Sometimes shooting images for money means that you don’t always get time to really show off what you can do.  So my top tip for 2013 is to make time to experiment and collaborate.  Get together with a team of people you trust and have worked with before and put together a strong idea that everyone agrees with; do this part before you meet up!

Spend some time on research to find inspirational images, words, feelings and colours to create a pallet to work from.  Whatever type of photography you do, allowing others to get involved in the creative process pushes your technique beyond the safe zone.  I try to schedule a collective project every month to keep me on my toes.  I am lucky to have a great pool of artistic collaborators (make-up artists, hairdressers, artists, designers, models and other photographers) to draw on and who have got used to some of my more crazy notions.

The resulting images can then be used to educate your clients about what gets you excited and just how far you are prepared to go to give them exceptional photography.  Post the images in your blog, on facebook, via twitter and in a magazine.

One day a month forget all you thought you knew and give yourself freedom to experiment and collaborate – you won’t regret it!