My #1 Tip for New Photographers….
Make It Your Own
When people ask me what advice I’d give to someone starting out in photography, I don’t tell them what lens to buy, what settings to memorize, how to find models, or what style they should shoot in. My number one tip is much simpler:
Make it your own.
Photography is full of variables you can’t control: the weather, a client’s mood, the chaos of a live event, the limits of your budget, or what opportunities might come your way. But there are countless little details you can shape, and you should make time to claim those. The more ownership you take of your tools and systems, the smoother your workflow will feel and the more confident you’ll become behind the camera.
Practical choices like:
Picking a camera strap that feels good on your shoulder - Do you want a sling, or a neck strap? Maybe a hip clip? The strap that comes with the camera work, but consider other possibilities.
Customizing your camera buttons so they match your habits - You got multifunction buttons, you’ve got 3 Custom settings. The camera gives you menu after menu of options. Be picky.
Set up an easy system for keeping track of your full/empty batteries and memory cards - When I’m onsite, charged batteries and empty cards go in pockets on my right side, empty batteries and full cards go on my left side. Easy peasy.
Labeling your lights, triggers, lens caps. You can number them, color code them, name them, whatever works best for you.
Organizing your Lightroom folders, color labels, and presets in a way that makes sense to you. Pick everything, down to the font choice.
Choices about your desktop interface. How many screens do you want? Here’s a tip - Pick a mouse that has a bunch of side buttons (look for gaming mice), and then set those buttons to shortcuts in your editing program of choice.
It can also mean lifestyle choices:
Curating the playlist that gets you into the different creative and productive zones.
Adjusting the workspace around you so it feels inspiring instead of draining. Be picky about how many distractions you have, what kind of background vibe you’re creating.
Even choosing the clothing and shoes you wear to a shoot. Personally, I like working barefoot when the space allows for it. I feel, quite literally, more grounded, more connected to the space.
When you make these choices, you’re not just creating efficiency. You’re building familiarity and confidence. You’re teaching yourself, over and over, that your process matters. And when the inevitable chaos hits: the rainstorm, the uncooperative location light, the demanding client, you’ll be standing on a foundation that feels solid and yours.
At the end of the day, every photographer has access to the same “rules,” the same camera settings, the same editing software, the same range of bodies and lenses. What sets you apart is how you bend those tools into something uniquely yours. That’s where your voice lives. In the way you see, the way you work, and the way you choose to shape the parts of this craft you can control.
So, my tip for new photographers (and a reminder to the rest of us): whenever you have the chance, make it yours.