B U D G E T P H O T O G R A P H Y
If you're like me, you're living on a budget of some sort. And, if you're like me, you have a full-time job that eats up a lot of the hours of the week, and some responsibilities that take away from your photography (children, spousal unit, sports, etc.).
There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day or week to do all you need to do, and get some photography in as well. And, in terms of budget, (if you're like me), I have enough liquid cash to enjoy myself going out to movies, dinners with friends, or a buy myself something a little extra, but I normally have to save up money to buy bigger purchases, like a new t.v., an Mp3 player, a new camera or lenses.
Often times, budgeting makes you pine for that nice new lens, or that nifty new thing-a-ma-jiggy that's just out of your normal liquid cash range. For me, I see all the places and workshops that I would like to attend, (such going on an African safari, maybe going to one of Moose Peterson's 4-student seminars, or all those other nifty things that I know would really really help my photography) and I don't have enough time, money, or resources to really accomplish what I want to do with my photography. (Ah, the joys of being an amateur photographer.)
And as much as I would like to do all of those things, or even some of those things, they are definitely out of my current budget range, and none of these workshops or photo tours are giving out scholarships. LOL
Frankly, it can be very frustrating for an amateur photographer who wants to improve, especially when you're reading a lot of online forums talking about this lens or that camera or when you're looking at various photographer's galleries, photography magazines, or books on far-off exotic locales.
What to do? What to do?
First of all, it's not about pining or wishing for what you can't do or can't have, but it's using what you have that really counts. It's not the camera or exotic places that make you a photographer; it's you that makes the photographs. The camera is just a tool, and the exotic places are just places (albeit really COOL places).
There are plenty of places that you can learn how to be a better photographer without spending a lot of $$$ on photo workshops or seminars that are out of your budget range. Don't get me wrong, I know I would learn a lot in a photography workshop or seminar, but I honestly don't have that much extra cash to spend, nor the time off from work. So I do the next best thing...
Learn how to use your camera. It's probably got a ton of features that you've never used before. Dig out the manual, and read it. Carry it with you while you're taking photographs so you can refer to it. The manual will probably tell you more than any other book, even if it is a boring read.
Cost: FREE
Take a class at your local community college or center. Community colleges are great for learning things for a relatively inexpensive tuition fee. Photography workshops can cost hundred to thousands of dollars, but if you're willing to take a longer class, community colleges and community centers offer classes that can span a day, a weekend, or several weeks for anywhere from $18.00/credit to $150.00, depending on your area. In terms of costs, classes like these are CHEAP compared to expensive photo workshops.
Cost: CHEAP, but prices may vary, depending on your local community colleges/centers
There are a lot of books that will teach you the basics on how to use your camera, how to understand light, how to compose a photograph, etc. Read those books and become more knowledgeable about photography in general!
Look at books by other photographers that you admire. See how they did their shots or how they composed their photos, and try to emulate their style.
Your local library probably has a plethora of books on photography that you can borrow and peruse to your heart's content. Second-hand bookstores will probably also have multiple books on photography that you can buy. Online bookstores are also places to get books for you to read.
Cost: Library--Free; Bookstore--Depends on how much you spend, but probably cheaper than a photography workshop.
Practice, practice, practice--TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS. Use your camera. And then practice some more. Various photography books I've read have exercises in which you can learn how light works or how you can judge the lighting of a particular subject just by taking multiple photographs of the same subject in different lighting.
If you have a film camera, you can begin by just taking photograph after photograph, and writing down the settings for each photograph
you take so that you have some idea of what you did when you took that shot. If you're concerned about film costs,
learn how to compose shots (by reading photography books) so that you get the most out of each and every photograph.
If you have a digital camera, there's absolutely no reason why you cannot take thousands and thousands of photographs, review them, and then delete them. Unlike traditional photography, you don't have to go into the darkroom, develop film, and then sit at a light table inspecting your negatives trying to figure out what's good, bad, what you did right or wrong. This is one of the reasons why I am definitely avid supporter of digital photography. (Not to say that film is bad--film has a lot of advantages over digital--but I think that digital has advantages over film that really help an amateur photographer.)
Cost: Film--Price of film & developing; Digital--Free
If you have a digital camera, use the histogram, if it's got that feature. The histogram will help improve your photography by giving you immediate feedback on your shot. Do you have extreme lighting? Are there blown highlights?
