There’s no doubt about it, photography is an expensive hobby, but it’s one that can also be done on a limited budget. Sure, you won’t be using state-of-the-art equipment or the best quality materials, but you will be saving a ton of money and learning the nitty-gritty details of photography along the way. Here are 10 ways to save money on your photography:

1. Use a Manual Camera
   Getting a manual camera without all of the bells and whistles will save you money and teach you about the fundamentals of photography. Sure, a manual camera is trickier than an automatic one, but it forces you to understand the camera inside and out. Because manual is less forgiving than digital, you will have to learn from each exposure, study the film and correct your mistakes in another go around. Brand new and used manual SLR cameras can be found online, in camera or electronics stores and possibly lying around in your house.
2. Print/Develop Pictures at Home
   Printing and/or developing pictures at home can save you a bundle of money and time, while allowing you to have total control over your photographs and editing. If you are using a digital camera, then you will need to have a computer, a photo printer and photo paper to print pictures from your camera. Editing your own photos and using quality photo paper will give you a professional look, for a fraction of the cost to have someone develop it for you. To develop pictures on a manual camera, you can set up your own darkroom inside your house, using the equipment and materials noted in an instructional guide.
3. Buy Used/Borrow Equipment
   Buying used equipment and borrowing others’ materials will help cut costs and give you a chance to experiment with different types of camera equipment. Buying used equipment allows you to put the money you saved toward another purchase or endeavor. The same goes for borrowing others’ equipment, which allows you to play around with different lenses, lighting fixtures and accessories to improve your photography skills and find tools that work for you.
4. Use Natural Light
   Nothing says free like daylight. Using natural light to take photographs is easy, free and preferential in beginner photography. If you are using a manual camera, then you’ll want to get outdoor/daylight film, and make adjustments to both a manual and digital camera’s settings to avoid blown-out pictures from harsh sunlight. Also, try shooting early in the morning and late afternoon to get softer light and proper exposures.
5. Make Your Own Light Diffuser/Reflector
   Whether you are shooting outdoors or indoors, using a light diffuser or reflector may be necessary to get enough soft light, smooth shadows, reduced glare and even light distribution. There are multiple ways to diffuse and reflect your light source without purchasing any additional items. One way to diffuse light is to bounce the light source off the ceiling, wall or other materials that will absorb the reflected light, as well as diffuse the light by passing it through a translucent material, such as a piece of white paper or white cloth, being careful not to overheat the diffuser. For reflecting light, you can use poster boards, umbrellas and other reflective materials to find the perfect amount of light for your photographs.
6. Make Your Own Portrait Backdrop
   Professional looking portraits don’t require a store-bought backdrop – you can make your own for a fraction of the price. Whether you prefer solids, stripes or tie-dye, the colors and designs are completely up to you and the tone you want to create. The backdrop can be made of muslin, bed sheets or any type of fabric that fits your studio, budget and preferences.
7. Download GIMP
   GIMP, which stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free photo editing tool, primarily used for image retouching, resizing, cropping, combining multiple images and converting between different image formats. While it may not have all of the fancy features of Adobe Photoshop and other editing programs, it does have the basic necessities at no cost.
8. Make Your Own Tripod
   As you become more advanced in your photography and need a still surface to take pictures, a tripod may be the next step. Like many photography accessories, tripods can be costly but they are simple to make on your own. There are several ways to make a tripod, using some household items and other inexpensive objects, such as a plastic bottle, a nut, a bolt, two washers and a wing nut, as well as pieces of wood and crutches. Search online for instructions or guides to create a homemade tripod.
9. Photograph at Free Locations
   Renting a studio or paying to shoot at an exclusive location just may not be within your photography budget. That’s ok, because there are plenty of free places to take beautiful, professional photographs close to you. Try shooting at a local park, church or your backyard to get unique photos in comfortable setting.
10. Put Your Photos Online
    Not only does putting your photographs online save you money from printing or developing them yourself, but it also opens up the opportunity for you to make money by selling them to viewers. To top it off, it doesn’t cost a dime to start a blog, social media profile or online photo album to upload your photos and share them with the world.

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Everywhere you look around, naked subjects surround you, waiting to be photographed in their natural form. Now, get your mind out of the gutter, because we’re talking about natural creations and sceneries that are, well, naked. These bare subjects have been stripped from their covers and are full of flaws that are best captured through the camera lens:

1. Naked Faces
2. Naked Fruit
3. Naked Snow
4. Naked Sky
5. Naked Fish
6. Naked Cat
7. Naked Flower
8. Naked Wood
9. Naked Dog
10. Naked Wallet

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Photographers don’t get noticed overnight, nor are they immediate shoo-ins into the industry. Like all artists, photographers have to put themselves out there to get noticed and sell their work. Although there is keen competition within the arts, there are several ways to get your photographs noticed over the next aspiring photographer, and here are 10 of them:

1. Enter Contests

   Entering contests and competitions will give you a chance to have your photographs critiqued, see what other aspiring photographers are doing and win awards or prizes that will help forward your career.

2. Show Professional Photographers

   By showing professional photographers your pictures, you are bound to get some helpful feedback concerning your work. You never know, they may teach you a thing or two, and even pass your name on to others.

3. Sell Your Photographs

   The best exposure a beginner photographer can get is to sell your photographs. If people are buying your photos, then you are establishing clientele who will pass on your name, therefore, increasing the likelihood of sales.

4. Photography Internships

   Photography internships will give you the chance to expand your photography skills, gain valuable work experience and show off your skills. You can work at a magazine, newspaper, advertising agency and virtually any place that uses photography.

5. Networking

   To maximize your exposure and get your name out there, networking is necessary. The key to networking is talking to anyone and everyone about your photography. If you don’t have any personal connections to the photography industry, then it’s important to ask around to find someone who works in the photography industry or has connections to it.

6. Blogs

   Blogs allow you to share your photos, write about your photography and let readers know more about you. Blogs can also be linked with other sites to increase your readership and exposure to your photographs.

7. Social Networking

   One of the fastest ways to get your photographs noticed is to put them on a social networking site, such as Facebook or MySpace. There, you can create photo albums and share your photos with friends, family and the world.

8. Join Local Art Associations

   Joining a local art association will help increase your exposure, by meeting fellow photographers, attending photography events and networking in person.

9. Magazines

   In order to get you photographs noticed by magazines, you will most likely have to contact them directly. You can enter your photographs into magazine contests, as well as e-mail magazine editors and advertisers to see if they want to buy your photos.

10. Take Good Pictures

    As a rule of thumb, aspiring photographers should focus on taking good pictures and perfecting their style and technique, before trying to get noticed as a professional. With practice and a developed portfolio, your talent will show through and viewers will begin to notice your photographs.

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