@@treefallleaves6711 I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. I take photos strictly for my pleasure as a hobbyist. However, if I was a professional amd the client wanted a different "vision" than mine, then yes I would attempt to make the photo to the client's liking. Fortunately as a hobbyist I don't have that problem.
Biggest thing I've learned is "don't be afraid of the ISO". I never wanted to crank up the ISO to avoid grains and missed a lot of shots. Until one day another photographer said to me "why don't you shoot at 6400?" It was a big duh moment for me. I've never again missed a shot for the fear of the grain...
My first rule is to always take photos for yourself, that you enjoy. Not falling in the trap of the trends sometimes can be hard but that's my number one rule, I have to be the one who enjoys my photos the most. Second one is to be relentlessly critic towards your photos
I honestly shoot for me, the excitement the thrill I get when I see that killer shot on the back of my Nikon d3500 my heart starts racing like oh my gosh I have really done it I have really nailed perfection in my eyes all of that advice I have been given from my the people I watch on RUclips has paid off. I also shoot because I have a mom with Dementia I have seen that she no longer can remember things aside from things long ago so I am on a mission to take as many stories as I can through my photography so that one day if I do happen to be like my mom at least I will have photos of my family, the moon the stars the sun and the many adventures I have been on to look at one day and say I was the one who took this picture, I did this, kind of a walk through life. Thank you James Popsys for all of your brilliant advice and helping become a better photographer.
What I wish someone told me when I started was to take more photos of things that matter most- your family and friends. I was so obsessed with capturing beautiful landscapes that I failed to take a quality image of the things most important to me. They deserve more than an iPhone shot of them.
Great tip! I have a moderately large box of film photo prints that I took from 2000-2005 that I don't even enjoy looking at. I was trying to learn to be a good photographer and didn't spend enough time capturing my family and friends. My box of prints is rather boring to look at now.
That's the most difficult though. I really want to "capture the moment" but at the same time be a part of whatever is happening and whenever I start taking photos I feel like I am stepping away from the scene a little bit by being distracted with the camera
I'm a newbie. I shot everything at f1.8 for a really long time, almost did not want to compromise the bokeh or the light at all. Then I was trying to shoot birds and it never really turned out well, and I got the advice from some youtube video that "I prefer f4 for shooting birds." , and wouldn't you know it that was a hell of a lot better than f1.8. Also I wanted to shoot landscapes and sunsets and stuff, did not have a tripod, kind of put it off thinking I could just get some more glass and then get a tripod. Now it would have saved me a lot of headache if I had just gotten the damn tripod from the start because it turns out that a sunset at f1.8 is not all that nice. :D So get a tripod, when you need it you need it. I used to place my camera wherever it would be still, like on a rock or a tree stump.
I would add that to not only look up, but look behind (might be a bear following you), it's an entirely different scene usually. Took me over 5years to be familiar with my camera. Good points all around James.
Thank you for another great video. What I have come to realise is that you don't necessarily need to be photographing a huge vista, say like the Grand Canyon at sunrise on a perfect day, to create a "good" photograph. My screen saver is closeup of a patch of bright orange rust on the side of an old, weathered, blue shipping container. I like the colours, and it says something to me about not needing everything in life to be shiny and modern. But others maybe wouldn't see why I had even bothered to take the picture in the first place. That's fine. The photo works for me, and that's all that counts.
I'm not even a landscape photog and I still make sure to check out each of your new videos. Great tips and it doesn't hurt that you are slightly looney. Great video!
One thing I learnt after a little while doing photography was that there's no need to rush out and buy an expensive lense, as a kit lense will do when starting off.
@@JamesPopsysPhoto love your humour, you and Gavin (Fototripper) are my favourite RUclipsrs. Don't tell Nigel I said that as he's another one I like watching for photography ideas.
The thing I wish I realised sooner is the "joy" of getting lost in the moment of getting a great shot. What I mean is that for the longest time I just saw the camera as a device that took photos. While that is technically true, at some point years after I bought my first camera I realized that the experience of looking through that viewfinder and finding the best spot and the best angle is one of the key aspects. Just getting imersed in the experience of nature or the city or whatever it is and just taking in the atmosphere, breathing it. I guess it sounds cheesy as hell but I really find that if im not in the mood to getting down in the mud and looking at the world from other perspectives than my pics just wont be any good. It may not be true for others but I really wish that i had found the feeling of immersion sooner. Thanks for awesome videos! For a newb photgrapher they give super good contrast to the more technical and mathy channels. Peace!!!
Someone (was it a biologist?) once tolde me that you only really learn to look at things by drawing them. I guess taking pictures of them is the next best thing. But I do recognize your point. I tend to remember the parts of my hollidays where I used my camera more than the bits where I just wandered about. I guess there is a difference between seeing something and actively looking at something.
@@MichaelSchagen Yeah totally. Just being in the moment, Not actually thinking of taking photos but rather seing the world and just trying to find a new perspective.
"Back in the day" when I first started, having a camera with me to take photo's wherever I went meant lugging a film SLR around, with extra film and perhaps a different lens. It wasn't easy and certainly wasn't convenient. Challenging situations (ie low light) often led to wasted film and wasted money. It meant that over the years, I failed to record a lot of experiences, and images of people no longer with us that I wish I had some visible image of, to remind me and others of times past. My Olympus Tough (other cameras are available) changed that. Smartphones with 'clever' cameras mean we all miss fewer opportunities to record 'our own' story. Even so, my Olympus is much faster off the mark than any phone. Modern digital system cameras bring us inexpensive, good quality images, with fast/accurate focussing. Mirrorless provides this with compactness as well. I've owned a number of Lumix cameras, and regret not buying the perfect pocket camera: the GX8, when it was available. 'Back in the day' my then girlfriend would often chide me for not having my camera with me, when I got frustrated at missing an interesting photo opportunity. "A good photographer always carries their camera." I don't know that's absolutely true, but certainly in 2019, it's significantly easier to record our stories than it was 30 years ago. Of course not everyone wants to record their story, or record for posterity their experiences or sights that excite. For those of us who do, having the tool with us at all times to enable that *should be* as obvious as leaving home with a house key, car key, phone, money.
Happened to me today. It was raining and driving to a mates. The sky suddenly opened up to 1/3 pure dark, 1/3 all bubbly clouds and the last 1/3 crisp blue sky. Then the rain came again. Then we had this obscene yellow/orange sunset over the houses and behind me the most insane (and close/small) rainbow. Never saw skies quite like that here. I got hit hard for three crazy photo opportunities in the space of an hour, all because I left my camera at home...
Bang out the money James. One of the biggest reasons I follow your channel is your telling people what you think with an open and honest approach. Your opinion is what I'm after. Not to mention your skills and experience. You always give me something to think about. There are very good reason why photography is considered an art.
Hi James. . .New subscriber here, but I'm an older photographer. I am pleasantly surprised with your approach to photography! I have become so tired of the obsession of so many "RUclipsrs" with gear comparisons. I love your intelligent approach to that topic in particular. And I absolutely love that you took the time to talk about the images we create as opposed to just discussing what "tool" was used to create it. I've never had someone compliment one of my images and say for example, "I really like that one, but if you didn't shoot it with a full-frame camera with 45 megapixels, the best eye-tracking autofocus in its class, 2 card slots and is also mirrorless, then I'm not going to like it anymore." All they have cared about is that the image pleased or touched them in some way. And you are so right about megapixels. Now I'm not against resolution and sharpness, I just find "pixel-peeping" sharpness comparisons annoying and given way too much importance. Well done video with very wise comments!
Well done... And number 2 is exactly right... Photography is art, it's subjective, it's an opinion. What some people hate, some will love... Never let others determine how YOU feel about your work.
