If You’re New to Photography, Start Here: 10 Tips I Wish I Knew

When I first started taking photos, I felt like I had stepped into a world full of potential and beauty, but also one packed with confusing settings, conflicting advice, and pressure to be perfect. If that sounds familiar, I get it. You want to capture the world the way you see it, but maybe you are not quite sure how to translate that into an image that feels as strong as the moment did in real life.

The good news is that growth in photography comes from practice, patience, and perspective. Here are ten lessons I wish someone had broken down for me when I first began. These are not just quick tips. These are building blocks you can keep returning to as you develop your craft.

1. You Do Not Need Expensive Gear to Start

It is so easy to get caught in the gear trap. When you are just starting, it is tempting to think you need the latest camera body, a huge collection of lenses, or fancy accessories to be a “real” photographer. But the truth is, the best camera is the one you will actually carry and use.

Start with what you have, whether that is a smartphone, a hand-me-down camera, or a basic DSLR or mirrorless model. Learn how to use it fully. Read the manual. Explore the menu system. Understand how to adjust focus, exposure, and white balance. Practice using your kit lens creatively. It will teach you how to work with limitations, which will make you a better photographer in the long run.

You can always upgrade your gear later. But right now, the most important thing is building your eye, not your gear bag.

2. Study Light Like It Is Your Favorite Subject

Photography is about light. Not gear. Not location. Light. The way it moves. The way it wraps around subjects. The way it creates mood, contrast, and texture.

Start noticing the light around you throughout the day. Watch how it changes from morning to afternoon to evening. Study shadows on the sidewalk. Look at how window light falls on a table. Photograph the same subject at different times of day to see how the mood shifts.

When shooting portraits, try facing your subject toward the light for an even glow. Or place the light behind them for a dreamy, backlit effect. When shooting landscapes, aim for golden hour, the hour after sunrise or before sunset, for soft, warm tones and long shadows.

Also pay attention to the quality of light. Is it hard and direct, creating sharp shadows and high contrast? Or is it soft and diffused, giving a gentle look to skin and surfaces? Cloudy days, sheer curtains, and shaded areas all provide beautiful soft light.

Learning to observe and manipulate light will elevate your photography more than any camera setting ever will.

Shot at midday with harsh, direct light… notice the crisp shadows and strong contrast compared to softer golden hour tones

Golden hour transforms a familiar view into something cinematic… soft light, long shadows, and just enough drama in the sky

3. Understand the Rule of Thirds, but Trust Your Eye

The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that suggests placing your subject off-center, along imaginary lines that divide your frame into thirds horizontally and vertically. It is a great starting point because it creates balance and visual interest.

But do not treat it as a strict rule. Once you understand it, feel free to ignore it. Center your subject for a dramatic or symmetrical look. Use leading lines, negative space, or intentional imbalance to guide the viewer’s eye.

What matters most is how your photo feels. Does the composition support the story you want to tell? Does it make the viewer pause and engage? Start with the rule of thirds as a baseline, but then experiment. Trust your gut. Move your feet. Reframe the shot. There is no perfect composition, only the one that works for that moment.

Notice how his eye lines up near where the grid lines cross… that’s the rule of thirds helping the photo feel more balanced and interesting (Rule of Thirds)

4. Change Your Angle and Change Your World

Most people shoot from eye level because it feels natural. But photography is all about perspective. A slight shift can turn a boring shot into something memorable.

Try getting low and shooting upward to make your subject feel larger or more dramatic. Lay on the ground for a dog’s-eye view of the world. Climb something safely and shoot down for an overhead perspective. Shoot through objects like leaves, glass, or fabric to create depth and framing.

If you are shooting portraits, tilt the camera slightly for a dynamic angle, or step to the side and use a longer focal length for compression. If you are photographing architecture, move until the lines align the way you want them to.

Angles affect emotion. A low angle can make someone look powerful. A high angle can feel vulnerable or playful. Change your point of view and you will start to see everything differently.

Low-angle view of the fallen Icarus statue and the Temple of Concordia in Agrigento, Sicily. Shot from ground level to emphasize scale and grandeur

5. Shoot More Than You Think You Need, Then Edit Like a Pro

When you are learning, take a lot of photos. Try different settings, compositions, and lighting setups. Do not worry about getting it perfect on the first try. The more you shoot, the more you learn. You will start to notice what works and what does not.

But when it is time to select your final images, be ruthless. You do not need to show everything. Choose the shots that tell a story, evoke a feeling, or make you pause. Quality over quantity.

