Learning any new photography skill can be challenging, but there are strategies you can use to make it easier (and more effective).
Here’s a good strategy for mastering new lighting techniques:
Set aside time to practice regularly. Experiment with different lighting setups, try new techniques, and see how changes in angle and distance affect your shots. The more you practice, the more you’ll understand how to achieve the look you want. This is especially true with portraiture.
Take a good lighting course. Structured learning from a comprehensive course (like the one I offer) can provide you with insider tips and techniques you might not discover on your own. Can you learn from random YouTube tutorials? Yes. But that can leave large gaps in your fundamentals and stall your progress. Take a real lighting course first.
Learn from your mistakes. Don’t be afraid to get things wrong. Every mistake is a learning opportunity–it’s actually necessary to make mistakes IMO. Analyze what didn’t work and figure out why. You WILL get better because you’ll know better after awhile.
Engage with other photographers. Join a community where you can share your work, get feedback, and learn from others. Being part of a supportive group can be very motivating. Hint: If you’re a member of a FB group that makes you shy away from posting images or questions because of all the negativity in that group, leave it. There are plenty of other places where a community is actually supportive (and positive).
Stay updated with trends. Photography is always evolving. Keeping up with the latest trends and technologies can keep your work fresh and exciting. That doesn’t mean you have to jump on every fad look that comes around. But it’s good practice to know how other people are creating those looks, and how you can iterate and create new ones for yourself.
