7 Books That Changed My Photography Career

PLUS The new contest for April!

The right book at the right time can profoundly change our journey, but so often we might not allow ourselves to be open to inspiration because we’re crippled by one thing: choice. There are so many books being published these days that the simple act of finding one to invest in can be daunting. Well, I’m hoping to alleviate some of that indecisiveness by sharing the seven books that truly changed my life.

These are the books I credit to impacting my photography career the most. Books that gave me clarity, sharpened my business fundamentals, and in several instances, brought me peace.

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Getting Things Done by David Allen

Whether it’s from fellow creatives or muggles, the question that I get asked the most is, “How the hell do you manage all of that?!” There’s always a bit of shock when people start to grasp the breadth of the work I manage. The easiest answer to this is that I have a system. And the book that help me build this system is Getting Things Done.

I read this book very early in my photography journey and use many of the techniques to this day. The biggest lesson I took away was understanding the difference between a task and project. The second biggest lesson I took away was when to act, archive, delegate, or delete an email. Yea, even things as simple as that are discussed in this book.

Look, I could go on but the truth is that this book is packed with so many gems that even if you integrate a few of them, you’ll start to see your productivity change for the better. So, if ever wondered how some of the most productive people are doing it? Odds are, they have a system. And this book helped me develop mine.

No Death, No Fear by Thich Nhat Hanh

In this book, readers are walked through metaphors and meditations around the concept of death. In a brisk 208 pages, the author shines a light on how our uncertainty around death can develop a fear within us that stifles momentum. It’s something that can lead to unnecessary worry and inaction.

It might sound like an odd choice for this list but hear me out. I first read this book in my early 20s and would find myself coming back to it at different points in my life. No, it didn’t turn me into a monk. But it did provide peace with its illuminations around the big, scary idea of death. And as we all know, looking at a ‘monster’ during the day just doesn’t feel as scary as looking at it at night. If you find yourself thinking about the future often, I’d recommend giving this book a read.