It’s no secret that higher-end DSLR and mirrorless cameras are going to allow you to take incredible pictures that are really high quality. However, are they necessary when you’re just starting out in photography? No way!
Can you tell which of these was taken on an iPhone versus a DSLR?
I first started my love of photography with a small point and shoot that I got for Christmas, and I loved that camera! It worked well for what I needed it for, and it wasn’t too complicated. With that camera, I was able to foster my love of photography that has grown more and more over the years. Eventually, I was able to graduate to a DSLR, but in the between times I was taking photos with my iPhones. I’m not ashamed of any of these photos. Yes, my Canon DSLR provides me with higher resolution and more easily editable images than my point and shoot or my cellphone. But you don’t need expensive new equipment in order to take great photos.
Technology today has advanced so much that often times, photos taken by a cellphone are almost indistinguishable from that of a higher-end camera when simply looking at it. On my cellphone, I have an app called Moment Camera (this isn’t affiliated or anything, I just really love the app). The Moment Camera is amazing for letting you shoot in raw and control many aspects of the photo that the normal iPhone camera app is incapable of. If I’m not in a huge rush to snap the photo before something changes then I will most likely use this app. This allows you to bridge the gap between cellphone photography and DSLR or mirrorless photography even more.
There are photos that I’ve taken on my phone over the years that I love much more than those taken on my DSLR.
The camera doesn’t make the photo, the photographer does: A great camera isn’t going to make you a great photographer, and a lower quality camera doesn’t necessarily make you a lower quality photographer. Do what you can with what you have, until you can and need to upgrade. Learn the basics of photography on a cellphone or lower price camera before upgrading. Foster a love of photography no matter the camera.
In order to learn the basics of photography such as composition, lighting, and editing it isn’t necessary to have an expensive camera or any paid-for editing software. If you are more advanced and looking to make money with your photography, both of those would be advised, but if this is just a hobby for you that you don’t intend to grow into a business at the moment, then don’t spend your money until you’re sure of what your intentions and goals are.
In order to grow a following or work on skills, the equipment that you have access to at the moment is likely to be fine until you can afford to upgrade, and feel that it is a worthwhile investment.
One thing that I want to make clear is that everyone has limitations when they’re just starting out, nobody starts a hobby and is perfect at it. Their limitations could be money, skills, time, or any number of other things. I’ve had my DSLR for a few years now, and I am by no means the best photographer, but my skills have improved a great deal from the first day that I opened that box. However, had I not started with a point and shoot so many years ago and worked with my phone to take pictures that I wanted, I wouldn’t have had any idea what I was doing when I opened the box to my DSLR.
It doesn’t take a lot of expensive equipment to make a great photo, it takes a creative eye and a passion for taking photos.
I would imagine if you’re here reading this, you already have a passion and as for your creative eye, it doesn’t have to match up with what other people think makes a great photo, take the photo that you want, and that makes you happy. Make the art for yourself, improve your skills through art that excites you. You’ll have enough time to take the photos that someone else wants when they’re paying you for your work. Chances are that if you take the photos you want, you’ll be able to find other people that like them too. Whether those people are your family and friends or someone halfway across the world that follows you on Instagram, I have no idea, but someone will like your art. It’s most important that you like it though, otherwise, you will likely get bored and tired of taking photos that don’t excite you and you’ll stop doing what you were passionate about because of it.