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This is NOT one of those motivational New Year’s resolution stories with a bunch of tips that promise to make you more successful in the following year.
This is a realistic look at 21 important year-end tasks for photographers that you should be working on to set yourself up for success in the next 12 months.
In my 50+ years of taking pictures professionally and for fun, I have always made it to the end of the year and felt pressured by the oncoming new year full of opportunity and the potential for success. All of the motivational talk about resolutions and milestones adds to that pressure.
It has taken me many years to translate all that into practical year-end habits that relieve the pressure and empower me to feel confident and excited for the next 365 days of opportunity.
#DoTheWork
To improve as a hobbyist photographer or make more money as a professional photographer, you must #DoTheWork. That should go without saying.
To be clear, I am not referring to watching hours of YouTube videos, buying better gear, and dreaming of being the photographer you aspire to be. I am talking about actually picking up the camera and doing the work it takes to improve your photography.
This list comprises activities I have undertaken or continue to undertake that have contributed to my career success. Much of the list is organizational, some of it involves self-evaluation, and of course, there is the part where you get off your butt, stop making excuses, and take pictures.
I have also included things that should happen immediately if you work professionally as a photographer, whether part-time or full-time.
Please let me know if you think I’ve missed anything.
The List of Year-End Tasks for Photographers
Let’s start with the stuff we all love – the gear. Promise me that you will read to the end, even if you aren’t shooting professionally. Tip #21 is essential for ALL photographers!
1. Clean Your Cameras and Lenses
Include all your gear and everything that comes into contact with it.
All of your lenses should be cleaned, both the front and back. If you have filters on your lenses, remove them and ensure there is no dust on the lens surface or inside the filters.
Watch a video I created on the best way to clean lenses.
This is an excellent time to assess where you store your gear when it’s not in use. Is this a dry and humidity-free environment? My working camera bag stays in my office, which averages 38-40% humidity, and my studio camera and gear are stored in a Dry Cabinet.
I keep the cabinet set to 40% humidity year-round because my home studio is in a basement.
📸 Pro Tip
If you have set up a personalized copyright notice in your camera and included the year, now is the time to update it.
2. Remember Your Lighting Gear
If you have studio strobes with fans, they collect dust. Blow them out with a can of compressed air or an air compressor.
I always wipe down my strobes (especially the ones that travel and get used on location) to remove any sticky substances they have accumulated, usually because I put a piece of gaffer tape on them at some point.
If you use bare bulb flashes, this is an excellent time to clean them properly. I clean my bare bulbs using the same liquid and tissues I use for cleaning lenses.
3. Bags and Cases Get Dirty Too
Empty all your camera bags and equipment cases, then clean them out. Use compressed air to eliminate all the little bits of dirt and food that have found their way to the bottom of the bag during the last year. If you don’t, that dirt will eventually find its way into your gear.
If you have roller wheels on your cases, I encourage you to clean them, ensure no dirt is stuck in the wheel assemblies, and add a little WD-40 to keep them rolling smoothly.
I have Apple AirTags in all of my equipment bags and cases, and this is the time of year that I replace the batteries whether they need it or not. If you use any trackers, this is the perfect habit to ensure the batteries never die when you need them most.
4. Check and Update Firmware
The cameras we use today, like computers and phones, often have firmware updates that fix bugs and add new features. Many lenses manufactured today also use firmware to connect with your camera’s autofocus and image stabilization features.
If you are like me, you get busy, and if the gear works to your satisfaction, you don’t always prioritize the updates. This is the perfect opportunity to enter the new year with your equipment working to its full potential.
WARNING: If this is your first time doing this – READ the directions more than once. There is no reason to be afraid to do this yourself, but you MUST take your time and follow the steps outlined by your camera or lens manufacturer.
5. Equipment Insurance
Insurance should be a no-brainer, but I have been guilty of overlooking this detail. I have always carried insurance on my gear and for liability. Still, if you have made substantial gear purchases in the last year or your business model has changed, you should review your insurance needs and update coverage where needed.
If you are not already a member, I strongly encourage you to consider joining PPA (Professional Photographers of America). The $15,000 of equipment insurance included with membership more than covers the membership cost, making it another no-brainer.
If you have more than $15,000 worth of gear, you can purchase additional coverage at very reasonable rates, and PPA now offers liability coverage as well.
Learn more about PPA in this article.
** If you are working professionally, this is the time to review your liability insurance as well!
Computer Technology
6. Computers, Hard Drives, and Memory Cards
Computers, like cameras, need updates and routine maintenance if you are one of those folks who ignore software updates and security patches – shame on you! Now is the perfect time to ensure your computer is up to date.
It is also a great time to review the software on your machine and remove any programs you don’t use or need, especially if you download a lot of trial software throughout the year. Those programs take up space and often run processes in the background even when you are not using the program.
On my Mac computers, I use CleanMyMac from MacPaw, a piece of software that helps me properly remove unused software and clean out cache and junk system files that aren’t needed. Additionally, it will scan for viruses and help keep my computer running at optimum speed.
