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JasLyn

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I'm new to photography from a professional standpoint. Basically, I've been taking pictures of my kids/family for years and more recently other people have been asking me to the same for them. I'm looking to make this a little side job and would love some tips for making the photos even better! More specifically, tips for lighting (reflectors, external flashes.. Are they necessary) and lens. I'm mostly shooting children and families, but love to capture the surrounding areas as well.
Thanks in advance for your help!!
 
You have basically asked "How to I become a better photographer" as a single question. It's impossible for one forum thread to tell you everything you need to know. Read a lot, practice a lot. Photography is inherently complicated and takes years of practice to be professional... assuming you mean professional the way I mean it. Professional, literally means someone who earns their way in photography, but to me it means someone who is expert technically, creative and innovative, and can handle any situation with ease and can produce the results asked of them repeatedly and reliably.

There's no way any one forum thread can do that for you... it takes years.

Start by reading a basic photography book.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Basic-Photography-Michael-Langford/dp/0240515927

That would be a good place to start.

If you're impatient I've put a tutorial for the basics together here.

If you were hoping for a quick fix solution, I'm afraid there isn't one.

If you're already fairly competent technically, then you need to just practice more. Set yourself projects.. push yourself out of your own comfort zone. Look for competition briefs and enter them a great deal. Read the specific threads on here... for example, if you want to know more about lighting, then read the lighting threads in here a lot.
 
Last edited:
Pookeyhead said:
You have basically asked "How to I become a better photographer" as a single question. It's impossible for one forum thread to tell you everything you need to know. Read a lot, practice a lot. Photography is inherently complicated and takes years of practice to be professional... assuming you mean professional the way I mean it. Professional, literally means someone who earns their way in photography, but to me it means someone who is expert technically, creative and innovative, and can handle any situation with ease and can produce the results asked of them repeatedly and reliably.

There's no way any one forum thread can do that for you... it takes years.

Start by reading a basic photography book.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Basic-Photography-Michael-Langford/dp/0240515927

That would be a good place to start.

If you're impatient I've put a tutorial for the basics together here.

If you were hoping for a quick fix solution, I'm afraid there isn't one.

If you're already fairly competent technically, then you need to just practice more. Set yourself projects.. push yourself out of your own comfort zone. Look for competition briefs and enter them a great deal. Read the specific threads on here... for example, if you want to know more about lighting, then read the lighting threads in here a lot.
Click to expand...

I'm just an amateur but I agree with you completely about what a prof is. Most consider a person that makes a living at it a pro and I suppose that correct as well but I will not call myself a pro until I am rounded enough to handle every situation. Man I hope that happens before I'm gone.... Lol
 
One thing you (IMO) must do before taking on any paid work is get yourself some proper insurance - public liability especially. Kit insurance may also be an issue - if photography is to be you only job, losing a camera could leave you flat broke with no means of earning any cash to replace it.
 
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