There seems to be a never ending stream of tips for aspiring photographers. Most advise against formal education in photography and suggest doing workshops instead.  The argument goes like this: ‘forget the technicalities just shoot pics’.

If you are really serious about photography, then you need to learn about all aspects of the medium to get the photographs you want and to know what went wrong if you don’t.

Here is what I suggest.

1. Be selective about what you photograph
2. Learn to look at the scene before you look through the camera
3. Learn enough about the technicalities to get the photo you want
4. Photograph what you’re afraid of
5. Shoot from the gut
6. Print your work
7. Seek to know a few photographers very well, rather than many photographers superficially
8. Shoot RAW+JPEG
9. Shoot everyday as if it were your last
10. Find a mentor
11. If you are serious then do a course in the area of photography that interests you