In today's episode, I talk about the growth of the Beginner Photography Podcast in 2017. I talk about the plans I made for last year, whether or not I kept them, and why. I also talk about the challenges I faced and what I plan to do about them in the upcoming year.  1: Share Your Photos I can't tell you how bad I wish I had shared more of my photos when I first started out. But there simply was not an easy way to do it like there is now. Take advantage of this great time to be alive and share your photos with the world!  2: Experiment More It can get easy to fall into a rhythm when shooting. Sure there is a lot to learn about photography but with so much to learn it can be overwhelming when trying something new, so you just default to your old ways. That's a quick way to fall stagnant. Don't fall into that trap!  3: Be The Dumbest Person In The Room Growth only comes when you are around people who know more than you do. When starting out as a photographer I can see how you might feel like a fraud, or worse, not worthy. That's simply false and crazy. Everyone starts somewhere and everyone has a different journey. Join a local photo club, find one on Meetup.com (it's not a dating site, I promise.) 4: Don't Buy Any New Gear Learn to use the gear you have. Master your gear. Know it inside and out. Once you learn your gear's limitations, only then can you be qualified to spend money on something new. I understand if you need a new battery or memory card, or even a camera bag, but don't buy a new camera body in 2018! 5: Print Your Photos Our generation is printing fewer photos than ever before. I recently read a story of a little girl going through her grandparent's photo albums and wondering why she had no photos of herself to hold and show others. I hate that idea and you should too! Photos are the perfect way to relive a moment in the past. The digital version is fine, but holding a print in your hand is an entirely different experience!