After 22 years of guiding and educating clients here’s my go to top 10 tips to help you on your way.
Tip # 1
Master exposure and master the basics. Learn to understand Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO and Histograms
Tip #2
It’s all about Light. Light quality can make or break your image, even the simplest subject can be transformed into something of beauty with great light.
Tip #3
Composition – keep it simple, consider the viewers reaction and connection to what you present. It’s not what you leave in but what you leave out. Less is more when it comes to subjects and elements within the frame.
Tip#4
Manages expectations. Even the best photographers on the planet take bad photos. Great images are born out of perseverance, preparation, experience and a little luck. The more you get out and shoot the more chance you have of being in the right place at the right time to capture the magic when it happens.
Tip #5
Do not beat yourself up by comparing yourself to other photographers. Everyone is on their own personal photography journey. Be patient and learn from your own experiences, successes and failures.
Tip #6
Do some homework , learn from classic photographers and find your own hero or muse. Some of my inspiration came from Peter Dombrovskis , Ansel Adams and even Ken Duncan in the beginning. Analyse what it is about their work you like. Break it down and experiment with their style and use them as your own motivation and eventually you will develop your own.
Tip #7
Set the bar high with the standard of image you want to produce. To take truly great photographs you have to know what makes one in the first place. Seek out great work and this will influence your own work. Don’t settle for short cuts, lazy editing presets or quick solutions. Everything good takes time, grow your confidence by growing your creativity organically by perseverance.
Tip #8
Motivate yourself by planning location shoots, research the subjects and set yourself a brief, then execute it. Create your own assignments and goals.
Tip #9
Travel light , keep your gear simple and focus on your photography not your photography gear . A good quality tripod, a good enough camera and ideally the holy trinity of lenses , wide angle , Midrange and telephoto zoom will cover most scenarios. Use them all equally and learn the advantages of each. Do not be afraid to change lenses in the field, these are your tools, use them when required. Use a tried and tested filter system and stay away from cheap .. it’s a false economy.
Tip #10
Drum roll … Consider doing a photography workshop. In the right setting and with an experienced educator you can turbocharge your knowledge and confidence in a short space of time. Repetition on location over multiple days brings insights and knowledge that could otherwise take years. You can iron out the bumps , get feedback as to where you are plus in a social setting it is always a lot of fun.
The key word in all of this is FUN, enjoy your photography and don’t forget to just take it all in wherever you are !