Have you come across an stunning beautiful photo on Instagram with thousands of likes and you wished to achieve such photos of your own that are as gorgeous as those? Perhaps this could inspire you to invest in your own camera, just like one of your favourite influencers are using. As soon as you buy it, you would take it out for your first ever photoshoot and be snapping away images. However, when you get home, you realised that all the images sucks after reviewing it. It is important to improve your photography for beginners.
Not to worry, my friends. Every photographers has a humble beginning stage. Although it may be hard to imagine, every photographer has come across such experiences in their early stages of their career. But that didn’t stop them from pursuing and grow to improve their skills. The important thing is taking small steps to grow.
Over the years, many cameras have been produced and every camera produces has been improving in terms of quality and build. Hence camera has been so affordable in the current market that anyone can purchase a DSLR or mirrorless camera capable of taking stunning images at a relatively cheap price tag especially in Singapore. Though a lot of consumers own cameras but only a fraction of the users actually find time and effort to go beyond being an amateur photographer stage. Therefore, if you’re reading this post, you’re probably the fraction of users that has the correct mindset. Here are 6 easy steps to guide you :
1. Find out what you want to shoot. A subject.
Many beginners want to try a lot of different style of shoot and genre. “I want am interested in shooting fashion, food, landscapes, street and so on” however that might not be the best mindset to have if you would like to speed up your improvement in photography. Doing so will make sure you learn as much as possible in as little as possible to improve your photography for beginners .
2. Study the history of photography
Look up to photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz. Look and discover what are the style of their photography to see what are considered to be beautiful through their work and lenses, listen to video essays and detailing of their works, their interviews of their thought process on the photographs. Surely, there are many other current famous photographers out there, but we should understand the root of the masters that build the photography history.
3. Do not be overly obsessed with photography gears
Very common a lot of beginners tend to think that their skills can be bought with money by upgrading their gears or have better quality gears. They would then save and buy the newest cameras gears with bigger sensors and lenses. When they start shooting their will realised that the image they take would of course have sharper and background blur. However, the fact is a lot of digital camera nowadays including phones are capable of taking breath-taking images that we couldn’t a decade ago. Where there is a saying that goes “The best camera you have is the one on you” and that couldn’t be truer. A camera is only as good as the person that is handling it, it is just a tool like a hammer a chisel. The crafter is the one making the sculpture.
4. Build your client base or network
If you want to make it big, there is no way to run in terms of social aspect that each and everyone would need to tackle. What is a show when there is no audiences. Photography isn’t very much different. It’s important that photographer need to get themselves out there, whether be it marketing yourself the right way on social media or attending networking events related to photography or businesses. You would require to grow your network as much as possible because it is where you will get your work out from. A larger network of photographer can also mean a larger client base of audience you can approach to critique your photography skills.
5. Be adventurous to experiment.
There is nothing wrong with trying to mimic the works of your favourite photographer. Many amateur photographer birth new ideas through replicating and copying others idea and slowly building on the idea to what their style is. This is a great way to start and journey off your photography, but it is important to try out new ideas. Such as different shooting styles, editing skills, lightings and a mix of everything. You will never know what you will discover until you try. There is only so much you can learn from all the tutorials, videos but you can learn a lot more by trying out new ideas experiments first hand. (and learning from mistakes made along the way). This could also better prepare you during on-set photography shoots.
6. Practice makes perfect
This is the most important tips of this article. If there’s one thing to be a better photographer, you just have to keep in mind if the “growth mindset”. Its a way of seeing life explained by Carol Dweck. Which was written that there are two types of mindsets : the fixed and growth mindsets. Where the growth mindset would allow people to believe that anyone can and will grow with the help of focused and consistent work. Thus putting a lot of time into practicing on how to shoot the camera, you will see positive results. Just like any building isn’t build within a day, it is through consistent work a building is build, same goes for skills. Therefore, you might be the next great upcoming photographer if you keep practicing and just improve your photography for beginners.
You will reach your goal!
You can achieve to be a renowned photographer if you put in effort and dedications. This isn’t about a race, either. Everyone should grow grow at a pace that is suitable for them. Each and everyone is special in picking up things faster while some may lag behind, however the important point is to keep it consistent as you can. Taking small steps at a time. And follow the 6 easy steps to improve your photography for beginners.
Many times, people craves for likes and share on their digital social media platform on their photography, yet a lot of aspiring photographers forget what really matters is to focus on what you can grow as an artist. If you follow these tips you can and will become a renowned photographer.
