6 Great Reasons Why You Should Take Up Photography

We live in a digital age where everyone has the capabilities of capturing photos straight from their smartphones. Whilst this genre of photography is certainly on the rise with plenty of acclaimed photographers already out there, there are some benefits from actually picking up a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. So here are 6 reasons why you should take up photography.

1. It will make you have to learn something new

Smartphones are great in being able to capture moments where you may not have a camera with you. But the big problem with smartphones is that most people just use them with all auto settings that are already set up. So even if you take nice photos, you are not actually understanding the process and the setting you are using. By using a digital camera you will b forced to actually have to learn how to take photos rather than just relying on auto modes. If nothing else it’s never a bad thing to learn something new as it can get your brain working on something other than what you are used to. This will help keep your brain working and learning new things.

2. You will be outside more

Taking up photography will force you to go outside more often. Because even if you decide that your interest is in interior photography, you won’t be able to spend forever more photographing your home. At some point, you will have to get outside and photograph other houses. Interior photography is an extreme example as in for the vast majority of photography genres you will have to be outside anyway. For example landscape photography, street photography, wedding photography, travel photography and even sport photography will require you to be somewhere other than your house. Let’s be honest all of us can probably benefit from being outdoors more these days. So taking up photography could actually also have a beneficial impact on your health.

3. Help your confidence

If you are the sort of person who suffers from shyness or low confidence, you may find that photography can help you. Being a photographer seems to always invite conversation with strangers and also forces you to interact with other people. But also if you are able to hone your skills and take good photos, you will undoubtedly receive compliments from other people on social media or even directly. This can be a real boost to your self-esteem. Even if you are the shyest person in the world, you may find that photography helps you come out of your shell.

4. Gives you a goal

Ask any professional photographer if they have a set of shots in their head that they would love to take and the answer will usually be yes. But even as an amateur you will begin to set yourself goals that you would like to achieve. At first, it might be just being able to master all the controls of your camera. Then might come specific shots that you have in mind that you want to take. This could be photographing your local town or city in a unique light. So you have to wait months and sometimes years for it to occur. Later it might be that you just want to be able to have a photo appear in a magazine or newspaper or even to win a competition. Your goals will change throughout your photography journey but make no mistake they will be there in the back of your mind.

 5. Make some extra money

Whilst it isn’t going to make you rich, you can use your photographs (or photography) to make some extra money. You may choose to sell your photos through stock sites. Or even try to sell them directly to clients. If you have great photos you may find that you have a following who are willing to buy them as prints. There is also, of course, the opportunity to actually photograph part-time or at weekends for some extra cash. But don’t rush out and quit your job straight away. Unfortunately, the photography industry has taken a big hit over the last 10 years and is suffering from oversupply. So think of it as extra money rather than vast sums that will change your life.

6. Sense of achievement

Even if nothing else comes of your photography or your photos, I guarantee you that you will have a sense of achievement when you capture that amazing shot that you worked so hard for. It will take pride of place in your collection and you will always remember it. But you will also have a sense of achievement in just starting and learning something new. The great thing is that you would have done it all by yourself.

Photography can be addictive. You can get addicted to that feeling of joy when you capture a great photo. But you will also find that the more you learn it will drive you to learn even more. It becomes a challenge to be able to better your photography every time you pick up a camera. Not only can this help you to focus on something different and creative but also keep you active and busy. You may just look back at the moment you decided to take up photography as one of the best decisions in your life.

Photo credits: Kav Dadfar – All rights reserved. No usage without permission. Dreamstime.