Invest in Yourself

“If you want to be truly successful invest in yourself to get the knowledge and experience you need to find your unique factor. When you find it focus on it, perservere on it and you success will blossom .”
― Sydney Madwed

As an amateur photographer with a thirst for information and knowledge I found myself joining several online groups where people more experienced than myself can pass on their wealth of knowledge onto myself and aid me on my journey. There are many online courses and schools that claim to teach us all we need to know I found that at The School of Photography since joining and taking part in the many challenges and accepting critique and advice from other members my photography has come a long way.

The School of Photography offers various online courses regarding to photography and several genre of photography including, Macro, Landscape, Fine Art and Long Exposure. If you are able to invest in your knowledge I can highly recommend the school of photography. Click HERE for more information

Social media platforms remain the goto place for inspiration and to show off your finest work, Facebook boasts hundreds if not thousands of photography groups and pages which promise the very best advice available. I have to take this time to tell you, it is not what it is promised, the thing to remember is that photography is a very subjective topic and most of what you will read are just other peoples opinions and being completely blunt, they don’t really matter. You should be focussing on what you like, what makes you smile and brings you the feeling of satisfaction. By all means read the critique and take out of it what you feel is relevant to what you want to achieve.

As a user of these groups I see the same old questions time and again, What is the best camera for a beginner? And Which lens should I buy for my camera? Theses questions can be really annoying as there is no answer, as a beginner d your homework, consider what kind of photography you like, consider your budget and make your own decision and then stick with it. When I say stick with it I mean be satisfied with your purchase, don’t fall into the trap of constantly wanting to upgrade or purchase more gear (Bare with me all will become clear). Now you have your beginner kit, learn your trade, study about the exposure triangle and learn composition techniques. Invest your time into editing techniques and developing your own personal style. Become 80% of the photographer you want to be and when you can sit down and know what kind of photographer you want to be and how to achieve your goals, then and only then should you consider investing in yourself and your abilities.

At this point armed with the knowledge of what you want to produce and how to produce it it is time to research what equipment will enable you to create in the most effective way and will improve your skill set. Of course you have to work to a budget but spend on the correct gear. As an example of mistake I made, I bought 4 different tripods each costing me in the region of seventy pounds each, as I have progressed I arrived at the conclusion I need a more solid tripod and to counter the weight of such a tripod carbon would be a good idea, that tripod cost three hundred and seventy five pounds, yes it seems a lot of money but this tripod provides me with a solid base for my camera it will not rust or corrode and it gives me the height I may need at any given moment. The decision I made was to invest in the best I could afford knowing it will last me a good 10 years. The same can be said for camera bodies, lenses and tripod heads.

Invest in yourself but do it wisely take your time research thoroughly and make the right decisions at the right time. Armed with the correct gear you will find the extra 80% to take you to the best that you can be.

Photography is like anything in life, there is much to learn and of course many purchases required to carry our this hobby effectively but trust in yourself, invest in you hobby and in yourself and you will become successful.

For more information on my gear list click here