Photography Training: Conflicting Thoughts on How to Photograph

Photography Training: Conflicting Thoughts on How to Photograph

As some of you know, and most of you don't, besides running this blog by myself, right now, and running and portrait business, I also have a photography school. Yes, I teach photography locally too.  I will post a link to the schools site if you are interested in learning more about it.
Anyway, an interesting question came up in class last week and I have heard this particular question a lot. Here is the basic version of the question. "I was told by a professional photographer to shoot this particular way. Why?" The exact question I was asked was "A professional photographer told me to always just shoot in Auto light balance mode. Why?" It was interesting to hear the answers especially because I had two serious professional photographers sitting in there watching.
One of the professional photographers questioned the "sanity" of this so called pro. If you have a backlit subject in sunlight and have your camera set to auto light balace you shot will turn out blue. She is right.  When shooting with mixed lighting this can issues can also arise. She was right again.
So, this guy was a pro right? He was teaching a class to future portrait professionals and he told them to shoot in auto light balance? What the?? He's got to be crazy!
Well, maybe. but I have to say that I almost always use Auto. However there is the thing. I know not when to you use it and when to use it.  I know the reasons. I know how it will affect my shot, and I know the results of not getting it right. Do you? You need to know the basics. The most important part of any trade is to learn the basics. You need to know about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, depth of field, RAW and jpeg, and light balance.
Here is the other point I would like to make. Everyone has a different opinion. I know photographers that will only shoot in RAW. I know photographers who always shoot in Aperture Priority Mode. I don't, but they do. That is what works for them. There are professionals who shoot portraits at f/22. Everyone of their shots are done this way and they look amazing! I shoot wide open most of the time(do you know what that means?). It doesn't make them wrong, it's just their opinion. Part of growth as a photographer and developing a style is learning how you like to shoot. So you need to learn what you like. Then you will form your own opinions! Learn the basics!

Do you know these things? If you don't your photos will never improve and you will be stuck in a rut. You are here reading this so I know you don't want that. Seek out your answers. You can search this blog for these questions. You can search online. You can take  class. Hey, you should take one of my classes! Haha!

Here is the link I promised you to my photography school. Thanks for visiting!
Missoula Photography School Link 

Brian Johnson is the owner and writer and pretty much everything right now for Buffaloz Photography Training. He also owns Ayres Photography and Missoula Photography School.