Basics: How to get in to photography?
*In this article, we define photography as camera photography and exclude mobile phone photography. There is a small section on mobile phone photography below if you are deciding between taking pictures with your phone vs a stand-alone camera.
Getting into photography is a highly confusing task.
I know this because I was once super confused (I still am sometimes).
Recently, a few of my friends got into photography as well and they bombarded me with questions.
These are some questions (and sub-questions) that I often get and that I had when I first started:
Which camera should I buy?
Which model?
Should I buy one that requires interchangeable lenses? (those that you can remove from the body)
DSLR or mirrorless?
How much should I pay if I’m just starting?
Film or digital?
(If buying an interchangeable lens) What lens should I get?
Do I need a weather-resistant one?
Do I need a fixed prime lens or a zoom lens?
How do I achieve that blurred background with a lens? (hint: it’s called bokeh)
What focal length (e.g. 23mm, 35mm) should I get if I want to take scenery/close-up/portrait shots?
Why are lenses so expensive?
As you can see, just from the most basic photography equipment, there are so many questions!
And it’s great that you’re asking so many questions! After all, buying a camera is a pretty expensive purchase. Choosing a good one also means one that you will potentially use for years to come.
In this article, we will be trying to use as little jargon as possible. This guide is supposed to be for complete photography amateurs who know NOTHING about photography but want to get into it (for work or personal use).
I will write about more of my learnings in other articles but I hope this article helps you get off your feet and join the super cool and awesome world of photography.
Tip 1: Don’t overcomplicate things.
There are infinite options you can take when starting your photography journey. There are so many brands of cameras. Within each brand, there are many models and lenses. Then you have to decide amongst equipment such as SD cards, tripods, camera cases, etc. Within each category of equipment, there are countless models, sizes…
You get the hint.
There are just so many things to consider that it’s (in my opinion) almost impossible to make the perfect decision.
But to me, that’s okay.
I have friends who have been in photography for decades. Equipment that used to work for them no longer does. So, they end up buying new equipment that suits their current needs. For instance, a friend upgraded from a 3000USD set-up to a set-up of approximately 6000USD.
Does it mean that he made the wrong choice in the past?
Not at all.
He just transitioned from a hobbyist to a professional photographer, and thus needed better equipment.
And hey, one awesome thing about photography is that if you buy a reputable camera brand, the value pretty much does not decrease much (think brands like Leica, Fujifilm, Sony, Canon, etc). Certain models from reputable brands tend to not depreciate quickly, sometimes even increasing in value.
So then, how should you start?
Question 1: Do I want to buy a film or digital camera?
This is perhaps the first question every aspiring photographer needs to answer.
Jumping in real quick: Film cameras are classical style cameras that require loading of a physical film into the camera body. The rolls need to be developed once all films have been used up.
Film rolls depicted in the image above - image provided by Unsplash
Digital cameras, on the other hand, do not require these film rolls. They instead store images on a memory (SD usually) card which you can then transfer directly to a computer.
Another question may then arise “Why would anyone want to use a film camera since it’s so troublesome?”
There are many reasons but I’ll list a few below:
Vintage feel of the camera
Vintage look of the photos
Enthusiasts that enjoy the process of developing the photos
Either way, here are some pros and cons of digital vs film cameras, before choosing either option:
Ultimately, the choice is yours as to which type of photography you want to get in to. Some people have multiple cameras (multiple digital, multiple film, both film and digital) and bring each camera out depending on the intent of the shoot.
For example, I recently brought my film camera on an overseas trip, where I stayed in a remote part of Indonesia. The reason I did this was because there was limited electricity there and I did not want to risk not being able to take photographs because I did not have sufficient battery.
I would not take my film camera, however, out on a professional shoot as my main camera because I need to check if the photos I take are good on the spot and rectify them if they aren’t.
Question 2: “Why not just take pictures with my phone?”
There are a few main reasons for why you may or may not want to just stick with your phone.
I think the most compelling reason is aperture control.
We know we said we won’t use jargons so here’s a simple way to understand aperture: it’s basically how large or small the hole is in the lens (if you have ever seen a camera, think of the circle that widens and contracts as the photographer twists the lens).
So why is aperture so important?
Aperture allows you to create the blurred background effect (called bokeh) and is also one of the main controls of how much light enters the camera.
Latest models of iPhone and Samsung allow for a “blurred background” feature with modes like Portrait mode but these are still not as good and realistic as those taken with a proper camera (just my 2 cents).
Not having control of aperture also means that you have to sacrifice other controls (ISO and shutter speed - which we won’t go into detail in this article) to take good photos in low-light conditions (the basic concept being that sufficient light still has to enter somehow - and if it’s not Aperture, it’s either of the two others).
