Learning photography can be a fascinating hobby or career! To get started, understand the basics of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Practice using a camera, and experiment with different settings to understand how they affect your photos.
Online courses, YouTube tutorials, and photography communities can provide valuable guidance and inspiration. Additionally, invest in a good camera and take time to observe and learn from the work of other photographers.
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University/college degree
Learning photography through university studies is the traditional road, and it’s a path that many people take.
You’ll discover a wide variety of photographic styles, you’ll be offered insights by experienced teachers and industry experts, and you’ll do it all in a structured environment.
You’ll also have access to state-of-the-art studios with all the latest cameras, lighting equipment, accessories, and software.
Mentors
Out of all the ways to learn photography listed in this article, a mentor is the most difficult to find – but if you can find the right mentor, you can learn so much.
Note that a mentor doesn’t have to be an award-winning photographer; they can be anyone who’s willing (and able) to help you achieve your goals.
This includes friends who can help you understand your camera’s settings and professionals with 5, 10, or 20 years of experience.
Blogs and other online resources
These days, the internet is full of in-depth photography blogs, and while some of them don’t offer top-quality photography education, a few of them do.
Learning through blogs offers lots of advantages. For one, you get to teach yourself photography, rather than relying on an instructor to set your path.
You can research the topics that interest you, put aside the ones that don’t, and develop sought-after skills.
Workshops
Workshops are intensive, generally in-person courses that last a few hours to a couple of weeks, and they’re a great way to refine and advance your existing skills.
One of the big advantages of workshops is that you can select the style of photography, the techniques you want to improve, and the photographers you want to learn from so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Some workshops are local and involve exploring a nearby city for an afternoon of street shooting, a nearby park for a day of landscape photography, and so on.
Other workshops are held in exotic locations. These are great for travelers who want to shoot on location but don’t feel comfortable working on their own.
Online courses
If you want to learn photography in a structured manner without ever setting foot in a classroom or workshop setting, then consider online courses, which can be highly comprehensive and – with the right instructor – very well taught.