How to Get Into Photography

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There is a difference between just taking a photo on your phone and being a photographer. However, something happens when someone takes a picture and looks back at it and realizes that they may have something special in them. When you have an eye and a knack for capturing something beautiful, you may be interested in picking up photography as a new side gig or even a full-time career.

Don't let this become something overwhelming for you. I will help you break down the steps on how to get into photography with some simple advice:

How to Get Into Photography:

• Purchase a camera: The best start is investing in a good camera. Having a professional mirrorless camera will help you take your photographs to the next level. If you aren't sure where to begin, here is a list of some of the best cameras for beginners:

Related article: Best Cameras for Beginners

• Accessorize: Think of what type of photography you might be into (sports, wildlife, portraits, newborn photography, and so on). Once you have decided on your niche, you can narrow it down to the necessary camera accessories. Here are some accessories you will want to invest in.

A wide variety of lenses (wide, telephoto, and more!)
Tripod
Remote Shutter Release
Spare Batteries
Memory Cards
External Flashes

• Get Inspired: Finding inspiration is a big part of photography. The best way to start is with something that already piques your interest. If you love animals, take photographs of your pet or birds outside. Into sports, cars? Start visiting local games and practicing with your camera. Or, maybe you like taking portraits and capturing emotion from people's faces. Practice will always make perfect.

Here are some of our articles to get inspired: Photography How to Articles

• Composition is Key: The composition of your photograph will help convey the message or story you are trying to tell. Composition is how your subject and the elements around it are arranged, and knowing how to arrange everything comes with practice and understanding the different composition techniques. Take a peek at our recent article about emphasis and composition.

Related article: Photography Composition Techniques

• Manual over Automatic: Photography 101 will tell you to always take your photographs with manual settings, not automatic. Manual settings will give you complete control of how your pictures turn out. You can set your ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and more.

You most likely dropped a lot of money on your camera and will want to take advantage of all its unique features and settings. Point-and-shoot cameras are great for, well, literally pointing and shooting. You don't want to waste the opportunity to maximize your photography potential with your mirrorless camera. You will be blown away by the possibilities once you invest in a camera with professional qualities. If you feel uneasy with the thought of manual settings, you can check out our article on what each camera can do.

Related article: Best Cameras for Beginners

• Understand how light works: Besides understanding your camera, the next thing to tackle is how light works and how you should read it. Light can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. You will need to understand ambient light, diffused light, sunlight, and indoor lighting. Each of these light sources will give you a different look and exposure.

You can also invest your money in light modifiers and filters to help your photographs.

• Read articles and attend workshops: Absorb as much information as you can from every source possible. Articles and blogs (like this one) will help you get the information to start your photography journey. We have many different articles on various topics to increase your knowledge and understanding of photography.

You can also attend workshops for a visual/hands-on approach. Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can.

• Practice makes perfect: I can not stress how much practice makes perfect. Photography is a blend of science and art. Once you understand the science of your camera settings, it is all about trial and error. Hands-on experience will also trump everything. Carry your camera with you everywhere, so you are always ready and in the moment for your next photograph!

Do you have a fellow photographer as a friend? If so, you can also ask them to tag along with them during a photography session! Shadow the photographer to see what they do with their subject and take some pointers.

This advice will help you get started and brainstorm before you dive deep into your photography journey. Once you are ready, check out some of our other articles!

In the meantime, check out a link to some necessities for first-time photographers:

Related article: The 3 Most Important Camera Settings

Related article: White Balance Photography: What is White Balance