Starting as a cameraman is not easy. I’ve been through a lot to get to where I am now, and I still strive to improve continually.

Let me share how my journey began.

I started in 2022 when I first moved to the United States. I knew nothing about cameras and always thought I wasn’t meant for this field. However, one day, my brother encouraged me to start recording and got me an iPhone 13 Pro Max. Yes, I began with a phone, recording and taking pictures of everything I saw. Here are a few pictures from my early days:

Don’t judge me! At that point, I thought I was doing an excellent job as a photographer. But as time went on, I learned more about different aspects of photography and what makes a good picture stand out. I educated myself by watching numerous YouTube videos and consistently going outside with my phone, trying to capture new things and see what worked and what didn’t.

If you ask me what the most important things I learned were, I would say these five:

1. Rule of Thirds: Being conscious of this rule changes how you capture subjects. The positioning of important objects guides the viewer’s eye, making the image more visually compelling.
2. Composition: Alongside the rule of thirds, creating interesting compositions makes your captures much more captivating for viewers.
3. Angles: For me, this has been one of the most game-changing aspects I’ve learned. How you position your camera and play with angles significantly enhances the storytelling of your captures.
4. Lighting: Initially, I thought lighting wasn’t that important, but mastering it proved me wrong. A few changes in your light setup can make everything look cinematic!
5. Post-Production: This is my favorite part of the process. Post-production involves a lot; every picture can be unique! It depends on your imagination and how you can make it look good, regardless of what’s on the screen. It could be a masterpiece if you put in the effort!

For me, these are the most crucial aspects of using a camera. As you can see, I never mentioned using an expensive camera costing thousands of dollars. Any camera can do a great job if you know how to use it! Here are some of my favorite pictures taken with my phone after learning these principles:

At this point, I believe the progress was noticeable. I was capturing images with my phone that conveyed feelings and emotions. But this wasn’t the end of my journey; I knew I had to keep pushing forward. That’s why I decided to invest in a professional camera. Wanting to give it my all, I got myself a Sony A7IV. That’s when I delved deeper into mastering aspects like ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. Learning about these and how to use them changed my world. Judge for yourself:

Call me crazy, but I see improvement! Anyway, this isn’t the end of my story. I’m still learning; being self-taught is a journey of continuously discovering new things about what you love. In the future, I might look back and think these pictures aren’t great—and that’s okay with me.