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So you want to get started in photography

I am a very biased and opinionated person on all subjects I care about – so it is especially true for photography.  I really have not published a ‘beginners photography’ blog because there are so many of them out there already.  However, after seeing a number that I sharply disagree with, I thought I would post my own.

I will not talk about specific camera models or Nikon vs. Canon here.  This is for those who want to become photographers – not equipment collectors.  Therefore, the following are my recommendations for people who want to get into photography.

What should I do first?

This is simple, do not buy anything? Huh!? Before buying any equipment, I strongly recommend you go to the bookstore/library and get one or two books on the type of photography you are interested in.  I do not recommend the general photography books as those aren’t very helpful.  Get books from photographers known for their work.  The book I started out with is John Shaw’s Nature Photography Field Guide – though if you’re into portrait photography you’ll probably want a different book.

The point is you need to understand some things before you buy.  Unless you understand what an SLR does for you and what the differences are between different lenses, you’ll be unlikely to make an informed decision.

The biggest mistake beginning photographers make

The single hugest mistake I see is too much reliance on Photoshop.  There is an assumption by some photographers out there that Photoshop can take an awful shot and make it awesome.  That is simply not true.  It is a tool to add a bit of ‘oomph’ to an already good photo.

To be honest, I do not recommend that beginning photographers purchase any Photoshop books or spend a good deal of time learning Photoshop.  Understanding things like curves, contrast, RAW, and levels is a good thing – but you can learn those things in a short amount of time.

I do not recommend purchasing fancy Photoshop filters or that perfect skin tones plugin.  Your goal is to learn how to take excellent pictures.  The nice thing about digital is you can always edit the pictures later.

My approach is still the same and I do not think I am a good enough photographer yet to spend large amounts of time in Photoshop.  I still have to learn more about composition and other details of photography.

Therefore, avoid the Photoshop trap and spend your time learning how to be a photographer.

What camera should I buy?

Well, you should buy an SLR as they are far more flexible than point and shoot cameras.  I’ll leave the details about the differences to other blogs, but that is the key thing.

When choosing a camera line, keep in mind that once you go one path it is very difficult to switch lines as you’ll need to replace most of your accessories and lenses.  Therefore, I highly recommend that you do not make your decision based on a single camera body.

The big players in SLR cameras – Nikon and Canon – leapfrog each other every once in awhile.  So if the current ‘great’ camera is a Canon – chances are it will be a Nikon in a year or two – followed by a Canon again.  Instead, I recommend you look at the lenses each manufacturer offers and choose which line provides the lenses that best work for the type of photography you want.

I also recommend that you look at the bodies in general and choose the one with the controls and feel that work best for you.  Nikon and Canon differ quite a bit in operation – so choose the one you like better.

In general though, a common mistake is a beginner putting all of his/her money in the camera body.  Lenses offer much more capabilities than individual cameras, have a much longer life, and are where you should put your money.

What lenses should I buy?

Of course, this will depend on what you want to photograph.  There is no one single ‘go everywhere’ lens that does a good job.  I do not recommend the 18-200mm lenses or other ‘superzooms’ unless you are content with only making small prints and posting pictures on Flickr.

Good lenses cost a lot and I recommend buying the best possible ones for the job.  I also recommend starting out with about two lenses – as it takes awhile to get used to an individual lens.  You’ll also get a better idea through those two lenses which lenses you truly need.  If you buy top quality lenses – you’ll be able to sell them for near what you paid for them.

The following are some guidelines for lenses based on the Canon line.  Nikon has similar lenses. (Important note: these are just examples – please do your homework before buying anything)

Macro - 100mm 2.8

Portraits – 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.2, 135mm 2.0

Landscapes – 16-35mm 2.8 II, 17-40mm 4.0

Weddings – 24-70mm 2.8, 70-200mm 2.8

Wildlife – 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 IS

Walkaround/travel – 24-105mm 4.0 IS, 70-200mm 4.0 IS

What else should I buy?

A tripod is extremely important – depending on the types of photographs you want to take.  In particular, landscape photography requires a good tripod.  Flowers, some types of portraits, and serious wildlife photography also require a tripod.  If you are serious about photography – you’ll want to get a good one (or buy another one later – your choice).  The best tripods are sold in pieces.  You buy tripod legs, a head on which your camera will rest, and an adapter for your camera and any lenses with collars.

The best tripods are made by Gitzo, though Manfrotto tripods are also pretty good.  Really Right Stuff, Markins, and Kirk are all well known ball head manufacturers.

You’ll also want to buy an external flash and have some way to shoot with it off the camera.  Both Nikon and Canon have a full line of flashes – though I recommend you buy the top of the line flash if you can afford it.

What should I do after buying the equipment?

Take pictures of course!  Get out there and take as many shots as you can – then show them to other photographers for critique.  Enter your pictures in challenges and read up on techniques on the Internet and read more photography books.  Also take a deep look at photographs that you like from true professional photographers and see what makes them work.  If you click on the reviews link at the very top of this page there are a number of books that may help.

Very often I find myself getting too wrapped up in the equipment aspect and forgetting to actually improve my pictures.  Don’t get caught in this trap – always work towards improving your shots.  This is also the big issue I have with Photoshop nuts – they spend so much time figuring out new tricks with Photoshop that their photography suffers.

That’s all for this short introduction.  As I have already stated, my opinions are quite biased so do some research before buying anything.  Just don’t lose sight of the fact that you want to become a photographer – not someone who ‘collects’ equipment or depends on a small arsenal of Photoshop filters.  I have made the mistake of putting too much emphasis in my equipment and I can tell you from experience that my photography did not improve.

Focus on taking the best shots you can and then learning how to critique those shots and improve upon them.  In terms of equipment, remember that the goal is to buy things to enable you to take the photos you want.  Things like top quality lenses, lighting, and possibly a tripod will enable you to focus on your photography while running into fewer barriers caused by your equipment.

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Tags: beginner, buy, camera, getting started, introduction, lens, photography, photoshop