@@Foodgeek Sometimes you cannot afford to buy something cheap. The cheapo stuff never lasts as long as the more expensive ones. So I always go for decent quality second hand gear. Starting out, I bought a cheap tripod. The tripod head was a bastard to level off and keep steady and the cheapo plastic bits disintegrated. I had to save up to buy another one. Not good as I lost the photo opportunities when the cheap shit fell to pieces.
I wish that I knew manual lens and manual focus earlier in my photography. I appreciate the subject in front of me more by spending more time on the focusing.
I also prefer manual, aperture priority or shutter priority. way more immersive than anything automatic.
5 лет назад+2
I started life out in music. In my early 20s I studied contemporary classical. My teacher, Lockrem Johnson, changed my life when he said to me, "We study the classics, theory, so we understand breaking the rules and making the connection between emulating someone else or a style and turn to our own personal voice and make it our own." Composition is composition, I think it true to any artistic endeavor. Nice points and well shared. Thanks! I enjoyed this post!
One thing that I would like to know earlier is how much lenses weigh... I would buy my camera much earlier and I wouldn't even consider full-frame camera for amateur travel photography. Your micro 4/3 enthusiasm was one of things that convinced me that you dont need ff camera for great picutres! :)
I enjoyed the video tremendously. I do a lot wildlife and sports photography and two things you mentioned really resonated with me: 1.-Get to know your gear. I learned that the hard way. I missed so many shots trying to make adjustments, fiddling around with dials and searching things in the many menus. 2.- Photography is a process, it shouldn't matter if you come home with a great photo or not. Enjoy the time spend in the field. And there's something that is perhaps more important in wildlife photography, but getting to know as much as possible about the bird or animal you want to photograph is tremendously useful. Spending more time learning about your gear and your subject will yield better results then researching the latest gear or trend... Thanks for keeping the conversation going. Cheers
I'm so happy I didn't fall into the trap of 'always shooting on manual'. There's a reason we have priority modes :D Well, now that I think about it, the first pictures I ever took on a SLR (and not a fixed lens kodak) only had manual, and we developed the negatives and prints ourselves (this was in 8th grade), so I guess that was all manual, but there was no choice either :D
One thing I've really come to love about photography is the disconnect from everything. It gives me something to look forward to on weekends, and I keep telling myself I need to figure out how to pull it into my week as well. It's just been so relaxing.
You've hit the proverbial 'nail on the head'. I'm not a photographer but what you said in this video absolutely makes total sense. My first paid filming gig was using a Canon HV20 - a quality camera at the time but not a pro camera by any means, (couldn't afford better camera at the time). However that gig lead onto another filming job because even though I didn't have budget for a better camera, I knew how to get the best from what I had. As you say it often comes down to how you use a camera rather than the actual camera itself.
The one thing I wish I knew 10 years ago is, to look for a composition before you take a picture. I was photographing a subject and didn't care about anything else within the frame.
In the days of film I took a whole film of a buzzard I had reared back to health, first on my arm and then during its release, without actually putting a film in the camera. THANK GOD FOR DIGITAL! Thanks for filming this in a lovely location. I really enjoyed this video. By the way, the quality of this video, sharpness etc., is a great advert for the camera you were using. When you were chatting to camera in the woodland you could see every individual plant in your surroundings in great detail. Well done Lumix.
Really enjoyed this weeks video James. Not sure if anyone has ever mentioned the down tempo/chill hop tracks you use but they not only sound good they suit your videos as well. As a photography beginner myself the biggest learning curve I have had is planning trips out to recon areas in advance and trying not to get frustrated if I don’t actually get a shot I’m happy with. Also I really need a head torch...
I think this is possibly my favourite video of your James. What really resonated with me was when you tipped that equipment is personal. I've bought a couple of cameras (okay 3) that were well reviewed, that pixel-peeped very well, and that had a good reputation. (Nikon D90, D5100 & Olympus M5ii) but I just didn't like them. And I've "upgraded" and sold a camera I loved (Panasonic G2) for a camera it turned out I wasn't so keen on. And when I did "upgrade" from the G2 to the G6, I found things had been changed, and I had to relearn the camera. So if you have a camera you like and gives you good results, don't fall into the upgrade trap. One thing you didn't mention that I have found, is that you will likely find you have a favourite lens. The more you use it, the better you'll get with it, and the more you'll love it. So I suppose the TLDR of this post is treat your gear like a marriage: Stick with it. More often than not, there's almost no point in upgrading your camera for what can be marginal gains. (1080 to 4k and significantly faster & more accurate autofocus are worthwhile upgrades, IMO.)
Late to this one but...yeah that last one, for sure. Wandering around and feeling a failure for not getting anything. Silly waste of energy, just enjoy the time out. Spot on.
Thank you for telling People that they need super high mp cameras to make Great pictures at Big sizes. You made me buy the G9, and couldnt be happier. And by the way Great video!
I definitely hear you on the learning your camera part. I've found it's a lot easier to hit the right buttons on my G85 if you pick up how to press the button for ISO through muscle memory instead of having to duck one's head down and scan across all the buttons...
Thank you James, I have been a bit preoccupied and missed your videos for a while. I found this really helpful and it reminded me of why I love your channel. Thanks again James, much appreciated. Dave
James your videos are brilliant, and very inspiring... I just like that you encourage us all to develop our own styles and reasons for doing photography. And you have a sense of humour about it all. Many thanks for another great video.... Must get outside with my G9 now and off the computer!
James, enjoy your style and quality information. I haven’t followed you for very long, but have noticed that you make and deliver wonderful commentary, but don’t take or explain how you take the beautiful photos that you show to us. I would love to have you show us how you determine what a great photo is and the process you use to take the photo. Thank you again for your wonderful insight into photography. Randy
Nice one :) I only discovered using back-button focus with continuous AF about two years ago, having had a camera that was capable of it for a lot longer than that... It's made my focussing much quicker and more accurate in wildlife photography = fewer missed shots!
Hi James, excellent video with great advice to photography in general. Have to say most of my learning in Photography has been through personal trial and error 'and not believing all that you read or hear about!
Good thoughts James... You’re correct on opinion. And as the old saying goes “everybody’s got one”. It may align with your thoughts or be 180° out... For myself I’m never sure what I’m looking for until I see it, thus a lot of looking. Sometimes it works on the iPhone, sometimes it’s the “real” camera.
I totally agree that the difference between a good photograph and a great one is indeed a story. If a photo doesn’t it get’s boring like the ones you can buy at Ikea or so. It took me quite a while to learn how to view and critique my own images to impove my skills only to find out that they did not matter in the end. I kept making better boring photos. Now I am in the process of learning how to make interesting photos where rules, perfect lighting and composition are way less important.
Always carry a notebook when taking portraits - taking an e-mail address means your subject's memory can be sent to them and with them forever, rather than lost in a memory card file on a computer they'll never touch or have access to. If I want landscape inspiration, I lokk to you. If its architecture and street photography, there's nobody better (for my level) than Joe Allam @ Jelly Journeys. Another great video from a wicked location. Thanks.
"gear doesn't matter" was hard to get past. I am now comfortable with my 80D next to much better cameras and know that I understand composition and story and that the sensor is secondary. Thanks James.
James - I’ll try to keep this short. I really like your videos - especially this one. One of your eight tips was the best camera is the one that works for you. I’m a hobbyist and as I got deeper into photography after retirement, I bought a Sony a7RII, shortly after it was released. I loved it and bought G-Master lenses to go with it. I like to take photos while traveling, which meant I lugged the camera, gear and lenses in baggage over and above my normal baggage. On sightseeing walks and hikes, I pair it down a bit, but still lugged a camera and gear. I came upon a realization. I’m probably never going to be a renowned photographer. The way things are, I’m the one who enjoys my photos more than anyone else. So I switched to a Sony RX10 IV. At first, when I’d go to a photo class, I’d almost feel embarrassed when looking at the cameras everyone else were using. Then I realized how the RX10 perfectly fits my needs and is much more the camera that matches my ability. I don’t care what people think any more. I love the fact you touched on that as one of your eight tips. Thanks, man.
