A Tip for Beginner Photographers: Where to Start

I’ve been fortunate to meet some pretty awesome people through photography. A few of my clients have even started to pursue photography as a hobby and business. So I figured hey, I could probably offer some great tips for beginner photographers! It’s been just a tad over 2 years since I took my first paying photography job. But there was A LOT that went on behind-the-scenes before I took my passion into the realm of becoming a business. There is way more that goes into being a wedding photographer than I could have possibly imagined, but there is one thing that has been far more valuable than any equipment of software I own: education.

Why Photography Education Matters

I know you’re probably thinking to yourself that there is so much out there on Google and YouTube that you don’t need to invest in any sort of photography education. I can’t say that I scoffed at online courses when I first realized how many there were, but I sure thought I could get pretty far without them. And I’m sure there are TONS of photographers out there who are just freaking amazing that have never taken a single educational course! But as someone who read hundreds of photography articles and watched a ridiculous amount of YouTube, I can say one thing with confidence: my skills would not have improved as RAPIDLY as they did without investing in paid education.

Let me show you a fun Before & After. The images were taken one year apart. Same girl. Wearing the same color. Both taken in natural light.

Which Photography Education Course Should I Get?

Pretty big change, right?! I doubt I would’ve seen such a big change without some amazing educators showing me the ropes. Now, I’m not going to tell you WHO you should invest in education with. (If you want to know who I have studied from, just send me a message!) Most of them will teach you the same basic photography know-how (the exposure triangle, focus, etc.). But what can differ between them is the STYLE that you end up with. Many photographers will go into detail about how to set exposure in camera, how to edit in Lightroom/Photoshop, what gear they use, etc. based on what their photography style is so that you can emulate it.

So besides encouraging you to invest in some quality educational content, I also want you to make sure you are investing in courses from photographer’s whose style you are really drawn to. Is it bright and vibrant like mine? Light and airy? Dark and moody? The list goes on! But please, make sure you consider image style (and posing, for that matter, down the road) as a factor before investing!

I’ll be updating this blog category with more tips for beginner photographers in the coming months so keep an eye out!