What basic photographic advice would help you improve your photography as a beginner?
One of my colleagues shared a post on our Teton Photography Club Facebook page last week that really got my attention. His exact post was “What’s one piece of photography advice you’d give to your beginner self?” It got me thinking … a LOT of thinking … and also encouraged colleagues in our photography club to share their thoughts. I thought it helpful to share these comments with you and encourage you to think, and respond, with your ideas. Here are the comments from the TPC Facebook post. Thanks, Michael, for starting this discussion:
Here are some of the basic first steps:
“Take your darn cap off.” “Always carry your iPhone with you.” “Join a camera club.” “Practice. Practice. Practice.” “Every shutter click is practice.” “Just point and shoot. Don’t overthink things when starting out.”
These are some great suggestions when you first start “becoming a photographer.” That very first step can be frustrating since your images typically aren’t as good as you were expecting. If you take enough shots, one of them is likely to be quite good … hip, hip, hooray …
There was also basic advice I would describe as the second step you take after you decide to get more serious:
“Tripod.” “Always have charged, spare batteries.” “Find more time to shoot.” “99% of getting the shot is always having your camera with you.” “If you see a picture, take it now. It will never be there for you to come back to.”
These steps depend quite a bit on a more serious commitment to improvement. It often begins when you carry your camera (or your cell phone) around with you and stop to take a variety of shot. If you are looking for scenes that might make good photos, you are likely to find some. And in time your expectations will rise.
And then there are the steps that I consider to be the thoughtful variety that are much more likely to bring about a change in your photos. These steps move you into an intermediate phase where you really want to see a change in your photos. You may experience more frustration, but that can motivate you to think more and shoot more. When you start thinking about these steps you are likely to see a major improvement that I believe is tied to your motivation; you now think about how to improve quite often, spend time thinking about how to improve, AND stick with those strategies:
“Can you name your subject with one word?” “Take your time as you are shooting and think about what is showing up in the viewfinder.” “Look at the whole picture and not just the subject.” “Checkout the edges and corners. Are there any distractions?” “Light and opportunity are at the core of photography. Without them, nothing in your toolbox will matter.”
When you first begin to improve your photography it is very likely that you are overwhelmed by aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and … OMG what are all these buttons? You aren’t any different than I was when I started … calm down ! If you are committed to improving it is likely to take time and patience.
My advice is always, Don’t think you are Stupid ! For most of us it took time and commitment. If you can find another amateur photographer, or a photography club, to work with it will make your growth easier … IF you trust them to support you and give you feedback.
The goal of this new version of FirstAmAmateur is to help you find a way to improve your photography. I’ll be posting the February Peer Mentor Natural Frame Theme Challenge later this week. Having a partner or peer mentor with monthly “homework” will help you to take steps to improve your photography. It ain’t easy to improve on your own.
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Lou
I’m trying to make it as helpful as possible for amateur photographers.
Following up on a few of these points, I would always recommend that the beginner not be overwhelmed by the camera’s technical features. Instead, but the camera on Auto and shoot away. This will greatly incentivize the beginner to “get in the reps” as was suggested in the blog above and concentrate on composition and subject. Further, it is important to view prospective scenes with our eyes then follow that step by making explorations with our eye through the viewfinder— a move from the general to the specific. Visualizing a photographic subject through a viewfinder and exploring with that view is good practice and develops skill.
Some very good points Tom. New digital cameras have so many features that most folks are probably overwhelmed. So making the setup Auto moves the rookies (and folks beyond that) beyond b being complicated with all the details so they can focus on composition and subject. If new photographers are just focused on all the setups that are possible they may never find the energy to actually look at the photo. Thanks for the comments. They are right-on.
Randy, I just love to see you have evolved as sa photographer. One of the things I most admire about you beside your obviously growing skill is your enthusiasm. Every sentence is laced with pure unadulterated joy. It’s that same energy and enthusiasm you had as a college professor . So glad you found a new niche in your western reltirement.