The implications of this is you may face blurry images when shooting fast moving objects OR your images may appear grainy in low light conditions.
There are reasons why phone photography may be better and I’ll cover this in more detail in another article. But the main reason I am FOR mobile phone photography is this:
Tip 2: Choose what’s most realistic and that will help you gain the most experience
What I mean by this is if you don’t foresee yourself taking out the camera (and you have to be realistic with yourself no matter how tempting), there’s really no point in buying a camera.
To put things into context, I don’t mean taking random selfies. What I mean is when you’re specifically in the act of engaging in photography (e.g. you’re on a photo walk or taking pictures for your portfolio or you want to take photos during your travels), you will want to choose the device that you will be using.
A quick story to illustrate this is that I once purchased a DSLR when I was 16 and ended up only using it for 5 days. If I had just relied on my phone, I may have taken more shots. But because I restricted photo-taking to a camera and I didn’t bring out my camera often, I hardly took any photos.
Sure, my phone at that time wasn’t capable of taking as nice of shots. But hey, beats not taking any photos for years.
Question 3: How much should I spend?
Of course, this is subjective to your needs and use case.
My different cameras for different use cases. Clockwise from the FM2 - Nikon FM2 (film camera), DJI Osmo Pocket 3, Olympus TG-7, Fujifilm XT3. More details explained below.
If you are planning to be a professional, investing in better equipment may be justified. But if you’re just a hobbyist, then you certainly may not need to be spending a load at the start.
In my opinion, answering this question should start with what are some specific use cases for the camera.
For instance, if the aim is to take photos of cars moving quickly, for example, F1 races, then you need a camera that can hit high shutter speeds. On the other hand, if the aim is to take photos that you eventually want to print, a camera that can capture a high megapixel count may be your main concern.
Therefore, start with the question “what is my use case?” followed by “what do I need for that use case?”.
P.S. We will be writing blogs about how to navigate this question in more technical details in future blogs.
But here is one way that you can go about choosing a camera after you have identified your main use case:
Let’s assume your use case is you want to take portrait photos.
What you can do is conduct a search on Google or Reddit or Youtube such as “Beginner cameras for portrait photography” or “Budget cameras for portrait photography” or “Best cameras for portrait photography”.
Usually, prompts like these will lead you to forums/blogs/videos regarding people’s recommendations. This is accounting for their personal usage of these cameras. We find this to be extremely helpful because they detail the pros and cons of each camera as well as provide tips from someone who has actually used those cameras.
From there, you can check out the cameras that they recommend and see if the price is something you can afford. Comparing 3-5 models/brands will also give you a good idea about what you may be compromising on, depending on your selection.
In my opinion, for someone without a fixed budget, this would be the way I went about choosing my gear.
Tip 3: How geeky will you get will also determine your choice.
Now that you know what your main use case is, you will most probably still come across a plethora of choices from different brands to different models within each brand and so on.
One way to eliminate choices is to ask yourself how technical you’re willing to get.
For some, they prefer a 0 hassle experience. What they want to do is to just take out their cameras, adjust as few settings and snap the photos.
For others like myself, they may find joy in exploring the intricacies of the camera dials and settings.
If you’re part of the former group, your choices ironically don’t diminish as much. You have way more options because, for example, you can just set your settings to Automatic (for newer cameras) and shoot away.
This, however, doesn’t mean that you should be choosing any camera.
The Automatic function is still limited by the camera’s maximum and minimum constraints of each setting (Aperture, ISO and shutter speed). For example, even if you choose a camera that has the lowest Aperture setting as F/2, and set it to Automatic, the camera will still be only available to reach at maximum an F/2 Aperture.
Some cameras also make it super easy for photographers. This may include cameras with fixed lenses (e.g. the Fujifilm x100v or x100vi models) which do not have an interchangeable lens system. This means that you don’t have to worry about which lens to buy but with the drawback of being limited by the focal length (in layman terms, you can’t zoom or switch out the lenses).
An example of a camera with an interchangeable lens.
Picture by Unsplash.
If you want to be technical and geeky on the other hand, you will eliminate more choices. For instance, maybe I don’t have a use case in particular for my camera but want a camera that is versatile. Here, you may need a camera that has a removable lens system. This allows you the flexibility to change out lenses based on what you are using it for on that particular day.
So, you will likely eliminate point-and-shoot cameras as well as cameras that don’t allow you to play around with different settings and dials.
Question 4: Can you just give me recommendations? I’m still too confused by all the choices I have to make!
Alright. I get it actually. I think most people are unnerved by the massive amounts of information and it is a steep learning curve.
