Beginning Your Photography Journey What will you need to get started
Photography is both, a fun hobby and profession to get into. There are so many subjects in this world to photograph and share, as well as so many different niches to get into when becoming a photographer. Starting your photography journey does not need to be expensive and to be honest, I think it would be wise to start it out with the bare minimum and once you feel more confident and really believe you are going to make a stronger commitment with it, then it will be time to upgrade to some more expensive equipment. I will be lightly touching base on certain topics on what you should be thinking about when starting out your photography journey and some of the essentials you will want to include in your collection of items to start photographing. I am not a professional, but a bit of a beginner myself. I just wanted to share some of my own knowledge with others in hopes that maybe this will be some helpful information for your own photography journey. I would like to mention here that I am not affiliated nor sponsored by any of the companies I may talk about in this article, these are just a personal preference along my own photography journey.
Equipment
Obviously, you are first going to want to purchase a camera. This does not need to be an expensive camera. The cheapest option would be to use a disposable camera, however, your pictures are not going to necessarily turn out the greatest and you won’t be able to do any editing or adjustments to your photo after your photo is taken. The next option would be just to use your cell phone, most of us have cell phones these days and some of the cell phones today take excellent pictures and it is a device we have on us all the time. The best option I feel is great for beginning photographers is the digital camera, as it comes equipped with multi functions and settings to start customizing your photographs. It is also small, compact and somewhat simple to use. It is also an inexpensive option to start your photography journey and to get comfortable with an actual camera. A step up from a digital camera would be a DSLR Camera, especially one that comes in a kit/bundle, most stores will carry this option and I think it is a great option to purchase before you get ready to purchase anything expensive. I did purchase a camera kit/bundle before I upgraded to a more expensive option, in fact I got my camera kit/bundle right at Target, it was a Canon EOS Rebel T6 and it came with the camera bag, two different sized lenses and a sample SD Card that had a limited amount of storage, so, I did end up having to buy an SD card that had a little more storage on it. This investment was about $300, which is a little spendy, but if you truly love photography and want to start dabbling into some more techy equipment this is a great option. The Expensive option would be to go with an upgraded DSLR or a Mirrorless camera. These cameras typically do not come as a kit/bundle option, which can definitely get expensive. You will have to buy the body of the camera, and the lenses are sold separately. Depending on the company you choose to purchase your camera equipment it will vary in price. I decided Sony would be the best option for me, although it is very expensive to purchase through them, but not as expensive as some of the other companies. It just seemed to be a happy medium for me at the time and my camera takes excellent pictures. I will say over the years after purchasing from them it has been over a $18,000 investment. So, word to the wise, only decide to go this route when you are more comfortable with your photography skills and if you are going to take photography a little more seriously. I wouldn’t say I would choose this option if you only use your camera occasionally.
Some Fun Camera Options
Instant cameras can be a fun camera option if you just wanna have fun and be silly. Would be a great option for sleepovers, parties, and other events, as the camera will expose pictures instantly. I think it is cool that you can buy these cameras in both a film and sticker picture options. You have a fun way to customize how you want your pictures printed instantly. You may also use an instant camera for serious photography as well. This would be a great option if you decided to take a bunch of photos for collages or maybe you just want a unique camera option to use to take photos in your photography collection.
Another fun camera to purchase is an underwater camera, although these are a bit on the spendy side they are another option to take unique photography underwater. These types of cameras would be a great option for going on vacation to beach destinations, hiking and camping, or if you are poolside and just want to take some pictures without the worry of getting your camera wet. They do also have the disposable underwater camera option, but if you are a serious photographer, I would suggest investing in a more expensive option as it will produce quality photos you will want under the water.
Overall, make sure you do some research on camera brands as each one is a bit different than the other. Make sure the camera you choose is the right one for you and something you are looking for in achieving the type of photography you strive for. Be sure it is a camera you will want to use long term, as cameras can be an expensive investment.
Here are some other items you may want to consider purchasing and add to your photography collection, some of these are essential and some can be fundamental.
