How to get started as a photographer?
Okay so i'm 15, yeah i know i'm still young but these days you need to know what you want to be when your young, so i want to be a photographer, i have a nikon D3000 camera and its recently new so at the moment i've just been having some fun with it, but as soon as i receive my tripod in the mail i want to set up a studio type of thing to do a family friend and her kids portraits and a family photo, but i want to do other people aswell to practise on, but no one wants to, how can easily spead the word, i've also got a facebook page on my photography too but no one is intrested,? What can i do?
Hi
It's great you've decided to pursue your passion in photography. Here is a list of tips I have for you:
1. Learn about your camera
You already have that nice Nikon D3000 and a tripod. Take out the manual and understand how it works. Shoot a lot of pictures and get familiar with it.
2. Learn from books and websites
The next thing I'd do is to get to a few good websites and books which show you photographic techniques. Learn about exposure - how to adjust aperture, shutter speeds, ISO, white balance, etc. In order to get good pictures. Again, shoot lots of photos and keep a journal of the photos you took and the settings you used. I know I learnt a lot from doing this.
Notice I mentioned a few good websites and books. Don't overwhelm yourself by going into all sorts of websites. Select a few maybe 2 or 3 you like, then delve deep into them. There are a lot of nice folks out there who share their photography knowledge with you.
3. Attend a professional photography course
Assuming you've learnt a lot from the websites and books, I think to really get to the next level, you should attend a professional photography course. There, the experts will really show you how to do things and what gear to adopt for each photograph. At this juncture, you should also be getting more 'manual' with your shots and start delving into creative uses of lenses and filters on your digital SLR.
4. Get published in a magazine
I'm serious - if you want to go deep into this hobby, get your pictures published in a magazine. You'll do a lot of good for your photo portfolio and soon agents will look to you for photography jobs.
It also helps you hone your technique.
5. Do a college course in photography.
Doing an actual college course in photography also helps to cement and accredit you as a true professional. Once you finish that course, you're on your way to being able to take the type of pictures that sell. You will also understand how the industry works and how to market your work.
You will also be able to get a job in the photography industry, preferably as an assistant first, before moving up.
I hope this helps! You can also visit my website to learn about photography too.
Best Regards
Gary Hendricks
http://www.basic-digital-photography.com
Have you studied posing? Do you know the difference between a male and female pose? Are you aware of hand positions? Do you know lighting? Are you aware of ratios and light patterns? If not, this is what you need to pursue next to accomplish your goal.