What camera should I buy as a beginner?

As a photographer, my friends often ask me for advice about buying a camera when they want to try out photography as a hobby. My advice is always to keep it simple to begin with. It is tempting to save up until you have enough cash to splash on some really high end gear, but that isn’t necessary.

When you are starting out, the two most important things to learn are composition, and how to use the light. You can do both these things with a simple point and shoot camera. Using a simple camera will allow you to concentrate on learning these important basics. When you have them down, you will naturally find that you are ready to buy a more complicated camera, when you recognise the limitations of your simple one.

Composition is a real joy to learn. There are many techniques you can learn, such as the rule of thirds, which will soon become second nature, and we will discuss these in the future!

Learning to use and understand light is also really enjoyable. You will develop an eye for what light will make a good photograph and how to make the most of the light available. You can also start experimenting with adding in artificial light, such as flash, or even a simple desk lamp!

A simple camera is the ideal way to begin your photography hobby