In Canada, the month of May is National Hamburger Month, National Salad Month, National Vinegar Month and National Motorcycle Awareness Month. More than a dozen other causes also use May as their national awareness month.
Perhaps most important ;-) is that May is National Photography Month in Canada and several other countries, too. May is also Vision Health Month and National Smile Month (in the UK). Coincidence?
The purpose of National Photography Month is to encourage people to think about photography and how important it is to them. Can you imagine your life without photography?
There are a few things you can do to boost your photo awareness this month (and every other month, too):
1) Back up your digital images. When, not if, your hard drive dies, your laptop gets stolen or your cell phone gets soaking wet, you will lose your pictures. Back up your valuable images, twice!
2) Go through your digital photos, pick your favourites and get them printed. Little prints, big prints, canvas prints and, hey, maybe even photo coffee mugs. Don’t underestimate the importance of getting pictures printed.
3) Do you have any old prints that need to be restored before they fade into a lost memory?
4) Take more pictures. Your children, your family, your friends, your pets; all of these make perfect subject matter for your photography. The best photos are those with which we have an emotional connection. And we connect more with people rather than with landscapes, plates of food, cars, buildings or other inanimate objects.
5) Stop with the endless selfies and get a real, meaningful portrait done. This might take on new significance if you’re a parent and you remember that May is also National Teen Self-Esteem Month.
Photography does matter.