Learn to use editing software like Lightroom or Capture One. Start simple. Adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, and shadows. Pay attention to color temperature. Cropping can completely change the impact of an image. Do not overdo it. A light touch can go a long way.

Editing is part of the creative process. It helps you refine your voice and add intention to your work.

Adobe Lightroom Classic

6. Find Beauty in the Details

Not every photo has to be a sweeping landscape or an epic moment. Some of the most powerful images are quiet and intimate. Look for small details. A chipped teacup. A reflection in a puddle. The texture of peeling paint. The way light hits someone’s eyelashes.

Train yourself to notice the things other people miss. These kinds of shots tell stories too. They often capture the emotion or atmosphere of a place better than a wide-angle scene.

Try using a macro lens or a lens with a wide aperture to blur the background and make small things stand out. Look for patterns, textures, and color contrast. Zoom in and isolate a subject. Ask yourself what you want the viewer to notice first.

The more you slow down and observe, the more beauty you will find in ordinary moments.

Close-up of a pale rose (lookup photo/was hanging over head) captured with a shallow depth of field to highlight detail and texture… an example of finding beauty in small, overlooked moments (Tuscany, Italy)

7. Manual Mode Can Wait. Focus on Learning One Setting at a Time

You do not have to shoot in full manual mode to be a “real” photographer. In fact, trying to master everything at once can be overwhelming. A better approach is to break it down and learn one element at a time.

Start with Aperture Priority mode. This lets you control the depth of field, how much of your photo is in focus, while the camera adjusts the shutter speed for you. Use a wide aperture like f/2.8 for portraits to blur the background, or a narrow aperture like f/11 for landscapes to keep everything sharp.

Then explore Shutter Priority mode. This lets you control motion. Use a fast shutter speed like 1/1000 to freeze action, or a slow shutter speed like 1/10 to create motion blur or light trails.

Once you feel confident with both, start experimenting with full manual. The key is understanding the exposure triangle, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and how each setting affects your image.

Take your time. You are not behind. Mastery comes through repetition, not pressure.

To freeze action like this, I used a fast shutter speed… learning just that one setting made a big difference in capturing motion

8. Make Photography Part of Your Everyday Life

You do not need a special occasion to take photos. In fact, some of your best work might come from the most mundane days. Practice noticing. Keep your camera accessible. If you use a phone, clean the lens and open the camera app often.

Photograph your breakfast. Your dog sleeping in the sun. Your shoes by the door. These small details form the visual diary of your life.

Set small challenges. Shoot only in black and white for a day. Capture one photo each hour. Explore a color theme or a mood. You do not need hours of free time or epic locations to practice photography. You just need curiosity and a willingness to look closer.

The more you shoot, the more confident you will become. The camera will start to feel like an extension of your brain and your heart.

The morning routine with Luca: this wasn’t planned… just a quiet moment, good light, and my camera within reach

9. Be Kind to Yourself While You Learn

Photography has a learning curve. You are going to take blurry photos. You will miss focus. You will forget your settings and overexpose the sky. That is okay. Every photographer goes through it.

You are not failing. You are learning. And every mistake is data that helps you improve.

Try not to compare yourself to others, especially online. What you see on Instagram or photography websites is often the result of years of experience, post-processing, and careful curation. Focus on your own progress. Look back at your earlier work every few months. You will be amazed at how far you have come

Give yourself space to grow. You do not need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent and open to learning.

This edit is over 10 years old and absolutely dipped in cotton candy… but back then, I was just proud I got up for sunrise and pressed the shutter

10. Never Stop Having Fun

This might be the most important tip of all. Do not let the rules, the gear talk, or the pressure to perform steal your joy. Photography is a creative outlet. A way to tell stories. A way to connect with the world and with yourself.

Try new things. Play with reflections. Use weird angles. Photograph things that make you laugh. Document your adventures, your quiet mornings, your random late-night walks. Be curious. Be weird. Be brave.

Photography does not have to be serious to be meaningful. The images that matter most are the ones that feel true to you.

Taken over 10 years ago with my first DSLR… no plan, no pressure, just having fun with a mirror and a camera I was still figuring out

Final Thoughts

You do not have to be perfect. You just have to begin. Let these tips be your starting point, not your finish line. Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep creating.

And if you ever need guidance, encouragement, or someone to walk the journey with you, feel free to reach out. I love helping fellow creatives find their rhythm… let’s see what we can build together.

Before you go, be sure to check out the store for new prints and fresh gear, and follow along on Instagram and YouTube for more photo tips, behind-the-scenes content, and creative inspiration.

Your vision matters, even if it’s still taking shape. Let your camera help you find it.

Until next time, keep creating.