Photography 101: How To Go From Good To Great

This week I am going to tackle a question that has plagued me ever since I turned away from fondling network cables in favor of a pushing a shutter button. That question has been, and probably always will be, how I go from good photos to great photos. While there is no simple answer to point you to and say do this, I have found a few things that have helped me get better in my chosen trade. Let us tackle this shall we?

Step one: Read
Yeah, everyone out there has this tip listed somewhere in the how to become a professional photographer handbook. There is a good reason though. When I decided to pursue my passion of photography, I had no idea what a rule of thirds was, or even how ISO and white balance factored into a photo. I just knew I liked to click a shutter button. It was not until I had a horrible stock submission experience that I realized I had a lot more to learn. Thus, I started reading about photography.

I did not just stop at reading all the technicalities of photography. I also read forums, photographer blogs, and anything else my greedy eyes could be graced with. There is a world of books and websites dedicated to the numbers and science behind photography. You should take all of that in. However, what no technical book is going to teach you is the inspiration. This is where reading photographer blogs really helped. I could see the shots professional photographers posted, enjoy the stories behind the shot, and learn what drove the photographer to capture the scene. This in turn taught me how to find my own inspiration.

Reading never ends by the way. I still pick up magazines, surf the net, and spend a good two or more hours a day reading photography related material. I pick up new tricks, find new inspirations, and even try my hand at styles that are not my own. This is all part of the growing, learning, and improving process.

Step two: Consume everything you can
This step may sound like reading, but it is very different. Do not just read everything you can, but also look at as many photos as you can muster. Analyze the photos you love and dislike. Find the common threads that bind these likes and dislikes together. You may find that you thought you liked shooting candid shots of people on the street, only to realize you were really enjoying the architecture in the buildings behind the crowd.

There is another reason to devour as many photos as you can, and that is to help you find your style. So many times you hear find your niche and then set yourself apart in it. Let us face the facts that so many people can now shoot photos this may seem like a daunting task, and it can be if you let it. Besides looking for new angles to shoot old scenes, or new props/lighting to use, look for the more subtle things. These maybe something as big as shooting HDR or something as small as leaning towards a cold tone photo over warmer tones. The only way to find the nuances that really please you is to look at as many photos of every style you can.

Step three: Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more
After you have read things like ISO, aperture, and shutter speeds put what you have just read to the test. I cannot tell you how many days I spent just shooting different apertures until I was fully comfortable with how it changed my photos. The photos I took were nothing I would try to sell or even post online, but they still reside on my hard drive as a reminder of the learning experience. I can always turn back to them and look at the differences, and I still learn from them today.

The other part is shooting whenever the urge hits you. The only way to hone your skill is to practice it A LOT. Just as athletes practice the same drills over and over, you should be shooting images as often as you possibly can. Do not go thinking you need to lug around hefty lenses or giant DSLR cameras for this. If all you have on you is the camera on your phone then so be it. You can still apply your knowledge, and better yet your passion, to any image no matter how you capture it. I have a camera on me at all times, it maybe a Sony point and shoot, my iPhone, or my D90. The key is to never leave home without a camera as you never know where your next photo opportunity is going to hit.

Step four: Forget about post processing
This step is a bitter pill to swallow up front, but there is a reason I am telling you to forget about post processing. Almost any photographer you talk to will tell you to get the image as correct in the camera first, and then post process it to a final result. This is great, once you have basics down pact. If you end up depending on software like Lightroom, Aperture, or Photoshop to fix white balance, exposure, or ghosting, then you are just making more work for yourself in the end. I am the first to admit that I will use Lightroom to fix crops, increase saturation, and even add a bit of vibrancy. Before I do any of these adjustments, I try to get the look I want right out of the camera. When you are comfortable getting the look you want out of the camera, then you can add on your software of choice to put the final changes onto your photos.

Step five: Critiques
Critiques are the hardest things to find, let alone take. We all love great praise, and sometimes it is all we need. Sadly, we learn from the hard honest critiques the most. You may know these mean reviews as your white balance is off, poor framing job, not sharp enough, or even the dreaded “what is the point here.” While these kinds of critiques can hurt ones pride, it should not crush your desire to improve. Some of the best learning experiences I encountered were from the few words that may have stomped on my pride in an image. These drove me back to learn more, try harder, and expand on the feedback I received. Then when I came around again, the words were of praise and a pat on the back as I improved and grew.

Critiques can be hard to find. While friends and family are nice, they sadly may not want to hurt your feelings. This is where the Internet has come to your aid. Sure, it sucks to have some anonymous person tell you your photo sucks and leave it at that, but they obviously had nothing constructive to say. The few people that do offer honest feedback are worth ever letter they spill out to help you get better. If you can get into gallery shows, or have a peer rate your work even better. The best critique is the one you learn from.

Step six: The most important step of all
The most important thing you can do during all of this is have fun. I admit it, I say this a lot. However, when things become a chore, or you start to dread what you are doing, well, sadly you may need to sit down and reconsider things. When you have fun and enjoy this beautiful art we call photography it will show in your images. It does not matter what kind of images you love to capture, if you are having fun and have a passion for what you do, the results of your labor will be that much better.

Getting great at photography is not some mysterious language that is harder to find than some holy grail. It is just a matter of work and love. You ultimately never stop learning, and you skills will continue to grow as you continue on your photography journey. Enjoy the ride as you only get to do this life thing once.

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Chris Nitz

This is where you would expect me to tell you about my life, how awesome I am, or why I am so superior to other people in this line of business. I would enjoy telling you how I have wrestled grizzly bears 10 feet tall. Maybe you would like hearing how I have taken on Velociraptors in my days as a young man. Even better is the story how I have traveled to the furthest reaches of space to stop catastrophic alien invasions. The problem will be that you might not believe my awesome stories.

I will keep these awesome stories for the campfire though. I’m just a man, taking pictures, trying to make a living. I ditched my education in computers in favor of pursuing my passion for photography. I enjoy a good cold beer on a warm day. I have a fondness of the outdoors.. I have enjoyed years capturing life’s unscripted moments. Hopefully, I can enjoy many more years of slacking off without fear of those grizzlies taking me out before my time.

My Philosophy is to capture those non-scripted moments. To capture the little details that this world really has to offer. From weddings to insects, I enjoy capturing the life, the details, and the moments that come and go in a flash.

www.chrisnitz.com