Thanks James. Your opinions are great for me 👍 nice to have an English photographer not obsessed with tripods and prefect perfect composition and would rather get The picture. Much more my style 😎
I mistakenly made it my goal to shoot my Nikon D750 at ISO 100 even during sunsets and low light, often sacrificing exposure for aperture at the wrong times. I also shot big landscape shots at F4 or F5.6, wrongfully afraid to go to F8, F11, etc. Thirdly, I bought prime lenses knowing I'm a zoom shooter, but trusting the "pros" knew what was best for me. I also cared more about "wide open" quality than I did realistic aperture for the scene. I now nearly never shoot wide open, especially on portraits, unless on a zoom at 2.8 above 70mm. So many errors from listening to others instead of really learning. Learned by mistakes more than by listening to others. James, your videos are awesome. I still shoot FF, but want to move back to m43. Only reason I haven't is the investment cost to start over and sell existing gear. I've learned I'll carry it with me more often if smaller/lighter, so I can just throw it in a bag and forget about it until needed. My D750 is heavy and doesn't just disappear in a bag. Keep putting out great videos James. They're awesome! And your humor is highly appreciated.
Nice video as usual James. I live in Gower, Wales and over time came to love using a telephoto lens to make interesting/abstract colour/shape/flow photos rather than wide angle compositionally 'correct' vistas - but maybe that's because I'm not very good at composition :) Either way it's what I enjoy doing now and find it creative/satisfying to find simplicity in the landscape.
Absolutely awesome set of tips James - love how down-to-earth you are! I think I'd add that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of your work, although at the time same time, it's good to learn how to take criticism and use that to improve your photographs. Also there's no such thing as perfect when it comes to photography - which kind of ties in with your points you made but it drives me nuts that people get hung up on "perfect exposure" and all the rest of it when, actually, those things don't matter as much as the story and the emotion behind the shot.
Hey bud. Not a photographer but watch all your videos. I always find them really interesting, entertaining and awe inspiring at times so just wanted to leave a comment for a change to show my appreciation and support.
great advice dude, really enjoy your style and sense of humor. As for things I wish i learned earlier is go out and shoot and have fun making mistakes, that's the way you learn, so the next time you are out you can make it better, I still make a lot of mistakes, and true it's a bummer but it's part of growing too. Cheers mate!!
I am only photographing for over a month but i used to enjoy photography 15 years ago. One thing I wish I had known early is that now is such an exciting time for doing it, because of the technology available for a cheap (canon rebel t100) price and internet environment. I used to make shots with film, process them, scan, photoshop and post on photolog of something. Now I make a nice shot, turn wifi on, download on the phone, treat the image on lightroom mobile and post on my favorite social network. in minutes, instead of days. Also enjoying the fact that I'm older and have a more mature aestetic sense.
OMG the comment about knowing your camera and your gear is so very important. I was shooting a wedding this summer, and the people at the wedding had a little table setup with a Fujifilm Instax mini on it so people could joke around an take silly photos. most of the time at a wedding yea want nice crisp frozen action shots being well lit an composed. but with these little Polaroids you wanted to capture some motion. I had a perfect moment with the groom, he just took a pic, I changed the settings really fast and bam got a perfect photo with him waving the photo with just a little blur so you understand what hes doing. Freezing the action in that moment would be awkward looking. knowing how to adjust your settings on the fly is incredibly important.
Your naturally comic style and timing are funny and refreshing. Love the way you use these natural gifts to occupy and own a distinct place in what in many respects is a crowded photography-videos-RUclips marketplace. Of course, given the time you spend outdoors creating your videos, you may not have noticed how crowded it is. Thanks for sharing your particular perspectives. The two that feel the most pivotal for me - because they shift my mindset and approach to how I think about and take a photo - can be summed up in 2 questions. 1) Is my photo “of” something or “about” something? 2) What question(s) does my photo ask or spark? These questions have staying power in my quest to become a much better amateur (since mastery may not be in the cards) travel photographer. Now the trick is for me to remember these questions while I’m learning my camera and practicing how to use its manual settings, Wish me luck. Many thanks, Sylvia
I really appreciate your channel. You have a refreshing way of looking at photography, composition & gear. You’ve inspired me to love the gear I’ve got & not get sucked into Gear Acquisition Syndrome. If it doesn’t make your photos better, you probably don’t need it. What matters is getting pics on the card. I do have a question for you...your compositions often include man made subjects like cars, trucks, houses, etc. prominently in the foreground. Do you find this affects the marketability of your images?
I have been a professional photographer for 30 years... The most important thing I learned is to not be to serious. Enjoy Life and Enjoy your photography, hobby or profession... If you aren't enjoying it - it will show in your work and your life.
My tip is to actually print some of your photos. Display them, if possible, where others can see them. I used to put up pictures in my cubicle at work and I would change them every month or so. I gave a few away to people really liked a particular picture. That was satisfying.
Something I wish I found sooner? This channel. So far only 4-5 months in on my photography journey but having found this channel about two months ago, it has been absolutely instrumental in my inspirations, along with some proper banger advice and tips - not all technical, mostly philosophical actually hahaha. Starting to realise a large part of photography is philosophy in the end of the day and I cant think of a single reason I'd stop watching this channel. Unless the analogies get worse that is. Jokes, make them worse, they're better that way *edit* said "absolutely" twice in one sentence. Unacceptable. Changed one to "proper" innit blud.
I totally agree with tip #1, I'm living in the Alps and my view is more often than not on the ground. And ignoring the most amazing views around me. As for stories, my photos are like a blank book....yes totally void of a story, clearly something I need to work on.
Thing number 8 (as you noted about the mountain that "one day" will make a great photo: make notes (mental or written) as you go around of scenes that might make a good image in different light or other circumstances. Then, when those circumstances arrive, go back and get that image.
4 года назад
Not even watched more than 5 minutes and I can already thumb up. Thanks for your videos and advices, James. I'll watch the rest of this video tomorrow 'cause it's late...
Nice video!, most of it I have already learned it (7 years with the photography as a hobby makes you learn it in the hard way xD) a thing that I have recently noticed was that underexposure is better than overexposure, as you can recover a very dark area but not a "burned" area. And I could not agree more with the "know your camera" mine is a fuji camera, most of the control is outside menus, but sometimes it still gives me a hard time searching for the menu that I am looking for (I have it since a couple years, but I don't go out very often to take photos)
A while ago, I purchased one of your beautiful prints with the Jacobite train in it (+ that beautiful landscape). I then commented on one of your videos, how I would hang the print at some beautiful spot on the wall, once my girlfriend and I would finally be able to live together (I purchased it partly for myself, as I love landscape scenes, photography - and all of your work, and partly for her, as she loves everything related to Harry Potter). It took quite some time, because of financial and practical issues, but we eventually managed to find ourselves our very first apartment to rent. We will be moving there in a month or two. So, while my patience has been tested quite a lot up until now, I (and, I definitely bet, she as well), will finally be able to admire your stunning print basically every single day. :)
I love how you told us not to follow the trends while shooting at a high f-stop. Leading by example! I would love to hear your thoughts on micro 4/3 vs full frame. I still don't quite understand that craze. BTW I am more into video than photo
I wish I had known earlier that most of the money I'd spent on gear would be wasted because mirrorless cameras would eventually be made and I'd love them.
