I get loads of emails – every single week – from very sweet souls who want to become photographers. These emails ask about gear, settings, timing, and posing. I get so excited when I hear about people who are on fire for photography and in love with creating art, encouraging others is something that I want to do with my life because there are plenty of clients to go around and millions of beautiful things just waiting to be captured. I try to be candid, honest, authentic in response (when I can actually get around to responding) and allow people into my business and process as much as I can through email. The thing is, somedays I want to shake them and tell them that this “job” of mine is so much more than taking a pretty picture… but some lessons can only be learned by doing.
There are a million blog posts written about people aspiring to be photographers – some brash, some encouraging, but many discouraging. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t roll my eyes when I got a new invite to “like” a page of someone new who thinks they are running a business, but truth be told, this industry will separate the good from the bad quick enough and it’s only my job to be supportive and keep on doing my own thang. (Yes, thang, because sometimes I am gangster… duh.) In a time where instagram makes anyone feel like a famous photographer, the number of budding photogs is on the rise and not showing any times of slowing. Here is some advice that I wish I would have known before I took a leap into this world of photography two years ago…
1.) Just because you have a nice camera, does not make you a photographer. In fact, even though your camera might look like the ones professionals use… it’s not even close. Having nice pots and pans does not make me a professional chef any more than having an entry level DSLR makes you a photographer. (If you have to google DSLR, chances are you are lost.) Having a nice camera will allow to you make art, learn the basics of photography, and capture your life as you navigate the settings and feel lost for awhile… there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, however, I thought I was a pro when I bought my first $300 camera. I was way wrong.
2.) Shooting in auto is a diservice to you and your nice camera. I know that the settings are scary and intimidating and that shooting in A seems like it gives you good results, but I promise if you just spend a day or two reading your manual, looking up diagrams, and playing around with your settings, you will yield far better results. It took me a long time to figure this out and looking back, I was too proud to take some steps backwards to learn how to actually utilize my camera and take way better photos! If anything, watch a few online tutorials on how to get out of auto mode and learn a little at a time. Learning to shoot in manual for me was the greatest thing I ever did for my photos…
3.) Easy on the editing. Chances are you have never used photoshop or lightroom, so getting this software is great and amazing and allows you to “fix” photos and make them look cool! Slow down and go easy on the editing slugger, just because you can add stars and words and snowflakes to an image doesn’t mean you should! I laugh when I look back at my photos and the inconsistency of my editing along with the “cool” things I did to them that are now screaming 2011 to me. Timeless and classic images will always be in style, so slow down on the crazy edits and make beautiful clean images. You’ll thank me later, I promise!
I can’t wait to continue sharing tips of things I learned along the way. Trust me, it took me a long time before I could talk the talk and walk the walk (heck, I am still learning and never plan to stop.) Falling in love with photography is the easy part, staying on top of the industry is the hard part. Whether you just want to take beautiful photos of your children or you want to become the next big photographer, you must understand that all great things take time and dedication. It doesn’t happen overnight for anyone (but it does happen during countless sleepless nights of work!) There are so many things I look back on and smile, things I wish someone would have told me along the way, but seriously folks, sometimes you just need to learn your own lessons along the way! Shoot on, my friends!
This is my life, through words and photographs… hang out awhile:
i just started out this year, and took a couple photography classes at the local tech school. they helped me tremendously to get to know the in’s and out’s of my camera and now i cringe when i see that “auto” mode on my camera. ha ha.
great advice dear, well written.
-whit
Great tips Jenna! Look forward to reading more. Posts like these are so important for our industry. I especially like how you mentioned to focus on your own “thang” and be encouraging and the pros and the “nots” will be separated by themselves. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Jenna Leigh for posting this advice and your thoughts on being a great photographer! There is so much more to taking pictures and being photog than any of us will ever realize. I always look forward to seeings your pictures. They are amazing and very inspiring to me!