Many a times a student expects a magic move he/she is going to learn to start clicking pictures that define perfection. Then the guru comes in and faces the challenge of educating and motivating such impatient students.

We are going to discuss what works best for a good classroom that delivers lessons in the art of photography.

I hope you have read “art” emphatically. It is important to know that photography courses teach an art and not just a subject. Art is learnt under a coaching style which is a combination of creative liberty, experimentation and guidance. And at this point, it makes sense to understand what is to be avoided in learning or teaching photography.

Do Not Start Digital

Camera is not basically a digital apparatus. Learning anything on the digital platform in the beginning is a drastic flaw that photography training courses advise against. Even in a course for digital photography, starting with a standard non-digital camera is the best practice to clearly understand basic photography features.

Do Not Stay Indoors

It’s a not enough to learn photography indoors. Students need to click outdoors to try a lot of things like angles, lighting, visualisation, perspectives and of course, the exploration of one’s own instincts. Besides, no photography training institute can create a good photographer who’s only confined within walls.

Do Not Click as Per Orders

Photography is all about exploration that each person makes. The student has to ensure that he/she is not pushed to follow a particular theme or topic for shoots. It is significant that one tries what one’s instinct tell them. The main thing is to evaluate the choices you make for a shot, and to what extent are your intentions fulfilled in terms of your subject.

Do Not Depend Entirely on Textbooks

Nobody learns “how to mop” from a textbook, right? Then why an art like photography? All photography institutes have a reference-rich library which can be a boon as well as a bane. While it complements the practical learning that students have, it also restricts them from experimenting. The best lessons are learnt from a teacher who teaches the practicality and technicality, makes honest evaluation of your clicks and guides yiu well into bettering your captures.

Do Not Hold Back Questions

The aim of a creative course is not to get right answers right from the students, but a thought-out list of valid questions! Learning photography is about curiosity and a thirst of knowledge, rather than solving problems or equations accurately. That’s why Hamstech’s photography course encourages all students to ask questions openly and proudly.

Do Not Rush to Photoshop

The best photographers use tools like Photoshop to “touch-up” photographs and not to create them. So a rigorous training to perfection involves clicking with a conventional camera, working in the darkrooms, waiting for the right lighting and more. These are essential to mould a good photographer who’s more likely to produce excellent captures than the one who clings to a computer for the same purpose.

Hence, it’s true that learning photography requires true effort, patience, practice and more importantly, avoiding shortcuts or digital cheats!