How to become a better photographer in 3 steps for nothing!

This post is not about becoming a professional photographer but how you can become a better photographer than you already are, whatever level of photographer you aspire to be.

There are all sorts of photographers in the world today and I would hazard a guess and say that anyone who has a phone capable of taking pictures has taken at least one picture with it. You may see yourself as just taking selfies or photos of friends and family - what we used to call a 'snapper' when I was young. Alternatively, you may actually have seen yourself as a photographer who doesn't want to be a professional but rather photography is a hobby. Both of these are perfectly fine.

Whatever level of proficiency I would argue that at times you have said to yourself 'I was I took better photos'. You may have even decided that what you need is a better camera (or smartphone). Well, I want to tell you that becoming better at taking photographs doesn't require you to own a better camera. Indeed, if you have a smartphone that is less than a few years old the camera you already have is perfectly adequate for taking great images.

No, it's not better equipment you need. It's a better mind! By that I mean the most important tool for taking great images is one we all have already and it's being underused by everyone of us, even professional photographers.

You see, photography, like other art, is first and foremost about the imagination. The image is brought into genesis first of all by our minds, by our imagination. I don't know if I heard/read this or it's something I have just realised... every photo (or sculpture or painting or piece of music, whatever) begins life first of all in our imaginations. Further than this, I would argue that it's impossible for a photo (or other piece of art) to exist without it first having been created in the artist's imagination.

So, forget about (for now) about upgrading your equipment but rather focus on improving and paying attention to your imagination. How can you do this, you might ask? Well here are my thoughts on the matter, You can take them or leave them... the choice is yours. I would argue that if you can follow just one of my suggestions you will become a better photographer than you are right now. I am not saying you will become a great photographer or a professional photographer, but you will become a better one.

1. First suggestion is that the next time you look at an image (whether it's an actual photograph or a painting or even a film) that you stop and think about it. What is it that it says to you. Does it make you smile, laugh, cry or even angry?
2. Secondly, staying with the same image, how is the image constructed? I am not talking about paper and ink etc. but rather how is it lit, what about the the composition (close-up, rule of thirds, diagonals, tones, colours etc)?
3. Thirdly, I want you to think about how you would tackle the same subject. Would you have taken the image from closer or further away & how would this alter the dynamics of the image. Would have used colour instead of black & white (or vice versa). What if you shot the image a second or two earlier, or later?

I believe that doing these three things on a regular basis will improve your photography over time. Not overnight but the more you do these three simple things you will, I promise, become better at photography.

Once this mental process has become habitual, then and only then should you think about equipment. I'd would argue that there is one more thing you should do before considering upgrading your equipment, and it's this:

"get to know your current equipment inside out..."

Read the manual (if you have one), watch YouTube videos, buy an in-depth manual (book/e-book) for your equipment  and learn as much as you can about it works, it's limitations, what it's good at etc. practice using each of it's features until you can use them fluently without having to get the manual out.

Once you know you equipment inside out, having practised with it regularly and having upgraded your mind by following the three steps above I guarantee your skill as a photographer will have improved significantly.

Who knows, you may decide not to upgrade your equipment! Or, you may have discovered what your passion is and you now know that you want to be a fashion (editorial, food, studio, documentary... insert which one is most appropriate) photographer and realised you need to upgrade.

Also, you may discover that photography is, for you, a hobby and that you have no plans to study photography, become a professional or even what we call 'semi-pro'. That's perfectly fine and no-one should make you feel guilty. The great thing about photography today is that it's so accessible - anyone can take good photographs.. they just know it, yet.

If you wish to explore in more depth the thought processes I mention above then read one of these books.