How to approach photography as a hobby
There’s beauty in the world wherever you are. Be it in the landscape of the rural countryside, the fast life of the city, or the seemingly mundane tasks of everyday life, there’s always something to marvel at and preserve stills of in the world around you. The easiest way to do this is by taking photos. After all, photos serve as frozen stills of captured memories that you can keep forever.
Many people who want to take up photography are unsure about where to start. Yes, you may go around bringing your camera and enjoy taking photos, but it takes more than that to seriously approach photography as a hobby. It’s good that you’ve got that innate interest, as this is a necessary starting point in any hobby. However, it’s time for you to take it one step further, and make yourself excel as a photography hobbyist, by utilizing all of the helpful resources that are available to you.
With that said, here are some tips on how you can approach photography as a hobby:
1. Learn To Experiment
One of the main differences between starting photography as a hobby and doing it professionally is that with the former, you don’t have anyone paying you to conform to specific instructions. So, it’s still a hobby, learn to let loose and give yourself the opportunity to experiment.
You don’t have to travel far to take nice photos. Experiment with your subjects in your daily life. If you love to go on a run on the weekends, bring your camera with you. Maximize whatever activity you engage in that gives you time to take photos.
This can also help widen your horizon so you learn how to take photos of different subjects and landscapes, instead of just specializing in one style.
2. Find Your Inspiration
No two photographers are alike, as different individuals have their own personalities and standards of what makes a good photo. This means that every person has their individual reasons as to what makes them happy or what ticks their fancy. The same holds true for photography.
To keep yourself motivated with this new pursuit, especially when you’re still starting out, you can begin by finding your inspiration. Do you enjoy taking portraits of people? Or do you prefer landscapes and outdoor adventures? Perhaps you enjoy street photography? Or is it events that keep you motivated?
Whatever it is that motivated you to get into photography in the first place, keep and further develop that source of inspiration.
3. Join A Photography Community
Depending on where you’re from, there might be a community of photographers that you can join. Get out of your bubble by joining a community of people who share your passion.
When you’re a part of a community, you also gain access to more resources to improve yourself. You can learn from others, especially those who have gotten into photography longer than you.
A major plus of joining these groups is that you now have friends who can join you in photography walks or other events. Also, if you’re looking to expand your gear but you don’t have the money yet for more brand-new ones, you can ask the other members of the group if they know where to get used gear.
4. Get A Good Camera
Of course, this should be a no-brainer. You can’t start a photography hobby if you don’t have a good, working camera.
There is nothing wrong with starting your photography journey by taking photos through your phone. However, now that you’re approaching photography more seriously as a hobby, it’s a good idea for you to get a good camera. This doesn’t necessarily mean getting the most expensive one. You can start with whatever your budget allows, and then, later on – little by little – invest in more high-end gear.
It’s important that you start by learning how to use what you have before moving on to more advanced cameras. With that in mind, here’s a list of some of the essentials you may also need along with your camera:
- Lens, as this can take the quality of your photos to a higher level;
- Memory card, so you’ll always have enough space to hold your photos and to make for easy file transfer when it comes to post-processing or posting;
- Memory card reader, to allow you to easily transfer files from your memory card to other devices;
- Camera bag, so you’ve got something to safely house your gear, both when it’s in use and when it’s not.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s no single way for you to get into photography. It’s a fun hobby, but this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t also entail hard work. If you really want to excel, you’ve also got to give yourself time to learn new things. There’s always something new to learn all the time. At the same time, take it easy and have fun. Remember that the main reason you ventured into photography is to have an enriching hobby.
