New photographers have a lot to learn. That’s normal. Every journey starts with the first step. While these aren’t the ONLY 10 things beginners should know, they are 10 things that will absolutely help newbies get a better foothold on their photography. So without further ado, here’s a list of 10 things every beginning photographer should know:
Month: February 2020
Most of the people who regularly visit this site understand the basics of photography. That said, there are new people every day coming here because they just got their first camera. So once in a while I’ll cover the basics.
I constantly hear from people who tell me they want to turn pro. They want to make a living as a photographer. Rather than tell you how hard that is, and list all the reasons why you shouldn’t turn pro, I will just share with you one simple test that can help you decide whether or not it’s something that you REALLY want to do.
The Angler ring light appeals to me because it is very affordable ($149.00) yet it delivers more quality than the low price would suggest. It has a dimmer switch that allows you to control its 240 SMD LEDs to cast a soft, shadowless, flattering light. You can vary the color temperature from 3200k to 5600k – (a pro feature).
It’s easily the most important lesson I learned in photography – how to make better photos by controlling the background.
I am a background fanatic. Some photographers talk non-stop about low-light performance, or color saturation or sharpness…for me it’s all about that background.
Topaz DeNoise AI is really something special. It’s been years since I used an external noise reduction program but this one is so good, I changed everything in my workflow to bring it in.
I am a photographer who shoots what he sees, regardless of frame size, etc. But I do “see” better in 4:3 aspect ratio (also known as (1.33/1.37) than I do the more traditional 3:2 aspect ratio.
All Micro Four Thirds cameras, including my Olympus OM-D E-M1X, offer the 4:3 aspect ratio as their native choice.
When Olympus released the OM-D E-M1X, there were some complaints that it was too big and heavy for a Micro Four Thirds camera body. Those complaints came from people who appeared to misunderstand the target market for the X. It is aimed at professional wildlife, bird, and sports photographers. I own three X bodies and absolutely love them. The ergonomics are perfect for me and the IQ, processing speed, AF, are all top-notch. Not heavy or too big for me at all.
That said, I do understand the concerns from those who don’t want a larger, heavier camera body. And so does Olympus.
Enter the OM-D E-M1 Mark III.
I am a bird photographer and that means I have one very large group of people who hate my guts. The hard-core birders. These people don’t do bird photography. They merely watch birds – i.e., birdwatching. They are convinced that bird photographers are evil and that we are somehow out there harming birds. Most of them are sincere. Some of them are like the cranky old guy who runs your homeowner’s association and who lives to “catch” you violating the rules. Wannabe bird cops I call them.