I agree about the story. I still struggle to understand the crazy "like" counts on some of the NatGeo pictures on Insta, but then it probably all goes back to the story. Love this channel. Hard to find authentic content when the owner is not asking to "smash" the like button. You have to have an innate desire to do it. Go Lumix.
Some good wisdom here. It backs up my belief that photography can't be taught, and can only be discovered. A lesson which I learned too late was that I went to digital too soon. Well, it doesn't matter now, so I can't exactly make up for it. But like most people I got seduced. If there is such a thing as an afterlife, maybe I can take that lesson with me. Hey hey!
Another great video James. You know every now an then you wonder why you follow someone on RUclips? Well this video sums up why I follow you. Good sound advice. Many other photographers give you a “You must do this” or “You must do that” I find it refreshing that you give us your experience but, not preaching and a sort of “you need to find your own way” sort of advice. BTW I would just say Tip 1 Look behind as well as up. When out looking for a composition it is just as likely to be behind as in front (or above). Tip 2 following your own way and feeling good about the outcome is more satisfying that trying to please others? And tip 7, you are in Wales of course it is going to rain (I am Welsh so I can say that). One more thing, I would just say “print your photos big” there is little more satisfying for an amateur photographer that seeing your photo on the wall, unless perhaps someone saying, that’s a great photograph. Looking forward to next week.
Damn! Missed all of your episode. I couldn't see it because I was looking up. Looking forward to the "Story of the lone Duck on a reflective lake" composition. Sarcasm is under-rated. On a serious note 🎶 thank you, your advice has helped me rethink my own approach to starting a vlog series, I spent many a wasted day filming and trying to be something other than just myself. Missing seeing sheep on your episodes, have they all blown away? Oh finally, so I can plug your channel, any chance you could pronounce your surname for me. I'd hate to assume and then mess it up (or accidentally order a starter from a Greek restaurant).
Very good list of tips. Regarding some of the leading and most highly grossing photographers, in fashion for example most of the top ones even do not have a structured portfolio online or a proper website (only their agents landing page). Best people to follow on RUclips and other social media are either very dedicated amateurs or “rising” professionals like yourself who still can get a meaningful impact on their business, marketing wise as well as financially, from being online and having followers. The people to avoid by all means are the n’100’k or even >1M social influencers and marketers here. Only gear promotion and common knowledge dressed up as helpful insights. Thank you again and all the best!
I started taking pictures with a cell phone 10 years ago and loved it. It took me about 10 years to finally buy a DSLR. I wish I'd known earlier that it's worth it to spend money on something you love to do.
Great tips James 😃 Think for me like many others it’s not to spend loads of money on expensive gear when you start and if you think you need a new lens but your unsure what focal length than you probably don’t need a new lens yet. If you take enough photos you will start to realise what focal lengths you need 👍
Finding myself who was interested in photography earlier. I visited so many places without a camera because I believed “seeing things with naked eyes” was better. Still true but now I depend on all the memories, my memories are not getting better!!
I wish that someone had helped me understand the different types of photography (landscape, events, macro, street, portrait, product, real estate, wildlife, sports, etc) and help me zoom in on what is relevant for me as a hobby shooter. I found the entire photography universe immensely overwhelming and it took ages before I could see some structure in the types of photography. Also, the concepts aperture and depth of field, and the relationship towards focal plane and lens speed took some time to sink in (Mike Browns videos helped a lot).
@New2Photography Consider the journey as the fun part and the many rejections of one's best after mastering photography as the reward. Hence many disliked Instagram. 😊 Photography is relatively easy but getting someone to like our BS (or story in photographic term) is the difficult part, think Instagram again.
James, I'll tell you why the world's best photographers don't share their knowledge. It's because they know that a big part of their success is luck. Luck that their style happens to be appreciated. Appreciated by the people who make decisions within big business. Their approach is no different to any other photographers.. preparation and then let the creative juices flow, have faith in one's own ability.
I think your last tip is what all your tips are about. The process that you go through as you photograph more. The longer you take pictures, the more you learn about your camera, what you (should) look at, how an interesting photo is created and all other aspects that are part of photography. I think the best tip is: Just do it! ......and watch RUclips videos (from James ;-)).
I fully agree, and I agree with your point about watching RUclips videos ... you can learn a lot, so long as you keep an open and independent mind, which James essentially advocates in his earlier points.
I’m sitting here watching (well I was before this one) a comparison between the canon 85mm 1.2 and the £2100 differently priced f2 trying to convince myself that I don’t need the £2700 f1.2. I might add, I have NO money to speak of. My point being, I wished I just bought what I need and not loads of stuff that I don’t. Just to blow some sunshine your way, excellent videos, only found your channel recently and am well enjoying them. Cheers
I take Woodland Photos Most of the time, and I have an APS-C camera with 24 MPx. It's totally fine dir my purpose, although I sometimes miss out on the dynamic range and low light capabilities. But then I use PixelShift and forget about that, because the Images are by no means inferior to full frame. I totally agreed with what you said about gear being highly individual and it being more important to get really familiar with the technology you already have.
"Know your gear", as James adjusts the exposure, first one way and then the other. No worries I am the same with exposure compensation on my camera. I like the idea of practicing scenarios and setting the camera accordingly, you didn't really elaborate on this, but rehearsal is actually a valuable exercise. Keep the videos coming.
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After taking hundreds of black pictures i realized that the lens cap is removable. Could have happened earlier ...
Charged batteries are also good.
Danne I’m weak! 😂🙌🏽
hahahahaha! :)
haha, I love that there's an element of truth to this that we can all relate to.
😂😂😂
I wish I had realized earlier that at the end of the day, I am the only person who needs to be satisfied with my photo.
I do a bit of real estate photography, I have to satisfy my clients. But I agree with you.
I am speaking strictly as a hobbyist and not a professional. You have to make clients happy even if you are not as thrilled with the results.
Definitely! :)
@@giselesmith7795 whaaaat? Let's say you're landscape photographer and you change your style/colour/techniques/etc based on someone's opinion?
@@treefallleaves6711 I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. I take photos strictly for my pleasure as a hobbyist. However, if I was a professional amd the client wanted a different "vision" than mine, then yes I would attempt to make the photo to the client's liking. Fortunately as a hobbyist I don't have that problem.
Biggest thing I've learned is "don't be afraid of the ISO". I never wanted to crank up the ISO to avoid grains and missed a lot of shots. Until one day another photographer said to me "why don't you shoot at 6400?" It was a big duh moment for me. I've never again missed a shot for the fear of the grain...
This one is for me also a BIG one
Good point.
Beate A couldn’t be more right. I just figured this out for myself a few weeks ago.
Especially with newer cameras
Me too! I talked about this at length in a video about noise a few weeks back :)
My first rule is to always take photos for yourself, that you enjoy. Not falling in the trap of the trends sometimes can be hard but that's my number one rule, I have to be the one who enjoys my photos the most. Second one is to be relentlessly critic towards your photos
Instructions unclear, critiqued myself so much that I'm suicidal right now
Well said :)
I'm in absolute agreement with this comment.
I honestly shoot for me, the excitement the thrill I get when I see that killer shot on the back of my Nikon d3500 my heart starts racing like oh my gosh I have really done it I have really nailed perfection in my eyes all of that advice I have been given from my the people I watch on RUclips has paid off. I also shoot because I have a mom with Dementia I have seen that she no longer can remember things aside from things long ago so I am on a mission to take as many stories as I can through my photography so that one day if I do happen to be like my mom at least I will have photos of my family, the moon the stars the sun and the many adventures I have been on to look at one day and say I was the one who took this picture, I did this, kind of a walk through life. Thank you James Popsys for all of your brilliant advice and helping become a better photographer.
What I wish someone told me when I started was to take more photos of things that matter most- your family and friends. I was so obsessed with capturing beautiful landscapes that I failed to take a quality image of the things most important to me. They deserve more than an iPhone shot of them.
