FUNDAMENTALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY – CHAPTER 8

CONTINUING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY

We’ve arrived at the end of the Fundamentals of Photography course. If you’ve made it this far, congratulations!

You know your RAW from your JPEG, your Rule of Odds from your Rule of Thirds, and all the details of how Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO work together.

You’ve reached the limits of basic photography. Everything you learn beyond this point is specific to styles or subjects — from the angles used by sports photographers to the tricks of catching a bird in flight. In this chapter, I’ll share the the best ways to continue your journey as a photographer.
 

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

The more you get out there and shoot, the more your skills will improve. After each day of shooting, sit down at the computer and review your images. What do you like? What don’t you like? Could you have made any better technical choices — more or less exposure, more or less motion blur, a different color balance?

What about composition? Do you like how you framed each shot, or could have made better use of the background? Did you look for leading lines? Are there any photos where you followed the rules of composition to the letter, but wonder what would have happened if you’d broken them?

One of my favorite tips is to set out for a day of taking pictures with a plan to work on just one thing. For example, visit a bird sanctuary, and spend the whole day taking pictures of birds with just the right amount of motion blur. This will yield better returns than always trying to practice everything at once.
 

f/8 and be there!
This old photographers’ expression means that it’s better to be there for the shot than to get the perfect shot. If you’re wasting all your time tinkering with your camera for the perfect settings, you’ll never take the photos you want. Being there is the most important aspect of photography. If you aren’t at a location to photograph, you won’t get the shot!

GET PEER REVIEWS

What’s the best thing any artist can have? It’s not fancy equipment.

The best thing any artist can have is friends who tell them the truth. When you look at a picture you’ve taken, you see all the work that went into it: the hike out to the site, the fiddling with your settings, the hours waiting for the perfect shot. You think better of all your images because you know what it took to get them. You have a personal connection with your images.

It takes another person to view your images with an objective eye. However, many people will look at your photos and say, “These are great!”

Don’t accept that. Ask them to articulate why the photo is great. Ask if they think you could have done anything to improve it. At first, your friends will probably feel a bit awkward about criticizing your art, but they’ll be much more comfortable with it after the first time you prove you can accept constructive critique.

The people most likely to give you valuable opinions right off the bat are other photographers. Which leads us to:
 

JOIN A CAMERA CLUB

Reasonably-sized towns will have at least one group of photographers. The best way to find out about your local group is to visit a camera store and chat with the employees. People who work at camera shops tend to be enthusiastic about their jobs — they’ll be happy to let you in on the local photography scene.

A camera club isn’t just a fun social group of like-minded people. It’s also great motivation to keep improving. With critique, commiseration, and encouragement, members of a club push each other to reach new heights. Many clubs have regular challenges that spur you to get out there and keep practicing.
 

JOIN ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHY FORUMS

In the digital age, photographers aren’t limited to the enthusiasts in their area. By getting active in online photography forums, you can meet photographers from all over the world, learn about new developments in the art, and post your pictures for critique.

If you’ve never posted on an internet message board before, don’t worry — it’s easy to do, and you’ll get the hang of it fast. Online communities are extremely welcoming, and love to introduce new blood. Here are a few of my favorite forums:

• Fred Miranda: One of the most extensive and well-organized photography forums on the internet. Fred Miranda has categories for all sorts of subjects, areas for fans of different camera brands, and a dedicated thread for challenges and photo critiques.
• DPReview: DPReview is the spot for more advanced photographers. They’re welcoming to beginners, but are also the perfect community if you’ve got a niche technical question.
• Talk Photography: A UK-based forum with thousands of active members, Talk Photography is a great place to start a conversation about pretty much anything photo-related. If you want to learn about drone photography, videography, or analog photography techniques, this is the forum for you.
• The Photo Forum: The Photo Forum has a pleasant visual design, and is focused on building a warm and welcoming community.

Matt having a little fun with Photoshop.

CHECK OUT THE RESOURCES HERE AT SHETZERS.COM

Just because you’ve completed the Fundamentals course, doesn’t mean we have to stop working together. For years, I’ve regularly posted tips, lessons, advice, and challenges here on this very website. Take a minute to check them out — I bet you’ll find something you like.
 

JOIN ME FOR A DESTINATION PHOTO WORKSHOP

Join me for one of my destination photo workshops where you can stay in comfort while venturing daily into the world’s most photogenic landscapes and wildlife settings. There’s nothing like taking your camera and tripod on a true photographic adventure.

• Photographing bears at play in Alaska’s coastal woods.
• Capturing images of jewel-colored hummingbirds in the cloud forests of Ecuador.
• Cruising the Galapagos Islands, where unique wildlife awaits at every port.
• Shooting waterfalls in Iceland said to be home to fairies and Viking treasure.
• Explore Costa Ricas highland and lowland areas.
• Action shooting of bald eagles in Alaska.

Visit our current Destination Photo Tours page today.

Thank you for taking my Fundamentals of Photography course! I hope you learned a lot and enjoyed yourself along the way. I hope to see you on a tour soon!