Photography 101: Kickstart Your Photography Journey

Here are 10 tips to help you learn photography and improve your shooting skills:

1. Start by learning the basics of photography, such as exposure, composition, and lighting. This foundation will provide you with a solid understanding of how to create compelling images.

2. Familiarise yourself with your camera and its settings. Learn about aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and how they affect your photos. Practice adjusting these settings to achieve the desired effects.

3. Composition is key to creating visually pleasing photographs. Learn about the rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, and other composition techniques. Experiment with different compositions to find what works best for each subject.

4. Study the work of accomplished photographers, without comparing yourself in a negative way to them, and analyse their techniques. Look for inspiration in photography books, online galleries, and exhibitions. Pay attention to how they use light, composition, and storytelling to create impactful images.

5. The more you practice, the better you'll become. Dedicate time to photography regularly, whether it's daily, weekly, or as often as you can. Challenge yourself to shoot in different conditions and explore various subjects to develop your skills.

6. Try your hand at different genres of photography, such as landscape, portrait, street, still life, or wildlife. Exploring different genres will help you discover your preferences and strengths as a photographer, and you can discover things you never knew you found interesting.

7. Light is a crucial element in photography. Observe and understand different types of light—natural light, artificial light, and how they interact with your subjects. Experiment with lighting techniques to create different moods, effects, and patterns in your pictures.

8. Share your work with others, whether it's fellow photographers, online communities, or photography clubs. Accept constructive criticism and learn from it. Feedback from others can provide valuable insights and is crucial to grow as a photographer. After all, it’s going to be consumed by other people and not only yourself.

9. Post-processing can enhance your images and bring out the best in them. Learn the basics of photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. Experiment with adjusting exposure, colors, and cropping to refine your images.

10. Photography is a learning process. Stay inspired by regularly exploring the work of other photographers, experimenting with new techniques, and attending photography events. Be open to learning from your successes and failures, and always strive to improve your skills.

Enjoy the process and keep shooting!