10 Steps To Becoming A Great Photographer

When I first took my love for photography to the next level and started a business, I was pretty naïve. I’m still kind of naïve with some things. I really wish I would have studied and learned more of the nitty-gritty instead of just going all trigger happy. There are so many intricate twists and turns within this industry and its easy to get lost if you don’t map things out from the beginning.

In the almost 7 years I’ve been in business, these are a few things I have found incredibly vital in taking myself to the next level. OF COURSE I’m still learning and will always continue to learn, but for now, I will share with you some of my thoughts and give you a few pointers and tips on how to become a great photographer!

10: Know your camera...

Sounds simple, but honestly so many people now days have a thousand dollar camera which takes decent pictures on auto. If you learn how to REALLY use your camera with manual and custom settings, you will go from amateur to pro very quickly. Learning how to use a less expensive camera to the best of its abilities in the beginning will make you THAT much better when you finally get your dream pro camera!

9: Study your craft...

There is always new technology, new techniques, new lighting, new editing, etc emerging. I'm okay with old school ways of thinking, but things are not regressing, they are only evolving. The more familiar you are with up-to-date practices, EVEN IF YOU STICK WITH YOUR OLD TECHNIQUES, the less shocked you will be if you ever want to try something new.

8: Accept criticism...

Accepting does not mean agreeing, but it does mean that you need to consider what someone has to say, roll it around in your mind, and come to your own conclusion. This one is hard for me. I'm usually not a stubborn person. I'm rather bubbly and accepting, BUT I'm quite defensive when it comes to my work! I've had some pretty strong critiques and my ego has been crushed at times. I want to please EVERYONE and when someone tells me something I could or should do different, it feels as if they weren't pleased with what I have created.

First, no matter how hard, understand and be grateful that someone cares enough about what you do and believes in it enough to want to help you improve. EVEN IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THEIR CRITIQUES.

Second, there are many type of personalities and energies out there. YOU are predominantly only 1 type. If you want to please the masses, having your work looked over by different types of people is really wise. Understand how lots of different people see your work. There might just be a happy medium in "pleasing" the majority of personalities. I have more to say about that in upcoming pointers...

Third, when all is said and done and you’ve been willing to at least hear what others have to say, know and be confident that this is YOUR work, YOUR vision and YOUR dream. Don’t let anyone discourage you from doing what you love and creating what is beautiful in your heart!

7: Know your city laws & boundaries...

I'm a bit of a free bird. I don't like some limits, laws and regulations. I don't like permits, and I don't like boundaries, BUT whether I like them or not, they are there. Sometimes for our own good and safety, sometimes out of city greed, sometimes to protect nature, either way, follow these rules. By following, you are making it easier for your fellow photographer friends. When rules are broken, USUALLY more rules are enforced and no one wants that!

6: Become business savvy...

This is another thing I am not fond of. I just want to create and make people happy and not worry about anything else. BUT you must know some important things; what licenses do you need, how to register your name, how do taxes work, how to keep track of earnings, how to stay organized, how to create a contract, how to price YOURSELF correctly while still being competitive, and the list goes on! Again, when you're not doing things properly, you put others and yourself at risk. You may just be naïve about it, or maybe you truly are trying to slip through the cracks and stay under the radar, but when you don't get yourself informed and do things RIGHT, you are not being fair to yourself or fellow business owners.

5: Get involved....

Your community probably has so much to offer that you didn't even know about. Whether you're in a small town, or big city, creating authentic relationships is so important. Going to mixers, farmers markets, neighborhood events, grand openings, etc., is a great way to expand your market. NOT by doing these things with your own ulterior motives, but truly to support your community. In doing this, people will begin to know your name and know what you do. Referrals will start coming from so many random places.

Getting involved in group photography play dates is wonderful. Not only knowing your full community, but knowing your close photography community as well. Fellow photographers have so much to share! We can all learn so much from each other. Sometimes it's not so easy to get yourself out there with work, family, and life, but do this as much as possible in moderation and balance.

