David VanderSchee is a hobby photographer who enjoys snapping shots of wildlife in their unedited, natural form. In the following article, David VanderSchee takes readers through developing skills in photography, ensuring every hobbyist or amateur can take professional grade photos of their favorite things.

Every great professional photographer was once an amateur.

As a child, acclaimed food photojournalist Derek Pfohl honed his craft while hanging out in his parent's restaurant, snapping photos of the intricate plates leaving the kitchen. Anne Geddes, known for her fantastic baby photography, was self-taught - she created a portfolio of family photos before opening her first studio.

Legend Ansel Adams received his first camera at 14 on a family trip to Yosemite National Park.

The art of photography is never mastered overnight. It takes experience and patience, passion, and creativity. Developing the essential skills is challenging, but above all, it's exciting!

David VanderSchee Explains Getting Started

Smartphones have turned nearly everyone into an amateur photographer, but they can also reveal what kind of shutterbug one may be.

David VanderSchee explains that if an interest in photography goes beyond the standard selfie or vacation pictures, spend some time looking through a personal camera roll. Are there certain subjects that are commonly shot? Is it nature? Landscapes? Portraits of friends?

Basic photography skill then moves to knowing one's camera well. For those interested in moving past the smartphone and into a professional type of camera should know the ins and outs of the lenses, shutter speeds, and how the aperture works. Not all zoom lens cameras are the same do extensive research and be sure to choose the best camera for the job.

Snapping wildlife photos will require a larger zoom lens with a faster shutter speed and wide aperture, compared to what's needed for say, still photos, or more controllable objects, such as people or still landscapes. Budding photographers should spend time trying out different focuses and exposures to get the shot they want.

David VanderSchee provides one final assignment: When first learning to take photos, one should spend time shooting what they love, whether that's photographing a pet or the flowers in the yard.

Developing Essential Skills

An understanding of how a camera works and its unique features is just the beginning. Now it's time to practice. Try all a camera's buttons, bells, and whistles. Read through the camera's manual at least twice it's even recommended to keep the manual handy, in the camera case as a quick reference guide when needed. Try shooting photos in different conditions with the goal of having them all be of the same quality or sharpness.

David VanderSchee provides more essential tips below:

Explore Others' Work

Just as artists appreciate other artists and writers learn from fellow writers, photographers can learn a lot from other photographers. Many professional photographers maintain a portfolio online, and that's a great place to start for photographers to get a strong sense of different techniques and what cameras are capable of capturing.

David VanderSchee notes that photography blogs don't just post photos but usually offer tips on how to use a camera well in different settings among other important information. Such blogs can function as free, regularly updated textbooks for budding photographers and a way to keep up with the best new photography trends.

Many community centers host photography workshops that can be invaluable sources of advice and inspiration and great ways to put new skills and styles to practice. Such workshops are a fantastic way to connect with other photographers and learn about job opportunities or internships.

Be Distinctive and Try New Things

David VanderSchee says that amateur photographers usually have a favorite professional or shot they follow, so it's tempting to shoot the same objects or scenery as those they admire and shoot them in similar ways. Instead, try different angles and compositions that set one's work apart from the thousands of professionals (and amateurs) on Instagram.

Think of new ways to get images of popular subjects and scenery. It's one of the biggest ways to grow technically and creatively.

Find the Light

David VanderSchee says that the power of photography often rests on its use of light or shadow. Taking a good photo means not only using light effectively but studying it, too. How does light change during the day and rest on subjects in unique ways?

Those looking to develop photography skills should practice taking photos in different lighting environments, analyzing them, and tweaking techniques as needed through a camera's settings.

Don't Forget the Background

First comes light, then comes background. Every photographer has to factor in what's known as mergers, an array of elements that can create distractions in photos, such as background items like telephone poles or signs, or other people passing by.

It's important to develop an awareness of these mergers and move their focus (or themselves) in different angles to effectively avoid them. (It's much easier to avoid an unwanted merger than edit it from the picture once it's there plus, it's less time consuming to take that extra step or angle in the first place).

Volunteer

David VanderSchee notes that photographers are always in demand, especially for weddings, graduations, family portraits, and countless other needs. When starting out, volunteering services for such events is the perfect way to practice new skills and begin to establish a professional portfolio. Start with events for friends and family, gathering a familiar client base.

Photography is a difficult industry to break into, but getting the most experience possible and earning a solid reputation comes much quicker when one commits to putting their name out there even for little or no pay at first.