Being a beginner at anything is daunting at first and photography is far from an exception. With such depth and technical knowledge, it can be overwhelming, so here are 20 essential tips that can help those photographers just starting out.
I have two character flaws that affected by photography early on, particularly because they were larger flaws back then too. The first is impatience and the second is a propensity for becoming obsessed with something. When I bought my first camera I took a few snaps, I experimented with settings, and I felt it; that inexplicable drive where I knew I was about to involuntarily dive face-first into this new passion. And I did exactly that. However, it wasn't long before the other flaw got involved and I would look at better photographers' work with green eyes and feel frustrated I couldn't already create images of that standard. I consumed everything I could find that would teach me anything and I made strides, but there were lots of things I learned about learning too.
There are myriad tips I give beginners to photography, varying in weight and importance. Nevertheless, there's one tip that I think gets neglected a little: trying everything. Many of us pick up a camera for the first time because we have an idea of what we want to shoot. Whether it's portraiture, landscapes, macro, or anything in between, I implore you to experiment. Shoot every genre you can as many skills are transferable, you may learn you enjoy another aspect of photography more, and you will become a more rounded photographer overall.
