5 BIGGEST MISTAKES WHEN STARTING PHOTOGRAPHY (and how to avoid them)

Summary

In this inspiring video, the speaker dispels the myth that photography is an exclusive hobby for professionals. They emphasize the current golden age of accessible photography, where anyone can capture stunning images with any device. The speaker shares five crucial tips they wish they knew as a beginner: understanding camera settings, shooting in RAW for better editing flexibility, embracing the trial and error of editing, focusing on the subject matter rather than the gear, and most importantly, accepting and learning from initial imperfections. The video encourages viewers to pursue photography with passion and a mindset geared towards continuous improvement.

Takeaways

• 📸 Photography is more accessible than ever before, and you don't need expensive gear to get started.
• 🤳 Smartphones and entry-level cameras can capture great photos, and you don't need to be a professional to enjoy photography.
• 🌟 Always shoot in RAW format instead of JPEG to retain more details and have more options during editing.
• 🎨 Editing is a crucial part of photography. It may take time to find your style, but experimenting is key.
• 💼 Don't get caught up in having the best gear; a good camera doesn't make you a good photographer.
• 🗺️ Capture what you love, even if it's in an ordinary place or situation. Your passion and perspective matter more than the location.
• 👥 It's okay to make mistakes and not be perfect right away. Improvement comes with practice and time.
• 💖 Use photography to document your life and experiences, and focus on capturing moments that are meaningful to you.
• 🧠 Develop a mindset focused on learning and improving rather than comparing yourself to others.
• 🌍 Photography is an art form that anyone can enjoy and get better at, regardless of their starting point.

Q & A

Why does the speaker find photography intimidating at first?

The speaker finds photography intimidating due to the presence of experienced photographers with expensive equipment at meetups, which initially led them to believe that photography was only for professionals with professional gear and mindsets.

What does the speaker believe the current era is for photography?

The speaker believes we are in a golden age of photography, where it is highly accessible to anyone, eliminating the need for dark rooms and the uncertainty of film development.

What is the speaker's advice on the first step to becoming a better photographer?

The speaker advises learning about camera settings, specifically mentioning the importance of shooting in RAW format for better editing flexibility and dynamic range.

Why does the speaker emphasize shooting in RAW format?

Shooting in RAW format is emphasized because it provides more editing flexibility and a greater dynamic range compared to JPEG, allowing for better adjustments in post-production.

What does the speaker compare the process of learning photography and editing to?

The speaker compares learning photography and editing to cooking, suggesting that as one becomes more experienced, they can experiment with more flavors and techniques, even if some attempts are not successful.

What is the speaker's opinion on the importance of the camera in determining the quality of photography?

The speaker believes that while there are good and bad cameras, the camera itself is just a tool and does not determine one's skill in photography. It is the ideas and vision that matter more than the equipment.

What mistake does the speaker warn against when starting in photography?

The speaker warns against worrying too much about the camera gear one starts with, suggesting that a mid to low-range camera is sufficient to learn the basics.

What story does the speaker share to illustrate the point about shooting what you love?

The speaker shares a personal story of using an old camera to document their boredom during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking photos in their small town and creating memorable images without needing to travel to exotic locations.

What mindset does the speaker suggest for someone starting in photography?

The speaker suggests embracing the fact that it's okay to be bad at first and not letting that stop one from continuing to take photos and learn from the process.

What does the speaker mean by 'realizing it's okay to suck' in the context of photography?

The speaker means that beginners should understand and accept that they will not be perfect at the start, and this should not deter them from practicing and improving their photography skills.

What advice does the speaker give for overcoming the feeling of being demotivated by seeing better photographers?

The speaker advises maintaining a balance between using others' work for inspiration and focusing on one's own growth, understanding that even accomplished photographers had a learning curve.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Overcoming Intimidation in Photography

The speaker begins by addressing the intimidation factor associated with starting photography, especially when faced with professionals and their high-end equipment. They emphasize that photography is not solely for professionals and has become more accessible to everyone due to modern technology. The script discusses the importance of learning camera settings and shooting in RAW format for better post-processing flexibility. The speaker also highlights the significance of editing in shaping one's photography style and encourages viewers to embrace the learning process, even if it involves making mistakes and learning from them.

