There are many people out there who are wanting to learn, or improve on their knowledge of photography. As an everyday kind of photographer, who enjoys capturing images from the “compose and snap” method, many wish to take this to the next level and are not sure how to proceed. People are often blinded by simplicity and practical understanding as to how the settings on a camera work. Manuals that are provided with a camera, along with online advice are often confusing as they communicate everything in a logical and technical form, not always user friendly to the average person. Personally, I am not very good at DIY or instruction manuals, and prefer to be able to ask questions and learn at a pace where I am comfortable. Understand, that the instruction manuals intend to provide a general understanding as to how the camera works and are often generic across a variety of models. Most of the content in these manuals are also translated into many different languages, which often make no sense, sending you back and forth from one page to the next.
This learning experience is not fun and often leads to one just trying to figure it all out for oneself, or alternatively, losing patience and never getting to know how the actual camera functions and settings work. This is very sad, I am also a victim of this so-called experience. For this reason, I became interested in teaching photography on an individual, as well as on a small group basis in such a way that all understand. Patience, and the use of simple examples, while listening very carefully to what the person is wanting to learn, is my main intention. Over the last decade, teaching students of all ages and backgrounds has proved itself.
For individuals that feel overwhelmed, or for those that say “I’m too old”, or “it’s too complicated to start learning all these settings” is actually a fallacy. Like everything in life, transparency and communication is key to accomplishment. I would like to suggest the following to all reading this blog in a few simple steps:
Attend a Short Workshop on How your Camera Works
A short practical 2 to 3 hour workshop should be sufficient to get you going, then it is up to you to practice so you become confident and clear on how best to use your camera settings to get satisfactory results. A one on one workshop of this nature provides a platform for “personal interaction”, where you ask all the questions you need too, until you are clear in both the theory and the practical navigation of your camera. If you are at the stage of still making decisions as to which camera and lenses you require for your needs, attend a photography workshop that will supply you with the gear for practical instruction and advise you accordingly as to what gear meets your needs and your budget. This is important, as you need to know what to buy before you walk into the shop. Choosing camera gear is vital, and can make the difference in where you go with your photography. There are so many choices and everyone has an opinion, so rather spend the time discussing and formulating the correct choice during a workshop of this nature.
Attend a Short Camera Course
Attending such a course is really all you need to take your photography from beginner to professional. Such courses prove to be worthwhile for those wanting to take photography seriously, either as a hobby or as a career. A practical and hands on course, in a small group, or better still on a one on one basis is your answer. Again, being in a comfortable environment with the right coach or teacher is important to your understanding and ability to learn properly. The way I teach, for example, is to understand what the student wants to achieve by listening and making the person feel comfortable in every way, I also say “there is no such thing as a stupid question”. I know we all absorb things differently. Me being a “creative”, like some of you, I’m sure you understand the term “stupid question”.
To Conclude
The above are just 2 suggestions that will take your knowledge and confidence to that next level so you can explore your passion and interests in photography on the level that you want.