Getting Started

(The idea for this week's blog comes courtesy of Lauren.  Thanks Lauren!)

I've been taking pictures seriously for almost fifteen years now, and while the learning curve isn't as steep as it once was my photography is still evolving.  These days most of my learning is on the processing side, something I didn't have to contend with when I first began photography and was shooting film.  Back then my job was done once the shutter was tripped, for better or for worse.  But whether you are self taught (as I am) or you've taken classes, ultimately it will be up to you to better your photographic skills.

Photography is a blend of the technical and artistic, and becoming a good photographer requires mastering both aspects.  Classes are useful in the beginning, especially for learning the technical aspect of photography.  I think it's important for beginners to get familiar and comfortable with the technical side of photography first.   Technical proficiency must become second nature, something so automatic that it doesn't intrude when focusing on the aesthetics of a shot.  This means developing a solid understanding of exposure.  And understanding exposure means knowing how to choose the correct shutter speed and aperture for a particular scene.  The only way to make consistently good photographs is to shoot in manual mode, or at least aperture or shutter speed priority mode.   Shooting in automatic or program mode will more often than not leave you with a disappointing photograph.  How your camera "sees" a scene and how you see it are often quite different, the trick is getting your camera to record the scene as your eyes see it.  This is done by manipulating various camera settings.  Shutter speed, aperture, ISO speed, use of filters, and so on. 

Developing the artistic side is a longer and never ending process that comes with time.  It's cliche' but the only way to improve is through endless practice.  Concurrent with that and just as important is to look at other photographers work.  Observe how the pros compose their images.  Study the settings they used and why they used them.  Then try to apply those techniques yourself the next time you're out shooting.  This is where photography magazines are invaluable.  I currently subscribe to three magazines, the best of which is Outdoor Photographer.  Each issue is packed with dozens of spectacular images by today's professional landscape photographers.  While it can be humbling I do learn a lot.  Joining a local camera club can also be a good way of observing other photographers work and getting feedback on your own.  Online photo sharing sites such as Flickr are another great avenue for viewing other photographers work.

As I mentioned earlier I am self taught, and the book that was an invaluable resource to me when I was starting out is John Shaw's Landscape Photography.  Not only did this book inspire me to make beautiful photographs, but it also taught me how to obtain them.  But there are myriad photography how to books out there from which to choose.   Browse through them in your local bookstore or online and see which books speak to you.  If you are interested in taking a class or two most cities offer adult or continuing education programs that usually include introductory photography classes.  Then just get out there and shoot!

One of my earliest images, scanned from a slide.  This was taken at a bayou outside of New Orleans in April 1997.  I didn't use a polarizer, but I should have.  Shoot.