1. Gear doesn’t matter.

   I have spent thousands and thousands of US dollars on new gear, gadgets, and upgrades. None of it matters…At all. Becoming a great photographer has less to do with the gear you have and much more to do with who you are as an artist. It’s nice to keep up with the latest camera updates, but it doesn’t do much for you as a photographer.

   Learning composition rules, light, and posing are more useful to you as an artist than a five-thousand-dollar camera. Work with what you have. Concentrate on the results you want to achieve and solve the problem with the gear you have. Take the time to understand how your gear handles light and the best way to position your subjects.

   Camera brands come out with new cameras all the time. There is just no way to keep up with all the latest upgrades and it gets expensive fast. The cameras generally don’t have that many differences from year to year so you don’t get as much bang for your buck when it comes to things like resolution and low-light capabilities.

   One video that came out on YouTube seven years ago by Casey Neistat titled is one of the best breakdowns of the principle that gear doesn’t matter. The video is titled “Casey Neistat’s Guide To Filmmaking”.

2. Learn how light works.

   Lighting is key to creating amazing images. I wish I paid more attention to learning how light shadows work early on. Understanding the light can significantly improve your photography. The light has characteristics that impact everything in your photos.

   You can modify any light you want, you have to get a little creative sometimes. Learning how you can shape light is a useful skill to have when learning photography. You can really transform an image just by changing the way it’s lit. The sun is the best FREE light source you can take advantage of. Learn how to angle your subjects, and use natural diffusion sources like trees or shade. There is a lot you can do to work with light without buying additional gear. Something as small as changing the time of the day you shoot can help you get softer light and improve the quality of your images.

3. Your style will develop.

When starting photography it is normal to have photographers that you like and look up to. More than likely they have been practicing photography for some years and developing a style for just as long. I wanted to have a recognizable style when I started off, but I wasn’t even good enough yet. What I thought was good would change as I improved, and my style developed from specializing in certain types of photography. When I started, I was shooting everything I could and over time I began focusing on the things I truly enjoyed doing.

Be patient, shoot a lot, and let your style come to you.

4. You have to pay your dues.

I heard a number of photographers say this phrase when I was starting out. In this field, your work is how you get booked for bigger, more meaningful work. Without a portfolio, it’s tough to get booked for work so sometimes you have to do some work for free to build your portfolio. Through the course of your career, sometimes you will weigh decisions and work for little to no money to do meaningful work to advance your career. Shadowing another photographer is a great way to do this. Help out, and gain access to an experienced professional to help improve your craft.

I worked for a production company in Austin for a few years and as established as they were, they still took on work for less sometimes. The idea was to build a strong portfolio when it made sense to take on the work. Now, I’m not saying do free work all the time, be wise and trade experience for money when it is meaningful. One way or another, you will pay your dues.

5. Confidence rules.

This is the last one, but arguably the most important. Have confidence. This can apply to probably anything in your life, but definitely your photography. As you grow in your photography journey you might find photographers less talented than you, but with more clients. There are so many opportunities you may miss because you believe you are not qualified for them. Don’t let them pass you by! Be confident in your work and in the time you have taken to develop your skill. Go for every gig and opportunity you think you are underqualified for. You will be surprised at how perfectly qualified you really are. A lot of times as a photographer it is hard to see your own work as “good”. Many times others let us know.

A talented photographer and designer that I look up to, Temi Coker was contacted by the academy awards to design the Oscar award. This is someone who is clearly talented and he said he felt shocked and underqualified for the task. Starstruck by the names mentioned alongside his, he didn’t think he was the right person for the job. This is just a small example of how you can not always notice your own skills, but confidence is going to be able to put you in situations to see success.