05:01

🛠 The Importance of Gear and Mindset in Photography

This paragraph delves into the misconception that high-quality photography is solely dependent on expensive gear. The speaker argues that a camera is merely a tool and that creativity and understanding of the basics are more crucial. They share their personal experience starting with an older, entry-level camera and how it didn't hinder their progress. The speaker advises against focusing on gear and instead encourages finding joy in photography by capturing personal moments and memories, regardless of the location or the presence of extraordinary subjects.

10:02

🌟 Embracing Imperfection and Growth in Photography

The final paragraph focuses on the mental aspect of photography. The speaker acknowledges the common struggle of comparing oneself to more experienced photographers and the demotivation that can result from it. They stress the importance of having a growth mindset, being persistent, and not letting initial shortcomings discourage one from pursuing photography. The speaker shares their own near-quits and emphasizes that improvement comes with time, practice, and a passion for the craft. They conclude by encouraging viewers to keep creating, learning, and enjoying the process of photography.

Keywords

💡photography

Photography is the art, practice, and process of capturing and preserving images using a camera. In the video's context, it represents both a hobby and a professional pursuit that the speaker encourages viewers to explore, emphasizing that it is accessible to anyone and not limited to those with expensive equipment or professional mindsets.

💡intimidating

Intimidating refers to something that causes fear or nervousness, often due to its perceived difficulty or the expertise of others involved. The speaker uses this term to describe the initial impression of photography, especially when faced with advanced equipment and experienced practitioners.

💡DSLR

DSLR stands for Digital Single-Lens Reflex camera, a type of digital camera that allows for interchangeable lenses and manual settings, offering greater control over the photography process. The video mentions DSLRs in the context of discussing different camera settings and the learning curve associated with them.

💡raw

In photography, RAW refers to an image file format that stores all the data captured by the camera's sensor without any compression or processing. The speaker emphasizes shooting in RAW mode for its flexibility in post-processing, allowing for greater control over the final image compared to JPEGs.

💡editing

Editing in the context of photography involves adjusting and enhancing images post-capture, using software like Lightroom. The video underscores the importance of editing as a critical step in developing a personal style and improving photography skills, comparing it to the trial-and-error process of learning to cook.

💡gear

Gear in photography refers to the equipment used, such as cameras, lenses, and accessories. The speaker advises against worrying too much about having the best or most expensive gear, arguing that creativity and understanding of the basics are more important than the tools themselves.

💡JPEG

JPEG is a commonly used image file format that applies lossy compression, making files smaller and more suitable for immediate sharing but with less flexibility in editing compared to RAW. The video contrasts JPEG with RAW to highlight the limitations of JPEG in post-production.

💡dynamic range

Dynamic range in photography is the ratio between the brightest and darkest elements that can be captured in an image. The speaker mentions that shooting in RAW provides a greater dynamic range, allowing for more flexibility in adjusting shadows and highlights during editing.

💡settings

Settings in the context of the video refer to the various options and adjustments available on a camera, such as shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. Understanding and utilizing these settings effectively is presented as a key aspect of improving photography skills.

💡Lightroom

Lightroom is a photo editing software used for organizing, editing, and exporting photographs. The video uses Lightroom as an example to demonstrate the differences between editing RAW and JPEG images, showcasing the advantages of working with RAW files.

💡documenting

Documenting in photography means capturing and recording real-life events, scenes, or experiences. The speaker shares their personal experience of using a camera to document their life and surroundings during the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of personal connection and passion in photography.

💡mindset

Mindset refers to a person's established set of beliefs or attitudes. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of having a growth mindset in photography, accepting that it's okay to start as a beginner and continuously improve through practice and learning.

Highlights

Photography is an intimidating hobby for beginners due to the presence of professionals with expensive equipment at meetups.

Contrary to the misconception, photography is accessible to anyone with the right mindset, not just professionals.

We are currently in a golden age of photography with the elimination of dark rooms and the ease of digital sharing.

The video will share five essential tips for aspiring photographers to improve their skills quickly.

Understanding camera settings is crucial for optimizing photo quality and avoiding common mistakes.

Shooting in RAW format is highly recommended for its flexibility in post-production editing.

JPEG files are convenient for immediate sharing, but lack the editing depth of RAW files.

Editing skills are developed over time and are a significant part of a photographer's style.

Experimentation with editing is encouraged, even if initial results are not perfect.

The quality of photography is not solely determined by the camera but by the photographer's skill and vision.

Starting with a mid to low-range camera helps in learning the basics before moving to more advanced equipment.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of shooting subjects that one is passionate about, regardless of the location.

Documenting everyday moments with friends can lead to meaningful and relatable photography.

It's okay to start as a beginner and not be perfect; improvement comes with practice and persistence.

Comparing oneself to others can be demotivating, but it's essential to focus on personal growth and learning.

The speaker shares their personal journey from using an old camera to becoming a full-time photographer.

The speaker encourages aspiring photographers to keep learning, taking photos, and improving their craft.

Transcripts

photography is an incredibly

intimidating hobby to

start I mean you ever go to a

photography Meetup and see those people

with $110,000 mega lenses and crazy [ __ ]

that you don't even know exists and go

what the hell that was me thinking

photography was just one thing that only

professionals did with professional

cameras and professional mindsets but

that's not true that's not true at all

and I'm going to tell you exactly why we

especially right now are in a golden age

of Photography being so accessible to

anyone on this planet gone of the

necessity of dark rooms and hoping your

film actually develops which it still

never does and in are the ways of using

your phone your camera your anything to

make photography your lifestyle but

still how the hell do you start we have

all of this but how the hell do you

actually become a real photographer who

takes pictures of their environments

their scenes their Landscapes and really

takes it to the next level that's why in

this video I'm going to tell you the

five things that I wish I knew going

into photography and the five things

that will make you better as a

photographer way faster throughout my

years of Photography the six different

cameras and the all the deleted files

there some things I wish I knew going in

that just made everything way better

that took me way too long to learn and I

never did these things cuz I just didn't

know even though they were so simple to

improve so that's why I'm here fixing

these five mistakes will make you

improve your photography way faster than

everyone else and it's going to be as

simple as watching One video this video

will apply to both DSLR and phone

photography so no matter what kind of

Photography you do there'll be something

to learn from this video and something

that you can improve all right so enough

of me talking let's get into it I don't

know why I did a transition I didn't

move anyways the first thing you want to

learn about your camera is the settings

and I'll get more

specific there's a lot of settings in

your camera settings that change how you

take your photos and settings that you

change during your process of taking

photos if that makes sense this process

can be much more streamlined on phones

but when you're using a DSLR or physical

camera it can be a lot easier to realize

you're using the wrong settings after

months of shooting because of one small

setting that you didn't even turn on and

that's where I'm here to tell you you

don't have to shoot at 130 all your

videos yo why the hell is your shter

speed at 1 over 30 not works

yeah for8 months we're not going to talk

about that now the first thing you're

going to want to change for sure is your

shooting mode now there's a lot of

different shooting modes that come with

different cameras you can shoot jpeg you

can shoot CR2 cr3 uh arw but ultimately

it's going to be one file format called

raw and you are going to want to shoot

this for everything now in concept

having a file format like JPEG that you

can immediately send to your phone your

computer to have it immediately be

sharable is really nice the difference a

raw photo makes is in saying it's not

even comparable for the first 2 or 3

months I always shot on jpeg because I

wanted to share it immediately to

Instagram but when I realized that Raw

photos not only gave you more capacity

of your photos but gave you way more

choices when editing I never went back

using raw is an absolute must when

you're shooting an environment that has

variable lighting because if something

changes like the Shadows or highlights

you have way more option of dynamic

range when you're shooting with a raw

photo instead of a JPEG if this doesn't

make any sense let me show you in

Lightroom here we have a JPEG photo and

a raw photo and they look about the same

lighting is the same and overall you

wouldn't be able to tell the difference

if I just showed you them but if we take

the shadow slider on this photo versus

The Shadow slider on this photo you can

absolutely see the difference it makes

and editing is just as much of a play as

anything else we're going to get into

that soon but having a nice adjustable

file that you get straight out of your

camera even though it's a little harder

to manage is so worth it and even though

the first few months will be confusing

of sorting it figuring out Lightroom and

editing every

