Brighton is an amazing seaside resort with stunning landscapes, beautiful beaches and great archaeology.
As such, it’s no wonder that a great many people living in this incredible city choose to take up photography.
Brighton is brimming with photo galleries, exhibitions and studios that offer an extensive array of styles of photography. Many individuals in and around the city love to take photos of the city and the events that happen in it, so they can chronicle their lives in this unique corner of England.
If you’ve decided that your love for the glorious landscapes and intriguing people of Brighton has inspired you to become a photographer, then we’ve got the perfect article for you.
Whether you want to make photography a hobby or you want to work in the industry and use your flair and creativity to get you the career you’ve always dreamed of, it can be hard to get started, especially in such a highly-competitive market.
That’s why we’ve outlined some of the ways you can make the most of your passion for photography in Brighton.
Set Goals And Have A Plan
Photography can be an expensive and time-consuming hobby, so you need to make sure that you’re genuinely interested and that you know what you want to do with your skills before you invest time and money into courses, equipment and practice sessions. So, you should consider what you want to get out of your time as a photographer, set yourself some simple goals and make a basic plan. While this might change in the future, it’ll be a useful outline to have as you make a start in Brighton’s creative photography scene. Having a plan for your photography will help you to focus your research and make it easier for you to stay motivated beyond the early stages. After all, it can be tough to keep your momentum up after the initial excitement has worn off, but with a plan, it can be easier for you to continue to enjoy your hobby and get everything you want out of it.
Choose A Photography Style
Photography is a varied discipline that includes a wide range of styles and types. Whether you decide to use a digital camera or a traditional one, you’ll then have plenty of styles to choose from. You can take landscapes or portraits of people, choose a formal style of photography or something more candid. When selecting the right approach to photography for you, you should learn the basics to see which one will work best for your creative flair. Once you know what you want to do, you can read online resources to help you improve your skills. For example, if you want to take candid portraits, then you can read guides on how to develop your candid photography skills and create stunning images. You’ll then be able to create your own unique style of photography within an established genre.
View The Work Of Local Photographers
If you’re looking for inspiration and want to find out more about a particular style of photography, then check out the work of other photographers. While the internet means you don’t have to travel far to see the best images in the world, you might want to consider reviewing work by local photographers. Seeing printed images up close might give you a better opportunity to study them and to see what kind of work is currently being produced in Brighton. Galleries such as the Brighton Photo Fringe space and others offer you the chance to see work up close and get a feel for what other local photographers are interested in.
Get A Basic Photography Kit Together
While modern smartphones have everything you need to take great snaps when you’re out with your mates, for professional-level photography, you need a camera and a range of accessories. The products you need will depend on the type of photography you intend to pursue, but there are some essential items for every new photographer. So, before you start taking photos seriously, you need to find the right products that suit you. Read reviews and test out the gear if you can, before you invest your hard-earned cash in a new photography kit.
Try Out Your Gear
When you’ve bought your initial photography set-up, you should try it out to see what works and what might need returning, or even if you need to get some additions to achieve your creative vision. To begin with, you should test out your photography gear by taking some basic images. Take these pictures at home or out in nature, and don’t spend any money or effort at this stage finding models or studio space. Simply test out your camera and take some practice shots, which you can use to hone your skills and get used to the equipment you have. As you become more confident in your abilities, you can start to share your work more widely and spend more time and effort creating the perfect images that suit your style.
Find Local Photography Groups
Photography is often considered a solo practice, but it doesn’t have to be that way. As photography is an incredibly popular practice in Brighton, there are many photography clubs in the area that you could consider joining. Being part of a photography club means that you can learn new skills from your fellow members and become more motivated to take amazing images. Also, after you start taking photos, you might want to consider getting some feedback on them, and being a member of a local photography group or club can help with that. Many of these groups also host photography competitions or exhibits, so you can make the most of these and really get your photography career off to a flying start.
Keep Learning
Photography is a stunning medium and a great way to express your creativity and ingenuity. It might seem as simple as snapping a photo, but there are a lot of skills that go into crafting the stunning images that professional photographers produce. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources in the Brighton area to help you start your journey towards a fulfilling photography experience. Whether you want to make a career of it or simply develop your skills in this enjoyable hobby, these tips should help you to get started and make the most of the resources at your disposal. Eventually, you could become one of the future stars of Brighton’s thriving photography landscape and inspire someone else to start shooting pictures of the things they love.
