With a little help from Google, there are not many projects that can’t be tackled by yourself with a little time, like powering your skateboard with a cordless drill.

Well, photography isn’t much different for some. Many people are willing to study the basics themselves and and take a simple family shot, and some may be happy with that. That’s fine, because you are willing to do what they are not.

What is the DIY person not willing to do? This is what you have to do. What are you not willing to do? You just might have to push yourself to do that as well.

Natural light is awesome, but you can’t get a photo like this with just natural light:

The average Do it Yourselfer won’t carry around portable Lumedyne flashes or put a couch in the back of their truck and haul it to a river to nail the perfect family portrait shot for an adventurous family. They’re not willing to study the nuances of lighting techniques relentlessly and how to compose a shot for a 20×30 vs a 20×10 vs a 5×7. The list goes on and on, but I think you’re getting the point.

Do the easy and fun stuff because it is easy and fun, but also dig into the challenging stuff because it will make you better, more valuable, and more creative. The tough stuff today will be the fun stuff tomorrow, creating more separation between you and the competition.