3 Ways to Learn Photography.

Have you learned all there is to know? If there's nothing more to learn what do you do?

Are you an expert on it all? If you are do something productive like teach someone.

Are you seeking new ways to do things? That's the spirit. There's always someone better than you. If you like what they do, why not learn from them?

3 ways to learn photography... its pretty much the same way to learn anything.

1. Experiment and learn by trial and error.
2. Start a formal qualification.
3. Find a mentor and learn from them.

If you're at all interested in taking a photo with a camera, you would have already done one of these. I have attempted two of the three, but never followed through entirely mainly because of practicality. I learned the basics in high school with 1970's technology. The camera controls being ISO and shutter speed, and then on the lens, aperture and focus. Oh, it did have an on/off mechanism, and a depth of field preview.

So, with an understanding of the basics, I went for experimentation - and any photographer will admit some of their best work has been the result of experimentation.

I started a formal qualification at a private institution at Melbourne's Southbank. This taught me how to bring the techniques I had learned years earlier into a professional arena. Taught me how to work under pressure with a project brief and deadline. Something of a challenge when you're talking to a creative person. I didn't complete the Diploma due to my passion being directed to a different industry.

Find a mentor. Ask to be their assistant and watch what they do to achieve their results. I have not made this happen, but have passively watched my peers as they go about their work and how they achieve results. The reason for me not pursuing a mentor is because its difficult for an assistant to be present in my main type of photography, due to the nature of the shoot. And, I don't particularly admire the work of any local photographers.

So, have you tried all three ways of learning? Please tell me about your experience with at least one.