So, here is what I personally chose when I started getting in to photography and why I chose them. You may choose to copy me but I hope you take the time to read the above as well as to learn more along the way!
I have 4 cameras now but my first camera was the Fujifilm XT3 (pictured above).
I chose this camera for these reasons:
It was pretty affordable in the second-hand market. I purchased this with a 35mm F1.4 lens for about 1400 USD. I still use it today, after more than 2 years and it works perfectly.
It suited my needs - I was then a hobbyist photographer so did not need any particular qualities except for it being a basic camera that could teach me more about photography (it wasn’t a point-and-shoot). It also had cool features such as the tiltable screens which allow for catching photos at different angles.
Reliability and durability: Fujifilm also tends to produce great quality cameras that last for long periods of time. I felt it was value for money.
Recommendations and reviews: XT3 is still pretty popular on Reddit and YouTube. It’s one of the cameras that packs a good punch, especially for how long it has been on the market. Finding a camera with good reviews after user testing is important to me. Lastly, a friend of mine used an XT5, the newest generation of that line and it felt great.
Look and feel: Subjective for sure but it felt nice to use in my hands. I also like the look and feel of photographs captured through Fujifilm cameras. You can use Tumbler or Instagram to get a sense of this.
I have 3 lenses that I alternate for this camera, depending on the shoot.
Sigma 56mm f1.4 - taking portrait and standalone shots. If I want a nice bokeh, I find this to be great
Fuji 35mm f1.4 - street photography, general use
Viltrox 16mm f1.8 - Taking wide angle landscape photos
My other cameras are bought for specific purposes (remember the use-case concept):
DJI Osmo Pocket 3: I use this to capture videos. The in-built gimbal (the mechanism that reduces shakiness in videos) is unmatched. Great video quality too.
Nikon FM2A: This is a film camera. As mentioned above, one reason I used this was because there was a lack of electricity in the area I was visiting. Having a film camera that relies on batteries was much easier to manage. Film has also become a novelty and frankly a great teacher on how to manage the settings on your camera (as you can’t view what they look like instantaneously, so you need to be very careful and intentional).
Olympus TG7: This is more for macro photography (think very small stuff). I use this for diving as it is not too expensive (say compared to buying a dive case for my XT3).
Nonetheless, I still use my Fujifilm XT3 the most. It has proven to be the most versatile, reliable, and durable for me. I also still enjoy the look and feel but may not use it for all kinds of shoots.
For instance, while I do think Fujifilm takes great portrait shots, I do think Sony cameras capture more real-like photos while Fujifilm photos look softer (though, it’s completely personal preference). Therefore, I may be more comfortable with using a Sony or Canon for professional shoots such as wedding or professional portrait ones. The caveat again is that this depends on what style the client is going for - which we also ask for during our initial consults.
Zabu, our other photographer uses his X100vi during fun shoots. I believe he bought this for its convenience, look, and ease of use. The X100vi does not have an interchangeable lens so you don’t have to think so much about which lens to buy. This of course means that you won’t be able to capture super wide angle or super tight shots. But it’s a camera that you can bring around easily and capture many shots on the go.
Another friend of mine bought the XT30ii after doing her own research and seeking my recommendations. She fell in love with the Fujifilm aesthetic after wanting to get into photography (she also wanted to learn more about the dial settings and how to take photos past point-and-shoot). Her main rationale for buying the XT30ii was mainly budget as they generally go for cheaper than the XT1 to XT5 series, all things considered. It is also cheaper than the X100V and X100vii which are crazy expensive as of this writing due to the hype.
Yet another group of 2 friends have stuck with Sony. And I see the appeal. Their photos appear sharper and more life-like. You should sample photos from Tumbler to get a sense of what I mean. The cameras seem reliable as well.
Again, it is up to personal preference when choosing which camera to buy. Do some research (including our subsequent blogs), watch YouTube videos, and scour Reddit. It’s an investment that is well worth the money and will last a long time.
***Special mentions to the brands Ricoh (ease of use and look of photos) and Leica (very unique look of photos) cameras. I have never used them before but have heard amazing things about them. I hope to one day try them but till then, I’ll only look at them with envy.
Tip 3: Contact us if you want some recommendations
I’ll be happy to help you out if you need some recommendations. Just drop us an email at markusandzabu@therestive.com with your intended use and rough budget.
Photography can be a challenge and if you’re a business owner, you may want to consider skipping all that and focusing on your core business. Leave the shooting to us (therestive.com). We will work with you to make sure you get the media (photos, videos, blogs) you want without you having to climb the steep learning curve or purchasing fancy equipment.
