Many aspiring photographers try to find their ways not only on how to enter the photography market, but also on how to effectively and efficiently learn the art of photography. Some of these people find themselves in a rather deadlock - they have the basic knowledge but they can't progress anywhere from there. Such situations quite often occur when we start by reading lots of articles about photography and learning the theory but we forgot the most important thing about photography: it's about taking pictures!
I believe that only taking pictures in order to learn photography is not enough. The same apply when talking about theory - let's face it, you can't be a photographer without taking pictures. But both theory and practice are required to be a photographer, add passion and creativity and you won't only be a photographer but you will have pretty good chances in becoming a good photographer.
So where should be the balance between the theory and practice? In general, I think there is no definite answer to this question. However, I would say that every person who wants to do photography either as a hobby or make living out of it, needs to know at least the minimum of theoretical knowledge. I believe that practice and practical knowledge without the theoretical knowledge can limit an aspiring photographer because for me theory helps you in understanding how various things work, what can be different connections and relations between settings, etc. Such knowledge helps in boosting creativity for sure.
Therefore, I think that everyone should find his and her own balance between the theory: don't let lack of theory limit your photography and don't let practice forget about the theory.
Article Pictures: Marika is a young and aspiring model from Poland. We meet in July for a quick and spontaneous photo shoot in Brussels, Belgium. I have to say that working with her is pure pleasure. We had lots of laugh and fun while shooting.