I teach people the fundamentals of photography so they can use their cameras to tell stories, create art or
do whatever they want with their camera. Some of my students want to take better pictures of their kids or improve their travel photography. It really doesn’t matter what the purpose is
One thing remains true…Practice makes perfect
With a musical instrument, one creates music, and with a camera, one creates art.
I have been teaching photography since 2011 and I have come to the following conclusions:
- The more one practices, the better one will learn how to use their camera.
- Practicing photography creates muscle memory. If one does not practice, the muscles will have difficulty remembering, and one will not progress.
- Brain and hand coordination increase with practice as ones’ fingers intuitively turn a knob or push a button to make creative controls on the camera.
- Learning the apertures, shutter speeds, and ISO (exposure triangle) is as powerful in learning the craft of photography as learning the musical scale is to music.
- Learning photography takes time and determination, just like learning how to play an instrument.
- Lastly, photographers and musicians are artists and use the power of their art to express themselves.
How long does it take to learn photography?
There is no set time and each person learns differently. In my six-week private lessons, I assign homework so the student can better absorb the material from the previous lesson. It could take longer if the student has never been exposed to the basic fundamental building blocks of photography. I tell my students to expect six months to a year, to learn the basics of photography.
What is more important? A good eye or technical ability?
Learning photography is a mix of the right brain and left brain. I prefer to teach the technical stuff first, so the student can grasp that information before they dive into the story-telling aspect of photography. Once the technical information is processed, it becomes second nature. I believe learning the fundamentals of photography first is crucial before focusing on art, composition, and story-telling.
How does one get started with photography?
I would start by learning some of the basics of photography. The internet is free, and there are tons of YouTube videos. I would recommend finding a specific video for a camera and then renting a camera first before investing. The best way to learn photography is through practice, perseverance, and motivation.
I recently did a Google keyword search for the most requested search word for “art” and “abstract art” came in at a whopping 65,000 searches per month. I began to think I could transform my photos into abstract art. I experimented with some techniques before I found one that I like. My first attempt was to move the camera in a circular pattern while taking a photograph at a slow shutter speed (photo on left). The results were interesting, but nothing that I would hang on my wall. Then I remembered reading an article about using slow shutter speeds to show motion. A slow shutter speed creates a surreal image, one that can not be seen with the eye. What came to my mind were “leaves blowing in the wind”, “a Ferris wheel in action at an amusement park” “waves crashing in on a shoreline” or “fish swimming in a pond”.