MacPaw also makes CleanMyPC for Windows users. Iolo System Mechanic and Avira are two other highly-rated programs that perform these tasks on Windows.
I also use this time to do a full format on all my SD and CF Express cards.
7. Clean Your Computers and Hard Drives (And Your Workspace – While You Are at It)
Computers like to be cleaned, too! It has been shown that computer keyboards are among the biggest biohazards we come into contact with every day, and if you use a desktop PC, the fan loves to collect dust, which can build up in the cabinet. Now is the time – clean those keyboards, open your CPU’s cabinet, and blow it out with compressed air.
If you use external hard drives with fans – blow them out too. If you let dust build up, your drives will run warmer, reducing their longevity. This applies to network drives as well.
8. Calibrate Your Monitor: See the True Colors
Editing photos on an uncalibrated monitor is like painting in the dark. Take the time to calibrate your monitor to ensure your colors are accurate and your prints match what you see on screen.
Organizational Stuff
9. File Management
When I get busy (busy is good), my computer desktop can look like a Where’s Waldo puzzle. It is a great feeling, especially for those of us with a bit of OCD, to have a clean computer desktop.
Finish the year by getting all of your work from this year properly organized, filed, and archived.
I ensure that my client’s work from the current year is wrapped up so that it can be archived and moved off my computer’s hard drive. That way, I start the new year with plenty of room for the new year’s work to be stored directly on my computer’s hard drive until it’s completed.
If you are a Lightroom user, this is the time to ensure your catalog is healthy. Check your library for missing photos and reconnect them to your Lightroom Catalog. If you can’t locate them, consider removing them. This is a prime time to back up your catalog(s) and let Lightroom test and optimize their integrity.
** If you have set up a personalized copyright metadata preset in Adobe Lightroom or Bridge, update it to the current year.
10. Cloud Backup: Don’t Risk Losing Your Work!
Hard drives fail. It’s not a matter of if but when. This year, make sure you have a reliable cloud backup system in place for all your photos and important files. Peace of mind is priceless.
My cloud backup service of choice is Backblaze. For less than eight dollars per month, you can have unlimited data backup with a one-year version history. I have been using Backblaze since 2012 and have received excellent service.
*If you use the link I shared above to sign-up, we will both receive a free month of service from Backblaze.
Personal Stuff Related to Photography
11. Annual Growth Review
The end of the year is the perfect time to look at the year we are leaving behind and do a bit of honest self-evaluation. This type of personal development will only work if you are honest with yourself and set achievable goals for the following year.
I encourage you to begin by looking backward. How have you grown as a photographer in the last 12 months? Whether your status is rank amateur or seasoned professional, assessing growth or lack of development is the foundation for the goals you set.
Review images you took at the beginning of the year compared to those you have shot recently. Has your work improved, and how has it improved? What is the most significant improvement in your photography? (Gear doesn’t count!)
Be sure to read my article: Unlock Better Shots with a Simple Photography Review Habit
It is essential to consider the failures. Remember that there is no success in photography without failure.
What did you hope to accomplish this year that you didn’t? Is it still a priority for you to achieve this? If it is a priority, what do you intend to do to make it happen this year?
What are your achievable goals for the year? Goals hold you accountable to yourself, so take their value seriously. Write them down. Print them out and put a copy in your camera bag. Pin a copy of them on the wall above your computer.
Specificity is Key: Don’t just say “improve photography.” Set specific, measurable goals. Want to master off-camera flash? Learn portrait retouching? Write it down! The more specific you are, the more likely you are to achieve it.
Be prepared because life will get in the way from time to time. Expect those interruptions and accept them. Your list will help you to focus and get back on track. No stress is needed here.
12. Personal Development Goals
I like to think of this as “What will I do for fun?“
At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that you have 365 days of new opportunities ahead of you. I talked about business goals for those of you who are working professionally. Still, ALL photographers should look at this as 365 new days to grow as creative beings.
Every year, I set aside time to review my images from the previous year. I look at my work in terms of wins, losses, and opportunities.
I appreciate the great images and evaluate what makes them great. I look at the bad photos and consider what made them bad and what I would do differently if I had a do-over.
The benefit of this task is that there is no pressure – just an opportunity to learn. I am not dealing with clients, subjects standing before me, the elements, or deadlines. It is just a cold Coca-Cola and me sitting in my office examining my work.
You will be amazed at what you learn by doing this and, even better, the number of creative ideas it generates.
I walk away from this exercise with my creative goals for the year. These goals may manifest in my professional work and are often a part of projects I take on for personal growth.
A good photographer is constantly learning and growing.
Your Photography Business
13. The Business of Business
Hopefully, you created a business plan when you started your photography business. Unfortunately, since so many photographers begin their business as a side hustle, many dive in without a real plan and spin themselves in circles trying to build the business without one.
