Your camera is just fine.
When your photos don’t turn out the way you want, it’s tempting to say “I need a new camera!”
But today, on Day 2 of the Ultimate Photography Workshop, professional photographer Daniel Nahabedian reassured us that a new camera is NOT what you need. He went from never owning a camera to full-time pro photographer in less than a year. And he did it all with entry-level equipment.
Rather than a new camera, what you need is a few photography tricks.
Follow these three steps, he said, and you will change from a person taking snapshots with a camera to “being” a photographer.
Step Number 1: Define your subject.
A snap-n-go traveler with a camera doesn’t take the time to think about what he’s shooting and it shows. In this photo below, there are too many subjects…
But when you take the time to identify what you want the subject of your image to be and you walk around until you can get an image that clearly captures that subject, it makes all the difference…
Step Number 2: Analyze the scene.
Look for objects to avoid – trash cans, power lines, other people, random shadows. Do your best to reposition yourself so that you can block these elements and ensure they don’t end up in your photo.
Step Number 3: Find a unique angle.
Every traveler in the world can raise a camera to their eye and snap a photo. You’ll set yourself apart if you can get down on the ground, get up high, climb something, go beneath something, move to the side.
The above photo of the Eiffel Tower is fine, but this angle is much more unique and dramatic…
Presenters like Daniel, Bonnie Caton, Kristen Bentz and Efrain Padro really made these opportunities approachable this year. It’s easier than ever to improve your skills and sell more photos and that’s been very clear since day one here. It’s why everyone is so excited.
Tomorrow graphic designer Lori Haller is coming to tell us what designers want most right now from new images. As a designer, Lori is constantly in need of photos for her projects. So she knows the market better than anyone. You might be surprised by the simple images she needs… like iodine on a Q-tip for a health promotion… or pills and bottles. The kind of shots you can easily set up and shoot right at your kitchen table.
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Profit From Your Photos: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]