Hello dear readers! If you are reading this article, it means that you have decided to dedicate your life to photography. Many articles have been written about how to become a good photographer, but ours is different from most of them. In it, practicing photographer shares the secrets of what they did to come to success.
The first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the terminology so you know what we are talking about. You can read about the photography terms on Skylum’s blog. There are many more useful articles there, so we recommend that you study them. So, here we go!
Pay attention to the light:
We’ve noticed many times before that novice photographer pays a lot of attention to camera settings. No wonder, since everyone is talking about the importance of shutter speed or ISO. We are not even going to argue and agree that this is very important. But there is something more important, and that is light. It’s the light that affects the photo the most, which means it’s a good place to start. When you’re out shooting, always ask yourself the following questions:
- What time of day is it?
- Is it sunny or dark?
- Where is the light coming from (in which direction)?
- Are there any artificial light sources at the location, and if so, what are they?
When you have a good understanding of light, you can move on to the next step.
Explore the camera settings:
Now you’re ready to move on to the settings. Learn what the shutter speed, ISO, and aperture are. You’ll also need to learn about shooting modes and focusing. At the beginning of your journey, you can use your camera’s manual as a guide, because you can often find a lot of useful things there. Try to get around to automatic settings. This will give you a quicker way to figure out which settings work best for you.
Once you understand the basics, put the knowledge into practice. Only by shooting will you be able to figure out how the photo will change depending on the settings.
Learn to work with colors:
Color is one of the most important elements of a photo. The right shades can make a picture a masterpiece, but the wrong shades will just kill it. That’s why you need to develop your color sense.
We suggest you start by looking at colors. Decide which ones go well together and which combinations look bad. Also, pay attention to how colors react to light.
You can also try playing with shades in the photo editor. Try lighting and darkening the photo to see what you like better. Change the contrast, in general, and don’t be afraid to experiment! By the way, this will allow you to move on to the next step more quickly.
Edit your photos:
Many photographers claim that good photos don’t need editing. We don’t agree with them, because we believe that any picture can be made better with post-processing. There are many photo editors available to users now. One of the best is Luminar Neo, as it is great for beginners. An experienced photographer will also have something to do because many editing tools are available to each user.
Once again, don’t be afraid to experiment! Few things work right the first time, and editing a photo is no exception. However, we learn from our mistakes, and after a few failed attempts you will be able to make a perfect picture.
Don’t be afraid to print your photos:
We know from our practice that beginners often refuse to print their photos, arguing that it is a big additional cost. But this is a mistake because the picture on the screen and the printed picture look completely different. Only by looking at the second option can you understand how exactly the camera settings affected the photo.
We suggest researching different types of printing paper to understand exactly what they are suitable for. It’s not a good idea to print the photo yourself. It is much better to trust this process with professionals. You’ll get quality pictures, so you’ll be able to understand where mistakes were made and where everything was done perfectly.
Photograph constantly:
Many people think that you can take good photos only during a trip or some important event. Believe me, they are wrong! We advise you to take pictures even in everyday life because among the many unsuccessful photos you might find a real treasure.
We suggest you try a little challenge. You can go to places that seem to you to be unsuccessful and try to take pictures there. After a few tries, you’ll know which camera settings are right for you and how the light works. Who knows, maybe it’s this challenge that will be the starting point of your future career.
Conclusion:
There are many good photographers, but only a few become truly great. We hope that our tips will help you on your way to becoming a good photographer. My inspiration always be with you!
One last piece of advice we want to give. Develop yourself constantly, even if it seems that you know a lot. Start by learning about the photography terms found on Skylum’s blog. The experts are very easy to talk about complex topics, so you’ll find a lot of useful articles there.
