DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Three things you should know before you start photography

May 29, 2018 by Dunja Djudjic 2 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

So, you’re into photography, you want to get your first camera and get serious about it. There is plenty to learn and it’s an incredible, creative journey. And before you start, Pierre T. Lambert shares three things he wishes he knew before starting photography. These may help you make right decisions when choosing which gear to buy, but also help you take better shots.

1. Lenses are more important than your camera body

Many new photographers ask which camera they should buy. It’s nice to have a good camera body, but what’s even more important is having a good lens. Pierre compares it to a window: having a crappy lens is like looking through an old and dirty window. And if you buy a good, high-quality lens, your camera sensor will pick up a nice, clean and sharp image, like when you look through a clean window. Interesting analogy.

Anyway, it’s good to know that you don’t need to spend a fortune to upgrade from a kit lens. You can get a 50mm (Sony, Nikon, Canon) for $100-$200, it’s a good start.

2. Minimum shutter speed lock

The minimum shutter speed lock function is something that might spare you a lot of blurry shots. It tells your camera not to shoot below a certain shutter speed. So, when you shoot in the Aperture Priority mode, the camera won’t go below the predefined shutter speed, no matter the conditions you’re in.

Here are some tips how to set the minimum aperture for different situations:

  • A subject that doesn’t move: 1/50 s
  • Slight movement: 1/125 s
  • A walking subject: 1/250 s
  • Action: 1/500 s

3. Editing your photos

Finally, Pierre suggests that you should edit your photos. First of all, shoot raw, so you can extract as many details as possible from your shots. Edit your photos not just by applying Instagram filters or Lightroom presets, but really work on your editing skills. The editing can give a special touch to your work and help you define your style.

Pierre advises you to go over the top when editing and then come back. Always look at the photo a day later, because you may realize that you went too far with the editing, so you can tone it down.

As a beginner, there will be plenty more things you’ll learn over time, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. And for you non-beginners, I have a question: what are the things you wish you knew before you started photography?

[3 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Starting Photography via ISO 1200]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Don’t just sit there, three ideas to kick-start a photography business Want to start shooting the Milky Way? Start here Everything you need to know before you start miniature photography Dear photographers, educate yourself before you start charging

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: beginner photographer, inspiration, Photography, pierre lambert

About Dunja Djudjic

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

« Four ways to recreate moonlight in your photos and video
Sony announces new OLED microdisplay for EVFs »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Hipstamatic app relaunches as a social network, but only for iOS
  • Instagram now has ads even in search results. Sigh
  • Panasonic has finally developed its 8K organic global shutter OPF CMOS sensor
  • Instagram co-founder hates how “soulless” the app has become
  • Watch: 14-Earths tall tornado hurls across the Sun’s surface

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy