5 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Good at Photography

I will go out on a limb and say that many of us who own smartphones aspire to be an Ansel Adams in our own right. After all, who doesn’t want to know the secret behind taking those Instagram-worthy shots? In this article, we share 5 sure-fire ways to get good at photography.

Of course, photography isn’t just about snapping photos and showing it to the world. Especially if you’re using a camera outside of a phone, it all entails familiar of the machine you’re working with, a good eye, and a lot more variables you probably didn’t know were necessary.

Now, you may think that getting good at the art meant going to school for it, and that can help. But you can improve your photography skills by merely following these 5 sure-fire ways to get good at photography, which you may very well apply to your everyday life.

Know your equipment

Ever wonder how the late great Jimi Hendrix developed his chops for playing the guitar and became one of the most notable musicians of all time? It’s not because of any particular skill, genetics, or deals with the devil, as some legends may have it. It’s because he knew the instrument inside out like it was an extra limb connected to his arm and fingers.

In the same manner, it would help for aspiring photography phenoms to apply the same principle. It pays to know how every setting of your camera works, when the best time to use them would be, and how combining each of these settings may work for you.

Being aware of how your ISOs and exposure modes work will help you discover new things you didn’t know your camera could do.

Have your camera with you at all times

Especially if you have a lot of free time to roam about, it pays to have your camera by your side at all times. It helps you develop that good eye to capture that image at the perfect time. When it comes to photography, the world literally is your oyster.

Remember that photography is not only about capturing a superficial image. Sometimes, the mood of the scene is a lot more powerful, and being able to encapsulate it into a photograph can be moving.

Familiarize yourself with lenses

If you’ve invested enough on a good quality camera, chances are you’ve at least planned to take it to the next level and get yourself some extra lenses. These can be a costly endeavor, so it would pay to know which ones to use at the right time.

Fisheye lenses, for one, are amusing and quirky, but it won’t work for a landscape photo. Take note that wide-angle lenses warp the image a bit, while telephoto lenses are meant to compress the subject.

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with your lenses and their capabilities, the possibilities are endless.

Learn from outside sources

Of course, you can also take the extra step of learning from outside sources like fellow photographers or books. If you have the time, attend photography workshops, as well.

As long as you keep an open mind, learning from others will always pay off. Seeing things from a different perspective will give you new ones that you can use in your own practice.

No matter how little or significant, gaining new pieces of information can go a long, long way. 

Practice, Practice, Practice

Many professional basketball players practice their craft daily. Specifically, most of them hone their free-throw shooting, attempting at least 100 shots per day to get used to the stroke and overall feeling of being in the foul line.

You can do the same with your photography by merely taking photos every single day. They don’t have to be exceptional all the time, but at the very least, you get to develop that eye for a good shot.

It also doesn’t have to be your DSLR all the time. There’s no harm in flipping out your smartphone or point-and-shoot camera sometimes to snap some shots.

The Bottom Line

Much like any craft, getting to an exceptional skill level in photography requires a significant amount of time and effort. You will need to put in the hustle to reach the heights you aspire to reach.

But most of all, have fun with it and enjoy the journey of learning. Just trust the process, which will only help further develop your creative and photographic eye along the way.

If you have any ideas to add on to our 5 sure-fire ways to get good at photography, lets talk about them down below.