How to start learning photography

The first step in learning photography is mastering the operation of the camera and the basics of exposure. Unless you're starting your journey with a phone – but let's assume you've moved past that stage and have just picked up your first camera.

You need to learn the absolute basics so that your first attempts at taking photos with a DSLR or mirrorless camera don't end with you tossing the camera aside (which happened initially in my case).

What all (or at least most) of the buttons are for, how to attach and remove a lens, understanding the exposure triangle. What aperture, ISO, and shutter speed are. How they relate to each other, what effect they have on a picture. Why some photos are blurry while others are razor-sharp. What exposure compensation is all about. And so on.

For someone who has already gone through this, it sounds totally basic, but at the very beginning, it can be an overwhelming source of frustration.

Give yourself a moment to read the manual, watch a few YouTube videos, and understand the nuances of each mode. Or sign up for a quick course or workshop that will introduce you to these topics.

And that’s really it! You can now take your camera, go outside, and conquer the world. Good luck!

What, just like that?

Everything else you will learn - as they say - during your first hundreds of thousands of hours in field, to hopefully gain a decent level of proficiency after taking your first 100,000 photos.

Light, composition, storytelling, gear. Different techniques, accessories. Your eye, creative vision, decisive moments. Exploring favorite niches, specializations. Practice, experience, repeat. Play.

I’ve probably taken about a hundred thousand photos myself. Plenty of awful mistakes that are hard to look at. Some have survived the selection, some I’m happy with, and on a good day, I’m even proud of a few.

I’m fully aware that I’m taking baby steps, and my photographic world – just like the universe – is constantly expanding.
I had to embrace the fact that even though sometimes I take pictures that might be considered visually appealing, it will take much more time before I start creating photos that are truly meaningful.

The moment you realise it, can be very liberating. It's an endless field of exploration that never truly ends. And that’s fine.

Since I love taking pictures of f*cking everything, anytime, what’s the problem. In fact it brings me peace that this adventure might never have an end. It’s my biggest passion, so I want to nurture it with special care and never loose a joy of pressing the shutter button.

This week kicks off a series of dope collaborations and next steps. Something I’ve been looking forward to, but which is also a bit of a challenge and - definitely - stepping out of my comfort zone. Exciting. More on that soon. Stay tuned.

Houdoe and see you next time!

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5 tips to improve your photography

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10 things you need to become a real street photographer