July 21, 2023: Its a big question isnt it, What’s the best way to learn photography? Before we try and answer this question we need to clarify some assumptions; learning photography in this question assumes that you want to move up from snapping family shots on your phone or you are starting up with a new camera. It also assumes that you are not planning to take photography up professionally, that’s a whole other ball game that I won’t cover here. The final assumption is that you have some broad idea of what you want to photograph. 

If you walk into any camera shop in the world, almost the first question they will ask you will be “what do you want to shoot”. It’s a good question to ask yourself even if you are not planning on a purchase because it will help you narrow down the options for how you can improve your skills. 

At this point it’s best to split the answer to the question into two parts. Part 1 is technical knowledge and Part 2 is the creative side. To deal with Part 1 first, there is an enormous range of avenues for learning, extending from books, magazines and YouTube through to personal training and right up to university courses. My suggestion is to start by watching people on YouTube or other social media, using whatever phone or camera you own now. Watch the videos then get out and try replicating what they were shooting. This will both help build your confidence and extend your technical skills. From there you can start making decisions about further training.

Part 2, the creative side is the hard bit. A 5 minute YouTube video and a day’s shooting and almost anyone can master a new SLR or mirrorless camera, mastering creativity is a different thing altogether. 

Henri Cartier-Bresson, look him up, said ” Your first 10,000 images are your worst” and having personally shot somewhere near 50,000, I agree with him. But don’t get disheartened, Cartier-Bresson began shooting film photos at a time when things were very different. There was no YouTube and very little published and he was probably guessing light readings initially. The point Monsieur Cartier-Bresson was making was that you need to get out there and practice. Practice helps hone your technical skills and allows your creativity to bubble to the top. In time you will handle the technical stuff without thinking and really be able to concentrate on the creative side. 

             “If I have any ‘message’ worth giving to a beginner it is that there are no shortcuts in photography.” - Edward Weston

So, is there a modern day shortcut here somewhere, is there a way I can improve my photography without blasting off 10k of shots? Some of the best photographers in the world start their bio’s with “so and so is self-taught…”. In reality they didn’t hide on an island somewhere reading up, they watched videos, they read and they asked other photographers questions.

My shortcut recommendation is to join a photo group. All groups are good but for learning photography but some are better. Find yourself a group that allows you to share images. Instagram groups are great but they often only share the best shot from an outing or event, you want a group where you can see what everyone else shot and identify things you missed. Seeing other people’s images taken of the same subject teaches you new ways and angles to look at things, it teaches you new styles and ways to be creative. Shooting with other people also gives you time to talk about photography and ask questions. 

I am a member of the Meetup group, Sydney Photo Fun that goes out shooting around my city and beyond every second week. At the end of each walk, we upload and share our best shots, we can all see and comment and collectively our skills grow. Other groups like photo clubs have regular competitions and portfolio reviews that will provide you with support and constructive criticism. The great thing is that you are being exposed to new subjects and engaging in both technical and creative skills. Even if you think you are the best photographer in the group you will still be learning each time.

Is this the best way to learn photography? I’m not sure but I have a lot of fun getting out there and I know that my photography has improved as a result.