To photo or not to photo.
How hard it is to start taking photography seriously?:)
No much hard, every building can be done brick by brick. Just enjoy photography!:)
I think it is like every other hobby, the only important thing is enjoyment and passion. Just do it and you get better and better.
Do it like Bob, just enjoy photography
Do it like Bob, just enjoy photography
If you are really loving to start photography then just start it, there is nothing like it can be hard for you. Initially the shots may not be perfect on first attempt but still it will make you a good photographer something.
it's easy to start, but there is loads of things to learn. I started about a year ago, and I realize I lear something new every time I go out. It's all about the lights, not easy to understand when you don't take photos but you will realize soon what it means. Start off doing one thing, like macro photography, (that's what I did) because you will get a feeling of success and you can concentrate on just one thing. Read about the topic you chose on the internet, watch videos on it and soon you will move on to something else, like skylines. I'm onto long exposure, night photography which is a challenge. But when I look at pictures I did last year I can't believe how much I have learned. And my kids have always told me I'm useless taking pictures, which was true. I got myself a fairly cheap beginners camera, the Sony SLT a58, which cost about 390 Euros back then. It has a fixed mirror that doesn't move back and you can put the settings on automatic, do a few photos and then do some with your own settings. There's some great photographers pages, like Lynda, with plenty of videos and tipps like "sun shines great, shutter 8" ( that's what we say in German). Get people to criticize to learn more. You can look at the way I improved on instagram under @cursty1, you'll see how quickly you will get better
oh, and most important: if you haven't used Photoshop ever, then don't. Most people use Adobe Lightroom nowadays, it's perfect for editing, unless you really need to cut something out or need a completly new background. With the Lightroom, you can make an average photo into a little masterpiece. Watch 4 or 5 vieos on it and you are started
Quote: Cursty Kistner 22.10.16, 17:33To the cited post but if you never start, you will never learn photoshop right?
If you want to just start. Get a entry level DSLR (nowadays they can be acquired for 300 - 400 Euros) and shoot in RAW mode. You will need a RAW converter to develop the images (in analog photography that was done by the company that processed the negatives), Lightroom is the most widely accepted but also the most expensive one given the fact that it's only available as subscription. But there are alternatives like AfterShot Pro, DxO Optics 11, Capture One and even free ones like Rawtherapee or Darktable for Linux.
A camera with a so called kit lens (the one that comes with the camera), a RAW converter and a computer is all you need to start. Depending on your needs and expectations you should calculate with something like 500 Euros to start (you might even get it cheaper if you go for a used camera/ lens and/ or use a free RAW converter). Don't spend too much to start, as a beginner that would be wasted money since you don't know yet what exactly you will need in the future when your skills will have improved. And you cannot really buy into it, no matter how expensive your gear is, you still need to learn the basics and improve from there.
One last tip: I would not get Photoshop in order to start. I for example don't like edited photos, I want them as original as possible. All I do from time to time is removing a small detail that should not be there, that can easily be done with GIMP, a free and open source alternative to Photoshop. Later on if/ when you decide that you actually want to heavily edit your photos you can still get Photoshop.
A camera with a so called kit lens (the one that comes with the camera), a RAW converter and a computer is all you need to start. Depending on your needs and expectations you should calculate with something like 500 Euros to start (you might even get it cheaper if you go for a used camera/ lens and/ or use a free RAW converter). Don't spend too much to start, as a beginner that would be wasted money since you don't know yet what exactly you will need in the future when your skills will have improved. And you cannot really buy into it, no matter how expensive your gear is, you still need to learn the basics and improve from there.
One last tip: I would not get Photoshop in order to start. I for example don't like edited photos, I want them as original as possible. All I do from time to time is removing a small detail that should not be there, that can easily be done with GIMP, a free and open source alternative to Photoshop. Later on if/ when you decide that you actually want to heavily edit your photos you can still get Photoshop.
Quote: Cursty Kistner 22.10.16, 17:33To the cited post
I cant be agree with you on this! Photoshop can be a better choice for editing photos if someone is comfortable with it. I am using it and totally satisfied for any kind of editing task including removing the background!
I cant be agree with you on this! Photoshop can be a better choice for editing photos if someone is comfortable with it. I am using it and totally satisfied for any kind of editing task including removing the background!