As a person working professionally with cameras, I’m asked often by beginners how to get into photography. It may seem intimidating at first when you don’t have any experience under your belt and you compare yourself to your idols on Instagram, but not to worry—the main thing you need is time and practice! Here are 6 top tips for any new budding photographer looking to get to the next level in their photography!
You don’t need to spend a lot!
A secondhand DSLR, even one that’s 5-10 years old, is a perfect camera to start with. Photo: Dominique Garcia
Being a photographer, you will need a camera, but you don’t need to buy the latest and the greatest. A cheap DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) or mirrorless camera is a small and easy to handle camera and works best for amateur photographers. These large sensor cameras, from the cheapest to the most expensive, mostly take pictures of very similar quality, and by paying much more you are paying for more features geared for expert/professional use, not necessarily image quality. In other words: start with a good APS-C sensor camera and shoot away! Start here and work your way up as you learn more about photography.
Composition hack: Use the rule of thirds.
This is one of the first things you’ll learn in photography class. This is basically where you divide your shot up with two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, creating a grid of nine evenly sized boxes. You can use this “grid” to help take your shot by dividing everything between those boxes. It’s an easy shortcut to creating compelling compositions, and you can play with the rules (and break them!) as your confidence increases and you develop your eye.
Speaking of which, you may want to have your eyes tested when entering the world of photography. While your camera is the object creating the shot, it helps if you can see well to begin with to capture the shot you were after.
Always keep your camera on you.
Gotta have that camera even on the beach! Photo: Angelo Mendoza
We’ve all had those moments where we wish that we had our camera to take a picture of something weird and wonderful that you’ve stumbled upon. Keeping your camera on you all of the time solves that problem. You’ll find yourself taking pictures of random things, and that’s great! Over time, as you shoot and review your images over and over, you’ll begin to notice what catches your eye, how the light in real life becomes represented on camera, how you could have shot a subject better, and more.
Don’t worry about finding the perfect shot.
Some shots turn out amazing right away, while others need quite a bit of processing to come out.
The truth is, finding that pinnacle moment is unlikely, especially when you’re just starting. And the best photographers in the world have thousands of images they’ve shot and not ever shown to anyone else in order to get the tiny handful of perfect shots. So don’t be afraid to take pictures of objects that seem a little boring to begin with! Take a fresh look at your everyday surroundings. You may find a particular shot with incredible light balance, or you may notice something pretty like a flower or a dragonfly, which will turn into an incredible picture. Don’t judge until you’ve started working on the photos, and even a photo that seems mundane on its can take on a whole new meaning when shot as part of a series that tells a bigger story.
Experiment
You can even experiment with layouts that go beyond straight photography.
On that note, remember not to overthink or prematurely judge your images! You’ve bought a camera, so experiment with it! Try different settings and learn what each of them does so that in the future, when you do find that perfect shot, you’ll know exactly what to do. And don’t limit yourself to one way of shooting or even one way of editing images. Your priority now is to get good and find out what you love shooting and different ways to express yourself. With so many people shooting now, it’s even more important to let loose and be creative to develop your own photographic voice. In the age of digital photography, you lose nothing by shooting more and trying out everything that looks interesting!
Take photos often
Finally, take photos at every chance you get! Remember: Practice makes perfect, and even for experts, quantity is your way to build quality. But not only does it improve your skills with a camera, but it also documents your life, leaving you with many memories to return to. For me, to tell the truth, great photos are almost always the result of memorable experiences and dedicated effort, so in that way, a great photo for is both an artwork and a beautiful memento of a particular moment.
Check out how travel photography Angelo Mendoza and I approach photo trips in our cinematic photo travel vlogs!
Hope this list helps you get further on your journey through photography! And feel free to share your thoughts and other tips in the comments!