I mention this because if you don’t have one, this is a perfect time to create one. Another great reason to join PPA is that they have excellent resources to help guide you through the process.
The business plan is the roadmap that turns your WHY into a money-making proposition. Being a professional photographer is not like a field of dreams – “If you shoot it, they will pay” is not the real world.
14. Bookkeeping
Use this time to close out your books for the year and get everything together for tax season. Reduce the stress of the April tax scramble by organizing everything now so you have a clean slate to begin your new year of business in January.
15. Look at the Numbers
Review your year-end numbers and compare them to your business plan. Did you meet or exceed your goals? What made the difference? Hopefully, you didn’t fall short of your goals. If you did, now is the time to take stock and determine why you came up short.
16. Establish New Business Goals
Based on last year’s numbers and your business plan, it is time to establish realistic growth and earnings goals for the new year.
These goals will guide your pricing and marketing decisions, so don’t take the process lightly.
17. Update Pricing
You should review your prices this time each year based on your business plan and earnings goals for the new year.
If you have been a photographer who looks at other photographers’ prices and sets yours accordingly, now is the time to stop. You will not build a financially successful business that way.
In my experience, photographers who set prices by looking at other photographers’ prices fall into one of two categories – lazy or afraid. Neither is good.
PPA has excellent resources for creating pricing models for your business.
18. Update Your Website
Websites are not like printed brochures, where you print them, and they are done. Websites need to be updated regularly, and I don’t mean once a year.
The MOST overlooked update to photographers’ websites is the Copyright Notice. Update it to include the new year. Also, be sure to present the copyright in the proper format. The copyright notice at the bottom of every page of my website reads “© Copyright 2000 – 2026, Joe Edelman. All Rights Reserved.”
The copyright notice should include the year your website went live and the current year.
I also use the end of the year to review my website, make design tweaks, and improve the navigation and organization of the information I share.
At the end of the year, I do a portfolio review, remove older, dated images, and add new, exciting photos that show off my current style and ability. Notice I said that I removed images before I added new ones.
No client is impressed that you have taken hundreds or thousands of pictures of almost everything imaginable. Less is better. Quality over quantity is always the right choice for photographers.
If you are one of those photographers who is crazy enough to write a blog, create your content schedule for the year to help you plan so that you don’t find yourself with a blog that hasn’t been updated in a few months.
If your blog hasn’t been updated in a few months or longer, I would remove it from your website altogether.
19. Social Media Plan
If you have been posting and stressing and shooting and stressing and posting on multiple social media platforms just trying to keep up with the competition. Take a breath!
First of all, remember that competition is a choice. There is only one YOU, so you have no competition unless you choose it.
Now is the time to review your social media efforts for the last year to better understand what worked and what didn’t. I don’t mean what got you the most views; I am referring to what got you the most clients and made you the most money.
In the new year, you need to have a strategy for your social media posting, and it is essential to understand that you don’t need to be on every platform, and you don’t need to post every day to be successful.
Don’t Be a Slave to the Algorithm: Social media is a tool, not your boss. Use it strategically. Figure out which platforms bring you clients, not just likes, and focus your energy there.
Make this the year you up your social media game by doing less and serving more. Understand that your photographs are essential to your social media, but so is the person behind them.
Potential clients want to learn a little about you. Not what you had for lunch, but how you approached a shoot, how much fun you had, and how special it was getting to know the subjects of the photos. Those stories create connections. Connections create customers.
Whenever possible, automate your posts. This requires setting aside a day every month or a few hours every week and planning out your posts. Utilities like Publer, Buffer, Hubspot, and Social Pilot are just a few of the excellent tools available for this purpose, and they can save you hours and help you keep your social presence consistent.
Whatever you do, please don’t keep doing the same thing on social media and expect more attention for your work or business. You will be disappointed if you do.
20. Connect with Your Clients: Build Relationships
Year-end is the perfect time to show your clients some love. Send a thank-you note, offer a holiday discount, or just check in. Building relationships is key to a successful photography business.
One Last Tip
21. Trend Watching (with a Critical Eye)
Trends come and go. You definitely should not follow them, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them completely. Pay attention to what’s emerging in photography, but instead of blindly following, analyze. Ask yourself: What aspects of this trend can I adapt to my style and how can I personalize this to my advantage so that my work is unique and stands out from the crowd?
Do you have a hard time avoiding trends? Read my article: Photography Trends Are a Great Way To Make Your Photos Forgettable
The Last Frame
If you are still reading, there is a good chance I have caused you some stress. I am sorry for that, but hopefully, this article has given you some good ideas to add to your year-end routine.
If much of this information is new to your thought process, don’t panic. Get started now. It may take a few weeks to complete, but it will make your life easier in the next year. Completing these year-end tasks for photographers every year will move you a step closer to your goals with less friction along the way.
You just have to #DoTheWork.
I hope you found this information useful. Now go pick up that camera and shoot something! Because – “Your BEST shot is your NEXT shot!” — Joe Edelman