Me too :)
Wow 😌
Great tip! I have a moderately large box of film photo prints that I took from 2000-2005 that I don't even enjoy looking at. I was trying to learn to be a good photographer and didn't spend enough time capturing my family and friends. My box of prints is rather boring to look at now.
That's the most difficult though. I really want to "capture the moment" but at the same time be a part of whatever is happening and whenever I start taking photos I feel like I am stepping away from the scene a little bit by being distracted with the camera
I wish i knew that you dont have to shoot everything at f1.8 😂
Definitely! :)
But the Bokeh ?!!!
Exactly, f1.8 is good, but f1.2 is better...
@@benharris3949 lol
I'm a newbie. I shot everything at f1.8 for a really long time, almost did not want to compromise the bokeh or the light at all. Then I was trying to shoot birds and it never really turned out well, and I got the advice from some youtube video that "I prefer f4 for shooting birds." , and wouldn't you know it that was a hell of a lot better than f1.8.
Also I wanted to shoot landscapes and sunsets and stuff, did not have a tripod, kind of put it off thinking I could just get some more glass and then get a tripod. Now it would have saved me a lot of headache if I had just gotten the damn tripod from the start because it turns out that a sunset at f1.8 is not all that nice. :D
So get a tripod, when you need it you need it. I used to place my camera wherever it would be still, like on a rock or a tree stump.
I would add that to not only look up, but look behind (might be a bear following you), it's an entirely different scene usually. Took me over 5years to be familiar with my camera. Good points all around James.
Haha, thanks Peter :)
Thank you for another great video.
What I have come to realise is that you don't necessarily need to be photographing a huge vista, say like the Grand Canyon at sunrise on a perfect day, to create a "good" photograph. My screen saver is closeup of a patch of bright orange rust on the side of an old, weathered, blue shipping container. I like the colours, and it says something to me about not needing everything in life to be shiny and modern. But others maybe wouldn't see why I had even bothered to take the picture in the first place. That's fine. The photo works for me, and that's all that counts.
I'm not even a landscape photog and I still make sure to check out each of your new videos. Great tips and it doesn't hurt that you are slightly looney. Great video!
haha, cheers Gerald :)
One thing I learnt after a little while doing photography was that there's no need to rush out and buy an expensive lense, as a kit lense will do when starting off.
Karl Callaghan work with what you got until it starts to limit you.
Good point! :)
We're on the same page with this one
@@JamesPopsysPhoto love your humour, you and Gavin (Fototripper) are my favourite RUclipsrs. Don't tell Nigel I said that as he's another one I like watching for photography ideas.
@@molopez619 What if you don't know if it is limiting you or your own skill is?
Getting to know your camera system is a big one for me. I have so much gear that I find I no longer know any camera system intimately.
The thing I wish I realised sooner is the "joy" of getting lost in the moment of getting a great shot. What I mean is that for the longest time I just saw the camera as a device that took photos. While that is technically true, at some point years after I bought my first camera I realized that the experience of looking through that viewfinder and finding the best spot and the best angle is one of the key aspects. Just getting imersed in the experience of nature or the city or whatever it is and just taking in the atmosphere, breathing it.
I guess it sounds cheesy as hell but I really find that if im not in the mood to getting down in the mud and looking at the world from other perspectives than my pics just wont be any good. It may not be true for others but I really wish that i had found the feeling of immersion sooner.
Thanks for awesome videos! For a newb photgrapher they give super good contrast to the more technical and mathy channels.
Peace!!!
Someone (was it a biologist?) once tolde me that you only really learn to look at things by drawing them. I guess taking pictures of them is the next best thing. But I do recognize your point. I tend to remember the parts of my hollidays where I used my camera more than the bits where I just wandered about. I guess there is a difference between seeing something and actively looking at something.
@@MichaelSchagen Yeah totally. Just being in the moment, Not actually thinking of taking photos but rather seing the world and just trying to find a new perspective.
Rule zero: have a camera with you when the photo opportunity happens. Not back home, or in the car, or in the hotel room while you pop out for dinner.
I've had this painful lesson a few times... :)
"Back in the day" when I first started, having a camera with me to take photo's wherever I went meant lugging a film SLR around, with extra film and perhaps a different lens. It wasn't easy and certainly wasn't convenient. Challenging situations (ie low light) often led to wasted film and wasted money. It meant that over the years, I failed to record a lot of experiences, and images of people no longer with us that I wish I had some visible image of, to remind me and others of times past. My Olympus Tough (other cameras are available) changed that. Smartphones with 'clever' cameras mean we all miss fewer opportunities to record 'our own' story. Even so, my Olympus is much faster off the mark than any phone. Modern digital system cameras bring us inexpensive, good quality images, with fast/accurate focussing. Mirrorless provides this with compactness as well. I've owned a number of Lumix cameras, and regret not buying the perfect pocket camera: the GX8, when it was available.
'Back in the day' my then girlfriend would often chide me for not having my camera with me, when I got frustrated at missing an interesting photo opportunity. "A good photographer always carries their camera." I don't know that's absolutely true, but certainly in 2019, it's significantly easier to record our stories than it was 30 years ago.
Of course not everyone wants to record their story, or record for posterity their experiences or sights that excite. For those of us who do, having the tool with us at all times to enable that *should be* as obvious as leaving home with a house key, car key, phone, money.
Happened to me today. It was raining and driving to a mates. The sky suddenly opened up to 1/3 pure dark, 1/3 all bubbly clouds and the last 1/3 crisp blue sky. Then the rain came again. Then we had this obscene yellow/orange sunset over the houses and behind me the most insane (and close/small) rainbow. Never saw skies quite like that here. I got hit hard for three crazy photo opportunities in the space of an hour, all because I left my camera at home...
Bang out the money James. One of the biggest reasons I follow your channel is your telling people what you think with an open and honest approach. Your opinion is what I'm after. Not to mention your skills and experience. You always give me something to think about. There are very good reason why photography is considered an art.
Hi James. . .New subscriber here, but I'm an older photographer. I am pleasantly surprised with your approach to photography! I have become so tired of the obsession of so many "RUclipsrs" with gear comparisons. I love your intelligent approach to that topic in particular. And I absolutely love that you took the time to talk about the images we create as opposed to just discussing what "tool" was used to create it. I've never had someone compliment one of my images and say for example, "I really like that one, but if you didn't shoot it with a full-frame camera with 45 megapixels, the best eye-tracking autofocus in its class, 2 card slots and is also mirrorless, then I'm not going to like it anymore." All they have cared about is that the image pleased or touched them in some way. And you are so right about megapixels. Now I'm not against resolution and sharpness, I just find "pixel-peeping" sharpness comparisons annoying and given way too much importance. Well done video with very wise comments!
Well done... And number 2 is exactly right... Photography is art, it's subjective, it's an opinion. What some people hate, some will love... Never let others determine how YOU feel about your work.
Buying expensive gear/lenses before you know what you're looking for
What do you mean?? I thought we were supposed to buy the most expensive gear from day 1 😱😂
Preston Hennes buy nice so you don’t buy twice lol
@@molopez619 Some things are just a bit too nice for my wallet ;)
@@Foodgeek Sometimes you cannot afford to buy something cheap. The cheapo stuff never lasts as long as the more expensive ones. So I always go for decent quality second hand gear. Starting out, I bought a cheap tripod. The tripod head was a bastard to level off and keep steady and the cheapo plastic bits disintegrated. I had to save up to buy another one. Not good as I lost the photo opportunities when the cheap shit fell to pieces.
@@ATtravel666 Very true, but I am more talking about buying a Canon EOS R over a Canon 1DX Mark II :)
I wish that I knew manual lens and manual focus earlier in my photography. I appreciate the subject in front of me more by spending more time on the focusing.