Along with your full community & fellow photographer’s community, there is also such a HUGE community of close venders! Makeup artists, fabric companies, lighting companies, DJ's, caterers, fashion designers and many more that you should be acquainted with. I’d say a bigger percentage of my referrals come from other venders within my industry. Refer out, and you'll eventually get referrals back. We can all scratch each other's backs!

Social media! Our world is moving....pretty much has already moved in that direction and you can't stop it! Maybe this isn't the main thing you want to do to market yourself, but don't take it for granted! It's often free advertisement and networking. Use it to your advantage. SOMETIMES swimming downstream with the crowd is beneficial. Don't write it off.

4: Share what you know....

Like I said above, getting involved with fellow photographers, means that sometimes you share what you know. Maybe even secrets! YIKES!! Guess what though....the most well-known artists are those who teach, who are open to answering questions and sharing some of their secrets. You can keep some of your secrets, secret for sure, but don't be a closed book. Most people are not willing to do what you do anyway, but you will be much respected for opening up and trusting.

3: Be familiar with other artists...

This is a WORLDWIDE industry. Not just a few "greats" here and there anymore, but thousands of INCREDIBLE photographers and artists alike! Know them! Maybe not personally, but learn some of their stories. Know how they got to where they are. If you want to get there too, you just might have to follow their footsteps. Of course you should always carve your own path, but there's a reason we follow directions while traveling. Lots of others had to carve longer, more treacherous roads to get to their destination before it was made easier for us. Don’t let their stories go in vain. It doesn't always have to be a major struggle for us artists. Don't make things more difficult for yourself.

2: Learn how to feel your subject's energy...

Ok yes...this sounds a little funky, I get it, but it's one of the most important things to learn in my opinion. You might not be able to please everyone, but I think you can get pretty close if you just get a feel for who or what you're photographing. Let your work come from a place much deeper than the technicalities of photography. Be in an open place energetically so you bring a sense of comfort and trust to your shoots. You can push people out of their comfort zones to a certain point, but the more you help them become comfortable in their own skin, the happier they will be with the outcome. You will capture THEIR true personalities rather than what you think they should be. You can't tell a mountain or a tree in a landscape to be different than it is. It is your job to find its beauty, feel its energy and pull something from it which helps tell a story.

This goes for shoots you are creating personally as well. If you are using a model, it's true that you might be creating something different than their true personality, But THEY are in front of your camera for a reason. How do you bring your idea and their personality together in harmony? That is for you to find out! How did someone decide that dough, sauce, meat and cheese could work so well together in harmony? 4 completely different food groups coming together in a delicious comfort food called pizza! Somehow it works. Figure out how to do that, and you will reach and touch so many more people with what you do.

1: Find your niche & style...

A man once asked me what my niche was. I thought I had good answers; "I like bright, colorful, and vibrant images and I just like photography in general!" but he wasn't convinced. He asked me again...."but what is your passion? What do YOU do?" Me: "Ummm Photography is my passion..."  I was kind of stumped. At this point I really did think that I loved all of it no matter what. I thought that was a good loyal photography answer! To a certain extent, I do love my face behind the camera no matter what, but I really didn't have something to truly set me apart until I followed inspirations and visions I was having for years. My niche would end up being in the whimsical, fantasy and storytelling realm. It is what has the potential to keep me up at night and wake me up early in the morning. It gets my heart pounding and fills me with life.

This is a start, but it's not all. To take yourself beyond the average is to create a style WITHIN your niche in which people can say...."oh I can tell....this is definitely a piece created by (insert your name here)" without even knowing for sure. Even in the art of landscape photography, you can find a style. Ansel Adams is a wonderful example! Along with shooting black and white, he finds a mood within nature that is unmistakably his style.

Bottom line, you can definitely make a life and earn a living by doing what others do, but when you set yourself apart, get involved, teach, stay ethical, and find your style within your niche....you instead create a LEGACY!

What do you want? It's your choice.

Your biggest fan, 
Kira Sanoja <3