Thanks Alfred. Right now the weather is not good for photography (weekly overcast and wind) but Chris and I can go cross country skiing almost every day which makes up for the missing photography. As far as photography is concerned, it is an energizing activity. When I first started photography out here it was frustrating because I didn’t know enough of the basics to have a flow to my photo shoots. Now I feel much more confident and feel one with the environment and enjoy the beauty before me. I don’t do what I have to do; I do what I want to do.
Nice, good wisdom in helping beginners understand the process.
There are some really good ideas here. I think it also helps to look at other people’s photos, no matter their level of skill. We’re all drawn to some photos and not others. Understanding the reasons for our likes and dislikes is so valuable. The peer mentor critiques are useful for this, but even just checking out photo-sharing websites can be illuminating.
Tris, I am finding these comments really helpful. There is certainly a difference between a “Awesome” on Facebook and a specific explanation from an in-person photographer. That is especially helpful when you can ask them questions about their comments, whether those comments are about your own photo or someone else photos. Thanks for your regular comments, whether they are about photos or about the information in the blog.
The comment about looking at the photos of others is a good one, especially those photographers who are recognized. Many accomplished photographers have a certain signature style that may be a combination of things, but usually those elements can be identified. Over time, we begin to develop our own style, too, but that doesn’t mean we can’t evolve and experiment.
Tom, I agree. I think that most “long-term” photographers have a certain signature style, or at least they strive for finding a style. And often the style is built upon (I suppose one might say stolen from) another photographer. I find that my favorite landscape photography photos have a “leading trail” (often like leading lines) into something interesting or moody or … I have found it valuable to think about what my style is: What spaces in beautiful outdoor environments are most enticing to me? What grabs my attention and my emotions? It makes photography fun and enlightening.
I like an earlier comment about a photo telling a story. I know of some landscape photographers who will rarely take a landscape photo without a person or animal in it. I talked to graduate are student the other day about a photo with a rustic barn vs. the same scene with a bull staring at me, about 30 feet to the side of the barn. She said, one is a pretty picture; the other is a photograph that has some tension. However, back to the original topic, the beginning photographer may want to be thinking about other things like lighting and composition, working toward perfecting some fundamentals. Here’s another point: In my experience, I have hundreds if not thousands of old photographs that I thought were pretty darn good. I look at them now and wonder why I saved them. I bet a lot of the people participating in these responses feel the same way. Note: Randy, this software does not save my email and name from comment to comment, although I do have the box checked for it to do so.
When I look at old photos I see the same changes and my reaction is that I have improved over the last 5 years … improved a lot. Sorry but I can’t help you with what shows (name and e-mail) with your comments. I’ll take a look and see what I can do.
The technical: Learn what a histogram is and how to use it. It’s not some overly technical, weird function that’s beyond you (if I managed to catch on, anyone can); in fact, it can be one of your best advisors when you’re in the field.
The philosophical: I’ve heard the criticism that, with a camera, you start viewing the world strictly through your camera’s lens, missing out on a lot. For me, it was the opposite: photography was teaching me to see the landscape in a more expansive and yet more intimate and nuanced way. Joining the Peer Mentor Group really helped me refine those ways of seeing.
The Peer Mentor Group choice of monthly themes, and articles posted on the blog explaining how to think about those themes, has helped me to look at the landscape and through the lens in ways that I wouldn’t have thought to try otherwise. Talking about what we learn from the articles, discussing the wide and surprising range of theme interpretation reflected in the images submitted each month, and having the opportunity to ask questions and get advice from other members makes getting out and exploring that much more rewarding.
So, my advice is to go ahead and start learning your camera’s capabilities, and how to look at the landscape, with popular, iconic scene opportunities. Then start seeking out overlooked scenes and objects to get your creative juices flowing. Have fun with it. And join our group or one like it! Prepare to be happily surprised at the intrigue and beauty you find in unexpected places on your way to expanding your personal vision through photography as a creative art.