The process of learning photography can take only a few months. However, it often takes a long time to master the basics of photography, and this is largely due to the unsystematic way of learning.
To get a lot of information quickly, novice photographers try to skim knowledge from all sorts of sources. As a result, a large, but completely incoherent volume of theory is completely unlearned and unused in practice. How to avoid such a development? It is not necessary to grasp everything at once. You should choose a certain topic and work on it thoroughly, striving gradually to expand and complement it. Moving from one topic to another must also be integrated, consistent, and comprehensive. For example, if you are studying different types of cameras and the difference between 35mm and 50mm lenses, focus only on this topic. Read Skylum’s blog and expand your knowledge.
How to start if you are a beginner and never held a camera in your hands?
You need to start with theory and a correct understanding of the basic constituent parts of photography. These include:
- The technical component;
- Creativity;
- The artistic processing stage.
It is worth noting that the creative component cannot be studied. It reflects the photographer’s perception of reality, his worldview, and his subjective view of details. No video on youtube, a book, or an article will teach you this.
With the technical part, it is easier. Almost anyone can learn it. All a beginner needs to know is how to correctly focus and expose the frame, and how to build a composition.
You can learn the rules and techniques for processing ready-made images relatively quickly. Courses on photography, videos, and articles are good sources for that.
It is important to know one thing: to get a great shot, you have to do more than just edit it. A picture should be taken so that the processing is done to improve it, to make it better, not to mask the photographer’s lack of skills and basic knowledge.
What is the best camera for learning photography?
Absolutely everyone who wants to take pictures is interested in this question. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s at a professional or amateur level.
When choosing a camera, beginners study hundreds of manuals, telling about the pros and cons of different photo equipment. They consult on forums, read reviews and, of course, are guided by the popularity of brands.
There is one axiom: it doesn’t matter what brand is on the camera packing or how the buttons are located on it. A camera is a tool. It can be both qualitative and productive and vice versa. Photography skills and the camera are not directly related to each other.
A DSLR from any manufacturer with a kit lens will be enough for a beginner to start learning.
The basis of learning
For productive learning and application of the acquired knowledge in practice, it is necessary to master the basics of photography:
- Shutter Speed;
- Aperture;
- Exposure;
- The connection between aperture and depth of field;
- White balance;
- ISO and how it relates to digital noise.
By studying all of the above topics you will improve your ability to take correctly exposed shots with proper white balance without blurring or digital noise.
At the same time, you should not forget about studying the functions and basic features of the camera, because the quality of the finished picture will depend on the shooting mode.
Composition
Every photographer should be able to compose his image because it makes the shot look clear and right. For example, a frame where the background is too bright and the main object is lost will be just annoying and intuitively makes you want to correct it. So if the photographer is not good at composition, he will show his inexperience every time, in every frame.
It’s not that complicated. You just need to know a few tricks and rules. These include:
- Center placement;
- Rule of thirds;
- Balance and filling the frame;
- Linear perspective.
Here’s an example. At the very beginning of this article, we talked about the importance of systematic learning of photography, and also about a smooth progression from one to the other. By analogy, with knowledge of composition as well as proper framing, you can get a portrait. After mastering the framing and composition, you’ll get a picture, which will be technically difficult to find fault with.
Conclusion
These basics will be enough to move on to the next stage of learning photography. Remember about consistency and systematic study. If you’re interested in the difference between 35mm and 50mm lenses, read Skylum’s blog. Learning how to be a photographer is a long, but exciting process. But as you get into the theory, don’t forget about the practice. Explore the features of your camera and find your unique style. Try it and you’re sure to succeed!