The Importance of Learning the Basics

People take more pictures now than ever. We flood social media with images and devour storage space on our phones, computers, and Cloud-based services. At no other time in history have we had the ability to take a photo and make it immediately accessible to millions around the globe. Society has become obsessed with taking pictures.

If you are a veteran photographer, you understand the basics are the foundation of what we do and why they are essential to master. If you are new to photography, then the basics might appear daunting, and one more thing we must code into long-term memory. However, you might ask yourself how to capture a specific image or even wonder how you ended up with what you took, let alone how to replicate it.

The internet bombards us with an oversaturation of information that often confuses and supplies us with more than we can retain. There is no shortage of people telling us, “My way is better,” and we get sold on a particular idea. However, over the years of being a photographer, I have learned that the best principles are in keeping with what is practical and straightforward. The basics always work.

What are the basics? These include terms such as:

• Aperture;

• Shutter speed;

• Focal length;

• Image formats;

• ISO; and

• Understanding your camera’s basic operations.

More advanced topics include how cameras work, editing, lighting, and so forth.

Understanding the basics is what helps us take better pictures. We can recreate something we saw in a magazine, capture that perfect moment, or take an image that is the basis for a visionary piece of art. The possibilities are endless.

Don’t Get Sold on Tech

Technology has taken over the photography world. Seasoned professionals and amateurs have fallen prey to the allure of the latest gadget. We have been conditioned to think that the newest software upgrade, more megapixels, or buying into brand name recognition are the way to make us better. However, as great as technology is, reliance on it separates us from understanding the basics of photography. Have I done this? Absolutely.

Even among friends, I have heard, “I can’t believe you are still using…” Even I have been schooled on my faults and not having the latest and greatest - whatever. However, I too have fallen into the trap of over-relying on technology when taking a photo. For example, autofocus is a marvelous tool. With autofocus, camera software pinpoints what is interpreted as the desired subject and “focuses” on it by comparing levels of contrast. A lack of contrast or multiple or layered subjects can make it difficult for the software to track the primary focal point.

Even as a professional photographer, I have had countless instances where I relied on autofocus to help me capture an image, only to come home and find the photo out of focus or that an unintended subject became the new focal point. I often mumbled that I should have manually focused, and I was aware this might happen when pressing the shutter.

People often tell me they wish they could afford a DSLR like the one I shoot with and want their photos to look like mine. Still, the reality is that your smartphone, iPad, tablet or any other array of devices can be a powerful tool that can take stunning images. We have been conditioned to think that only quality images can come from high-end Nikons, Canons, and Sonys. That phone in your pocket is expensive and sometimes costs more than an entry-level DSLR or mirrorless camera. Yet, it is convenient and almost always at hand.

While technology has become a great asset in photography, it will not make you a better photographer. It lacks vision. There is a time and place for technology, and there is no question that many modern camera advances can allow us to capture images unlike anything we could have imagined. Those once-impossible shots may now be within our reach. But everything starts with mastering the basics.

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