8 Photography lessons I've learned in 8 years...

Here's a run down of 8 photography tips I've learned in the 8 years since I started taking photography seriously, I hope it helps :)

0:00 Intro
1:04 The results business
2:40 Where to find motivation
3:58 What is image quality?
5:01 Rules aren't rules
5:44 Chase lost causes
6:58 An audience of one
7:49 The right way to buy a camera
10:06 GAS
11:20 Sponsor message
12:30 Please Subscribe!

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MUSIC:

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[aapo]

Chasing lost causes: If you go out when no one else is going out, you take photos that no one else is taking.

[JohnDrummondPhoto]

Point 1 literally changed my life. I spent 39 years in a very successful government career. But I still considered myself a lapsed artist, though I'd taken up photography as a serious hobby a few years back. It was in May 2017 that I spent a week's vacation in sweltering heat and humidity, schlepping around the Williamsburg, Virginia area in search of woodland and wildlife images (and mostly failing). Yet, at the end, I realized that I could get up every morning and try, try it again. So when I got home, I contacted HR, ran up some retirement income estimates, and the numbers worked out favorably. I remember my boss' look of surprise when I told him I would soon be done. I haven't looked back since.

[arbee]

Finally a you tuber with a spine ... albeit a buggered one ... get better James

[matthewhamilton]

You are genuinely one of the best photography YouTubers.

[snapsbyfox]

The way I see it, good photos are a byproduct of enjoying the process and the craft. It's like money.... if you chase it like a madman you end up broke. If you find what you love and enjoy the highs and the lows, it will come without you even expecting it. Same with photos I feel. Even if I come back empty handed, I enjoyed being out with the camera and burned enough calories to get myself a pizza. win win... great video btw!

[antonoat]

Absolutely hit the nail on the head, shoot for yourself, unless you are being paid to photograph something how someone else want's it photographed!

[zacharybennett]

Crafting a photograph is a very different hobby than taking pictures: One is the mindset to project your vision and then having the patience and persistence to align yourself with those components, the other is stumbling across an interesting scene and thinking "I'd like to show someone this moment too."
It's a strange blend of intention and results.
I hope your bag's bellyband is as worn out as your back! Thanks for all the inspiration!

[nigelwest]

Regarding G.A.S I’m expecting my Canon RF 15-35 f2.8 on Monday 👍 my wife seems to be under the impression that this is the last lens I need 🤣🤣

[braddahjerry]

The audience of one portion - that is holds true, like that should be my mantra. I do get caught up with everybody else’s posts from time to time. And I start questioning why I don’t have that many likes like “this photographer”. I soon start to lose motivation and I have to remind myself that I have to take pictures that I like. This is an amazing video. Saving this on my playlist.

[AlbertoDsign]

About chasing lost causes: as an automotive photographer, one day was photographing an event but it started to pour like crazy so I got a car called to take me back to the hotel. Then I sudenly saw something that looked like a Lamborghini Miura out of the corner of my eye, so I almost shouted the driver to stop and leave me there, I even had to insist that I would take the risk of freezing. Long story short, I got to the parking and there was indeed not only a Miura, but lots of other supercars around and 5 minutes later it stopped raining so I got amazing pictures not only from there, but I could also go back to the event to find it deserted and the cars rearranged for perfect photo oportunities with the background colours really popping.

[SteveP_]

Even as someone who's only been taking photography seriously for 2.5 years I can whole-heartedly agree with all those 8 things James. I'm fighting GAS at the moment re. a new tripod head and a new lens! My 9th lesson would be to not under estimate the amount of advance planning that went into those 'Bangers' you enviously look at on a photographer's website. Yes there is a an element of luck with weather conditions or say an animal appearing in a landscape but it's in the last 6months or so that I've really started to make detailed plans with sun/moon positions etc after watching some vlogs on YouTube. Up until then I would just do general research before go to a fell or coastal location to shoot the scenery. Having had a bad back spasm last autumn just before going to the Lake District I sympathise and hope you feel better soon.

[Paul.McGhie]

The worst job thing is a great mental trick. If you never had a bad job you can always think about “would you really rather be indoors?” Because if so you could always shoot photos of house interiors for estate agents - it not quite as breathtaking as mountains though - unless the estate agent works in a mountainous area... I’m waffling now - good video James! Thanks for the tips!

[kirbyveracruz]

That book advice is so good. The argument I'm thinking about that advice is that you can do this with Instagram or any other social media site, but you'll then be on a slippery slope on aspiring to get likes or getting rave comments etc. With a book, you'll get the motivation minus the social media poison. Great advice!

[davidharle]

Sorry about your back. I can't do mountains anymore because of old age, but always enjoy accompanying you on your quest for the perfect picture, so get well soon! Your eight points are all good ones, especially the one about GAS! Having suffered from this for years, old age and general infirmity have confirmed that a small light camera that does almost everything with a built-in zoom lens is all I need. Now I can just concentrate on getting the picture which is, as you say, liberating!

[dukeofoven]

I've watched a ton of advice from umpteen sources on photography James, and that 10 minutes was the most valuable and concise of any of them. 8 years well spent I'd say.

[BruceMcGrath]

Hi James, going to share this with my daughter, who is not a photographer but a speech pathologist. To show her your setup, as she is starting client sessions on line with zoom. Trying to explain what she needs, to look professional (like you) A picture (video) tell a thousand words. Great piece to camera as always. Regards from down under 👍🏻🍷❤️🇦🇺

[davidphillips]

While I do not do this for money there is nothing I disagree with. What a wonderful set of lessons for those who are just starting out.

[mrmartygervais]

Hi
I like the 8 photography lessons. Two in particular caught my attention. The one about image quality is so true. I find sometimes paying attention to details like having more foreground in an image and making sure the picture isn’t cut in half by the horizon, and losing the reason why I was attracted to that particular point of view in the first place. This happened the other day. I was drawn to the light shimmering in the trees and then was trying to make sure I was paying attention to this fussy detail about making sure the picture was in the correct proportion. The light was important. That spring morning was important. The other aspect is the slippery slope of pleasing your audience. A very skilled and important Canadian author said “Beware your audience!” So true. The picture, and one’s own point of view, are what’s important. Alastair MacLeod, one of the best short story writers in the world, once said about writing that the writer’s “finger prints” are all over the work. In other words, the way we see the world, the way we interpret it, the way we acknowledge it, is personal … And that comes through in writing, in art, and in photography. So, a long-winded answer to you is this: You identified the way we should treat our photographs. They’re our vision. Thanks.

[ÁzsiábaSzakadtam]

You were talking about me, I guess. I've just purchased the Sony a7c after a long and exhausting online search for reviews, that obviously all had hyped its amazing features and some tangentially mentioned the counterintuitive menu system. I've got the thing and I'm sick of it coming from the Lumix G9. I just can't adjust ISO simply and have similar hurdles with everything. Bloody Panasonic came up with this GH5 II instead of what I've been waiting for, the GH6 for better low light performance and proper focus. Now I ended up with this monstrosity of user unfriendliness packed in a camera.

[stevieb]

Brilliant as always. I've been taking photographs for 50 years and probably couldn't come up with 8 more appropriate lessons (perhaps other than "you should be the judge of your own work" - don't necessarily listen to other critics). You'll find that, once you retire, the GAS goes