5 Things I Learned My First Year of Photography
After experiencing our wedding and looking at our photos from our wedding photographer I remember mentioning to my husband how awesome it would be to become a photographer. I thought, "How rewarding would it be to capture one of the best days in a couples life and get to experience that love and happiness that I felt on my special day again and again through photography?" Well long story short, a couple of months later Cody takes me out to eat for my birthday and then surprises me by pulling up to a camera store. You would think I could see that coming, but no, I was completely surprised.
After getting used to my camera and watching several youtube videos I decided why not, I'll just jump right into it. So in June of 2015 I launched my photography business. I have had some really great experiences and a few not so great, I have made several mistakes, but I have also learned many things along the way. Here are a few of them:
1. Know your gear. I've learned that the most important thing you can do as a photographer is to know your camera. Which may seem pretty obvious, but it's worth mentioning. It's more than just knowing what each button or knob does, its knowing how your camera actually works and how each setting works together. I've learned that the best thing you can do, especially when shooting weddings, is to learn manual mode. Instead of allowing your camera to guess which setting is best, switch it to manual mode so you can have full control of every setting available. It might take a little while to learn, but trust me, you won't regret it.
2. Lighting is very important. I've learned that lighting can make or break a photo. It doesn't matter how good your clients look or how pretty the background is if you don't have good lighting. I have found that the best natural light is around an hour after the sun rises and an hour before the sun sets. I have also learned to look for light colored backdrops. Whatever color is surrounding your client will reflect on their skin, and no one wants to look green or orange, right? You can also achieve good lighting when you have your camera settings correct. (See number 1) One of the biggest mistakes I have made was thinking, "Oh it's ok if my settings aren't correct because I can fix it later." No. It is so much better to get it correct in the camera first.
3. Stop comparing myself. In this day and age with the internet it is so easy to compare yourself to other people. I follow several photographers from all over the world on facebook, instagram, pinterest and while they inspire me, it wasn't too hard to notice how much more successful they were and how beautiful their work was. When I started comparing myself to them I instantly started doubting myself, wondering if I could ever be like them, but I had to remind myself that those photographers were in the same boat I was at one point. They had to start from somewhere too.
4. Taking advantage of every opportunity. When your a new photographer the best thing you can do is practice as much as you can. I've learned to take the job, even if it's not exactly what I wanted to do. Along with an engagement session, a bridal session and several weddings I have shot family sessions, senior sessions, maternity sessions, a quinceanera and my Aunt and Uncle's 50th wedding anniversary, all have been great learning experiences and I would do them all again.
5. Taking photos for myself. Being a photographer is a wonderful rewarding job, but like all jobs, sometimes things go wrong and you can get discouraged. Sometimes you are trying to please your clients so much that you sacrifice your own happiness. Sometimes the emails and phone calls stop and you're wondering if you should just quit.The biggest thing I've learned this past year is to be patient and that sometimes it's ok to say no. I've had to remind myself that I'm not perfect and the reason I take photos is because I love photography and my goal should not only be taking photos that my clients will love, but also ones that I love.
I wanted to take a minute to thank all of my clients from this year! It means the world to me that you would trust me with your photos! I hope to see you all again! I also wanted to thank a few photographers for teaching me and guiding me. Tim, Michelle, Rachel, thank you! I'm looking forward to working and learning with you this year! :)
Lindsay
