SUMMARY
After 40 years in photography, Simon Booth emphasizes that improving one's craft relies on curating the visual content consumed, not just gear or settings. He contrasts the curated images from traditional sources like magazines and books with the low-quality, endless stream found on social media. Booth suggests following photographic competitions and their newsletters as a method to consistently view high-standard work, which trains the eye and influences one's own shooting. This practice scales across genres, with juried competitions acting as a filter against the noise of algorithm-driven platforms.
TAKEAWAYS
Curate visual content consumed to improve photography skills.
Follow juried photographic competitions for high-standard image exposure.
Avoid social media for visual inspiration due to low-quality content.
Consistently viewing strong images trains the eye and influences personal work.