So, you got yourself an E10, haven't cracked the manual, passed yourself off as a photographer to get two jobs and already thinking if only you had one of those scene machines you could be a great photographer. You live in a small town and 15 or 20 or more parents are not going to be pleased with their kid's K pictures. Not a good start.
If you really want to be a photographer, I can help. There is nothing more exciting to me than a kid who really wants to learn. I am 3/4 century old and have been shooting for more than 60 of those years. I haven't known many photogs who aren't willing to help a beginner, if the beginner does his or her part.
1. Start with you manual. Read and do everything in that book until you understand every concept it talks about. E10 sounds like a digital camera. That's good to learn with because now you can shoot without worrying about film cost. Shoot - Shoot - Shoot! everything in site. Look at each image after you make it and ask yourself what do I need to do to make it better.
2. Go to your local library. Check out books. Any photographic book.
3. Go to a local studio owner. Tell them you want to learn to be a photographer AND you are willing to pay your dues. Tell them you will work weekends and evenings doing anything ( cleaning, mixing solutions, painting, steaming muslins , filing ) for no pay, just to have the privilege to be around photography and have someone to talk to about it.
4. Go to a local event photog, tell them you will be willing to work for nothing for a few weeks if they will teach you how to be an assistant. The first evening you see him make $2k for an evening of shooting, don't decide your ready and quit. You ain't even started.
5. Go to the local Community College. Take courses.
6. Join a local camera club.
7. Not one? Help form one, finding others with your interest.
8. Start searching the internet. If you have done those other things on the list, by the time you get to this forum or a dozen others like it, you will be able to ask specific questions; instead of I got me a camera and a job already, now how do I become a photographer. Also, if you really want help from others, use your name.
9. You will probably like this tip least of all. But it will help you more than most. Go to some portrait sites where people work in media other than photography. Artists working in oil, pastels, watercolor. Start to form a set of rules about posing. Look at the way they play with the light to make the image and subjects appealing. Go here:
http://www.prtraits.com/
Here are some other places to go. Just quietly look at what they do:
http://www.lightingmagic.com/ http://www.flashcentre.co.uk/guidetobetterpics.htm http://www.lightingmagic.com/scottgal.htm http://www.lightingmagic.com/scottgal.htm http://www.duenkel.com/ http://www.houseofphotography.com/ http://www.dg28.com/index.html
10. Every time you make an image, say to yourself, "I will make no excuses for this image. It is the very best image I know how to make at this time!"
11. Make pictures of your neighbor's kids. Give them the prints. Make pictures of their houses, inside and out. Give them the prints.
12. Now, the first rainy night, go downtown. Photograph all of the local business with their neon lights reflected in the streets in front. Carefully make and mount 11 x 14 prints of each business. If you are proud of them, offer them for sale to the business owners.
By now people in your small town will be asking you to photograph their kindergarten kids.
I have seen a hundred of these posts and usually say no one wants an old man wagging his bony finger at them. But, I just had to do it once, in memory of those kids in my past who had the fire in their gut to learn.
I will not say good luck. If you do these things, you will make your own luck.
And whatever your name is, thanks for allowing me to do the lecture!
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