In photography, practice makes perfect for both pros and hobbyists

“A photograph is a click away, a good photograph is a hundred clicks away, and a better, a thousand clicks away.” – Kowtham Kumar K

You can pick up photos tips online. You can read books on photographic techniques. You can ask questions of a more experienced friend or even professional photographer but the best way to improve your picture-taking skills is to go out and practice them first hand.  

For instance, sports photographers need impeccable timing to capture the peak actions of competing athletes. That skill doesn’t come overnight. Sometimes, it can take years to capture a wide receiver making a fingertip catch or tennis player hitting a perfect forehand or to time a header between players in a soccer match.

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Knowing how to control the settings of your camera is an essential skill that advanced and professional photographers need to know. There are often situations where lighting can change rapidly. Practice can help you adapt to quickly capture those mercurial moments.

I know we all live busy lives. There’s work and school and just life in general that can get in the way of your getting out in the world to take pictures. But you should try to find time to get out in the field to practice. And the more often you can, the more you will improve.

When I was in college, I was on staff of the school’s newspaper. I’d get perhaps one or two assignments a week.

My first professional job was as a part-time photographer on a weekly newspaper and my workload doubled. The quality of my photography improved commensurately.

When I got my job at The Record, I began to shoot every day, and my improvement jumped exponentially. 

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Whether you’re aiming to become a professional photographer or to just improve as a hobbyist, getting out and practicing is the best way to better your skills. Now, most change comes incrementally and you may not notice your improvement. But I guarantee that if you consistently use your skills, over time, you will see that practice make perfect.

Record photographer Clifford Oto has photographed Stockton and San Joaquin County for more than 36 years. He can be reached at coto@recordnet.com or on Instagram @Recordnet. Follow his blog at recordnet.com/otoblog. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.