I think photographers are gear heads by nature. What’s the newest most tech piece of photo equipment I can get my hands on that will make me better a better photographer? What can I purchase to make that great photograph? How can I get an edge?

Rather than discussing the latest, greatest equipment the market has to offer - I want to take this conversation in another direction. I want to share the equipment that I use and debunk a couple of myths…

Camera Body: Canon 1000D
Primary Lenses: Canon 50mm 1.8 / Sigma 24-70mm 2.8 / Sigma 19-35 4.0 /Quantaray 28-200 5.6 / Quantaray 100-300 5.6
Flash: Canon Speedlite 430 EXII

Video: Flipcam Ultra – HD

Nothing fancy, nothing too expensive – right? Still great photographs…

Myth #1: I need expensive photography equipment to take great photos.
WRONG: Great Photographs are MADE by practice and experience NOT by the gear you own.

Of course there are many advantages of high end equipment. I could compile a long list here and bore everyone to death with it. It’s my belief that the photographer makes the photograph. Hours of practice, research, learning and taking photos is what makes the artist not the hardware. Do you know what kind of paintbrushes Michelangelo used to paint the Sistine Chapel?

Behind the scenes:

Computer: MacBook
Digital Darkroom: Aperture 2 / Photoshop
Website: Powered by PhotoShelter
Blog: WordPress Hosted by Pagely

Social Media:

Twitter
Facebook
Flickr
LinkedIn
YouTube

If you have read this blog before you know I believe in transparency as an artist. I will let you know exactly what I do to capture a particular photograph if asked. I view this equipment list as an extension of that transparency.

Myth #2: Photography is really expensive to start.

WRONG: The principles of photography (lighting and composition) can be learned with just a point and shoot camera. As you enjoy the art and advance you will want to invest in a DSLR Camera. If you do some research and ask questions you’ll be able to control the costs and find something in your budget.

I want people to be better photographers, I want people to push the envelope and make great art – I want to help them in their pursuit. All I ask in return is that you help another photographer out along their journey. Simple.

Question: How are you helping or encouraging other photographers or artists? Think about it and share in a comment.

If you asked me what are the three most important things a beginner photographer should know – I’d say “Know your equipment, know your settings & trust your instincts.”

Sounds simple enough, right? Let’s explore these three photo tips for beginners…

1. Know Your Equipment : When I say know your equipment I don’t necessarily mean spend hours reading the manual that came with your digital camera or with your latest lens. Reading the user manual is always a good start but sometimes I think it leads to more questions than answers. There are a lot of really good camera field guides published for whatever camera you own. (example of after market camera guide) So now that you are familiar with the basic operations of your camera and how it operates – it’s time to go and shoot photos and put your new knowledge into use. Figure out which of your lenses are better for the different photo subjects you are interested in and how they react in the different light situations. You know the stuff that NO book will ever be able to teach you. I am a big believer in going out into the field and learning by doing.

2. Know Your Settings: For every photo situation I embark on I have a mental log (started out on a notepad) of my baseline settings. These are my starting point for ISO, Aperture and Shutter speeds. With that being said they change from time to time depending on lighting conditions and other variables but I always start at my baseline. Experiment with different settings in various conditions, review the image (the most powerful part of digital photography in my opinion), make adjustments and do it all over again. As you become a more seasoned photographer you’ll develop your own preferences for settings and what enables you to make great photographs.

3. Trust Your Instincts: Sounds easy but this is where many beginner photographers stumble. Just because you read something in a field guide or in an article someone like Scott Bourne writes doesn’t mean it’s an absolute. If you develop a strong sense of the first two tips this one will eventually come naturally. If it’s a dark day out and you think ISO 200 will be better than ISO 400 – give it a shot. If you think 1/125 will get you a better photo than 1/60 – do it. Prove or disprove your own theories. There are times when I photograph concerts and I only have a split second to capture an image so I rely solely on my instincts. Trust me, as you develop into a photographer with your own style and sense of surroundings this will fee natural – but in the beginning it will be a struggle. John Coltrane had a saying about music theory that applies well to photography, “Know the theory, know the scales but when it comes time to play – just play!”

This is just the tip of the iceberg and the building blocks to developing into a photographer that makes great photos. If you had to give a beginning photographer a couple of tips what would they be? Post a comment below and share some of your knowledge…