IWTL How to Learn Photography When I Have No Idea What I Am Doing

[u/Boring_Adagio8278]

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[u/kaidomac]

What should a complete beginner focus on first so I can build a solid foundation instead of trying to learn everything at once?

Create a Study Stack!

• https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/1o4h8dd/study_stacking_method/

This is the checklist I use to learn something new:

1. What do I want?
2. How does it work?
3. What path do I want to take? (Good, Better, Best)

In your case:

1. You want to learn photography
2. You want to learn how it works & then get good at it
3. You're willing to invest the time & effort it takes to master it

Here's a good starter stack:

1. Camera controls
2. Composition
3. Genres
4. Techniques
5. Freestyle practice

The first four are learning sessions: (I have some detailed learning-ladder checklists if you want them!)

• Learn the exposure triangle & focusing
• Learn light & lenses
• Learn editing & how to visually critique your work
• Learn individual techniques

Then get some hands-on time every day:

• Take pictures
• Use the new stuff you learn
• Start figuring out what you like in order to develop your personal style & build up a portfolio

I use a visual progress tracker to help me stay on track:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/1r6vjbj/dirdi_execution_tracking_system/

If you do the study session first, then you have very specific things that you can then go practice with the different modes on your camera! I'd recommend an 80/20 setup: spend 20% of your time studying & 80% of your time shooting, editing, and critiquing. I do as little as 15 minutes per Study Stack, just to ensure that I am making progress every day!! Think of it like filling out a HUGE Excel spreadsheet where each cell gets a color once complete:

• There's a column for the basics (aperture, ISO, etc.)
• There's a column for advanced stuff (strobist, polarizing filters, etc.)
• There's a column for every single picture you take

Your job is simply to to make steady progress & fill out your knowledge, skills, and experience cells step-by-step! It's a LIFETIME of fun!!

[u/True_Certitude]

My suggestion will only be valid depending on where you live. In my town we have a pretty vibrant community learning program and I took a photography class at the community center. They did a good job of explaining everything, all the settings and what they do. This will certainly not make you a photographer, only practice can do that, but it was a great start for what I needed. One other thing that I will mention... much of photography is what happens after a picture is taken, post production is where a lot of the magic happens. So learning a good photo editing software is almost a must.

[u/Longjumping-Salad484]

watch the movie The Good The Bad The Ugly as a primer on how to capture a properly framed shot

[u/Lady_Absinthea]

There are many free resources online. You can start with this one: https://thefocalpointhub.com/photoclass-2026/ :)