I’ve never shared this before and you might find it surprising, but… Even after getting a degree in photography and a job at a portrait studio, mastering manual mode was not in my skill set.
I always questioned myself. I would always change the settings around randomly without knowing how it would affect the shot. I would look at my screen and say to myself, “That’s not what I thought would happen.”
And even when an image turned out great, I didn’t know how I made it happen.
Was it the light? My angle change? Or the setting I just scrolled to?
Why Am I Not Mastering Manual Mode?
Sure in college and at my new job I learned certain “formulas” and could shoot specific types of photos but that didn’t mean I was mastering manual mode. I couldn’t just pick up my camera anytime I wanted and shoot with confidence and control. I had total imposter syndrome.
Blame it on my training all you want. But this is actually very typically of most people’s journey into photography.
I bet you’ve felt that way before. Constant trial and error.
Crap shot, crap shot, crap shot, oh there’s a nice one. Crap shot.
Thank god for digital right? At least now we get to see our mistakes immediately, hit the delete button, and try again. But try what?
I still had no direction or concept of how to creatively control my camera in manual mode.
Well, it gets worse.
Even though I was learning the business side of photography at this great new job, I quickly realized that I was not cut out for the corporate world and I wanted to start my own business.
So what did I do? I quit.
I moved across the country and tried to start my own photography business before realizing that I still didn’t know exactly how I wanted to build it because I still didn’t feel confident shooting all kinds of portraits yet.
Do you feel that way? Maybe you’re thinking about starting a photography business but you’re just not sure how to go about it because you’re struggling mastering manual mode. Trust me, I know how you feel.
So then what? Well, I quit again. But this time, I quit life.
I packed my bags and took off on a one-way plane trip to the other side of the world. Scary but necessary. I got a rare chance to buy this super cheap plane ticket on Priceline because there was a glitch in their system. But that’s a story for another day.
Little did I know that it would be the best decision of my life. For almost a year, I volunteered in over 10 countries as I backpacked through Europe and Asia. I blogged about my journey and of course, I always had my camera in hand the whole time. This is how I started mastering manual mode. Though experience. By shooting every single day with purpose but no pressure.
I know, I know. Not everyone will get an opportunity like this. Forget the glitch ticket, most people trying to learn photography will never get the chance to spend time shooting every single day for a year to figure it out.
During that trip, I founded my company Live Wonderful, with the philosophy that we are all creative because this is what it means to be human.
The Live Wonderful mission is simple but powerful: Whether for your personal or professional life, I want to empower you to capture and create your stories with real passion and purpose.
Since then I’ve been published in many publications in print and online, presented in gallery shows, and won awards, but mostly I have just enjoyed building this business on my own terms and helping other creatives just like you learn how to tap into their creativity.
It took me years of trial and error, thousands of hours of classes and workshops, watching confusing YouTube videos and still, I had to figure out mastering manual mode myself.
So when it all started to click for me, I knew I had to come up with a better way to help other photographers understand Manual mode and quickly take creative control of the camera.
In 2018, I developed my first beginner’s photography workshop and in 2020 I turned it into an online course.
I call it, “The Storyteller’s Journey.” YOUR Storyteller’s Journey.
Inside this journey, I want to show you the “5 Steps To Photo Success”. It’s a simple 5-step process that will change the way you see photography and your entire life – forever.
These are tips that I wish someone had shared with me when I first started shooting. If I knew then what I’m about to show you, it would have saved me thousands of hours of unnecessary mistakes.
I’m not here to confuse you with technical jargon or make you memorize settings. And I’m not going to tell you that you have to go out and practice for thousands of hours to get the hang of it. In fact, I promise, you’ll have “ah-ha” moments after the first few minutes of learning and you’ll begin mastering manual mode better than most when you practice after learning these 5 steps.
Over the past few years, I have shared this system with thousands of others like you and me, who want to feel confident and creative everytime they pick up the camera.
So that’s my goal for you: To feel confident and creative, knowing that you can capture great visual stories anytime anywhere.
So are you ready to see life through a new lens, literally and figuratively?
Now you know the rocky road that led me here today. It’s not just about mastering manual mode with technical skills; it’s about unlocking your own creative potential. And I’m here to guide you every step of the way.
If you’re inspired by my story and ready to embark on your own creative adventure, here are three ways you can start transforming your photography today:
Dive into short clips where I break down complex concepts into manageable, easy-to-understand starting points. There are even some videos from our full online course.
Connect with like-minded creatives and get hands-on guidance from me. It’s an immersive experience that will leave you inspired and technically equipped.
Gain full access to the 5 Steps To Photo Success right now, and start seeing the world through a new lens. This course is designed to fast-track your confidence and creativity.
Choose the path that works for you, or dive into all three. Either way, I’m excited to be part of your journey, helping you build confidence behind the camera and capture the world as only you can see it.
Are you ready? Let’s create something wonderful.