Burk Uzzle once said that: “Photography is a love affair with life.” Now then, that’s more than enough reason why you should get it started now. A happy person loves a love affair.
Here are the things you should do to start loving it right.
- Get an Entry-Level DSLR
Learn a lot while having fun. It makes perfect sense because you will never be an expert unless you start from the basic. The challenge that comes with how to use a camera for the first time is really the fun part.
An entry level Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) Camera is the most recommended for a beginner. It is not complicated and its functions are very straightforward.
It is affordable and durable. The standard gadgets are tested and proven. Thus, you won’t get scared to experiment on new things with it. As they all say, your experience is your best teacher.
The newest camera will only remain the newest for a short time before it will be replaced by another. However, your fundamental skill is permanent. Once you have it, then you can perfectly handle any kind of camera there is.
We recommend the Canon T5i or T6 but whichever you choose is your choice. There are some reviews and comparisons out there that you can read to clarify your best option. Here is one comparison on Canon T5i and T6 from Cameraseals.com.
- Learn How a Camera Works
What better way to fall in love with photography than to know how it works first, right? It is always hard to appreciate something you don’t know.
There are three simple steps you should know.
As the aperture or the diameter of the hole inside your lens changes its size, so is the amount of light going into your camera. This will affect the depth of field of your image.
The mirror will flip up to record the light in a sensor. The speed of its flipping up and back will determine the length of exposure.
Finally, the sensor will capture the light for your image. The higher is its ISO then the more sensitive it will be, but with more digital noise.
- Consider Operating With a Tripod
It is not because that you are a beginner in photography that’s why you have this shaky hands. Even seasoned photographers have shaky hands too. So, don’t be too hard on yourself.
Using a tripod is not cheating. It is called being resourceful. It is a legit practice even for professional photographers, anyway. Just remember that stability is not the only use of a tripod. You can adjust the height of a tripod so that you can make different angles for your photos as well.
It is very convenient, isn’t it? You can have those much-sought angles without breaking a sweat in repeatedly bending your knees.
Setting up a tripod won’t take that long. While you are at it, you can even have the chance to feel the environment first. Is it well lit? Are there no people passing by who might disturb you?
That opportunity will also help you control the excitement in making meaningless and random pictures. Plus, you should be able to practice your camera’s timer function in this set-up easily.
- Keep Your Optics Clean
Loving is a process which requires maintenance. Consider cleaning your lens as a labor of love. In the long run, you’ll definitely reap the benefits.
Use a lens-cleaning solution to a lens-cleaning cloth to remove oil and fingerprints in your lens. Use a soft brush or a blower to get rid of the dust.
Your lens will get dirty. That is unavoidable. However, don’t overdo the cleaning. Otherwise, the lens will be prone to scratches.
Talking about scratches, there is another way to completely avoid it and that is through a protection. A UV filter as a protection for the surface of your lens will do the trick. This will also improve image quality and answers the problem with atmospheric haze.
- Study Photography Continuously
Read the manual of your entry-level DSLR. That is a basic step of educating yourself about photography. Use what you read in your manual as a guide on what to research more.
Learning is a never-ending process. Technology, as we all know, improves from time to time. Your up-to-date knowledge about photography is a must. The internet and great books about photography are good sources of knowledge.
Conclusion:
Just get it started. You’ll never know if you could make it if you won’t at least try. Anyway, with what you have just learned, you are already good to go.
Don’t forget to stay passionate!
2 Comments
These tips almost made me a photographer, so thanks for giving me such these excellent tips. Please keep it up.
your writing style is amazing.