Photography has been a love of mine since my freshman year of college. I got my first (small) digital camera– I believe it was around 6 or 7 megapixels is all! And my, have I come a long way since those days! In the last 3 years, I have purchased my first AND second DSLR camera, my favorite lens, and started my own business.
It has been a fun journey, and I have learned SO much along the way– so I want to share some of that with you today! Here are 7 fresh ways to make your photography bloom. Are you ready?
#1: KNOW YOUR CAMERA
Each camera is different, and therefore takes time and practice in order to learn. Get to know it! Read the manual, look for instructions online—YouTube and Pinterest are really great resources!
#2: PRACTICE
Practice makes perfect! I still don’t know how to do everything that my camera is capable of doing! I don’t do it perfectly all the time, but with practice, I have become more comfortable. Find a subject and practice! Read the manual– Pinterest and YouTube are good sources for tutorials for specifics as well!
#3: FIND YOUR STYLE
Do you use a lot of natural light? Studio lighting? Black and white edits? Over time (and with practice!) you will start to see your style evolve. Focus on that, and the consistency in your photos will show!
#4: CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Not sure how to capture moving objects or low light situations? Never shot in manual mode before? Give yourself a challenge and go for it! Once I gathered the courage to move outside of my comfort zone, I was surprised with the results.
#5: GET TECHNICAL
Learn photography terms— aperture, manual mode, auto focus, shutter speed, exposure. The more you know, the more you grow!
#6: TAKE A CLASS
Want to learn a lot in a short amount of time? Find a class! Community colleges, online courses– there are a lot of options out there so that you can get the most out of your camera. Plus, if you are a hands on learner (like me!) this will save you some frustration.
#7: LEARN HOW TO EDIT
Knowing how to edit your photos in Aperture, Lightroom, Photoshop—or even in online programs such as PicMonkey –is important! You can make exposure edits, sharpen, change to black and white– and make your favorite photos come to life in an entirely different way!
It is HARD to push the envelope, but the results are worth it! And sometimes, it’s not about capturing that moment perfectly– it’s just capturing it.
© 2013 – 2014, Julie Sancken. All rights reserved. Love it? Please share, pin, tweet or email but do not use my work without permission.