Say you’ve gotten a new camera for the holidays. Now what?

First thing to do is to read the manual. I know, it’s not really fun reading when you really want to go out and play with your new toy, but it helps to know how the camera works.

Some people who skip the instructions may become frustrated when they can’t get the camera to work the way they want it to. They then put it up on a shelf, never to be touched again. If you’ve owned a camera before then look for the differences on how your new one works.

Read the manual.

Once you’ve learned how to operate your camera, then what should you do?

Practice, practice practice.

To become comfortable with your camera you need to use it as much as possible. If you only break out your camera every so often, you’ll spend a lot of time fiddling with its settings, so much so that you may even miss a shot.

You can try joining a camera club or online photography group. They are great sources of information and advice. Some have meet ups or challenges you can do to help improve your skills. The idea is to use your camera on a relatively regular basis.

You can go on self-imposed “photo walks” where you can explore the photographic potential of an area or event. Use your camera in a variety of different of ways and situations.

For example, instead of just taking photos of an overall scene, try shooting some close ups. Instead of shoots of static images, try photographing things in motion. Shoot subjects under different lighting conditions. Instead of front lit objects (light landing on the objects front), try side or backlighting. Instead of just taking pictures during midday, try early morning or late afternoon to see what the light is like at those times.

In the days of film, one would have to wait a few hours to a few days to see the results of your efforts when you got your pictures back from the photo finishers. In today’s digital age, one can see you pictures immediately on the monitor on the back of your camera.

When you try new techniques you can now get instant feedback with just press of a button on your camera.

When things go right, try to remember what you did. When they go wrong, and they will go wrong at some point, take time to learn from your mistakes.

Using the camera properly must become second nature to you before you can start making great pictures. Don’t worry about taking bad photos in the beginning.

The late art photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson said it best: “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”

Don’t wait for inspiration to hit you. As the old Nike commercials say: “Just Do it.”

This article originally appeared on The Record: New year, new camera: Photographing New Years resolutions