Photography Lessons I Wish I Had Learned In The Beginning

Photography is a bit like life. There are a lot of things that we can learn about it, and some beginners might wish they had figured them out sooner instead of later on down their photography career path. Here's eight lessons I've learned along my journey in this field--maybe you'll find something useful from these tips too.

Photography Lessons I Wish I Had Learned In The Beginning

1. Itʼs Not Your Camera That Matters, Itʼs You Equipment doesnʼt make a photographer. Cameras, lenses, computers and lighting are all essential tools for photographers in the modern age, but there is a tendency for photographers to think theyʼre the be-all and end-all of being a successful photographer. But, itʼs important to remember that the best gear in the world is no substitute for knowledge, experience and creative talent.

2. Aim For The Eyes It sounds simple, but itʼs amazing how often people forget to focus on the eyes in a portrait. The old adage of the eyes being the window to the soul is one to remember here – by focusing on the eyes, youʼll create a strong composition. Sharp eyes draw the viewer into the shot and help to create a successful image.

3. Keep Your Online Presence Up To Date In a world thatʼs increasingly focused on the online world, being a successful photographer means you need to keep your social presence active. You also need to remain focused with the content you post. Number one is having a good website, which you keep relevant and is optimized for search engines (SEO). But itʼs also important to use apps such as Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, as these are often the way that people look for new photographers especially if you are a portrait, new born baby or wedding photographer.

4. Learn About Lighting From The Start Without light, there is no image and light makes or breaks a shot. Understanding light is the single most important thing for a photographer to know. You need to understand natural light and how different times of day and weather conditions affect it. And you also need to understand artificial light – flashguns and studio lighting – so that you can learn to control light in all situations if you work in a studio.

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5. Maintaining A Balanced Life Itʼs very easy when you start out as a photographer to work seven days a week. You want your chosen career to succeed and itʼs easy to put pressure on yourself and think that you should be working all the time. Itʼs particularly hard as, for most photographers, photography is a passion so it doesnʼt always feel like work. But balance is actually key for long-term survival in the photography industry. You need downtime to relax and keep your brain fresh.

6. Check Your Camera Settings This sounds stupidly simple but I guarantee that at some point, youʼll take a load of images and then realise that you had your camera on the wrong settings (ISO being a particular favourite amongst many photographers I know). The way I avoid this problem is by always returning my camera to what I call its ‘defaultʼ settings (i.e. a series of settings I use most frequently). That way I know how the camera will be when it comes out of its bag and thereʼs far less chance of making any mistakes. Also, always carry extra batteries and itʼs a super good idea not to forget your batteries.

7. Actually Running A Business When I first learned photography, I knew a great deal about the technicalities of taking a photograph and a lot about photo history and theory. What I didnʼt know was how to run a business. And if you want a career as a photographer, you need to know how to run a business. Itʼs a particular annoyance of mine that more focus isnʼt put on this when studying but, even if you have to do it yourself, you need to put business practices to the forefront of your mind.

8. And Finally... Keep Shooting As Much As You Can However many of these tips might be useful to you when you start out, the best way to progress as a photographer is to keep shooting. Try different styles, be innovative and develop your own style. Experience is the one thing that you canʼt take shortcuts on. Carry a camera with you everywhere you go even if itʼs a pocket camera. You can always return to a place with your proper camera if needed.

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