Hey all. This week on the blog, I decided to talk about the pros of picking a photographer with a college degree in that field over one who doesn't. Don't get me wrong, some people just have that photographer's eye and can pick up a camera and start shooting, but a degree helps sharpen your skills.
Learning how to shoot in manual instead of automatic is very important and most average people who go buy a camera and start shooting have no idea what manual is. I went to college and had never shot in manual before and thought I was a photographer. I was so wrong. My pictures changed in quality once I switched. It is a skill that takes time to learn. It involves changing your focus, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. If you leave your focus on automatic, you might get the person in the back's head sharp instead of the person you were aiming for. If you don't know how to change your shutter speed, the race you were trying to capture will be all blurry. Automatic ISO can make your picture look super grainy. If your aperture is wrong, you could have a very bright picture or very dark.
Editing is a very important process of your photography. Without learning the proper skills, you might make your entire picture have a purple filter and think that looks good. I see so many pictures online of people who started a photography business with absolutely no experience and edited pictures very poorly. Extra limbs on people. Vignetting around every picture. Vignette is almost never a good idea. Editing on Instagram with a filter doesn't count! You can tell professional editing when the photo is sharp, good contrast, no blown out highlights, and good color.
Lighting is also something that is very important. Natural lighting gives a nice look to your pictures. Make sure to shoot in the morning before 11 and from 3-5 in the afternoon when the light doesn't leave harsh shadows. If you are shooting inside, it is handy to have a speed light that sits on your camera or if you are shooting in a studio, it is good to have some studio lights with umbrellas or soft boxes. North window light gives portraits a nice look. I went on a shoot this week and all of the rooms were dark, so I had to use my skills and what lights were available to make the pictures turn out well. An inexperienced photographer would have used their automatic flash, blinded everyone, and the pictures would have ended up blown out.
If you are paying someone to take pictures, I would want them to be able to know how to do these things. Research their pictures. Ask them their experience. Most professional photographers with a degree aren't going to give you your photos on a flash drive either. They have spent hours learning about the craft, and they strive to bring you the best looking prints for you. The quality of prints you can order from them are much better than the Walmart one you are going to go print out yourself. Photographers with a degree are going to cost a little bit more than average Joe with a camera, but isn't it worth it? Your pictures will look so much better and you know they are investing their heart and soul in to those pictures. You don't try to find a doctor without a degree because it will be cheaper. You only trust the licensed ones. Wouldn't you put your trust in some one who went to school and studied hard to make your pictures be high quality?
Learning how to shoot in manual instead of automatic is very important and most average people who go buy a camera and start shooting have no idea what manual is. I went to college and had never shot in manual before and thought I was a photographer. I was so wrong. My pictures changed in quality once I switched. It is a skill that takes time to learn. It involves changing your focus, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. If you leave your focus on automatic, you might get the person in the back's head sharp instead of the person you were aiming for. If you don't know how to change your shutter speed, the race you were trying to capture will be all blurry. Automatic ISO can make your picture look super grainy. If your aperture is wrong, you could have a very bright picture or very dark.
Editing is a very important process of your photography. Without learning the proper skills, you might make your entire picture have a purple filter and think that looks good. I see so many pictures online of people who started a photography business with absolutely no experience and edited pictures very poorly. Extra limbs on people. Vignetting around every picture. Vignette is almost never a good idea. Editing on Instagram with a filter doesn't count! You can tell professional editing when the photo is sharp, good contrast, no blown out highlights, and good color.
Lighting is also something that is very important. Natural lighting gives a nice look to your pictures. Make sure to shoot in the morning before 11 and from 3-5 in the afternoon when the light doesn't leave harsh shadows. If you are shooting inside, it is handy to have a speed light that sits on your camera or if you are shooting in a studio, it is good to have some studio lights with umbrellas or soft boxes. North window light gives portraits a nice look. I went on a shoot this week and all of the rooms were dark, so I had to use my skills and what lights were available to make the pictures turn out well. An inexperienced photographer would have used their automatic flash, blinded everyone, and the pictures would have ended up blown out.
If you are paying someone to take pictures, I would want them to be able to know how to do these things. Research their pictures. Ask them their experience. Most professional photographers with a degree aren't going to give you your photos on a flash drive either. They have spent hours learning about the craft, and they strive to bring you the best looking prints for you. The quality of prints you can order from them are much better than the Walmart one you are going to go print out yourself. Photographers with a degree are going to cost a little bit more than average Joe with a camera, but isn't it worth it? Your pictures will look so much better and you know they are investing their heart and soul in to those pictures. You don't try to find a doctor without a degree because it will be cheaper. You only trust the licensed ones. Wouldn't you put your trust in some one who went to school and studied hard to make your pictures be high quality?
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