{"id":108,"date":"2023-10-25T23:34:21","date_gmt":"2023-10-26T03:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/?p=108"},"modified":"2023-10-25T23:34:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T03:34:21","slug":"advice-for-beginner-photographers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/uncategorized\/advice-for-beginner-photographers\/","title":{"rendered":"Advice for Beginner Photographers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Breaking into any industry is a terrifying endeavour, but when you\u2019ve had to learn on the job and may not have had any formal education in your field, the task can feel impossible. As a new photographer, I\u2019ve often felt the effects of imposter syndrome and wondered when – or if – those feelings would ever go away. In an article<\/a> for the New Yorker, Jill Stoddard writes, \u201cWe worry the most where we care.\u201d That is to say, if you\u2019re feeling like you\u2019re not good enough or don\u2019t deserve to be here, it\u2019s probably because you care a whole lot about doing something well. I\u2019ve been working on building my confidence as a photographer this year, and here\u2019s some of what I\u2019ve learned along the way that\u2019s helped me get closer to finding my place in this industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Fake it \u2018til you make it. Or, in other words, build your brand<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Building your online portfolio can go a long way toward making you feel like you\u2019ve earned your job title. It\u2019s hard to discredit your own skill when the fruits of your labour are right there on your Instagram page. If you\u2019re not ready to start offering sessions to clients, you can opt to do content days with other photographers or models looking to collaborate without any kind of monetary exchange. Alternatively, getting your friends and family to model for styled shoots is a great low-stress way to build your portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    And don\u2019t forget about engagement! A few minutes a day of interacting with your followers and other photographers can go a long way toward networking and building your client base. People want to work with someone that\u2019s outgoing and friendly. Remember, clients see your online persona as a direct reflection of who you are as a photographer, so don\u2019t be afraid to show off your fantastic personality!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Know your worth<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      This has been a big one for me, and it\u2019s not an easy thing to navigate. While I do believe that it can be extremely useful to offer free shoots to friends or even strangers when you\u2019re starting out, it\u2019s important to set limits for yourself. Be careful not to let people take advantage of you and your time. Your time and effort are worth something, and you deserve to be compensated for your work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Once you\u2019ve got a few sessions under your belt, it\u2019s completely reasonable to start charging for shoots. If you\u2019re still unsure, start low. You can always raise your prices later. I\u2019d recommend joining a facebook group for photographers in your area (most cities have them), and asking around to see what other photographers\u2019 rates are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      1. Your gear is the least impressive thing about you<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        When I was first learning photography, I thought that I needed a bunch of high-end lenses and gear so that I could take great photos. I\u2019ve since learned that some of my best work has come from improvising when I don\u2019t have all the equipment I want on hand. If you don\u2019t have a speedlight, you can use a flashlight (okay, this only works sometimes). If you don\u2019t have coloured gels for your lighting, use cellophane. And if you don\u2019t have light stands, clamps, or backdrops, hit the dollar store for some duct tape and a white table cloth, and make the setup yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        Photo by Author.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        They say that the best camera is the one you have on you, and it\u2019s true. The most important thing you can do as a new photographer is practice. Hone your skills and master the settings on the camera you have, and the confidence and accolades will follow in due time. You\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Breaking into any industry is a terrifying endeavour, but when you\u2019ve had to learn on the job and may not have had any formal education in your field, the task can feel impossible. As a new photographer, I\u2019ve often felt the effects of imposter syndrome and wondered when – or if – those feelings would … Continue reading “Advice for Beginner Photographers”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116,"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108\/revisions\/116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gferriganphoto.ca\/myblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}