The Long road to good photography

In this blog, we will look at the real-time it will take you to become a great photographer. Resources found in this post may be affiliate links, which pay me a small commission without you paying a penny more, which helps me keep this blog going. As a new photographer, it is all-new, fun, and exciting. With all these thoughts of producing fantastic photography, you might forget that becoming a great photographer will be a long, sometimes frustrating, and expensive road, to say the least. You will have family singing your praises about how talented you are and how amazing your photos look, and you might even start to believe it at first, and that is OK because we all start the same way. I took in all that praise, and it really went to my head, but I was quickly reminded of how much I needed to learn and invest in the whole process of photography. Make no mistake that learning photography is a process that is often very slow for many. I would say that it took me about five years of in-depth studying and just trying to wrap my head around many concepts in photography to feel confident with any camera and equipment presented to me. I would not consider myself the most intelligent guy on the block, but I’m no dummy, so your time frame may be shorter. Either way, it is a process.

For most of you, the road starts with a camera. Sometimes, it is a gift from a loved one, it is a personal hobby, and other times, it is out of necessity. The funny thing is that no matter where or when you start, the end goal is always to take and share great photos with others. It is the best way to really convey a good story and we all love a good story, it is in our DNA because it is the way we learn. We all need to learn it is crucial to our survival. So I find it ironic that young people seem to find no value in learning anything. If you don’t already have a camera, eBay is an excellent source for finding one that suits your needs. I would not spend a lot of money here because you want to ensure that you intend to follow through with your idea of becoming a photographer. This is a critical decision that can result in pain in the wallet later if you are not careful. Learning the basics of photography does not require having the most expensive camera. I highly recommend you spend the least amount of money to test the waters of photography to see if it is something you would like to pursue first. DSLRs are a great choice for new photographers, and they can be had for as little as $60 with a lens sometimes, which is crazy to me, but it is true. Also, the brand does not matter too much either, but I will recommend that you stick to one brand only because it makes transitions from camera to camera a little bit easier.

Next we will be talking lens for your new or used camera and my advise will pretty much be the same as it was for your camera. Spend as little as possible to make sure your really into this thing, photography that is, because you don’t want to spend a lot just to realize that it is not for you. Despite what many might say about kit lens, they are still good for a stating photographer who is learning the basics of both the camera and the lens. If nothing else you will learn the true value in upgrading to a prime or professional Zoom lens in the future. Pro lens can cost more or equal to the price of your pro camera. Make no mistake lens purchases are worth every penny you spend if you know you plan on sticking to it for the long hall and quickly improve your photography. I would not put to much thought into it especially if you have one already, I would just roll with it.

Flash is the last thing on this list because it is always the last thing new photographers ever think about. The funny thing is that flash in photography is like the brushes in a painter's toolbox. Can you imagine painting a masterpiece with just your fingers? Flash is often left off the list, because people are afraid of it or simply find it to intimidating to learn. If you learn anything from me today by reading this blog, let it be this. You either must find good light where it is or create it where you want. If you must, please read that again and let it sink in. Your flashes allow you to create good light wherever you are, and that, my friend, are the difference between a Pro and a newbie photographer. As a pro you must be able to create good photos no matter where you find yourself on a photo shoot. Your clients are looking to you to provide them with something they cannot create for themselves. The sooner you get into flash the better for you. The flash we use and highly recommend is the Flashpoint Zoom Li-on R2 TTL from my friends over at Adorama. You can also get the non-Li-on unit for a little cheaper, but the connivance of an onboard rechargeable battery is priceless, and you never have to hunt down AA batteries again.

In closing, I would like to thank everyone for reading my blogs. It means a lot to me to share my experiences with you, and hopefully, you learn something every time you read. This blog, for me, truly is a labor and letter of love to my children, Alon and Anthony, and my daughter-in-law, Leslie, all of whom I love so much. I know that right now, their hearts are not consumed
by photography enough to follow in my footsteps, but I hope I can have them consider it in the future with some luck. Till next time you take care and I will see you soon.