Every photographer has been there. We don’t just pick up a camera and inherently know how to pose people and work camera settings to really capture a scene well. I think back on my years when I was just starting out with a great fondness. I couldn’t get enough! I tore through photography forums and groups completely fired up about learning terminology, camera tricks and photoshop manipulations. Possibilities were endless! But it was also frustrating when I couldn’t seem to get something right and very unnerving when I just started working with people who had given up their time and put their trust in me to deliver a great product. There were so many variables and it felt like a juggling act to try and keep everything straight. I have put together a list of a few tips for photographers in that enthralling yet timid stage when you are just starting to put your knowledge to work.

1) Practice, practice, practice. With your friends, family, dog, inanimate objects in your room. Toy with lighting techniques. Shoot until you learn the ins and outs of your camera and then shoot some more.

2) Over time your editing style will become evident. You will discover if you like your images a little warm or cool, whether or not you prefer contrasty black and whites… make a point to get a feel for what YOU like rather than what everyone else is doing. Repeat that. A set of images looks so polished when they are edited uniformly.

3) Offer to help shadow and assist other photographers. This is a great way to learn how other photographers shoot and interact with others. However- there is a whole book that could be written on second shooter etiquette. My buddy Trevor Dayley posted a good starter list here.

4) Network with other photographers. At a first glance, the photography community can seem isolated and self seeking. Don’t be fooled! There are communities like Shoot and Share that embraces photographers new and old. That seek to work together to serve others as best as possible. People that are so friendly and giving of their time and knowledge. They will make you a better person and photographer… get connected!

5) Take good care of the equipment that you do have!

6) Don’t worry about not having the “best” equipment. Do as much as you can with what you have. It’s about your perspective and vision, not whether you’re shooting with a $1000 or $6000 piece of equipment. Save and eventually upgrade when you can. If you find that you need to step up your gear for a shoot, rent it from places like Aperturent. When you do invest in your equipment I do recommend first buying a 50mm lens and Adobe Lightroom to edit your photos.

7) Don’t get too discouraged when things don’t go right. Use those experiences to grow. Individuals who are incredibly successful have failed so many times, but pressed onward anyways.

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Samuel Beckett

8) Don’t play the comparison game. This is so misleading and will get you NOWHERE. Sure, this other photographer may have posted a perfect image, but little do you know she has 600 that she discarded to get to that one. Appreciate where you are in the journey and find some peace with that. You’re better than you were but not as good as you will be! Instead focus that energy on identifying what matters to you so you can shoot that!

9) Try your hand at all types of shoots to see what fires you up. Once you identify that, shoot that more. If you discover that you hate shooting family sessions don’t do them any more! You’re not doing anyone a favor- not yourself nor the client for taking on those types of jobs!

10) Be very mindful of the work you post. Justin and Mary did a great job speaking about this at United last week. What is more appealing to a potential client- one killer image from a shoot among other killer images from other shoots, or 50 photos that are all pretty similar. Don’t water down your portfolio!

11) Start a blog to track your growth! It’s so fun to be able to look back at old posts and see that you are in fact making great progress!

12) Google is your friend. Use it. If you don’t know what a button on your camera does, google it! Want to learn how to do double exposures? Simple! We have an enormous amount of learning resources for free at our fingertips if only we will make the effort to seek it out.

13) Find that calm, creative space when shooting. When I finally mastered this ability it changed everything. I would rush into the session ready to kick some booty and start posing right away and only when I got home realized that I should have taken the time to ask the bride-to-be to take her hair tie off of her wrist, etc. Tons of time sucked away editing it out instead of simply stepping back from the scene to really “see” what’s happening there. I believe that finding this calm, creative state of mind also helps your clients to relax and enjoy their session more as well.

14) Workshops! Invest in them. So many great ones are free as well! Ask photographers in your area about meetings and workshops that are happening and go! Take notes! My skillset did a complete 360 after I attended Zach and Jody’s InCamera Workshop. Sure, I paid something like $650 to attend, but I am still reaping the benefits to this day. I’d pay that cost a hundred times over.

15) Share what you do know with photographers who don’t know! Never underestimate the power of community!