First thing is do not be afraid of taking photos and definitely DO NOT buy any new gear yet.
There is a saying that it takes you shooting 10,000 images before you start to take great photographs.
This time is best spent using your mobile phone and learning the “pro” features of it.
Shoot as much as you can daily and allow yourself to make so called “mistakes”. We learn from our mistakes and via your Mobile Phone it is costing you nothing.
There are a few YouTube channels who specialize in shooting only via their mobile phones and have many tips and tricks to share with you to get you going.
Shoot everything and anything. Shoot a subject is as many different angles as you can.
A fantastic exercise is to get any day to day item from your kitchen, place it somewhere and take 32 photographs of it from 32 different perspectives and angles. This gets your grey cells working and start training your eyes to see things differently. I still do this every now and again, especially when I hit a creative wall.
Mastering Manual settings.
You have taken 10,000+ images, practiced your 32 shots task I mentioned, now we can with confidence move onto Mastering a camera and manual settings.
STOP…….
You are still going to use your mobile phone for now and search the web on how to switch to “Pro” mode which gives you access to Shutter Speed, ISO and do a degree F Stops.
To move forward search YouTube for videos explaining the “Exposure Triangle”. Understanding this core photography skill set will hold you in good stead for working with any SLR or DSLR (Mirrorless) camera every made.
Now that you understand that these three setting, Shutter, ISO and F/Stop all control the amount of light and have specific actions place on your image, focus, grain and blur of subject we can now start thinking about shopping for a camera.
Buy once and buy well.
I have spent so much money over the last few years buying many of the cameras influencers on the internet say will be good for this or that style of photography, only to be disappointed and selling them, usually for a loss.
The cameras I own today, and see no reason upgrading yet, are as follows.
Digital:
Canon R6 with a small selection of RF lenses
Ricoh GR3 as a backup for my film kit
Mobile Phone currently S22
Film:
Canon EOS 1v and 1vHS 35mm film cameras. Solid and reliable PRO level cameras in their day and show it.
Canon AE1 Program. A great small light weight 35mm camera which I mostly use in Program mode for when I want to do fast moving street photography, focusing on capturing the subject rather than fiddling with settings all the time. Have a 50mm f/1.4 to use with that.
Two x Hasselblad 500 c/m with 3 lenses I share between them. Have two as one is a spare just in case of failure. 6 x A12 backs so I can load various film stocks to change if needed.
Selection of Canon EF lenses that interchange between the EOS1v’s and R6 via an adapter.
Sounds like a lot of gear doesn’t it, but if you stick with Digital for now, as Film photography is a whole new world of fun to learn, then I suggest saving your pennies and buying the Canon R6 or a Nikon or Sony equivalent.
Get a good lens something like a 24-70mm f/2.8, they cost a bit new but well worth it, and a “nifty fifty” 50mm f/1.8 (usually given with the camera when new.
Now armed with your 10,000+ images shot, the exposure triangle understood and armed with a decent camera and lens, you can now confidently stride out with you head held high and sharp eyes, ready to capture another 10,000 during which, suddenly and without warning, you will start to capture the pictures you see in your mind of what is in front of you delivered in your digital files.
Now set your camera to shot RAW and learn editing your photos to bring them to life.
Buts that’s for another day.
So get out their,start your photographic journey and as always I wish you well and every success.
DC x