Getting Started

Again, I am posting an answer that I wrote in a forum. The writer had spent over $10,000 on equipment, in the past year, and had contacted local photographers, trying to learn — as an intern. Still, he felt that he was ‘missing something’ and asked how he would know when he ‘had arrived’.. My response:

My grandfather used to tell me, “Borrow a tool. If you need to borrow it three times, buy it.” — same applies to cameras and lenses. Ah, but you already bought, so do this: Pretend you didn’t buy all that stuff and take your camera and one lens — any lens — but for the sake of this conversation, let’s say the 50mm. Use only that combination until you know everything there is to know about it. What you learn about the body will be transferable to all your other equipment, so concentrate on getting the best images, straight out of the camera (SOOC). With the 50mm, learn its strong points and limitations. Understand it’s depth-of-field (DOF) at all apertures. Use it to photograph your wive, your kids, everything on your desk, on your patio, in the sink — EVERYTHING you can see. Have that lens with you, every place you go, so long a it doesn’t get you fired or arrested.

Take notes. Use your meta data. Don’t just take pictures — study your images. If you took notes, and you see an image that you really like, use your notes and go capture it again. The only real difference between the pro and the amateur is that the pro can do it again and again and again.

Do this for a week, a month, whatever it takes. Then move to the 85mm and do it all over — it won’t take as long, because you won’t be starting from scratch, and you will already know your camera. I don’t remember everything on your list, but learn all your primes, before you start with the zooms.

Study the light — be an expert at visualizing the shadows and contrast. Think of how to compose the shot — do this even when you don’t have a camera in your hands. Think of the DOF and the perfect lens for the shot you are seeing — then think of how to capture it if you don’t happen to have that lens with you. Consider all your options — but never again pick up the camera and just shoot without visualizing a result — try never to be surprised by what you’ve captured — but always be willing to be surprised because what you are capturing is getting ever closer to what you are envisioning!!!

By the time you have run through all of your lenses, you should have a pretty good command of natural light. Now it’s time to grab one of the 430s. Get a diffuser and learn to use it — and then get it off the camera as soon as you can. Now, get your second 430 and another diffuser, and get both flashes off the camera. Do this inside and outside. Learn about main lights and fill — learn to combine sun and flash. Learn to combine indoor ambient light and flash. Learn to use windows and flashes in combination.

The key to what I am telling you is to put all the crap (said lovingly) in a closet and take out one piece at a time — and learn to use it, BEFORE you take out another.

How long will the learning process take? If you’re lucky, somewhere into your 80s or 90s. I just shot my ‘final’ wedding, in Mexico, last month. It was number 800 and something — not so many when you consider they where spread over 37 years. Oh, and yes, I learned something new at that wedding. I expect learn something new, tomorrow. Heck, I can probably learn something from each of the above posts.

To paraphrase [b]ecker – make the next wedding blow away the last wedding. Do that and you won’t even have to worry about ‘arriving’ until you see them getting ready you lower you into the six feet deep hole — then figure out how to shoot that!!