Maggie Evans 
The journey of unraveling the many facets of photography begins when you find your interest in the craft. As a beginner, you’ll surely encounter hurdles along the way. Nonetheless, by arming yourself with knowledge and tactics to overcome these, you may be able to use your mistakes to elevate your game.
To get you started, below are three things every beginner must know about photography:
Use The Camera You Have
One thing you must know about photography is that you don’t need to have an excellent gear to start taking amazing shots. You may simply reach for the camera that you already have. For instance, though an entire camera gear would be excellent, securing this ahead shouldn’t be the priority. As a beginner, it would be great to take advantage of the accessible tools around you.
Today, most phone cameras have been intentionally designed to compete among digital cameras. This is also an excellent, portable tool to begin practicing and refining your skills. Nevertheless, there’s no shame if you still prefer the traditional cameras that you wrap around your neck.
Alternatively, if you have it at home, you can use your old film camera or digital camera to support your hobby. Don’t underestimate the beauty of what those vintage cameras can capture. It’s true that some cameras are better than others. However, it all boils down to your range of preferences and intentions for the gear.
As much as you want to directly buy your complete camera gear, it would be best to hone your skills first. Over time, if you’re ready to elevate your game and jumpstart your career in the field, you may easily find these cameras either through online shops or in-store outlets.
Play Around With Light
Commonly, photographers would start to huddle and play around with bright sceneries. However, there might be times that natural light is difficult to work with, especially if it’s unstable.
Nonetheless, this shouldn’t discourage you from seeking natural light. For instance, you may start taking photos in any open fields, landscapes, natural spots, the sunset, a starry night, and other sceneries.
There are numerous lighting opportunities present in the great outdoors. Apart from the fact that it’s a great subject for hobbyists, nature photography is a great stress reliever too. This might help you in relieving the pressure from learning photography.
As you practice even more, keep seeking light. You may also play around artificial and coloured light. Balance the contrast between your subject and the backdrop.
Also, check if there’s enough light before you start taking shots. If you feel that it’s inadequate, you may use the flash feature of your camera. Moreover, you may make your own lighting arrangement for shooting at home.
Learn about light and how to play around with it, regardless of the situation. With time and practice, you can shoot commendable, aesthetic photos in various environments.
Know Your Camera
You may be surprised to know that some photographers aren’t fully aware of their camera’s potential uses. Thus, regardless of your type of camera, get to know it.
Oftentimes, cameras might be complicated to control due to their many features, settings, and other technical aspects. Nonetheless, keep in mind that learning photography doesn’t have to be a competition. You aren’t required to get to know your gear immediately.
Instead, firstly identify the essential and basic features of your gear to determine how it influences your final output. For instance, you need to know how to set your shutter speed to achieve your desired images. On top of this, you need to become familiar with focusing, ISO, drive modes, flashes, filters, lens, and the like.
Gladly, apart from the camera manual, you can make use of the Internet and look for videos, articles, and blog posts that could help you get to know your camera. Also, you can join online groups of hobbyists who could teach you a trick or two regarding photography. By staying engaged and looking for a community, you can move further in this venture.
Furthermore, managing and mastering your camera will take dedication and consistency. Similar to learning any skill, there’s no easy way towards success. You need to go through the process of experiencing trial and error to master the art of photography.
The Takeaway
Photography, in any form, can take a huge part of your time, money, and energy. Hence, before you hop into the bandwagon, make sure that you can stay dedicated to this craft. Take note that you need to be consistent until you become a pro. As you manage to pull everything together, you can finally shoot spectacular images over time. Ultimately, enjoy and have fun!