I hear you mate! :)
I also prefer manual, aperture priority or shutter priority. way more immersive than anything automatic.
I started life out in music. In my early 20s I studied contemporary classical. My teacher, Lockrem Johnson, changed my life when he said to me, "We study the classics, theory, so we understand breaking the rules and making the connection between emulating someone else or a style and turn to our own personal voice and make it our own." Composition is composition, I think it true to any artistic endeavor. Nice points and well shared. Thanks! I enjoyed this post!
Telling us to get outside is the most important. Thank you for that. Too many just watch RUclips videos looking for perfection. Perfection is outside.
One thing that I would like to know earlier is how much lenses weigh... I would buy my camera much earlier and I wouldn't even consider full-frame camera for amateur travel photography. Your micro 4/3 enthusiasm was one of things that convinced me that you dont need ff camera for great picutres! :)
I enjoyed the video tremendously.
I do a lot wildlife and sports photography and two things you mentioned really resonated with me:
1.-Get to know your gear. I learned that the hard way. I missed so many shots trying to make adjustments, fiddling around with dials and searching things in the many menus.
2.- Photography is a process, it shouldn't matter if you come home with a great photo or not. Enjoy the time spend in the field.
And there's something that is perhaps more important in wildlife photography, but getting to know as much as possible about the bird or animal you want to photograph is tremendously useful. Spending more time learning about your gear and your subject will yield better results then researching the latest gear or trend...
Thanks for keeping the conversation going.
Cheers
Thanks Paul, great point on the animals - definitely an area of improvement for me! :)
I'm so happy I didn't fall into the trap of 'always shooting on manual'. There's a reason we have priority modes :D
Well, now that I think about it, the first pictures I ever took on a SLR (and not a fixed lens kodak) only had manual, and we developed the negatives and prints ourselves (this was in 8th grade), so I guess that was all manual, but there was no choice either :D
One thing I've really come to love about photography is the disconnect from everything. It gives me something to look forward to on weekends, and I keep telling myself I need to figure out how to pull it into my week as well. It's just been so relaxing.
You've hit the proverbial 'nail on the head'. I'm not a photographer but what you said in this video absolutely makes total sense. My first paid filming gig was using a Canon HV20 - a quality camera at the time but not a pro camera by any means, (couldn't afford better camera at the time). However that gig lead onto another filming job because even though I didn't have budget for a better camera, I knew how to get the best from what I had. As you say it often comes down to how you use a camera rather than the actual camera itself.
Thanks James. You are quite right on many points. Will keep our bears here in Canada 🇨🇦
Haha, please do! Thanks for watching :)
Ang Matin And we will try to keep our cougars (a.k.a. mountain lions) here in the U.S. Southwest 🇺🇸
Excellent post! I’ve turned off the viewfinder grids and have found that optical viewfinders really are my jam.
Cheers Jon! :)
The one thing I wish I knew 10 years ago is, to look for a composition before you take a picture. I was photographing a subject and didn't care about anything else within the frame.
In the days of film I took a whole film of a buzzard I had reared back to health, first on my arm and then during its release, without actually putting a film in the camera. THANK GOD FOR DIGITAL! Thanks for filming this in a lovely location. I really enjoyed this video. By the way, the quality of this video, sharpness etc., is a great advert for the camera you were using. When you were chatting to camera in the woodland you could see every individual plant in your surroundings in great detail. Well done Lumix.
Really enjoyed this weeks video James. Not sure if anyone has ever mentioned the down tempo/chill hop tracks you use but they not only sound good they suit your videos as well. As a photography beginner myself the biggest learning curve I have had is planning trips out to recon areas in advance and trying not to get frustrated if I don’t actually get a shot I’m happy with. Also I really need a head torch...
Cheers Richard :)
I think this is possibly my favourite video of your James. What really resonated with me was when you tipped that equipment is personal. I've bought a couple of cameras (okay 3) that were well reviewed, that pixel-peeped very well, and that had a good reputation. (Nikon D90, D5100 & Olympus M5ii) but I just didn't like them. And I've "upgraded" and sold a camera I loved (Panasonic G2) for a camera it turned out I wasn't so keen on. And when I did "upgrade" from the G2 to the G6, I found things had been changed, and I had to relearn the camera. So if you have a camera you like and gives you good results, don't fall into the upgrade trap.
One thing you didn't mention that I have found, is that you will likely find you have a favourite lens. The more you use it, the better you'll get with it, and the more you'll love it.
So I suppose the TLDR of this post is treat your gear like a marriage: Stick with it. More often than not, there's almost no point in upgrading your camera for what can be marginal gains. (1080 to 4k and significantly faster & more accurate autofocus are worthwhile upgrades, IMO.)
Late to this one but...yeah that last one, for sure. Wandering around and feeling a failure for not getting anything. Silly waste of energy, just enjoy the time out. Spot on.
Thank you for telling People that they need super high mp cameras to make Great pictures at Big sizes. You made me buy the G9, and couldnt be happier. And by the way Great video!
I definitely hear you on the learning your camera part. I've found it's a lot easier to hit the right buttons on my G85 if you pick up how to press the button for ISO through muscle memory instead of having to duck one's head down and scan across all the buttons...
Thank you James, I have been a bit preoccupied and missed your videos for a while. I found this really helpful and it reminded me of why I love your channel. Thanks again James, much appreciated. Dave
James your videos are brilliant, and very inspiring... I just like that you encourage us all to develop our own styles and reasons for doing photography. And you have a sense of humour about it all. Many thanks for another great video.... Must get outside with my G9 now and off the computer!
James, enjoy your style and quality information. I haven’t followed you for very long, but have noticed that you make and deliver wonderful commentary, but don’t take or explain how you take the beautiful photos that you show to us. I would love to have you show us how you determine what a great photo is and the process you use to take the photo. Thank you again for your wonderful insight into photography. Randy
Thank you - definitely something I'll do more of on future trips :)
Definitely my biggest inspiration, forever learning from you. Cheers James your a bloke and a half🍻
Nice one :) I only discovered using back-button focus with continuous AF about two years ago, having had a camera that was capable of it for a lot longer than that... It's made my focussing much quicker and more accurate in wildlife photography = fewer missed shots!
Always love your videos James. A lot of reality checks that are very honest and as a novice photographer, I am learning a lot.
Absolutely excellent advise....”Everything in photography is opinion” really resonates with me...Thank you so much
Hi James, excellent video with great advice to photography in general. Have to say most of my learning in Photography has been through personal trial and error 'and not believing all that you read or hear about!
A good number of the tips in this video... I have not come across them on any other RUclips channel.
Good work @RUclips Recommendations.
Good thoughts James...
You’re correct on opinion. And as the old saying goes “everybody’s got one”. It may align with your thoughts or be 180° out...
For myself I’m never sure what I’m looking for until I see it, thus a lot of looking. Sometimes it works on the iPhone, sometimes it’s the “real” camera.
I totally agree that the difference between a good photograph and a great one is indeed a story. If a photo doesn’t it get’s boring like the ones you can buy at Ikea or so. It took me quite a while to learn how to view and critique my own images to impove my skills only to find out that they did not matter in the end. I kept making better boring photos. Now I am in the process of learning how to make interesting photos where rules, perfect lighting and composition are way less important.
Congratulations, great perspective. As you said, photography is a process. Thanks.
Forgot to thank Nicola TESLA for electricity. Great video! Cheers
Always humble and down to earth, still my favorite photography channel
Great tips. Great video and commentary. Thank you for your time and honesty.