Cost: FREE
Photo Outings
:Find or get a friend(s) interested in photography.It's always a lot more fun to take photographs with a friend. In this way, you can motive each other to get out and take photographs. Plus, with more than one person taking photographs, you can look at each other's work to see how each of you composed shots differently, or what his/her style is versus yours.
I have about 4-5 friends that like photography, and with whom I set up various photo outings to different places. Not all can make it every single time, but having company makes things easier. And afterwards, we often compare photographs to see how others view things or how we each set up a shot differently. It's a fun time, and you get to hang out with your friends.
See if there are some photography clubs in your area, where you can meet, network, and get together with people to do photo-outings.
Be Creative. My Significant Other LOVES to hike. So, I get us to go out hiking and take my photography gear with me! He gets to hike. I get to do photography!
Or I set up a day where I am doing a particular "theme" or I am going to spend X hours in the studio this month. I bring a bag lunch, and will hit the park during my lunch break to take photographs. I also bring my camera with me almost everywhere I go.
Cost: Free
Find local attractions. Many of these attractions are free or very low cost to get in. Places like: Japanese/Chinese gardens, your local zoo, your local theme park, your local museums, arboretums, parks/recreational centers, cemeteries, state or national parks, beaches, forests, malls, downtown city areas. There are NUMEROUS places you can go. You're only limited by your imagination.
Cost: Price of Admission, which is a LOT less than traveling to Africa or other exotic locales.
Go to your local bookstore or library and find travel guides for your area. There are plenty of books that specialize in travel guides for the area you live. These books are handy to have and give tips and advice for places you can go to not only enjoy yourself, but take photographs.
Cost: Library--Free; Bookstore--Depends on how much you spend.
Go to your local Visitor Bureau online or in person. They have handy brochures for touristy or scenic spots in your area that you might never have realized.
Use the Internet. Find local historic sites in your area that you can photograph.
Go for a walk. Often times the most interesting things to see are in your own backyard or around the block.
Cost: Free
Photo Innings
This particular section is titled "Photo Innings" because there is a LOT of things in and around the house that can be used as subjects for still life. You can spend very little and have your own little photo studio by purchasing some items at your local art store or your local hardware store. You can build two different types of studios for less than $40.00! If you have an understanding of what you want to shoot and the lighting you will need, you can find things around the house that will suit your needs.
Use Natural light for your subjects. The BEST light is often morning light or diffused light from an overcast day. Use these things to your advantage.
Mini Photo Studio Setup Using Natural Light
- Drag a table over to the closest window sill and set up your tripod/camera by that table.
- Get a solid color table cloth of various colours
- Find some white butcher paper or white poster board as a reflector. You can pick up these items from your local art studio for a few dollars.
- Pick up a large foam core board (FCB) from your local art store. I prefer black, but you can get other colors. This may cost you $2-$5 dollars.
FYI: You can bring this FCB along with you to some of your photo outings, if you want to isolate a given subject in natural light. I've used it in my garden to take flower shots without cutting the flowers off their plants. It works like a charm! - Find an interesting item around the house...or a boring item around the house.
- Get some bulldog clips
Set up this make-shift studio on your table. Use large books to prop up the FCB and place your item infront of it. You can take photographs of said item in your makeshift studio. If necessary, use bulldog clips to hold things in place.
Start taking photographs and zoom into the item
If you're using photoshop, you can select the background color (since you're using a solid color FCB) with the magic wand tool, and darken, lighten, or change it completely.
Viola! A beautiful photograph! (The irises were taken with this very same setup & technique in Photoshop using only a black FCB.
Cost: $10-$20
Build your own lightbox.
Here are some other ideas for building lightboxes yourself.
- Bill Huber from DPReview.com posted his own built lightbox.
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_boxI made this particular one, and I do have to say it works like a dream.
Cost: $30.00 at my local hardware store. The PVC pipes were cheap. I bought 4-5 cheap lamps.
- Here's a simple article on how to build one from a cardboard box for some macrophotography
http://www.megapixel.net/html/articles/article-lightbox.html - For another lightbox for macrophotography: Take a clean used gallon milk jug. Cut off the top of the milk jug so you can put in an object. Light the jug from the outside with your lamps. The plastic acts as a diffuser, and you've got your own mini lightbox
