You can improve your photography anytime, anywhere—no camera required! This idea seems a bit far-fetched, but research in other fields shows that it works. Athletes, musicians, and even surgeons have used this type of exercise to hone their skills – so how can photographers take advantage of it too?
This method is called mental rehearsal or visualization. Studies show that visualizing an action activates many of the same parts of the brain as actually performing it. Decades of research prove that practicing your brain builds fluency, confidence, and speed. For photographers, this means the chance to practice making decisions about composition, timing and settings anywhere, even when the camera is in the bag.
The science behind mental exercises
The idea that mental rehearsal can improve real-world performance has decades of evidence behind it. One of the earliest and most cited examples comes from Alan Richardson’s 1967 study on basketball free throws. Players were divided into three groups: one practiced shooting daily, one did nothing, and one only visualized successful free throws. After 20 days, the group that did the physical exercises had a 24% improvement, and the visualization-only group had about a 23% improvement.
Neuroscience helps explain this. Brain imaging shows that vividly imagining an action activates the same motor pathways that actually perform it. Your brain treats exercise as a simulation, which reinforces coordination, timing and decision making. That’s why mental practice is effective in areas where accuracy is important, from sports to surgical training.
Recently, meta-analyses covering thousands of athletes across multiple sports confirm that mental imagery produces measurable benefits in agility, strength, and reaction time. They also reveal practical guidance on timing and frequency: three times per week over an extended period, sessions of about 10 minutes bring the strongest improvements. This makes mental practice manageable and easier to integrate into a busy schedule.
Research further shows that while novices often get the greatest benefits, experienced practitioners still benefit. For beginners, mental exercises build foundational skills and decision making. For more experienced individuals, it refers to speed, confidence, and adaptability – qualities that are directly relevant to photographers who want to advance quickly and creatively in the field.
It adds value to your photography
Photography is as much about seeing and making decisions as it is about pressing the shutter. Mental practice strengthens both the technical and creative parts of your brain, making the act of shooting feel smoother and more intuitive. By practicing in your mind, you’re building confidence in your choice before you even arrive at a scene.
It helps you respond faster. When you’ve imagined possible compositions, lighting conditions, and camera settings, your mind is already familiar with the decisions you need to make. This means less hesitation, more focus on capturing the moment, and fewer missed opportunities.
Mental exercise also promotes creativity. By imagining different ways to frame a scene, you begin to notice patterns, contrasts, and possibilities that might otherwise be missed. You’re essentially giving your eye and your brain space to rehearse, so when you’re behind the camera, your instincts are sharper, and you’re free to experiment without doubting yourself.
Even small mental exercises can make a remarkable difference. Spending a few minutes imagining a tricky lighting situation, an unusual perspective, or a fleeting street scene can improve the way you see and capture similar moments in real life. The benefits are subtle but cumulative: Over time, you’ll find that your decisions are more thoughtful, your creations are stronger, and your workflow is more fluid.
a process for mental practice
The good news is that mental practice doesn’t take much time, and it’s easy to incorporate into your day. You don’t need a quiet room, a meditation cushion, or a large chunk of free time. A few minutes here and there are enough to make a difference. Think of it as giving your brain a little workout – something that strengthens your photography even when you can’t go out shooting.
To start, aim for short, focused sessions. Research shows that about 10 minutes, three times per week, is the sweet spot for building skills over time. If this seems like too much, start small. Even two or three minutes while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or sitting on the train can help you form this habit.
Here’s a simple structure you can follow:
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Choose a scenario. Imagine a concrete situation you want to rehearse. This could be the view you are currently viewing, something you saw earlier that day, or perhaps a place you would like to visit on your next walk. Just be sure to keep it specific, so you have a clear mental goal for your practice.
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Picture yourself there. Close your eyes and walk through the scene in your mind. Bring in as many details as you can: what elements you’re seeing in the environment, what the sun or wind might feel like, what you’re hearing, and even how the camera might feel in your hands. The more clearly you can imagine the experience in all your senses, the more value you will get from the practice.
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Go through your process. Don’t just imagine the finished photo. Mentally consider your options: where you’ll stand, what focal length you’ll use, how you’ll set the exposure, what trade-offs you’ll make. Think about the mood or story you want to tell. Think of it as if you’re actually on location, going through the actual steps.
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To be reflected. Once you have depicted the sequence, visualize the resulting image. Review the process you went through in the above step. Ask yourself what worked and what you would change. If something seems wrong, or you’re curious about what results a different set of options might yield, reset and run the scenario again, noting any changes.
The more clearly you go through these steps, the more natural they will feel when you actually hold your camera.
incorporating it into everyday life
Although the best results will come from dedicating time specifically to this type of mental practice, it is not always practical. Luckily, it’s easy to incorporate into your days or routine. Base your mental actions on the routine above, but in the context of your specific activities. Here are some ideas to get you started:
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On your commute: Look out the window and imagine taking a picture of the street outside. Would you prefer aperture to control shutter speed or depth of field to freeze the motion of people and cars? What subjects stand out for you and would be worth photographing? What is the light doing during this particular transit?
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Walking your dog: Look at a landscape scene or a small scene and draw where you will be standing. Will you set up a tripod? How can you proceed to get the arrangement of your favorite elements? What settings would be useful in conveying the story or message of that place?
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Waiting in line: If nothing pops up as an interesting photographic subject, use the opportunity to change camera settings. Imagine how to adjust the ISO for your current environment, or switch focus modes to achieve a particular effect. Take a picture of the exact dials and buttons on your camera, or how you access valuable items in your camera’s menu system.
These short exercises don’t take much time at all, but when done regularly they build familiarity and fluidity. The next time you’re shooting, the options you’ve already mentally rehearsed will come more quickly and with less effort.
conclusion
Mental practice won’t replace time with your camera in hand, but it does provide you with an opportunity to meaningfully engage your photography in the silence between shoots. Athletes and surgeons use visualization because it works. Photographers can also take advantage of this. Incorporating short, focused sessions into your routine, or simply turning everyday moments into opportunities to rehearse your process, helps increase your technical and creative ability over time. And the results will be visible the next time you step out with your camera.
Think about the moments in your photography that seem rushed, difficult, or easy to miss. What types of situations do you think would be most useful to practice in your mind before being behind the camera?
