What are the best ways to evaluate a collaboration with other photographers?

1 Set clear goals

Before you start a collaboration, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. For example, do you want to learn a new technique, explore a different genre, or create a portfolio piece? How will you know if you have achieved your goal? Will you use feedback, views, likes, or sales as indicators? Having clear goals will help you focus your collaboration and communicate your expectations to your partner.

2 Ask for feedback

One of the benefits of collaborating with other photographers is that you can get honest and constructive feedback on your work. Feedback can help you improve your skills, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and discover new perspectives. However, feedback can also be tricky to give and receive, so you should be respectful, specific, and open-minded. Ask your partner what they liked and disliked about your work, how they would improve it, and what they learned from you.

3 Reflect on your process

Another way to evaluate a collaboration is to reflect on your own process and experience. How did you plan, execute, and edit your work? What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? What did you enjoy and what did you find frustrating? How did you communicate and cooperate with your partner? What did you learn from them and what did you teach them? Reflecting on your process can help you identify areas for improvement, recognize your achievements, and appreciate your partner.

4 Compare your results

A final way to evaluate a collaboration is to compare your results with your partner's and with your previous work. How do your images differ in style, composition, lighting, editing, and mood? What similarities and differences do you notice? How do your images reflect your goals, vision, and personality? How do they compare to your previous work in terms of quality, creativity, and innovation? Comparing your results can help you see your growth, appreciate your diversity, and inspire your future work.

5 Seek external input

If you want to get a broader perspective on your collaboration, you can also seek external input from other sources. For example, you can share your work on social media, online platforms, or photography groups and ask for opinions, suggestions, or critiques. You can also enter your work in contests, exhibitions, or publications and see how it fares against other photographers. Seeking external input can help you gain exposure, recognition, and feedback.

6 Plan your next steps

After you have evaluated your collaboration, you should plan your next steps based on your findings. For example, if you enjoyed working with your partner and achieved your goals, you might want to collaborate with them again on a different project or recommend them to others. If you learned something new or discovered a new interest, you might want to pursue it further or find more resources. If you faced some difficulties or received some criticism, you might want to work on them or seek more guidance. Planning your next steps can help you keep improving your creativity and innovation.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?