Hey friends! I am so excited to share with you 5 tips for new photographers. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the beginning days of my photo journey. I get asked pretty often how many years I have been a photographer. I started shooting over 10 years ago but it honestly feels like yesterday. My first photo shoots were on borrowed cameras when I only dreamed about having a “big black camera” of my own. Seriously, that’s what I used to call DSLRs. 

Since then, I’ve photographed hundreds of people and I’ve had so many amazing opportunities. I am so thankful I get to call this hobby of mine a business. Some days it feels like I have been shooting forever and some days I feel like I’m still the newest photographer on the block. 

When I first started pursuing photography I was constantly scouring the internet for photo tips. Okay, I have to admit, I still do that. But I wanted to give a couple tips to any new photographers that may be reading this. I am constantly learning new things but I have found these 5 tips to be super important for any photographer who wants to photograph humans!  

Learn to shoot in manual mode ASAP

Okay, okay. I am sure you have heard this before. But seriously, this is THE biggest piece of advice I can give to anyone just starting out. I am often asked, “what camera/lens should I buy”? It doesn’t matter if you have the most expensive camera from the camera store, you’ll never master photography if you do not know how to shoot in manual. On the other hand, if you can master manual mode, you can get amazing shots on any camera. No longer will you click the shutter and hope for the best. If you can learn how to master your settings for different lighting scenarios, you can start taking the photos you’ve been dreaming about! Practice on your dog, your mom, your bff, your coffee cup. I don’t care. Just learn how to shoot in manual.  

Learn how to direct your subjects

Seriously, this will change your game. This is quite embarrassing to say but when I very first started photography, I kind of expected all of my subjects to be models. I didn’t direct them, I expected them to just know what to do. Photos were awkward, people didn’t know what to do with their hands, and so many of my photos looked the same. I now know how to direct my clients in ways that look and feel natural. Almost every client will tell me how EASY the photo session was because of the direction I gave. Trust me, your clients/subjects want you to tell them what to do. A lot of the people you will be photographing are not models. Sure, you could screenshot a million photos from Pinterest and Instagram and show your clients the photos and ask them to do that pose. But your shoot will go so much smoother if you can easily direct your subjects. Above all, just practice! Ask your friends if you can do a free mini-shoot. Explain to them that you will be practicing posing and directing. I still do this every now and then!

One more thing about posing… I am not saying every photo you take should be perfectly posed. But if you know some good basic poses, you can then direct your clients in ways that will create natural-looking candids. If you have a couple or family snuggling, ask them to whisper something nice or funny into each others’ ears. Ask them to hold hands and run towards you like they are in the trailer of Baywatch. Give them a funny prompt and then click the shutter as they crack up.

Learn to direct your clients and create ways for your clients to interact during their session. Make sense? 

Roll with the punches

So you showed up to the photo session and things are not going as planned. Fake it till you make it girlfriend (or guy friend). Just do your best and roll with it. Act confident even if you’re shaking in your boots. Your clients/subjects will feed off of your energy. There have been so many times when I have photographed a session that is just not going as planned. The kids are running wild, literally, and there are a million other photographers at the location. Do your best to think quickly. Find fun games to play with the kids and parents. Make everyone snuggle. Start making the funniest noises you can think of to make the kids laugh. When your clients look back on the photos, they will remember how you made them feel during that moment. So make them feel beautiful, confident, and like they deserve to be on a cover of a magazine even if their son just rolled in the dirt for the 8th time in last 10 minutes. 

Notice the small things

You’ll thank me later when there isn’t a water bottle in the back of every photo that you may or may not know how to edit out. And even if you can edit it, who wants to spend their time doing that when they could have just moved it out-of-the-way? Also, learn to notice the little things about your client. The way she looks or laughs at him when he does something cute and quirky. Or the way he carefully leads her as they are walking. Notice these things and then learn to create moments where you can photograph your clients doing these things. Perhaps you’re photographing a family and the little boy loves to explore. Learn to pick up on this and then photograph the details. Or maybe your senior’s eyes light up when you ask her about her dreams after high school. Ask her to tell you more and then capture those genuine expressions. 

Look for light

Learn to notice the way the light shines in to your bedroom in the morning or how there is a tint of orange in your car as you drive home at sunset. If my husband had a dollar for every time I said, “Woah, look at that light”, he’d have a lot of dollars. Everywhere I go, I can’t help but notice the light and how it is affecting the surroundings. So learn to notice the light. Ask yourself, “how could I take a beautiful portrait of my friend in this light?” It’s a fun game to play with yourself and it will help you think quicker at your next photo session. Experienced photographers can show up to any location and quickly find which spots will be best for photos. Photography is about light and the use of light. So learn to recognize and use it to create images that you love!

So there you have it friends. My top 5 tips for new photographers. If you have any specific questions, please be sure to let me know! Shoot me a message here or follow along on Instagram where I tend to hang out the most. Let’s chat soon!