Author: Kyla Shayne Mae Dagatan
Published: March 16th 2024
Capturing the Moment: My journey into Photography (and How You Can Start Too!)
I gained my interest in photography during my high school career when I was gifted a Canon EOS Rebel T7 as birthday gift (I still use this camera today for my photoshoots to continue learning skills). During the pandemic it was difficult to do anything socially so learning how to use this camera became my main interest. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college; however, did I really learn how to take pictures and edit (ARTP 221 – Intro to Digital Photography).
In this Blog I will share with you what I learned in my intro class in hopes that you can also begin your journey today!
First Steps: Getting Started
1. Understanding the basics
If you are not currently in a situation where you can take a course like me, the first step to do some research. I know this part is not the most fun and can be a little confusing, so let me break down some important key terms you must understand to utilize and operate a camera.
Exposure: the overall brightness or darkness of an image, determined by the amount of light that reached the camera sensor.
Aperture: The opening in the lens that controls how much light enters the camera. Measured in F-stops (e.g., f/1.8, f/8, f/22)
A smaller f-number means a wider aperture, allowing more light in and creating a shallow depth of field (blurry background – mostly used for portraits)
A larger f-number means a narrower aperture, allowing less light in and creating a deep depth of field (everything in focus – mostly used for landscape photography)
Shutter Speed: The length of time the camera’s shutter remains open, allowing light to read the sensor. Measured in seconds or fractions of a second (e.g., 1/60s, 1/1000s).
A faster shutter speed (1/1000s) freezes motion.
A slower shutter speed (1s) creates motion blur.
ISO: a measure of the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light.
A low ISO (100) of used in bright light and produces less noise (grain).
A high ISO (3200) is used in low light but introduces more noise (image will be grainier)
Exposure Triangle: the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Changing one affects the others and the overall exposure.
Focus: The sharpness of an image.
Depth of Field: The range of distance in a photograph that appears sharp.
Shallow depth of field: only a small portion of the image in focus (again this would be optimal for portraits and headshots).
Deep depth of field: most of the image is in focus (recommended for landscape photography).
Focal Length: The distance between the lens optimal center and image sensor. Measured in millimeters (mm).
A shorter focal length (16mm) provides a wide-angle view.
A longer focal length (200mm) provides a telephoto view.
Composition: The arrangement of elements within a photograph.
Rule of thirds: Dividing the image into nine equal parts and placing key elements along the lines or intersections.
Leading lines: Using lines in the image to guide the viewer’s eye.
Framing: Using elements in the scene to create a frame around the subject.
Understanding how these elements work together is crucial for controlling the quality of your images. I recommend watching a few YouTube tutorials to follow along with and to gain tips and pointers from a plethora of different artists.
2. Choosing your gear:
Do Not Break The Bank!! You do not need the most expensive camera to start. Many smartphones have excellent quality cameras to initially practice with.
If you are ready to invest in a camera, look at entry level DSLR or mirrorless cameras. These are very practical and capable. I recommend getting a bundle from Amazon to ensure that you get at least two different lens sizes to practice with. And if you aren’t ready to go to amazon and buy a brand-new camera, pawn shops are also an option. I have visited my fair share of pawn shops and one thing to keep in mind when looking through pawnshops is to always make sure to try it out and that it works before you purchase. (I bought a used camera to mess around with in the beginning and made the mistake of purchasing it without trying it out and when I got home to test it with my lenses, the shutter gate would not close and I personally do not know how to repair cameras, so it ended up being a waste of money).
Other gear for the future: tripod stand, lighting, and backdrops.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice:
The best way to learn photography is by doing! Seeing is believing! Take photos of absolutely everything! Inside, outside, sunny, gloomy, practice at different lightings and times to see how the camera reacts to the changes of settings.
4. Learn from others:
Follow other photographers on your socials! Especially on Instagram. They not only provide insights and different methodologies, but they also help inspire creativity!
5. Editing and post-processing:
Editing is a key process of photography. As you practice taking photos, you may realize that it doesn’t look like images you see online. Of course not! There is a lot that goes into an image after the shot is taken. If you are initially using your phone to practice, your photos settings is a great starting point to learn how each setting affects an image. When you are ready to advance, I recommend the Adobe Photography plan that includes Lightroom Classic and Photoshop that has more advanced tools that you can use. I recommend following along with a few videos the first couple of edit attempts to have a form of guidance to understand what each tool does and how to import and export photos.
Your Journey
Photography is a continuous process as you acquire different skills and as technology advanced and platform upgrade. There will be a multitude of challenges up ahead and your patience will be tested, however at the end of a photoshoot and editing session, you will look at your work and feel a sense of pride. So, keep at it and persist! Remember, it’s not about creating the perfect images, it’s about the process of learning and expressing yourself through the art of photography, have fun with it!
If you have gone through your own journey and would like to add in a few things I have missed please comment it below!
Thank you!