Photography Tips: Try It & Learn Photography Faster PT1

5 top tips to learn photography faster based on questions I receive each week. Why not try things out and experience what happens, instead of waiting to be told?

It’s one thing to be told something - and quite another to experience it. Do you learn things better by being told about them, reading about them, watching them or DOING them for real?

OK you need some pointers to get you started and I’ve given you hundreds of free videos and a bunch of course you can buy with everything you need to get Rocking and rolling. But you have to take action and try things for yourself.

You have to practise and experiment.

Mike Browne

[petersagi]

Mike is the greatest motivational speaker of photography. Period.

[Ronin]

Great message Mike. It applies well beyond photography. Well done mate.

[Beta]

I love how this doesn't just apply to photography but any pursuits in general. Thank you for the awesome advice and reminders!!

[Kelkschiz]

I find that having a connection or better yet a passion for the objects you are photographing helps with staying motivated. Don't just shoot because you think you have to learn photography techniques. Instead go out to shoot something you enjoy shooting and learn photographing techniques while doing that. For me photography is a means to and end, not an end in itself. In case you are wondering: my goal is to share my passions with people and photography is one way to do that.

[BobEdwardsLiverpool]

"Shit where's the Elephant gone"... I can't stop laughing!

[AndykSuper]

the best and easiest to understand videos on YouTube. thank you Mike.

[waynebritton]

Great stuff Mike. Yes, photography is like life: it is taking the principles and applying them. After buying a DSLR about a year and a half ago, I hit the magazines, books and YouTube to learn all I could taking notes as I went, but it wasn't until I actually went out and 'had-a-go' that it all started to come together. It wasn't long before I no longer needed the spiral notebook and the principles were starting to become a 'second nature'. Yet there is always something new to learn and I have to say a big "Thank you" to you for all your helpful videos and advice.

[tectorama]

You are so right. My wife and I have just come back from a few days on the South Coast. We visited the Mary Rose and HMS Victory for the first time. They allow photography, but not with flash. Not a big problem as I rarely use flash.
It presented it's own problems, as neither locations are that well lit. I ramped up the ISO to above and beyond what I would normally use, and got some acceptable images using AV mode, and Manual mode. It was a matter of experimenting, if it didn't work try something else. I don't expect every picture to be an award winner, those who do can end up disappointed.

[MattisProbably]

I fully agree with you and that has been my approach from the very beginning. "Hey, what happens when I do THIS instead?" and I either liked the result or I didn't and then I went on from there :)

[scoobystu]

There’s so much good advice in this Video. Only last week i
spent an extremely windy day with my camera and did not have a single usable
shot to work with afterwards. But looking back i learnt so  much from it. What originally seemed like a
wasted day turned out to be the best days photography i’ve ever had. Thanks for
sharing your knowledge Mike.

[BladeRunner]

Couldnt agree with you more Mike.
When I first started I had so many questions, the same as you read out. Now I dont ask I try it and see.
I make mistakes and learn a lot more from them than I ever did getting an answer to a question I asked somebody at the club.

[stevestrickland]

Another thumbs up, Mike! I remember as a kid with my first 35mm camera back in the days of film. The urge to get it right was an issue. I had to finish the roll of 24 exposures, mail off the film, pay for the developing, and wait. Cameras were also completely manual. Now it's instant and free. Don't like it - take another shot! Need it quickly, set a priority. I experiment and keep the results in a Lightroom folder just to refer back to. I practice on anything that I can find, not for subject, but effect. I shoot the wife reading, the dog sleeping, etc. Then when a moment of truth presents itself, the elephant, I have half a chance at capturing it. Remember, luck favors the prepared! If you watch Mike's videos as I do, you will agree with his approach to "thinking through the image". It comes very quickly after practicing a little while. In my profession we train for muscle memory. Do it enough, it is instinctive. Photography is very similar.

Thanks again, Mike!

[aw]

Refreshing as always, Mike. You just held the mirror up to me. Thank you!

[EvulDali]

Another great video Mike! So refreshing to listen to stuff that is not settings crap.

[stevemartin]

I couldn't have put it better myself. I used to work in photographic dept in a Further Education college, & understand your every word. Thanks Mike.

[stoneman]

Good advise Mike....
I've got loads wrong...but learned from it... now I hope I get it right more than I get it wrong...

[CyberCatPhoto]

OMG, this is such a good video about photography. Apertures, shutter speeds, focal length are important tools, but the most important is the photographer themselves.

[ianwarner]

Mike Browne, you are a LEGEND, you are such an inspirational man/photographer, you have helped me with my photography more than you will ever know, I sure wish I could buy you a pint to say thank you .. Please keep up the great work that you do ..

[THEBAKER]

You hit it right on the nose in the beginning. I Was always looking for someone to ask all those questions. But the more I went out to shoot the more I realized that each situation is different. I'm not a professional but I get better by the day. I love people like you that put out videos to help us out. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[debramarvin]

Totally agree with you Mike about getting up and doing. Best thing I ever did when starting out in 2009 was to join a Daily Shoot group on Flickr. Each day we would get a different assignment such as " shoot a picture incorporating the golden rule" or "take a picture demonstrating a shallow DOF". It was great for a novice like me asI basically I knew nothing about photography and was struggling still with learning about my camera, but it forced me to do some self study and get out and shoot. I eventually became more nimble with my camera and really learned the elements of photography. We would post our photos each day which gave us an opportunity to see how others applied the assignment.
Really enjoy your videos, thanks for all your efforts. Deb in Austin Texas USA