Always carry a notebook when taking portraits - taking an e-mail address means your subject's memory can be sent to them and with them forever, rather than lost in a memory card file on a computer they'll never touch or have access to. If I want landscape inspiration, I lokk to you. If its architecture and street photography, there's nobody better (for my level) than Joe Allam @ Jelly Journeys. Another great video from a wicked location. Thanks.
"gear doesn't matter" was hard to get past. I am now comfortable with my 80D next to much better cameras and know that I understand composition and story and that the sensor is secondary. Thanks James.
I like what you said about resolution. And like you said in so many words, “photography is mindfulness.”
Well said Suzanne :)
James - I’ll try to keep this short. I really like your videos - especially this one. One of your eight tips was the best camera is the one that works for you. I’m a hobbyist and as I got deeper into photography after retirement, I bought a Sony a7RII, shortly after it was released. I loved it and bought G-Master lenses to go with it. I like to take photos while traveling, which meant I lugged the camera, gear and lenses in baggage over and above my normal baggage. On sightseeing walks and hikes, I pair it down a bit, but still lugged a camera and gear. I came upon a realization. I’m probably never going to be a renowned photographer. The way things are, I’m the one who enjoys my photos more than anyone else. So I switched to a Sony RX10 IV. At first, when I’d go to a photo class, I’d almost feel embarrassed when looking at the cameras everyone else were using. Then I realized how the RX10 perfectly fits my needs and is much more the camera that matches my ability. I don’t care what people think any more. I love the fact you touched on that as one of your eight tips. Thanks, man.
Thanks James. Your opinions are great for me 👍 nice to have an English photographer not obsessed with tripods and prefect perfect composition and would rather get The picture. Much more my style 😎
Thanks for the vlog .Im just start out in the photo world and I think your vlogs are great .
Absolutely love tip number 6 about story in photography.
I mistakenly made it my goal to shoot my Nikon D750 at ISO 100 even during sunsets and low light, often sacrificing exposure for aperture at the wrong times. I also shot big landscape shots at F4 or F5.6, wrongfully afraid to go to F8, F11, etc. Thirdly, I bought prime lenses knowing I'm a zoom shooter, but trusting the "pros" knew what was best for me. I also cared more about "wide open" quality than I did realistic aperture for the scene. I now nearly never shoot wide open, especially on portraits, unless on a zoom at 2.8 above 70mm. So many errors from listening to others instead of really learning. Learned by mistakes more than by listening to others.
James, your videos are awesome. I still shoot FF, but want to move back to m43. Only reason I haven't is the investment cost to start over and sell existing gear. I've learned I'll carry it with me more often if smaller/lighter, so I can just throw it in a bag and forget about it until needed. My D750 is heavy and doesn't just disappear in a bag.
Keep putting out great videos James. They're awesome! And your humor is highly appreciated.
Nice video as usual James. I live in Gower, Wales and over time came to love using a telephoto lens to make interesting/abstract colour/shape/flow photos rather than wide angle compositionally 'correct' vistas - but maybe that's because I'm not very good at composition :) Either way it's what I enjoy doing now and find it creative/satisfying to find simplicity in the landscape.
Great video as usual! Always enjoy your stuff!!
Absolutely awesome set of tips James - love how down-to-earth you are! I think I'd add that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of your work, although at the time same time, it's good to learn how to take criticism and use that to improve your photographs. Also there's no such thing as perfect when it comes to photography - which kind of ties in with your points you made but it drives me nuts that people get hung up on "perfect exposure" and all the rest of it when, actually, those things don't matter as much as the story and the emotion behind the shot.
Hey bud. Not a photographer but watch all your videos. I always find them really interesting, entertaining and awe inspiring at times so just wanted to leave a comment for a change to show my appreciation and support.
Thanks so much mate! :)
great advice dude, really enjoy your style and sense of humor. As for things I wish i learned earlier is go out and shoot and have fun making mistakes, that's the way you learn, so the next time you are out you can make it better, I still make a lot of mistakes, and true it's a bummer but it's part of growing too. Cheers mate!!
I am only photographing for over a month but i used to enjoy photography 15 years ago. One thing I wish I had known early is that now is such an exciting time for doing it, because of the technology available for a cheap (canon rebel t100) price and internet environment. I used to make shots with film, process them, scan, photoshop and post on photolog of something. Now I make a nice shot, turn wifi on, download on the phone, treat the image on lightroom mobile and post on my favorite social network. in minutes, instead of days. Also enjoying the fact that I'm older and have a more mature aestetic sense.
OMG the comment about knowing your camera and your gear is so very important. I was shooting a wedding this summer, and the people at the wedding had a little table setup with a Fujifilm Instax mini on it so people could joke around an take silly photos.
most of the time at a wedding yea want nice crisp frozen action shots being well lit an composed. but with these little Polaroids you wanted to capture some motion. I had a perfect moment with the groom, he just took a pic, I changed the settings really fast and bam got a perfect photo with him waving the photo with just a little blur so you understand what hes doing. Freezing the action in that moment would be awkward looking. knowing how to adjust your settings on the fly is incredibly important.
Your naturally comic style and timing are funny and refreshing. Love the way you use these natural gifts to occupy and own a distinct place in what in many respects is a crowded photography-videos-RUclips marketplace. Of course, given the time you spend outdoors creating your videos, you may not have noticed how crowded it is.
Thanks for sharing your particular perspectives. The two that feel the most pivotal for me - because they shift my mindset and approach to how I think about and take a photo - can be summed up in 2 questions. 1) Is my photo “of” something or “about” something? 2) What question(s) does my photo ask or spark?
These questions have staying power in my quest to become a much better amateur (since mastery may not be in the cards) travel photographer. Now the trick is for me to remember these questions while I’m learning my camera and practicing how to use its manual settings, Wish me luck. Many thanks, Sylvia
Thanks so much for watching Sylvia - good luck!! :)
I really appreciate your channel. You have a refreshing way of looking at photography, composition & gear. You’ve inspired me to love the gear I’ve got & not get sucked into Gear Acquisition Syndrome. If it doesn’t make your photos better, you probably don’t need it. What matters is getting pics on the card. I do have a question for you...your compositions often include man made subjects like cars, trucks, houses, etc. prominently in the foreground. Do you find this affects the marketability of your images?
Thank you! As to your question, I've often found it helps, as it can show brands the kind of images their products could be included in :)
I have been a professional photographer for 30 years... The most important thing I learned is to not be to serious. Enjoy Life and Enjoy your photography, hobby or profession... If you aren't enjoying it - it will show in your work and your life.
My tip is to actually print some of your photos. Display them, if possible, where others can see them. I used to put up pictures in my cubicle at work and I would change them every month or so. I gave a few away to people really liked a particular picture. That was satisfying.
Something I wish I discovered earlier in my photography journey? Your videos
Thanks so much :)
You are genuine, I respect that!
Something I wish I found sooner? This channel. So far only 4-5 months in on my photography journey but having found this channel about two months ago, it has been absolutely instrumental in my inspirations, along with some proper banger advice and tips - not all technical, mostly philosophical actually hahaha. Starting to realise a large part of photography is philosophy in the end of the day and I cant think of a single reason I'd stop watching this channel. Unless the analogies get worse that is. Jokes, make them worse, they're better that way
*edit* said "absolutely" twice in one sentence. Unacceptable. Changed one to "proper" innit blud.
I totally agree with tip #1, I'm living in the Alps and my view is more often than not on the ground. And ignoring the most amazing views around me. As for stories, my photos are like a blank book....yes totally void of a story, clearly something I need to work on.
Thing number 8 (as you noted about the mountain that "one day" will make a great photo: make notes (mental or written) as you go around of scenes that might make a good image in different light or other circumstances. Then, when those circumstances arrive, go back and get that image.
Not even watched more than 5 minutes and I can already thumb up. Thanks for your videos and advices, James. I'll watch the rest of this video tomorrow 'cause it's late...
