8 Ugly Truths About Photography
I love photography, and I'm guessing if you're reading this that you love photography, too.
But it can be a love-hate relationship, right?
There are good days when you find an incredible deal on the lens you wanted or snag a great shot.
But there are also bad days when your memory card fails or you plan a photo shoot and it goes all wrong.
Such is the nature of the beast!
Eric Rossi's video, "8 Ugly Truths About Photography," reveals a few qualities about this hobby and profession we all love that we might not realize at first.
Check out the video above, and for a play-by-play of some of my favorite ugly truths, check the text below.
Every Camera Manufacturer Makes a Bad Camera
When you're on the hunt for a camera, doing your research is absolutely critical.
Just because you're looking at a Nikon or a Canon or another major brand doesn't mean that it's automatically a good camera. More to the point, it might not be a good camera for you.
For example, the Nikon D810 is a fantastic camera and one of the best available on the market today.
But it's a full frame, professional camera with a big price tag...
That makes it great for a professional photographer, but if you're just starting out in photography, it's not a good idea for you.
By that same token, be sure you don't underbuy, either.
A compact point-and-shoot might be great for having something tucked away in your pocket or your purse, but many point-and-shoots lack manual controls, RAW shooting, and low-light performance that are critical for a developing photographer to be able to utilize.
Before you buy, read up on the camera you're considering. Check out reviews from actual customers. Watch YouTube videos of people using them. Find out what it does well and doesn't do well to see if it fits into your workflow.
Learn More:
Your Pictures Will Suck Until You Learn How to Shoot
It's hard not to get discouraged when you're just starting out in photography.
As Eric explains in the video, your first photo will suck. So will your second. And there will be many more after that!
But the thing is, it's not just your photos that will suck - everyone has photos that fall short. That includes the pros!
The quality of your images will certainly improve as you learn how to shoot, compose your images, work with lighting, process your images, and so forth.
But even then, you will have the occasional clunker, and that's okay!
The key is to learn the ins and outs of photography, that way if something goes awry with an image, you know what you need to do to fix it.
Yes, that takes a lot of time and patience, but no one ever said getting good at something doesn't take a lot of hard work!
Learn More:
It's the Shooter - Not the Gear - That Makes the Image
Something that a lot of beginner photographers seem to think is that if they get really great photography gear that they will be able to take better photos.
Unfortunately for them, that's just not the case...
The truth of the matter is that it's the shooter - not the gear - that makes the image.
You can give the most inexperienced photographer the best camera on the market - a Canon 5D Mark IV or a Sony a7R II, for example - and they will still take photos that look like they were made by a beginner.
Conversely, you can give a professional photographer a simple, entry-level camera like the Canon EOS Rebel t2i, and they can create magazine-worthy photos.
Just bear that in mind when thinking about the previous two tips - do your research when buying camera gear, bear in mind that your photos won't be that great until you develop the requisite photography skills, and for goodness sake, the gear doesn't make the shot - you do!
Learn More:
Photography is Expensive - Get Over It!
Yes, photography is expensive. That's true whether you're a hobbyist or a professional!
It's just part of the game because you need quite a bit of gear - most of which isn't all that cheap - to fill out a good photography kit.
That includes a camera body, a couple of good lenses, a tripod, a set of filters, a camera remote...you get the picture.
In other words, know that you'll need a lot of gear, and don't be surprised when it costs a good deal of money!
There are ways to ease the impact on your pocketbook, however.
First, don't just buy new gear for the sake of buying it. If you have a hand-me-down APS-C camera that works fine, stick with it until your skills exceed its capabilities.
Second, if you're to the point where you need a new camera, lens, or another photography accessory, consider buying used gear.
There's a lot of good used gear out there - gear that has been well cared for, inspected, and vetted for quality - that you can get at a hugely discounted price.
Outfits like KEH Camera, for example, have over 50,000 cameras, lenses, and other pieces of photography gear, each of which has been thoroughly inspected and graded for quality.
What's more, they have a 6-month warranty on their gear, so you get a great price and peace of mind, too.
It's just the smart way to buy gear and take some of the sting out of the expense of being a photographer.
Learn More:
Wrapping It Up
The point of Eric's video isn't to poo-poo photography.
Instead, I think he just wants people to be realistic about what to expect when venturing into the world of photography.
Though by looking at portfolios and websites of photographers it might look like they all take amazing photos all the time, the reality is that there are plenty of trials and tribulations along the way.
What sets a professional apart from an amateur is simply knowing how to overcome those obstacles and fix mistakes.
Be sure to watch Eric's video for more ugly truths!
