Lessons I Learned From 20+ Years Behind the Lens

Miley Jade
Jul 22
3 min read

After two decades of hauling gear, chasing light, and accidentally falling into a pond or two, I’ve collected more than just a terabyte of files—I’ve picked up a few solid lessons (and a mild caffeine addiction). Whether you're just starting or have your own trail of dusty lenses and memory card graveyards, here’s what 20+ years in the field have taught me—funny, technical, and occasionally painful.

🔋 1. Always Bring More Batteries Than You Think You’ll Need

Yes, even if they were “just charged.” No, I don’t care if your camera is mirrorless and boasts superior battery efficiency. Batteries are like toddlers: they will betray you when it matters most.

Pro tip:

For DSLRs like the Nikon D750, keep at least three batteries fully charged on long shoots.
Cold weather? Double that. Batteries drain faster than your patience at a family reunion.

👁️ 2. People Will Blink. Accept It.

Group shots? Somebody’s eyes will be closed. Every. Single. Time. You can either get mad or get clever.

Pro tip:

Shoot in burst mode—even 3fps can save your sanity.
Use Nikon’s face detection AF (on newer models or mirrorless) to focus faster and more accurately.
Take 5+ shots. Blink math is cruel.

📸 3. The Best Photos Are Usually the Ones You Didn’t Plan

You can spend hours perfecting a shot, but the image that stops people in their tracks? It’s the one that happened by accident—usually while you were adjusting your ISO and muttering to yourself.

Pro tip:

Stay in Aperture Priority (A/Av) for fluid shooting when light is shifting fast.
Use Auto ISO with a max cap so your settings adapt but your quality doesn’t tank.
Always be ready. Beauty doesn’t wait.

🛠️ 4. Gear Matters… Until It Doesn’t

I love my Nikon gear. My D750 has seen everything from weddings to waterfalls to my kids wiping peanut butter on the lens. But I’ve also taken great shots with my phone in a pinch. Gear is your tool—not your identity.

Pro tip:

Know your camera inside and out. Master exposure triangle, metering modes, and back-button focus.
But don’t let not having “the best” stop you from shooting. A cheap lens in good light beats a $2,000 paperweight in the wrong hands.

💾 5. Backup Everything. Twice. Then Once More.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard “I thought I backed it up,” I’d buy another hard drive.

Pro tip:

Keep your RAWs on your main system, an external hard drive, and cloud storage (Backblaze, Dropbox, etc.).
Use dual card slots if your camera has them—set one for RAW, the other for JPEG or backup RAW.
File recovery software is great—but prevention is better.

🌅 6. Golden Hour Is Beautiful. And Brutally Short.

You’ve got about 20 minutes of perfect light—and 15 of those are spent yelling “JUST STAND STILL” while the sun rapidly disappears.

Pro tip:

Scout locations ahead of time. Use apps like Sun Surveyor or PhotoPills to know exactly when/where the sun will set.
Shoot wide open (f/1.8–f/2.8) and let that soft light do its magic.

🧍‍♀️ 7. You’re Not Just a Photographer. You’re Also a Comedian, Therapist, and Director of Chaos.

Be prepared to calm nerves, wrangle groups, and somehow make a sweaty toddler laugh while shooting in full sun.

Pro tip:

Bring noise makers, snacks, or bribes (for kids… mostly).
Use a 70-200mm lens for portraits from a distance—it lets people relax without feeling like a lens is about to eat their soul.

📖 8. Every Photo Has a Story. Learn to Tell It.

Your image might be tack sharp and technically perfect—but if it doesn’t make someone feel something, it’s just a file.

Pro tip:

Shoot for emotion, not just aesthetics.
Think in terms of narrative, light, and layers.
Ask yourself, “What do I want people to remember when they see this?”

🎬 Final Thoughts

20+ years behind the lens has taught me that photography is part science, part luck, and mostly persistence. Some days everything clicks—light, subject, gear, timing. Other days you drop a lens hood in a river and curse at the sky.

But the lessons? They’re worth it.

Shoot often. Shoot messy. Embrace the unplanned. And above all, never trust a battery at 42%.

📸 Want more behind-the-scenes chaos, tips, and moody barn photos?Follow me on Instagram @MileyJadeDesignsOr stop by my gallery at The Windmill, Building 4, Penn Yan, NY