Getting started with photography means making some practical choices that directly affect how often you'll pick up your camera. Selecting gear and understanding basic techniques early on makes a real difference in how quickly you grow as a photographer.
Coming to you from Dee Rosa, this practical video outlines straightforward advice for beginners who want to make their early photography experiences enjoyable and effective. Rosa strongly suggests choosing a camera primarily based on personal aesthetic preference. It sounds simple, but a camera you genuinely enjoy looking at and handling means you'll carry it more often and naturally practice more. Whether it's the vintage charm of a Fujifilm model or the classic styling of a Leica M6, Rosa emphasizes comfort and personal connection over specs or online reviews. This advice might seem unconventional, but it's grounded in the reality that enjoyment matters more in the early stages than technical perfection.
Another standout point Rosa makes concerns lens selection. Beginners often gravitate toward lenses recommended by popular photographers, like the beloved 50mm. Rosa suggests a twist: start slightly wider than you initially think necessary. If you're drawn to a 50mm lens for portraits, try a 40mm or 35mm instead. The rationale is practical; learning composition is easier with a wider view, allowing flexibility for framing and positioning without forcing you to step back constantly. It’s an uncomplicated adjustment that makes mastering framing quicker, avoiding the frustration of too-tight shots that limit your creative choices.
The video also touches on lighting techniques, specifically capturing images during golden hour—the period shortly after sunrise or before sunset. Rosa highlights this time for its distinctive ability to create pleasing, cinematic lighting with minimal effort. He offers an additional insightful tip: set your camera’s display to black and white while shooting. This straightforward adjustment simplifies how you view scenes, helping you focus on the interplay of shadows and highlights rather than color distractions. Rosa confidently assures that this simple shift in perspective will immediately improve your composition skills, pushing you beyond beginner habits.
Expanding on practical workflow advice, Rosa discusses whether beginners should shoot in raw or JPEG format, based primarily on available editing tools. If editing is limited to smartphone apps like VSCO or Snapseed, sticking with JPEG files simplifies your workflow without compromising too much on creative control. However, if you're set up with more powerful editing software like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One, raw files will provide significantly more flexibility. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Rosa.
