Photography is becoming one of the most popular hobbies amongst teens and adults alike. One major problem with the hobby is that is can tend to be a bit pricey, which is why so many people don’t have the opportunity to use the best possible equipment when they make their art. There are a lot of ways around this problem though, so that everyone can take their love of photography and turn it into a relaxing hobby or a potential career. With these simple tips you can get the gear you need to perform your hobby without having to spend thousands of dollars to it. This will not only help you save money, but will encourage you to make the most of the equipment you have, so you can make the most out of your hobby.

1. Free Software
Being able to edit your photographs in one of the major parts of the hobby. Unfortunately, many of the major software can cost you up to a thousand dollars just to purchase for a year. These software are constantly in need of upgrades too, which can mean you’ll lose more and more money each year. There is an upside to photography software though. Luckily, for the frugal photographer there are a lot of free programs online that can do the same job as the expensive brands. You might have to do a lot of research to find the best programs for you though. Many online software comes with only some of the features of the more popular brands, so you might have to have a couple of different programs in order to get the same job done. Of course, having a few programs is worth the trouble when it comes to saving that much money. You should always make sure you are downloading from a secure site though.

2. Second Hand Equipment
One of the best things about expensive equipment is it can easily be refurbished. This can work out in your favor! Most refurbished gear can be sold at a fraction of the original price, so you can get a great camera for an amazing discounted price. DSLR camera are fairly durable, so you shouldn’t have to worry too much about getting on second hand, especially if your buy from a retailer that has refurbished its stock. You can also look for other photography items that have been preowned. Generally, it is great to find lenses that have been used before. You can easily look over these items to make sure that they are not scratched or broken in any way. Props and filters are also great when purchased second hand. Props can be incredibly expensive if you want to buy them new, so when you first start out with your hobby you might want to look for items that are as cheap as possible. Filters generally don’t take a lot of upkeep so can be purchased for mere cents if you can find a set that has been owned before.

3. Improvise
There are many different items you can help improvise equipment when you practice your craft. For instance, you can easily make a diffuser to help eliminate some of the flash that might make your photograph too bright. This can save you a whole lot of money if you often use flash. Another great improvisation that you can create is a reflector. This will help add light to certain areas of your photograph and can make a flash work better if you don’t have the appropriate level of flash. To create a reflector you need to find a piece of poster board or cardboard and cover it with aluminum foil. This is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your photography accessories. If you want to add the colored photo look to your portfolio then you can simply make your own filter. Simply cut out some transparency that is about an inch larger than your lens. When you’ve done this take a sharpie and draw large and bold designs that will give your a colorful look when you take the photo.

4. Older Models
When it comes to keeping up with photographic technology you don’t have to worry about keeping up with the new trends. Having a DSLR camera will allow you to produce high quality images, so you might want to get comfortable with an older model before you start to feel like you need to keep up with the newer stuff. Most DSLR have the same basic traits, so getting comfortable with an old model won’t do you a disservice. A lot of the time newer models are just smaller or have a few features that won’t change your work very much. With an older model you will spend a lot less money on a camera that will allow you to practice, so if you do damage it you won’t be out as much money. These cameras are generally a bit easier to work with, so you might find that buying older is your best benefit. Typically, you can also use the lenses in new cameras which will save you even more money until you upgrade more.

5. Prints
When it comes to making your work tangible you will want to find a good printer. A lot of times home printing will do the trick, especially if you don’t plan on selling the work or putting it in your portfolio. Of course, if you do tend on doing a bit more with your work then you will probably want to find a place that prints for fairly cheap. The best thing you can do is find a bulk printer that will provide you with multiple copies of your work for a low price. Many printers will even offer deals that will provide you with free copies when you order so much work. You might want to look for a printer that will provide you with loyalty points. It might take a few tries to find the perfect printer for you, but once you know the cheapest and most rewarding route your photography work will be a lot easier to work with.

6. Volunteer at Workshops
If you really want to learn more about your craft then workshops are one of the best places you can find information that will help you improve. These workshops can cost quite a bit though if you really want to go to the more informational seminars. There are ways to work around the tuition fee though. For instance, you could offer to volunteer at the workshop. This will not only allow you to go to the workshop for free, but will give you excess practice at the workshop. You might have to do a little bit of work through initial lectures, but if you can multi-task then you will have no problem learning while working. Often, volunteers are brought up to exhibit certain ideas, which will mean you will have first hand experience that other attendees might not get.

7. Be Choosey
Storage is one of the main problems that many photographers have. This is largely because many people have a hard time picking which photographs are worth keeping and which ones should be tossed. SD cards tend to be a lot cheaper than they once were, but you’ll find that if you leave your photographs in the card when you’re not still shooting that you will end up losing a lot of memory space when you go to shoot again. A lot photographers will purchase several SD cards to try to counteract this problem, but if you go through your shots after every photo shoot then you will avoid this problem all together. You might also have an issue with your storage when you keep everything on your computer. Try to go through your pictures once or twice a month and get rid of things you aren’t particularly attached to. This will encourage you to improve your work and will make your shots seem more precious.

8. Swap Group
If you have a group of friends that are also interested in photography then you might want to get together and start a swap group. This will allow each member to purchase and share items that they might find particularly useful. If a member of the group is in need of an item that try to swap it for something that might be of use to another member. This is especially good when members of the group are trying to go professional as it will open up a whole new world of photography to each member. This group should be trusted as it is important to make sure that everyone will feel comfortable with sharing their equipment.

9. Online Tutorials
If you’re looking for an absolutely free way to improve your skills then you might want to look up online tutorials. There are a large number of free tutorials available online that will help you learn news ways to master your skills. It doesn’t matter what skill level you are for these tutorials as they will help you build up your skills from basic to expert if you know where to look. There are also a number of free online courses that can improve your skills. If you are interested in going through an online course without the grade, credit or deadlines then you will love learning from some of the most renowned schools around. Many schools place their syllabus online for people who aren’t registered to follow the work of their course. This can be especially beneficial if you can get a group together who might want to learn along with you.

10. Understand Equipment
One of the most important things you can do when getting into your hobby is to understand your equipment. Many people will spend a lot of money for things that their current equipment does. The best thing you can do is read your manuals over and over until you understand everything that your camera can do. Once you have learned everything from the manuals then you might want to check out online tutorials that might show you a few more things you can do with your particular model. You can even find a few alterations, like homemade filters and other items, that can really take your current equipment to the next level. There is a good chance that your current gear can actually do a lot of the work of the equipment you plan on buying, so by checking to make sure you can’t already do this trick you might actually end up spending a lot less many than you think.

Photography can be one of the most rewarding hobbies and can really bring out a part of your character that you didn’t know before. Now, you can really take on your new skill without having to worry about money constantly putting a wrench in your photography plans. With money out of the equation you might even find that your work is publishable and will bring you a lot of pride that you can share with friends and family. These tips might even help you turn your hobby into a lucrative profession that will bring your household a little extra money.

Author: Chelsey McQuitty