photo I you need to shoot raw trust me

in like 6 months you're going to look

back at your photos and if they're all

jpeg it's going to hurt so number one

always shoot raw and this leads into our

next topic which is going to be about

editing your

photos I I do this I do this a

lot yeah chances are if you're seeing

this you've probably seen my videos

before and you know that editing is a

huge step in photography but I'm going

to drill down your face anyways because

it is so [ __ ] important nothing I say

here will ever convince you how much I

care about editing and I think editing

is one of the biggest factors of my

photography style but sometimes when

you're starting out in photography you

open Lightroom and you start editing

your photo and then it just looks like

this and it it just it'll look like that

for a couple days or a couple weeks but

trust me keep doing it trust me we all

have those f look at these are all my I

post I posted these photos having edits

you're not very proud of and ones that

look a little weird because you're

messing with colors and editing for the

first time is completely normal and it's

one of the biggest steps of becoming a a

great photographer it might take 10 it

might take 100 it might take a th edits

to realize what you like the most but

ultimately you're going to be so glad

that you started earlier than later

because it is a trial and error if I'm

talking about my own experience I think

it took me about a year and a half to

really fully realize my editing style

and I'm still changing it to this day I

like to think about it as cooking let

him cook now hear me out let him cook

when you start getting into cooking

you're going to start cooking up dishes

that are very simple things that you

understand things that match your

palette but as you grow to be a better

Chef you're going to add more flavors

more season more different ingredients

that you don't know that much about and

for a lot of those dishes it's not going

to be great but if you just kept making

grilled cheeses over and over then

you're not a chef you're just doing what

you know and sometimes you want to have

that simple easy dish but sometimes you

want to really expand and make that

really fancy grilled cheese I don't what

the [ __ ] I'm talking about but just just

edit your photos okay understand it's

okay to be bad that definitely didn't

pick up with a mic but it's okay to be

bad I was so shy for so long it's so

normal my next Point comes into more of

the camera that you actually Ed to shoot

and I absolutely hate when people do

this and it's one of the most negative

things about the photography Community

but it's worrying too much about

you now I'm not going to lie to you

there is good cameras and there is bad

cameras but that's not all going to be

the reason that you're good or bad at

photography a camera is just a tool

that's a fact it is your knife it is

your baseball bat it is the one thing

that just helps you create what you want

to create and not much more you can

spend so much money money on a crazy

camera or $5,000 getting 40 megapixel

insane aperture lenses insane stops and

then some guy with a camera on his phone

there's photos that do better than you

and you might go what's wrong with me

the truth is it's not this it's

this that was so cheesy that was so

cheesy a $4,000 camera will not make you

any better than someone with a $400

camera even a $40 camera you see those

freaking shots on Marketplace people

have like the film cameras they're crazy

the ideas stem from this and honestly I

think every one should start out with a

mid to low-range camera because they

have to understand the basics before

they go into the things that Pro cameras

have talking from my experience I

started out with a Canon t1i and this

camera is probably older than some of

you guys watching this video it's

probably like 4 years older than me

which is like insane but it's not a new

camera by any means it is slow it is old

it has whack features it has like up to

400 ISO how do you have 400 ISO that's

just just have a 100 IO but none of that

mattered it's the reason you're watching

this video right now now it's the reason

I'm doing photography full-time and it's

the thing that took these shots and I

mean like this camera is worth like 100

bucks and of course don't feel bad when

you start getting better and you want to

start upgrading I got this Canon R8 this

year and it is an absolute Game Changer

I've Loved using it for video which I

never used before but don't think that's

the thing you need to start with get

yourself a beater from Marketplace like

a T5i t6i get yourself a nice lens that

has range and then get yourself in an

environment that you love because that's

where you're going to get the best shots

and that's where your camera is going to

mean the most and it doesn't matter if

it's a bigger megapixel or a crazy

sensor trust me and that leads me to our

next point which is into what you're

actually

shooting now here's a story time I got a

camera at the end of 2020 and I was

absolutely bored out of my mind I was

playing bedwar for like 18 hours a day I

had no school no aspirations and I felt

completely bored so what I do I found

the old camera that my dad had in his

basement and I went [ __ ] it I used to

live in a much smaller City I wouldn't

say it's a small town but it's

definitely nowhere near the cities that

you would have crazy photographers from

it was just some random town where I

grew up and that's all it had going for

it there was no mountains there's no

