New Photographers: do this before buying any camera gear
People just recently bit by the photography bug are most at risk at falling victim to the obsession with camera gear.
This happens because in the beginning you have the least amount of knowledge about photography, so it’s extremely difficult to tell what is a skill issue and what is a camera issue. In the absence of photography knowledge, new photographers tend to get fixated on “specs” or technical capabilities of cameras. And the reality is that specs will never replace real world experiences, and are almost always just marketing from the brands.
I’ll spare you the patronizing “it’s not about the gear” lectures while standing in front of piles of brand new super fancy gear….
https://youtu.be/e7QpB4l4CI4?si=CuEgbxDJPsLBpbf2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=932NJyrWKrc
Instead I’ll propose an alternative path into the world of cameras that focuses on getting out in the world and shooting in real life situations before focusing on gear. Why would anyone listen to me? Well, I’m an idiot, I made all these mistakes myself, and I wouldn’t wish them on new photographers. If I could go back and do things differently, this is the path I would take to learn important skills much more quickly, while wasting a lot less time and money on needless gear.
What should you do?
Figure out what you are going to shoot. You need to learn about photography and you need to learn about yourself as a photographer ,before you start worrying about what camera to shoot with.
That’s it.
Are you going to shoot portraits? Are you going to film YouTube videos? Are you going to shoot events?
Buying the right camera is impossible if you don’t know what you are shooting or what you love to shoot. Most cameras these days are good enough, some cameras are better than others for specific things and you won’t know what that is until you know what you’re going to shoot.
How do I figure out what you want to shoot?
The best way is to start now and see if you like it. See if you like doing it over and over and over again. Repetition is key.
Do that with whatever camera you have, most likely it’s on your phone that’s in your pocket.
Example 1 : Weddings
If you think you want to shoot weddings, or any event for that matter…. shoot as much as possible at any events you get invited to. Use the camera you have, the camera that most of you have on your phone.
Watch YouTube videos on how to shoot that type of event before you go. Set yourself a mini assignment of capturing a handful of specific shots that you identified in advance. This could be a group shot, candid shots, natural light portraits by a window, etc.
Example 2: Travel
If you think you want to make travel videos, shoot one on your phone the next time you take any trip. Shoot one whether it’s a trip to Spain or a trip to a grocery store in your home town.
Find inspiration on YouTube. Find a photographer you love, or a YouTuber who makes killer videos and write down what shots in particular you like most. Try to replicate that shot.
Example 3: Product Photography
If you think you want to shoot product photography , shoot anything you can find in your house with any lights you can get your hands on.
Use a white sheet with a light bulb behind it to learn how to create soft light. Test shooting close to the product to understand what the does to depth of field, or learn how to focus stack.
What next?
Don’t stop
Do it over and over and over and over again. Then ask yourself “do I like doing this?” Also ask yourself “have I made progress”?
I would aim to do at least 20-30 “shoots” of whatever topic you’ve decided that you want to do. If you can do closer to 50, that will essentially guarantee that you learn what you need to know about your shooting styles and preferences. You’ll also learn a ton about actual photography, lighting, posing, framing, etc.
What was my journey?
At every stage, I thought the thing that was blocking me from progressing in. My photography or videography was my gear. As a result I bought tons of crap that I never ended up using. I wasted a huge amount of time reading about gear and learning how to use it, but ultimately no amount of reading can tell you whether it’s needed or practical in your particular situation.
Very slowly, in between long stretches of gear obsession, I started to shoot different types of photography and eventually videography. Very slowly, I started to learn what I loved to shoot and what I wanted to be shooting.
Things I tried:
- Weddings
- Portraits
- Product Photography
- Travel
- Street photography
Then can you start buying gear?
I would say buying gear before this point is a total waist of money. After this point you’ll start to see some minimal benefit from the gear purchases you make.
Now that you’ve identified the style of shooting you like to do, and you’ve experience at least 20-30 “shoots”, you’ll know if a particular piece of equipment improves your workflow. You should be able to see if a piece of gear helps you get shots that you weren’t able to get before… rather than just your lack of knowledge or relying on the “specs” of a camera.