As an aspiring photographer, you could sometimes find yourself in a situation where things can start out pretty tough. Either you spend a lot of money for school, you learn skills on your own, or you search madly for a job as an assistant. You might have multiple part time jobs, and not a lot of free time to be creative when you are starting out. This is ok, but don’t let it go on for too long.
Keep reading for some handy tips an aspiring photographer should know.
Tip 1: Think Like an Artist and Collaborate
An artist considers more than just if their photo is beautiful, or not. A photograph needs to tell a story. It is important to consider how that story can be communicated more effectively. You need to consider a photograph’s purpose and try collaborating with other photographers and artists to bring your images to the next level.
Picture this, a vast stretch of pavement shrouded in fog. This doesn’t have story telling capacity by itself, but adding a person to this photograph adds movement and a question, or a story.
Tip 2: Getting Noticed – Create a Series
There are a large portion of photographers that haven’t been discovered because they have nice photos here and there, but no cohesive body of work. There has to be something special and different to garner attention and it usually takes a lot of work. It might look like there are overnight sensations in the photography industry, but this is not the case. The best part about working in series is that you can work on several at once. It will get you ready for more challenges and adds variety to your work.
Consider each photograph as part of a bigger series. Ask yourself questions like, will this look good with my other photos in a similar genre? Should the edits be more consistent? What size does this look best when printed? How should they be displayed? The way in which images are placed can have a profound effect on the meaning or feel of a set.
Tip 3: Do not Critique Immediately & Remember to Ask Friends
Find your best photos, edit them. Consider using presets. There are presents for all sorts of photographic styles. For example, if you are into fashion photography, perhaps you should consider giving Fashion lightroom Presets a go. Presets give your photos that extra kick and really make them pop.
Show your photos to some friends who have no problem telling you if your work is good or bad, someone who will be honest and constructive. There’s a counter culture surrounding photographers who tend to get caught up in critiquing each other’s work and are then surprised when others find their least favourite to be the best of the batch. Early critiquing also leads to everyone’s work starting to look the same. There is a fine line between looking at others’ work, drawing inspiration from it and focusing on your own.
Tip 4: Print Your Photos & Have A Backup Plan
Computers are not flawless, and printing photos is typically why we take them in the first place. Things such as hard drive failures, computer crashes, accidental deletions, are all possibilities. Have a hard drive that you back your photos up on and ensure that you have enough memory cards.
Tip 5: Take A Workshop or Class
Finding a good workshop or class can separate you from other photographers in a matter of weeks. You need to find one that is relevant to your field of study in photography. This can be as simple as Google searching photography workshops in your area. They will either concentrate on a specific subject, or something that gives you the tools to perform on an open ended assignment.
Being a photographer takes time and money, more than one would expect. If you already have a basic DSLR camera, spend your money on knowledge and experience before you drop some big money on a fancy, more advanced camera. Cameras come and go pretty quickly, just like cell phones. They lose value, but the knowledge, experience, and networking you will get from a workshop follows you through your entire career. It will prove more valuable than any piece of equipment. Lastly, ask questions. Ask for a job, ask for feedback, ask for collaborations, and learn how to ask better. If you never bother to ask a question, the answer will always be “no.” Keep at it, even when things do not seem to be going according to your schedule.