scenery it was basically just a flat

open area with a bunch of houses but it

was Co and that didn't really matter to

me I got on my Facebook Marketplace bike

with my friends and brought that camera

everywhere for the next year no travel

nothing crazy I was still in grade 10 at

this point and I loved it I got some

shots that I'm still proud of to this

day in this town that absolutely change

how I thought of Photography my first

year of Photography was just me

documenting my boredom of Co with like

my friends when I was 16 and that is my

advice be 16 in 2020 no I'm just kidding

get yourself out and just do things with

your friends and just have fun with it

okay people think they like get good

shots you need to go to like Iceland or

some crazy spes and have this insane

gear and insane mindset to it no like

absolutely not I use my camera to

document memories document my friends

document the moments that I lived

through and make them beautiful and I

think that that's something you guys

might relate to as well so do it doesn't

matter if you're in some small town that

has nothing of note to photograph

doesn't matter if you're in high school

or middle school just go out with your

friends with your loved ones and just

take pictures of things that you

personally love some of my best

performing videos I've ever made have

just been videos of me with my friends

going out and doing absolutely nothing

and just walking around with our cameras

but that just connects with people some

I'm stronger than anything else can one

of my most lik photos of all time is

literally beside my Elementary School in

the middle of no where it doesn't matter

people will connect with it if you have

a vision and you have that passion for

it and possibly the most important but

most Hard One to realize is one thing

realize it's okay to suck

[Music]

ass okay hear me out when you're

starting out in photography you're not

going to know everything and that's okay

and that's something that we've

established throughout this video but

the biggest thing is understanding that

and going I will still bring my camera

next hangout next place and not let that

stop me you're going to see people that

you think are way better than are that

are absolutely this unreachable level

but that is not true those photographers

that you think are perfect had some not

so perfect photos for the first years

that they were starting and they know

that but they had that drive that

understanding to get better that never

let that stop them it can be so

demotivating to see this insane

photographers on your feet every single

day that are taking photos that are

absolutely out of this world but trust

me they are not any different than you

are being able to balance looking at

photos for inspiration and being able to

look at your own art and realize that

this is going to get better and this is

going to improve is a huge step in

becoming a better photographer the best

artists never see themselves as the best

but they never see themselves as the

worst either they keep going and they

keep motivating themselves to get better

and just make the art that they want to

make they are motivated by the process

by the love of their art and by the

passion of it and that is the biggest

thing that you can do in order to get

better at photography easy mindset

change right this step isn't as simple

as just turning on raw or using your

settings better but it's something that

I absolutely needed to have when I got

into Photography in the first 6 months

it was so demotivate I almost quit more

times than I can count just because I

saw so many photographers that were way

better than me and I thought I'll never

get there but trust me you will if you

really really really want to and if you

have the mindset to improve nothing can

stop you as long as you love the craft

keep taking photos and keep learning

from everything that you do nothing will

stop you and that that's a fact there's

nothing I can say that that should

undermine that that is a absolute fact

so there you have it those are my five

things that I think you need to know

before going into photography and things

that will absolutely help you become a

better photographer not understanding

your settings not editing enough not

worrying too much about gear not

shooting things that you think you have

to shoot and just shooting things you

want to shoot and not letting you being

bad stop you Jesus that was a mouthful I

really do believe that anyone can be a

photographer and with it being my

favorite art form I really want to see

more people get into it and understand

it more and become photographers so I

really hope these things in this video

helped you out a little bit or even

helped you understand something that you

already knew just put it into words I

want to start doing more videos like

this where I talk more to the camera and

talk to you guys directly about starting

out in photography because that's how I

want to use my platform and I really

love the idea of helping you guys get

into this art form that I love so

freaking much so I hope you guys like

this video I'll be posting a lot more

videos in the upcoming future so be sure

to like comment subscribe and say

whatever you want to say in the comments

because I'd love to answer or hear all

your responses thank you guys so much

for watching I hope this helped you out

at all and I hope I can see you guys in

the next

video I'll see you guys later we're not

going to do the outro again bye guys you

[Music]