What do you think a beginner is?

That's going to depend on the kind of photography they like to do and on the kinds of photos they've already made.

I believe most folks who are drawn to photography have an innate desire to be a visual storyteller. They've probably seen photos by other photographers that have moved them, inspired them. They've almost certainly been using their smartphone camera to do photography. They've at least developed an idea or three - from the other photos they've seen, movies, YouTube, etc. - about how to compose a shot. That's going to be reflected in the photography they've already done.

I'd like to see at least a couple of examples of photos they've made. There's going to be something positive in them; something that can be built upon. It may they're appreciation of good light, compositional instincts. a sense of the decisive moment, or other qualities. I would point those out and call attention to qualities they may not even be aware of as being good.

Then it's time to look for the low-hanging fruit, the most obvious things they could try that would improve their photos. One of the recommendations I like to make, regardless of the genre they enjoy, is to seek out the B&H YouTube channel and look for their "Event Space" playlist. That is filled with presentations by some really talented photographers who work in a wide variety of genres. Just about anybody can find a photographer in the "Event Space" whose work they like and whose presentations they find inspiring.

It's a free mentoring program. Take advantage of it. It's basically a free series of workshops taught by some truly outstanding artists.

alternative fact 😁

For me, I think a beginner is someone who asks similar questions to this in their op.

dprevived.com/t/raw-histogram-and-why-does-it-matter/1848/post/14823/

isnt that a great way to describe pedantic similarities. its like " exposition" describing other values are required to complete the usefulness of "exposure"

I don't know how one would define a beginner. Because beginners come in very many different forms, and levels.
What I would advise one though, is DO NOT VENTURE INTO ANY PHOTOGRAPHY FORUM. NONE. ZERO. It will end in tears, as sure as the sun rises every day.

Edit -What I would tell tell one though, is go do a beginners photography course at your local Tafe/Polytech. Or whatever they're called these days.

So who do I think that person is, landing in such a forum ?

1) it is someone with the goal of getting the photographic results that is in that person's mind's eye (fantasy)
2) it is someone willing (and trusting) to learn from what the person perceives as a (the) source of knowledge thus answers ('to my questions')
3) it is a person most probably getting put off by passive agressive snarkiness as I myself was also put off by such behaviour (and still am)

So perhaps the most important thing for the participants behind such a (sub) forum is understanding the fact 'that I too once was an unknowing person lacking sufficient specific knowledge about manipulating and controlling a(ny) photographic device to get the results I had envisioned for myself' and 'how would I feel about receiving offtopic replies and would that discourage me from any subsequent visits?'. Friendliness, patience and willingness go a long way.

A beginner is someone who has never taken a picture with anything but a phone, and decides to spend some money and buy a camera that is not a phone.

Phone cameras are amazing these days and computational photography and AI are going to make them even better. I also know many retired pro photographers who now use only their iPhone and/or Google Pixel (which have fabulous cameras, but any newer phone really) to take images.

But still, if you put down the phone and for whatever reason decide to use the kind of cameras I shoot with, you will be a beginner.

www.flickr.com/photos/139148982@N02/albums

Yes. And anther approach: Look through the viewfinder and ask:
“What will this look like as a print on my wall?”

Bad link, Alan. Discovered while trawling for 'beginner(s)'.

I think a beginner is a person at or near the start of a learning curve but without specific axis values.

Someone who doesn't know in any way how to set their ISO (pardon the example!) is a"beginner" for most of us.

However, after over a dozen years of photography and associated learning, I would appear to be but a beginner for some cognoscenti here - but they, in their turn, are mere beginners compared to you-know-who in the world of Physics, who is, in his turn, a mere beginner compared to Him up there ...

Beginners …..
Types :

1. Purchase a professional quality camera plus expensive lenses two days before going on holiday & then complain afterwards about poor quality images.

2. Can’t be bothered to read the manual.

3. Believe high cost cameras will automatically take beautiful photos.

4. Fail to set the image quality to highest level & then, post low resolution images with innumerable complaints.

5. Fail to realise the true virtue of digital cameras & take single shots as though trying to preserve film.
   Then post in some forum saying their photos are disappointing beyond belief without posting the image.

😀 😀

I've never seen those before.

Danny.

For composition, look at the works of Hokusai and Hiroshige. Also the fairy tale illustrations by William Heath Robinson, which are much influenced by Japanese prints.

There is a difference between a "beginner" and somebody who is "curious about" a subject/topic/skill.

A beginner has started doing.

It's possible that a beginner understands all of the theory but has yet to begin really doing.

You don't have to be an expert with a camera to be a good photographer but you do need to understand the basics of the tool.

I'm a beginner as far as IR photography. I've shot some IR and processed some IR images.

I'm curious about DSO astrophotography. I've read several definitive texts on the subject which involves BOTH the actual capturing of images as well as the subsequent processing but I wouldn't call myself a beginner because I've yet to take image 1 of a deep space object.

In "real life" I was a professional s/w designer.

In "real life" I was a professional technical writer.

I have always avoided attempting to help "beginners" on photography forums because there are always so many other "experts" who are ready to pound the beginner over the head with how much they know.

So, to me somebody posting a question in a photography forum's beginner's section is somebody (most likely) struggling with some technical aspect of the camera and not somebody who has been happy as a clam taking (possibly quite good) photographs with their phone or with a point and shoot.