@b3njamin
Feeling bored yet adventurous, yearning to learn something new? Choosing and starting a hobby is such a fun thing to do, with everything you could’ve chosen, you picked this one thing, and it will become your off-time passion in no time! Photography is not only a creative hobby, but it’s also a great skill to have in general! So here’s all you need to learn to become a photographer!
Find a Purpose
Before you do anything else, you need to think about what makes you like photography so much and what are the main things you focus on. This will be super useful later on, but just keep in mind what kind of photos do you want to take, abstract? Portraits? Nature shots? It all comes into play how you end up learning your photography skill, and it should matter a lot! Since you don’t want to be a professional and just want to be a photographer as a hobby, you can either take pictures of everything and not have a style at all or take pictures of only one thing – if it inspires you!
Understand How a Camera Works
Now that you found a particular niche in photography – or you are still determining what that niche will be – it’s time to get familiar with the camera itself. Don’t be fooled, you don’t need extravagant cameras that cost way too much money, chances are the video will be just as fine, and it will have sentiment and value, especially if it’s a truly vintage camera! So don’t shy away from photography, even if you never held a proper digital camera, the settings and manual should be fairly easy to use!
Practice Makes Perfect
Now, if you are done taking pictures of every little detail around you, from the people you love to strange-looking buildings – it’s time to get real serious about your passion! Getting all the essential and useful information is a great way to boost your skills and an even better way to go to photography training instead. This way, a mentor will show you all the ins and ends of how to properly use the oven, get used to the setting, and make photography be your second nature. But feel free to take shots of literally everything and anything. The more pictures you take, the more your eye will get used to the action, and you’ll get better shots easily!
Make a Photo Bucket-List
If you spent countless hours and days taking pictures of basically everything around, you’re probably bored and want something new, or probably didn’t even know how to begin in the first place. That’s why having a photo bucket list for different poses, places, items, and what not to take photos of, so you don’t get bored and never repeat the same shot twice! This is a great way to practice and to gather beautiful pictures at the same time, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time coming up with ideas each day, just take a look at the list and pick what interests you the most!
Get Inspiration Online
Photography is so popular, everyone with a camera and a photo editing program can become a photographer! And all those creative ideas and photos usually end up in the same place – the internet. Social media platforms such as Instagram and even Pinterest are extremely popular and lucrative when it comes to photography, so you can find a lot of interesting creators, from beginners to professionals! You should never copy other people’s work, but being inspired by someone’s work is a different and acceptable thing to do. So go create mood boards, pin your favorite photos, and follow great photographers for inspiration!
Networking is Key
If you want to immerse yourself in the world of photography, you must be willing to connect with other aspiring photographers from your area! This can be super fun, as you are all driven by the same passion, so you can take photos together, exchange cool tips and tricks amongst each other and just chill together.
Seek Feedback
Sure, watching photography tutorials is super useful before you actually start to take pictures, but after you pick up a camera, you’ll need critical advice above all else. Feedback builds character, and there is no better way to learn something than by learning it from your mistakes! So don’t be afraid to seek feedback and send your photos to people, your loved ones, professional photographers, your mentor, and whoever your deem important to you! On the other hand, don’t let negative comments affect you and stop you from pursuing your passion, just keep practicing, and you’ll be amazing at it!
There isn’t a wrong way to take pictures, especially when it’s just a creative hobby. It’s supposed to act as a creative outlet! So don’t be afraid to ‘’fail’’, mess around, go against basic photography rules, and see where that takes you!