In this interview, see how one photography beginner has taken her photography to great levels in just a year after picking up a camera for the very first time. Learn from her experiences and see what you can do to fast track your photography education and get to the level you aspire to quicker.
I often get asked by my students something that goes like this, “When will I get it?”.
Sounds familiar?
Are you too looking for that aha moment when all the pieces fall into place and you suddenly arrive at photography nirvana? When you have achieved photography mastery?
While there isn’t a magic pill, there are a few things you can do to help you get there faster.
That is what we discuss in the video below. Watch and learn how to get from point A to point B in your photography using the fast track!
See how my guest, Loudia Laarman, did just that.
She picked up a camera a year ago and went from taking images like these…
To these, in a year!
Here are just a few of the topics we cover. Make sure you watch the whole video to get all the helpful tidbits of information.
- What gear she started with and what she uses now
- What is the first lens should you purchase?
- Is photography talent innate or not? Do you believe you’re born with creative talents or can it be learned?
- The various different methods of learning photography available
- How to master both the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography
- Why learning one thing at a time and applying it before advancing is so important
- What three things do you know now that you wish you knew then (and what you can learn from that)
- Why it’s NOT the gear that matters
- Why it’s important to study all art forms
- How to study other photographers’ work and learn from them
- Choosing the next step, where to go, what to do next
- Using geometric shapes and lines in photography
- How much time do you need to invest in learning photography to get here?
Here are a few more of her recent images.
See more of her photography and connect with Loudia on her Instagram page.
Some links to help you
Whether you’re just getting started or well along on your photography journey, here are links to some articles and resources that can help. These are some of the things we discussed in the video.
When you’re ready to upgrade your gear:
- All about lenses: What Camera Lens Should I Buy Next, and Other FAQs About Gear
- What are crop sensors and full-frame cameras? What Does Having a Crop Sensor Camera Really Mean?
- All about upgrading to full-frame: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Upgrade to a Full Frame Camera Body
Some online learning that I recommend, or how to learn with me:
- 4 Weeks to Better Photography – our first online course for absolute beginners.
- Portrait Fundamentals – our signature portrait course for beginners to that genre.
- Private tutoring – do a Zoom session with Darlene, or buy a package and do a few.
- Decoding Lightroom by Adam Welch – I highly recommend this course if you want to learn LR!
- Lightroom Made Easy by Phil Steele – another great educator and choice for learning Lightroom.
- Photoshop for Lightroom users by Piet Van Den Eynde – he is a certified Adobe Expert and he really knows his stuff!
Some FREE education for you!
- Learn how to edit using Luminar, follow my 7-day editing challenge, and get access to my raw files so you can follow along.
- Sign up for our email mini-course for beginners here
- Sign up for our email mini-course on portrait photography here
Study other photographers and art
- 12 Famous Portrait Photographers From History You Need to Know
- 20 of the Most Famous Photographs in History
- Visit the famous MET museum from the comfort of home with a virtual gallery tour
- National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
- Musée d’Orsay, Paris
- Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
- Guggenheim Museum, NYC
- Uffizi Gallerie in Florence, Italy has a digital archive you can browse
I visit actual art galleries and museums whenever I am traveling (not right now obviously!) and have been to many of those and more. Those are just a few I found with online or virtual tours, go see what else you can find. Please share links in the comments below so we can all check them out.
I encourage you to view all kinds of art to expand your mind and eyes including paintings, sculptures, fashion design, architecture, drawings, fabric design. Pay attention to their use of light, shapes, and colors.
Another place you can expand your view is by joining the DPM Facebook group. We have members from all over the world and you can share your own images, as well as learn from other photographers.
Conclusion
I hope you got something out of that, now it’s over to you to take action. So what will you commit to doing in the next 30 days to move your photography education forward?
Make your decision, commit to it, and if you are brave share it with us in the comment area below.
When you write it down and proclaim it publicly there is a subliminal thing that happens. You are far more likely to keep your promise to yourself when you tell others.
So what is your plan? Tell us!
Cheers,