You may want to purchase some photography books either to get inspiration or just to learn more about photography and tips and tricks on what you can do to improve on or to learn new things maybe you didn’t know about cameras.
A Tripod can be an essential item you will most likely want to purchase, if it be right away or down the road. Tripods can come in handy when doing a photoshoot or when using a heavy lens to lessen shakiness and arm fatigue. This comes in great handy if you decide to purchase a telephoto lens as well.
You will probably want to purchase a camera bag or backpack that is made for cameras and lenses, battery storage, SD card storage, flash drive storage, etc.. This helps keep your equipment organized and in one place. This is essential to have if you travel a lot for your photography as well.
You will want to purchase multiple batteries, in case your battery gets low or dies. That way you can quickly replace the dead battery with a new one and continue to photograph.
You will also want to purchase multiple SD cards as well. Storage space can get eaten up quickly on an SD card if you are at a photo shoot or taking many pictures at once for various reasons or occasions and if you have a higher shutter speed on your camera that takes a ton of pictures at once. You will want extra SD cards on hand so you can continue on with your photography.
You may want to purchase a bunch of flash drives to save pictures to, or a portable hard drive. That way you can keep your photos safe and not on your desktop.
You will definitely want a Computer or Laptop to save and edit your photos.
Eventually you will want to get a photo editing software. There are many options out there both free and ones you have to pay for.
If you decide that you want to print your own photos, you may consider purchasing a Printer, there are many options out there inexpensive and expensive. Make sure to do some research before committing to a printer. If you decide to do that you will want to add photo paper and ink to that list.
If your camera did not come with a strap, although most cameras come with a camera strap, you will definitely want to purchase one. You may even want to buy a different strap for your camera and make it more customizable to you.
Eventually down the road you may want to consider purchasing different sized lenses to achieve the type of photography you want or to try something new.
Buy some travel books of places you would possibly like to take some photography. I actually have one of Minnesota that I just purchased that shows locations around Minnesota that would be great photo opportunities.
You may want to purchase a flash device as well. Some cameras come with one built in, but from what I noticed, the more expensive camera’s that accessory you will have to purchase separately.
You can purchase lens filters to help improve the quality of your photograph and/or get more creative and help customize your photographs.
Subjects to Take Pictures of or Niches
Photography has many niches, each very different from the next and each requiring different skill sets to achieve the specific photography technique within that niche. Some photography niche examples you may be interested in:
Portrait Photography
Landscape Photography
Wildlife Photography
Macro Photography
Street Photography
Event Photography
Fashion Photography
Architectural Photography
Travel Photography
Food Photography
Astrophotography
Sports Photography
Documentary Photography
Fine Art Photography
Pet Photography
Underwater Photography
Aerial Photography
Many photographers will focus on one or more of these niches to develop their skill set and portfolio.
Other Photography Tips to get Started
Make sure to read the manual that comes with your camera. It will show you how to set it up, what each outlet means, the different settings and functions of your camera and much more.
I have also found YouTube in handy when it comes to figuring out the features and settings of my camera and also tips and tricks to take a better photo.
Make sure to keep your body straight, hold your camera close to you to help eliminate shakiness, and to hold your camera button down lightly which will help your camera focus on your subject before pressing the button to take a picture.
One thing I learned to eliminate shakiness is to take a deep breath in and as you exhale that is when you should take your picture. You can also take a deep breath in and hold it then take the picture. It does help a lot from trying out these methods myself. Sometimes it’s not just your hands that cause the camera to shake, but your own breathing can also cause movement to the camera.
Be in tune with the lighting around you, as you may need to add more light or eliminate light to get a better focus on your subject. This can be done by physically moving objects around, adding or taking away objects to add more light or less light and there are also multiple settings on your camera that can help with lighting when adjusted appropriately, such as ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture.
Otherwise, I think that is all I have to share for this blog post. Keep practicing, you will understand your camera better and what you need to do to take a great picture. Just stay confident in yourself and you will do great.
Cheers!
Vanessa
