Learning photography is very exciting but for you who are still very new to this world may get little bit confused of where to start and how to master the art of it. Do not worry because we have 9 tricks and tips to share here.
1. Learning photography first and then you will hardly waste your time.
To learn photography should be started with learning its theory before taking it into practice. Though it tends to be displeasing and boring for some people, but this way will certainly make the process quicker and also improve the quality of our photos.
The main advantage of mastering the theory is we can create images we like and we can expect to produce the same results anytime we want. There are so many ways of learning it. You may read books, watching videos or attending courses.
2. Devices will do well but visions will do better
Back then I thought only expensive tools will produce great photos. It is true that photography tools such as camera and lens do contribute a lot when it comes to the sharpness, colors and details of a picture. However, it is not enough if you want to create a good photo. You need to learn about image composition, the ability to see and manipulate the light, and etc. which are all very crucial. Even though our equipments are simple but we can actually make great piece if we can focus on how to create our vision.
3. The science of photography can be learned and mastered by anybody.
Photographers who have created so many great pieces of work with hard work and dedication as well as years of learning process are not only talented. According to Thomas Alva Edison, success is the combination of 1% inspiration and 99% hard work. So do not worry if you feel you are not talented or slow in your learning process. When you are determined to learn and work diligently, you will achieve or even emulate the success of these photographers.
4. Develop your own photography style
Everyone has their own favorite type of photography they like to do. There are people who like photojournalistic or perhaps candid while others like black and white and etc. what we like to do may not be the trend of the year and sometimes, we get pressures because our photos are not well received by the masses. Instead of following the trend and change our style, it is much better to develop our own photo quality. It will be more enjoyable and we got to improve a lot when we do something we personally like.
5. Photography as a hobby and as a profession is two different things.
Hobby and work are very different. If we consider photography as a hobby, we are not demanded to make money from it and we don’t need to deal with clients and etc. because it is purely for your own satisfaction. In addition, there is no ROI (return of investment) involved so there is no investment thing that can become a problem. On the other hand, as a professional you will need to deal on so many things. And as a pro, often times, our work is no longer about photography only but also about management and marketing. That is why you need to consider it very carefully whether you like to turn your hobby into a career.
6. Lighting is complicated but it is very important to be learnt.
Lighting is very crucial to be learned, the natural or artificial one. When I was a beginner in photography, I tended to belittle its importance and counted on good camera and expensive lens more. However, these two things could not really solve my problems. My photos were plain and ordinary and not as sharp as I wanted them to be. After learning things about lighting, I was able to take sharper images and handled better saturation and lighting characters.
[Read “buy lens or flash lamp]
7. Good photo subject
Even though professional or skilled photographers can make unique photos in a bad surroundings as well as good locations like tourism spots that commonly get photographed a lot, but actually the best one is obtained in a unique and photogenic places. That theory applies also when you shoot a photo model. Beautiful models who smartly pose will make our work easier and the result will be better than one we take with ordinary people. Moreover, it works the same for still life photo like food and etc. the choices of food or the subject of the photo which are good will be very important to affect the final result.
8. The need of a mentor
There is nothing wrong about self-learning photography but it is much recommended to have a mentor or a guide that can make you a better and skilled photographer. With a presence of a mentor, your knowledge will increase rapidly because you can always directly ask things to the expert in the field.
9. Bring your camera with you wherever you go
The last thing is to always shoot any object that interests you. Always bring your camera so you will not miss important moments. With so many chances for training, you will get to understand the character of your DSLR camera.
