How do you become a good photographer?

A camera has become a very common component in people’s lives these days. Almost every phone in the market now has a camera in it. There is also the DSLR camera out there for the avid photographer. With over 4.3 billion mobile users and plenty of DSLR camera users around the world, the number of photographers are aplenty. There is a great demand for good quality photographs and there has been a significant increase in the number of individuals who sell photos online. Here is what makes some photographers stand out amongst the rest:

1.Knowledge

Knowing your camera’s capabilities is key when clicking a photograph. Can your camera zoom far enough for the kind of photograph you are planning to click and also give you a good picture? Does it have the capabilities to shoot in different kinds of light? The pros are aware of the ins and outs of their cameras. They don’t use their mobile phones to click pictures because mobile phone cameras do not have all the capabilities some of the more advanced cameras do. The understanding of their equipment gives the good photographer the confidence to take a good photograph.

2. Connection

Good photographers develop a connection with the object they are taking a photo of. It is that connection that gives them the inspiration and motivation to click. Most amateur photographers shoot everything in sight. Flowers. Clouds. Animals. Many people just take photos of them because they think that’s what one’s supposed to do when one is holding a big camera and something ‘cool’ is in front of them. A good photographer pays attention to things ordinary people may take for granted, or worse, not even notice.

3. Emotion

The most important element of a photo is its ability to evoke emotion. That emotion could be curiosity, anger, sadness, happiness, etc. The connection that a photographer has made with the object in the picture is reflected in the photograph and that connection is what draws people to those images. A good photograph takes you to a particular moment in time, tells a story and connects with you on an emotional level. It could be technically terrible, poorly composed and horribly exposed, but if it causes an emotional response, it will be memorable picture.

4. Effort

A good photographer puts in the time, money and energy to get the kind of photograph he / she is looking for. Take for e.g. a wildlife photographer – He / she will travel for hours to get to the destination, sleep in a tent (afraid that some animal will come and eat him/her up), deal with mosquitoes, spiders, worms, etc., find a safe spot at a safe distance from the animals, wait for the moment to be right and then the photo is taken. This effort that is put in is visible in a good photograph. That effort is what brings the awe and admiration from others. People admire those who put in the effort, go through struggle and eventually emerge victorious.

5. Patience
‘Patience is power; with time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes silk’ is a famous Chinese proverb and it definitely applies to photography. Like with the example above, the wildlife photographer will have to wait for hours, days or even months to get the right shot. A solar eclipse doesn’t come often, but when it does, we sure do feel it was worth the wait. Patience is the difference between good and average.

Now, you have what it takes to become a good photographer. Click photographs for the experience it gives you and share them with the rest of the world by selling your photos online for free! Get off your chair, explore the world and capture those breath-taking moments with your camera!