Nice video!, most of it I have already learned it (7 years with the photography as a hobby makes you learn it in the hard way xD) a thing that I have recently noticed was that underexposure is better than overexposure, as you can recover a very dark area but not a "burned" area. And I could not agree more with the "know your camera" mine is a fuji camera, most of the control is outside menus, but sometimes it still gives me a hard time searching for the menu that I am looking for (I have it since a couple years, but I don't go out very often to take photos)
viewing billboard bit is hilarious. you do have a point there.
Thanks I still got loads and loads to learn, but like u said it's getting me to go outside more than what I was doing so yaay! I love it outside 😃
A while ago, I purchased one of your beautiful prints with the Jacobite train in it (+ that beautiful landscape).
I then commented on one of your videos, how I would hang the print at some beautiful spot on the wall, once my girlfriend and I would finally be able to live together (I purchased it partly for myself, as I love landscape scenes, photography - and all of your work, and partly for her, as she loves everything related to Harry Potter).
It took quite some time, because of financial and practical issues, but we eventually managed to find ourselves our very first apartment to rent. We will be moving there in a month or two.
So, while my patience has been tested quite a lot up until now, I (and, I definitely bet, she as well), will finally be able to admire your stunning print basically every single day. :)
polyrhythm congrats on your new home bro!
That has made my day! Huge congrats :)
I have that print too. And two others . . .
I love how you told us not to follow the trends while shooting at a high f-stop. Leading by example! I would love to hear your thoughts on micro 4/3 vs full frame. I still don't quite understand that craze. BTW I am more into video than photo
I wish I had known earlier that most of the money I'd spent on gear would be wasted because mirrorless cameras would eventually be made and I'd love them.
I agree about the story. I still struggle to understand the crazy "like" counts on some of the NatGeo pictures on Insta, but then it probably all goes back to the story. Love this channel. Hard to find authentic content when the owner is not asking to "smash" the like button. You have to have an innate desire to do it. Go Lumix.
Fantastic video, great info and entertaining at the same time👊
Some good wisdom here. It backs up my belief that photography can't be taught, and can only be discovered.
A lesson which I learned too late was that I went to digital too soon. Well, it doesn't matter now, so I can't exactly make up for it. But like most people I got seduced. If there is such a thing as an afterlife, maybe I can take that lesson with me. Hey hey!
No 8 is hugely important to really enjoying photography. Thanks much.
Another great video James. You know every now an then you wonder why you follow someone on RUclips? Well this video sums up why I follow you. Good sound advice. Many other photographers give you a “You must do this” or “You must do that” I find it refreshing that you give us your experience but, not preaching and a sort of “you need to find your own way” sort of advice. BTW I would just say Tip 1 Look behind as well as up. When out looking for a composition it is just as likely to be behind as in front (or above). Tip 2 following your own way and feeling good about the outcome is more satisfying that trying to please others? And tip 7, you are in Wales of course it is going to rain (I am Welsh so I can say that). One more thing, I would just say “print your photos big” there is little more satisfying for an amateur photographer that seeing your photo on the wall, unless perhaps someone saying, that’s a great photograph. Looking forward to next week.
Cheers David! Well said :)
Damn! Missed all of your episode. I couldn't see it because I was looking up. Looking forward to the "Story of the lone Duck on a reflective lake" composition. Sarcasm is under-rated. On a serious note 🎶 thank you, your advice has helped me rethink my own approach to starting a vlog series, I spent many a wasted day filming and trying to be something other than just myself. Missing seeing sheep on your episodes, have they all blown away? Oh finally, so I can plug your channel, any chance you could pronounce your surname for me. I'd hate to assume and then mess it up (or accidentally order a starter from a Greek restaurant).
haha!
I would have to agree about the fact that photography is an art. I was so caught up in all the rules that i forgot about the art of photography.
Very good list of tips. Regarding some of the leading and most highly grossing photographers, in fashion for example most of the top ones even do not have a structured portfolio online or a proper website (only their agents landing page). Best people to follow on RUclips and other social media are either very dedicated amateurs or “rising” professionals like yourself who still can get a meaningful impact on their business, marketing wise as well as financially, from being online and having followers. The people to avoid by all means are the n’100’k or even >1M social influencers and marketers here. Only gear promotion and common knowledge dressed up as helpful insights. Thank you again and all the best!
I started taking pictures with a cell phone 10 years ago and loved it. It took me about 10 years to finally buy a DSLR. I wish I'd known earlier that it's worth it to spend money on something you love to do.
That was the case for me too mate :)
Great tips James 😃 Think for me like many others it’s not to spend loads of money on expensive gear when you start and if you think you need a new lens but your unsure what focal length than you probably don’t need a new lens yet. If you take enough photos you will start to realise what focal lengths you need 👍
Finding myself who was interested in photography earlier. I visited so many places without a camera because I believed “seeing things with naked eyes” was better. Still true but now I depend on all the memories, my memories are not getting better!!
I wish I found Affinity photo sooner photoshop is probably still king but £50 one time fee is incredible compared to adobes subscription
The limit with ap, is that lack of devices... And the lack of cloud storage and stability...
I learnt over the years that photography is likened to fishing. A good way to get out, relax a while, and if you happen to make a catch it's a bonus.
I agree totally! I used to fly fish just to be in the outdoors. I drag my camera around for the same reason.
I wish that someone had helped me understand the different types of photography (landscape, events, macro, street, portrait, product, real estate, wildlife, sports, etc) and help me zoom in on what is relevant for me as a hobby shooter. I found the entire photography universe immensely overwhelming and it took ages before I could see some structure in the types of photography. Also, the concepts aperture and depth of field, and the relationship towards focal plane and lens speed took some time to sink in (Mike Browns videos helped a lot).
@New2Photography Consider the journey as the fun part and the many rejections of one's best after mastering photography as the reward. Hence many disliked Instagram. 😊 Photography is relatively easy but getting someone to like our BS (or story in photographic term) is the difficult part, think Instagram again.
James, I'll tell you why the world's best photographers don't share their knowledge. It's because they know that a big part of their success is luck. Luck that their style happens to be appreciated. Appreciated by the people who make decisions within big business. Their approach is no different to any other photographers.. preparation and then let the creative juices flow, have faith in one's own ability.
I think your last tip is what all your tips are about. The process that you go through as you photograph more.
The longer you take pictures, the more you learn about your camera, what you (should) look at, how an interesting photo is created and all other aspects that are part of photography.
I think the best tip is: Just do it! ......and watch RUclips videos (from James ;-)).
I fully agree, and I agree with your point about watching RUclips videos ... you can learn a lot, so long as you keep an open and independent mind, which James essentially advocates in his earlier points.
Haha, thank you! :)
I’m sitting here watching (well I was before this one) a comparison between the canon 85mm 1.2 and the £2100 differently priced f2 trying to convince myself that I don’t need the £2700 f1.2. I might add, I have NO money to speak of. My point being, I wished I just bought what I need and not loads of stuff that I don’t. Just to blow some sunshine your way, excellent videos, only found your channel recently and am well enjoying them. Cheers
I take Woodland Photos Most of the time, and I have an APS-C camera with 24 MPx. It's totally fine dir my purpose, although I sometimes miss out on the dynamic range and low light capabilities. But then I use PixelShift and forget about that, because the Images are by no means inferior to full frame. I totally agreed with what you said about gear being highly individual and it being more important to get really familiar with the technology you already have.
"Know your gear", as James adjusts the exposure, first one way and then the other.
No worries I am the same with exposure compensation on my camera.
I like the idea of practicing scenarios and setting the camera accordingly, you didn't really elaborate on this, but rehearsal is actually a valuable exercise.
Keep the videos coming.