After eight years in photography, I’ve come to realise that becoming a better photographer has very little to do with owning the latest equipment. It’s about understanding what you have, mastering light and, perhaps most importantly, giving yourself the time to grow.
Getting into photography can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. There is so much to learn, so much equipment to explore and an endless stream of incredible images that can make you question your own abilities. When I started out, I remember listening to established photographers talk about how gear doesn’t matter. At the time, I found that advice a little difficult to accept. It was easy to think that perhaps it was easier for them to say because they already had access to the latest cameras, lenses and lighting equipment but over the last eight years of being involved in photography, I’ve come to understand what they meant. There are quite a number of things I have learnt along the way, but if I had to narrow them down to three important lessons for anyone just getting started in photography, these would be at the top of my list.
1. Gear Doesn’t Really Matter
Let me start by saying that gear does matter. It would be dishonest to suggest otherwise. Different cameras, lenses and lighting equipment offer different capabilities, and having the right tools can certainly make certain aspects of photography easier. However, gear doesn’t matter as much as we sometimes make it seem. One of the biggest traps for beginners is getting caught up in the excitement of acquiring equipment. You start with a camera, then you want a better lens. After that, you want a newer camera, a more powerful flash, a better monitor and a whole collection of accessories.
Before you know it, you have spent so much time thinking about the equipment you need that you have barely spent enough time learning how to use the equipment you already own. For the last four years, my primary camera has been the Canon 6D. It is the camera I am using to shoot this video, and despite having other cameras available to me, I keep going back to it. Part of that attachment comes from the fact that it was a gift from my dad, so it holds some sentimental value for me. I also appreciate the Canon colour science and the images I can get out of it.
The Canon 6D was released in 2012. By today’s standards, it is certainly not the newest or most technologically advanced camera. Yet, it continues to produce images that I am proud of. And that is really the point, the most expensive camera will not automatically make you a better photographer. Neither will owning the latest lens guarantee that your images will stand out. What matters is understanding the equipment in your hands, knowing its capabilities and limitations, and learning how to get the best possible results from it. Before you start thinking about your next camera upgrade, ask yourself whether you have fully explored what your current camera can do. Sometimes, the limitation isn’t your equipment. It is simply that you haven’t learnt how to use it to its full potential.
2. Master Your Lighting
If there is one thing I would strongly encourage every beginner photographer to invest time and resources in, it is lighting. After getting your first camera and lens, lighting should be one of your biggest priorities. Photography, at its most fundamental level, is about capturing light. But beyond simply having enough light to make an exposure, understanding how to control and manipulate light is what can completely transform your images. When I look at some of the photographs I made six years ago compared to the work I create today, one of the biggest differences I notice is my understanding of lighting.
It isn’t necessarily that I have access to significantly better cameras. Rather, I have become much better at understanding how light works, how it interacts with my subjects and how I can manipulate it to achieve a particular look. Light can make an ordinary image extraordinary. It can introduce depth, create texture, establish mood, highlight important details and completely change the way a photograph feels. Whether you are working with natural light, artificial light, continuous lighting or flash, the important thing is understanding what you have and how to use it.
Learn how to position your light sources. Understand the difference between hard and soft light. Experiment with shadows, highlights and different lighting ratios. Learn how light modifiers such as softboxes, reflectors, umbrellas and grids can influence the final image. These are some of the things that will help you develop a more intentional approach to photography. I would argue that having the latest Sony A1, for instance, without understanding how to light your subject properly will not necessarily give you an advantage over someone working with a much older camera who understands lighting.
Your equipment might be more expensive, but that doesn’t automatically make your images more interesting. Invest in lighting. Invest in light modifiers. More importantly, invest time in learning how to use them. It is one of the most valuable skills you can develop as a photographer, and it will continue to benefit your work regardless of the camera you eventually upgrade to.
3. Give Yourself Time to Grow
This is probably the most important lesson of all. When you are just getting started in photography, there is often this overwhelming desire to become good immediately. You see someone producing incredible images and think to yourself, “I can do that too. Why am I not there yet?” There is a tendency to want to move from point A straight to point Z, skipping all the letters in between.
Unfortunately, that isn’t how growth works. Photography is a process, and becoming good at it requires time, practice, experimentation and, occasionally, getting things completely wrong. I remember some of the things I used to do when I was starting out, particularly the excitement of trying to figure things out for myself. Some of the most enjoyable moments in my photography journey came from experimenting with ideas, making mistakes and discovering new ways of approaching an image.
Today, I sometimes find myself recreating photographs or exploring concepts I have worked on before. The difference is that I now approach them with a much better understanding of lighting, composition and the technical decisions required to achieve the final result. That is growth. And it is something I often try to communicate to people I tutor. The process of learning is just as important as the results you eventually achieve.Don’t be so focused on becoming the photographer you admire that you forget to enjoy becoming one yourself.
Give yourself room to explore. Try different styles of photography. Experiment with equipment and techniques. Make mistakes, learn from them and try again. You don’t have to have everything figured out in your first year. You don’t need to produce award-winning images immediately, and you certainly don’t need to measure your progress against someone who has been doing this for much longer than you have. Take your time. Enjoy the process. Allow yourself to grow. If there is one thing I have taken away from my eight years in photography, it is that becoming a better photographer is a continuous journey. There will always be something new to learn, a different technique to explore or a better way to approach an idea.
So, if you are just getting started, don’t get too caught up in buying equipment. Learn to maximise what you already have. Make lighting a priority because it can fundamentally change the quality of your work. And most importantly, give yourself the time and freedom to develop your craft. You will make mistakes. You will create images you aren’t particularly proud of. You will look back at some of your older work and wonder what you were thinking.
But that is all part of it.
Don’t rush to get to the destination. Enjoy the journey, because sometimes the most rewarding part of photography isn’t the final image; it is everything you learn while trying to create it.
