Archive for getting started in photography

Where To Start – Behind My Eyes

Being so obsessed with photography, friends and family tend to think of me as an expert in the field. I’ve got the gear, they love the pictures and I live and breath the medium, so the credentials as far as they know add up. With this perceived status comes the occasional question regarding the craft from folks who are just getting into it and being that I love to geek out talking about photography, the question will be fielded with the utmost respect and interest. Let the perception become reality, even for just a moment!

Last week a friend at church asked a good one; one that tied him up with me for a good 10-20 minutes that he’ll never get back for sure. He had some experience with film in the past but had been away from photography for a while. Earlier this year he purchased his first DSLR (a Canon Rebel I believe) and along with it bought a book on composition. He liked landscapes, portraits and macro. His question: “How do I get started?”

That was a first for me. Some folks say they want to learn more about their camera or ask how to take great pictures, but this question was totally different. How do you start? Where to begin? I don’t think he expected me to ramble on like I did after asking the question, but I was really sort of feeling for the answer – it was not something you chalk up in the front brain shelves like, “get down low” or “add a strong foreground element.” It required me going back to the beginning, filtering things forward and seeing what was left. After thinking about it a few days, I thought it would make for a great topic here at Current Photographer, so here goes. Read More→

Photography 101: Make 2011 Better Than 2010

Here we are sitting on the final week of 2010. I hope that 2010 met you with all sorts of personal growth, new experiences, and an ever-increasing love for photography. As 2010 heads to a distant memory, it is now time to look at 2011 and how to make it a better year than 2010. Just how can you do that? It is not so hard!

1. Don’t leave home without a camera! Yeah, I have said this a lot! It still applies no matter the day, month, or year. Never leave your home without a camera of some sort. You never know when a photo opportunity is going to creep up. Even a simple cell phone picture can tell a novel of a story. Do not end the day wishing you had caught just that one image. Besides, it is a great way to keep your photography skills up to snuff!

2. Network, network, and network some more. It does not matter how experienced or inexperienced you are, networking is the best way to grow your skills, business, and pool of peers. Even if you are just learning the ropes, there are people out there willing to share their knowledge and help you on this fantastic path. Networking also gives you people to just go out to coffee with and discuss why one lens is far superior to another one, or gripe about how cold it is. You know, whatever suits your fancy. The important part is meeting new people, building great friendships, and continuing to learn. Start simple and talk to people on Twitter if that is what it takes!

3. Get critiqued at least once a quarter. If you are honestly looking to get great photos, get a photo critique once every three months. Do not just settle for a “this is a great shot” kind of critique either. Ask what makes it great. Find out how to make it better. If you are told it is a terrible shot, do not get down on yourself. Ask question on why it is bad, how to improve it, what to do differently, or even examples of similar shots. Honest critiques are good for the photographer soul burning inside you. Read More→

Finding Your Feet: Choosing Your Camera: by Jacob Lucas

Welcome to the second post in the “Finding Your Feet” series! The first post that dropped a couple of weeks ago touched on a lot of why photographers do what they do. This post is going to elaborate a little more into why certain cameras suit your particular style of photography and what you should know before buying your camera.

D7000

Choosing your camera is one of the most important decisions to make when you get started in Photography and ideally, a decision you only need to make a couple of times as it can get quite expensive. Every manufacturer of SLR cameras carries its own range of proprietary lenses that only work with that particular manufacturer’s camera bodies so this choice becomes even more daunting when you realise not only are you committing to a particular model of camera, but also committing to using only those lenses manufactured for that brand. Read More→