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Since the advent of smartphones in Nigeria, it has been a struggle between smartphones and standard digital cameras. Before, cameras had a higher picture quality than smartphones, however, with recent trends. It is debatable now. Smartphone makers have taken the pain to infuse top-notch picture quality in their phone cameras. With this, people have asked questions if it is necessary to purchase digital cameras anymore.
Here lie some questions: Have smartphones trumped digital cameras? Do they boast of good quality like professional photography devices? Do you need photography courses to be a professional photographer?
Most professional photographers and videographers are positive that traditional cameras are still a force to reckon with for the foreseeable future. It still doesn't stop the concerns of people who query if purchasing a quality digital camera to learn photography is beneficial if smartphones are readily available to take those dope pictures. Also, not many Nigerians will take you seriously if you want to shoot an owambe or any other event with your smartphone.
Short question: purchasing a digital camera will kickstart your photography journey and create more opportunities for you to advance your photography skills. With a camera, you can learn the basics of photography and arm yourself with the right shooting skills. That's not all, you still need to edit your pictures, and that's an essential skill you'll learn too. Along the line, you'll develop your technique and style, which will make you stand out among your peers.
When you sign up for photography courses or enrol in a photography class anywhere in Nigeria with your quality digital camera, you can comprehend advanced photography, understand the necessary words and hacks associated with photography, and enhance your photography skills as a professional. Better still, there tremendous benefits that come with photography classes.
What You Can Learn From Photography Classes
Just like other fields, photography has its distinct features and vocabulary. We have decided to furnish you with terms that you'll come across in your introductory photography courses.
Aperture
It is the size of the opening of the lens. It determines an image's exposure and the lightness or darkness.
Aspect Ratio
It is the ratio of the height to the width.
File Format
It describes how your camera will make recordings of images. Raw files are usually larger than JPGs.
Focus
It refers to the sharpness of the object you're trying to shoot. If it is far away, it appears blurry.
ISO
ISO is the sensitivity of your camera in relation to light. A camera will a high ISO will take great pictures only in low light.
Manual
With manual mode, you can set your camera's exposure yourself, rather than leave it to your camera to set the exposure automatically. With a manual mode, you can select your camera's aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Furthermore, you can focus on an image yourself rather than make it automated.
Noise
Noise is the little grain found in an image. When you take pictures with a camera with high ISOs in broad daylight, the image will have lots of noise.
Shitter Speed
Shutter speed refers to the camera's part that controls how a camera opens and closes to accommodate light and capture an image.
Single Lens Reflex
A camera with a single-lens reflex has just one lens to capture a picture. Digital single-lens reflex cameras are the most functional cameras.
Time Lapse
When different pictures of the same images are taken simultaneously, that's a time-lapse.
Take Photography Lessons to Have the Mindset of a Photographer
If you're someone who loves creating memories and keeping records of them with a camera, you should consider enrolling for topnotch photography courses by world-class instructors who can boost your confidence in capturing images and producing better results.
If you're bent on learning photography and you harbour the hopes of becoming a professional photographer someday, you need to be imaginative and think out of the box. First, you need to see the world from an entirely different angle.
You can take a walk and capture images or activities which you can use to tell stories. You can even decide to holiday in your hometown and capture monuments, people's way of life, nature around them, and the likes. There are many places of attraction in Nigeria. The options are out there, waiting for you to explore them. Just capture anything that piques your interest. When you focus more on life around you, it'll improve your chances of capturing your thoughts on images.
Sometimes, you might have to view yourself as someone else or an object. What does the world think of people like you? As an object, how do you see that world? What activities affect you positively or negatively? These are questions you can draw inspiration from.
Also, making small alterations like your height, angle, perspective, etc. can add a new dimension to a picture. Here's an example: Burna Boy's 'Twice As Tall' album cover captures the R'n'B artiste looking down. It is evident that the photographer captured the image from below. It appears that Burna Boy is an exceedingly tall person when he's only 6 feet tall. The angle gave a different effect to the picture.
You do not even need to have your camera with you before you can reason like a photographer. You might just be having your usual evening strolls, purchasing goods, relaxing outside, or standing aloof while thinking of the next image you want to capture.
Creating an image with your mind will accelerate your progress as a photographer and improve your imagination. Wherever you might find yourself in an urban or rural area, visiting new places can give you enough inspiration and motivation to choose your niche as a novice. Besides, you'll feel like an expert at photography basics and make you feel comfortable while capturing moments and memories.
Tutorials work, but you can also improve your photography skills by exploring untested waters. This way, you'll know what exactly ignites your interests. You might have seen photographers lie on the bare floor to capture an image. It is so because that's the perfect angle for the image. If you ever want to do it, nothing to worry about. People understand, so just get on with creating magic.
You should note that a photography career is feasible in Nigeria.
Say NO to Filters and Learn Lighting Instead
Many filters abound on different applications (PC and mobile) like Adobe Photoshop. These apps add more colour to pictures. However, you do not need to edit your photos before you get colourful results. The atmosphere is quite essential, and it is what you'll consider while capturing your image. These are tips and tricks for you to achieve perfect lighting:
The Colour the Light Produces
The "light is transparent" statement is a myth many people believe in. Colours from different sources come together to form light. Temperature is the base description of light, and it can be measured in Kelvin. You can alter your camera's temperature by changing the white balance. Red and oranges are warmer temperatures, while blue is a cooler temperature.
Hard and Soft Light
Distinct shadows that are quite obvious to the eyes are prominent features of hard lighting. For example, the sun is a hard light because it is easy to view the shadows it creates. When a source is quite close to an object, it produces a soft light because its shadows aren't prominent.
Light Source Mass
You can alter the contrast of your image when you make a change to the size of your light source. If your light source is small, you'll get a higher level of contrast and vice-versa. It happens because the light shines on even the tiniest detail of a scene, and it creates uniformity in the colours.
The distance between the light source and the object of focus can also affect the size of the light source.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
For newbies, it is normal for you not to have all you need to take your photography to the next level. You might not own a studio lighting equipment, and the option you have is the natural light. There are different types of natural light, and they depend on the times of the day as well as the weather.
If a photographer is trying to depict death, the perfect time to capture an image is in the evening when the cloud is gloomy or when it's raining or has just finished raining.
Sunrise and Sunset
Both times of the day produce brilliant colours, and as a budding photographer, you should take advantage of the condition. The light is usually soft and has sharp shadows.
Showcase Your Work
It was in the past that creatives could only showcase their works of art through photography galleries and exhibitions. With the rise of the Internet, you can express your thoughts and emotions, then show people online. Nigerian art exhibitions still exist, but they're capital intensive, and as an amateur, it can hurt your finances. It's why you should consider the option of creating a blog. With a blog, you can share your thoughts when people and gain more popularity for your brand.
Besides, social media offers you limitless opportunities to show your talent to the world. Create a portfolio for your niche on your social media pages. There are dedicated social networks for pictures such as Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest, etc.
If you decide to sign up for photography courses or enrol in a photography school, discovering your passion will push you to learn more.
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