography website in 5 easy steps? See our tutorial!
In 2026, it’s also worth thinking about how your website presents your work strategically. It’s not just about hosting images, but curating galleries by project, client type, or creative focus. Well-organized galleries help potential clients and collaborators quickly understand your style and strengths, making your online presence feel purposeful rather than just functional.
Once you’ve created your website, use Envira Gallery to add stunning galleries of your work. As the best premium WordPress gallery plugin available, Envira makes it easy to create beautiful image and video galleries to showcase your portfolio.
Envira Gallery provides everything you need to build and run a professional photography business on WordPress. Check out some of our most popular features:
- Built-in lightbox and multiple layouts, including slideshow, full-screen, masonry, grid, Polaroid, and more
- Video galleries
- Albums to organize and display multiple galleries
- Client proofing
- Filterable galleries and albums using tags.
- Dynamic galleries to display content from other sources like blog posts, testimonials, Instagram posts, and more
- Watermarking, image protection, and password-protected galleries
- Lightroom integration
- And lots more!
Is Envira Gallery worth it?
See our full overview of all features and decide for yourself!
The new year is a blank canvas, ready for you to fill with breathtaking images and bold steps forward in your photography journey. Whether you’re honing your technical skills, expanding your creative horizons, or investing in tools to grow your business, use these resolutions as a roadmap to success.
The most effective resolutions aren’t about doing more. They’re about building habits and systems you can sustain throughout 2026 and beyond.
Remember, progress doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about the small, consistent efforts you make each day. Embrace new challenges, experiment with your craft, and don’t shy away from stepping outside your comfort zone. Most importantly, stay true to your passion for storytelling through photography.
With focus, determination, and the right resources, you have everything you need to turn your resolutions into reality. Now, get out there and start capturing the moments that matter!
Not using Envira Gallery? Get started today!
Further Reading & Resources
- 376 of the Best FREE Lightroom Presets: Handpicked for Every Genre
- 12 Best Photo Management Software for Better Organization
- 10+ Best Places to Sell Photos Online and Make Money
- How to Optimize Images for Web: Ultimate Guide
- How to Build a Brand on Social Media: 10 Proven Steps
Don’t forget to check out our blog and follow us on X (Twitter) for the best photography tips, resources, and WordPress tutorials.
