Any tips for getting into photography? - Cam (@cam-the-merch-man) • Collective

cam-the-merch-man 11 months

Any tips for getting into photography?

Like 23 comments

jcp

Buy a camera ?

11 months

cam-the-merch-man

@derekkk genius

11 months

cam-the-merch-man

@jcp which camera though, Nikon, canon. Hint there’s someone who can drop some wisdom on this

11 months

ciaranw1598

Get yourself out there wirh a camera, follow photographers to inspire you etc.

11 months

lilian_vltgr

Have fun with pictures !!

11 months

lilian_vltgr

And learn to observe every little detail around you :)

11 months

dbadwolf

Do NOT buy a fancy camera right away unless you’re willing to learn how it works. Phone cameras are great way to get a grasp on composition. Once you have that down, you might consider a camera. Do a bunch of research and be careful of buying the camera that everyone else has… buy the camera that works for YOU.

11 months

kirwin

I agree, don’t worry about buying the fanciest camera right now. You can find a film camera for kind of cheap but film is about £15-20 a roll so that can help you be more mindful of photos you take. Keep a notebook of the settings you used so you can see what works well and doesn’t. Or if you go digital, you can find something good for a little more but there’s a whole lot of settings you have to account for.

11 months

justben

Some very good advice here and I’d especially agree with learning the skill of composition as this is a fundamental if you want to take photos that grab attention. Exposure is another fundamental to work on, especially if you plan to get an actual camera at some point. There are tons of resources on YouTube to teach you these things. I also agree to stick to your iphone for now until you have a good grasp of composition. There is a saying that the best camera is the one you have with you… and you’re always with the phone. One tip I can offer is to get a different app than the default to take pics with - I use the Adobe Lightroom camera - but any app that lets you superimpose a composition grid (like rule of thirds, golden spiral etc) on the screen will really help you visualise where to best place the focal point of your shots. Some apps also have a level so you can avoid wonky horizons!

11 months

juvenlee_surrealart

I’ve been watching YouTube videos and then bought a very cheap set of lenses on Amazon for my phone. I’ve gotten pretty decent and fun results for myself.

11 months

its-a-gabe

The best advice is to take photos of anything that catches your eye. Anything at all. Some photographers say you should limit what you shoot (they say you should be intentional like a pro, even if you’re not), but I call bs. You won’t train your eye if you don’t practice by taking photos of absolutely everything that interests you. Doesn’t matter if it makes sense. Just point and shoot. You don’t need a proper camera. Start with your phone, no matter what it is. It’s optional, but I would highly recommend downloading Adobe Lightroom and putting your shots through post processing. If you go on my Instagram (@gabriel.c.photography), all those photos were shot with an iPhone SE and put through Lightroom. Finally, if you want to familiarise yourself with a suite of options that you’d find in a camera, I’d recommend buying ProCamera. It also has a built-in editor which I used extensively before I felt confident going into Lightroom.

11 months

cam-the-merch-man

@its-a-gabe thank you so much! I’m looking at the canon D2000

11 months

missdrakis

I love taking photos! I take all of mine with my phone. I’d say that’s a good start. And have fun with it! 🔥

11 months

yourboyfred

lighting is your best friend! play with the natural lighting for your shots and half the work for a good photo is already done ✌🏻

11 months

vtang

The hardest thing for learning any new thing is to be decisive in its start. Just try it. Try it poorly and learn. That’s the awesome journey. Research as you’re going along, but start by any means necessary.

11 months

its-a-gabe

@cam-the-merch-man I think that’s the same one I was looking at before. It’s very affordable. There are mirrorless ones around the same price point, though. I think the R100 is just a few £ more on Amazon.

11 months

cam-the-merch-man

@its-a-gabe they’re too much choice hahaha

11 months

hidden

You mean, as a practice or as a profession?

11 months

cam-the-merch-man

@jon_jacobsen just as a hobby

11 months

hidden

@cam-the-merch-man I would highly suggest to develop a deep, sensitive relationship with light, volume and harmony. Practice a lot and Use any camera that you can afford right now, the gear is less important than how you use it :). What matters is what is the special thing you see in the world that drives you to capture it. Good luck!

11 months