This is likely to change over time as my ideas and thinking changes. But right now it is what it is.
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Buy a camera, whichever camera you can afford, a full frame, a crop sensor camera, a DSLR, a mirrorless camera, a mirrorless micro four thirds camera… It doesn’t matter just get a camera.
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“Best” is subjective.
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Buy whichever lens you can afford.
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Sharpness is overrated. It doesn’t matter how sharp a photo is if it’s a shit photo then it’s just a sharp shit photo.
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Study the masters of photography.
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History is important.
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Don’t take it so seriously.
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Do it for fun.
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Do it because you enjoy it and love it.
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If you don’t like it then stop doing it.
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Don’t do it to please other people.
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The only person you have to please is yourself.
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If you like your photos then that’s all that matters.
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Fuck what other people think of your photos.
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If other people like your photos then great. If they hate your photos then who cares? It doesn’t matter!
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Buy books instead of gear.
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Take photography work shops instead of buying new gear.
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Theory and philosophy is just as important as practice.
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Take your camera everywhere with you.
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Listen to what others have to say but think for yourself and decide if what others have to say is BS or not.
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Don’t listen to others.
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There is more to photography than just photos, cameras, lenses and gear.
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The only gear you really need is a body, a lens, a battery, and a memory card or roll of film. Everything else is optional.
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Photography is unique, it’s a lens based art and the raw materials of a photographer is light and time. Embrace what is unique about photography.
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Don’t copy. You will never find your style if you just copy.
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Don’t be afraid to screw up and make mistakes. Making mistakes is the best way to learn.
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Don’t compare yourself to others, either to photographers that are better or worse than yourself.
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Browse your old photos. You might have missed a good photo in the first, second, even third edit.
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Photography is about seeing.
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Learn the rules.
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Break the rules.
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Ignore the rules.
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There aren’t really any rules.
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Just make photos.