How to Learn Photography With a Disposable Camera
Most photography classes require students to use expensive digital cameras. The flexibility and convenience of digital SLRs is unquestioned, but their cost can be a barrier for someone who just wants to explore an interest. There is a solution, though: single use disposable cameras make great learning tools.
Disposable cameras have something of a bad reputation. Their single focus lenses and light construction make them seem less than serious tools. A very beginner, though, does not need serious tools. All a novice photographer has to have is a way to produce images so he can evaluate the suitability of the hobby. This does not mean that he cannot learn a lot from disposable cameras, though. Consider what even these simple cameras can do.
1. Learn Camera Operation
A disposable camera has many of the same controls as more expensive models. As a novice photographer you can learn to hold a camera steady, keep your fingers from in front to the lens and press the shutter. Using a pricey camera before these skills are mastered is a waste.
2. Learn Basic Composition
A great deal of photography lies in how a picture is framed. Points of interest usually look best when positioned 3/5, 5/8 or 8/13 of the way across a frame, and the same distance up and down. You can learn to frame a shot with a cheap camera just as easily as with an expensive one.
3. Learn to Handle Light
The aperture and speed of disposable cameras are rarely adjustable. This does not mean such cameras are useless in the study of light. You can learn how to position a light source with a disposable, and how to attain special effects like backlighting. Once these techniques are mastered, it makes sense to invest in a more expensive camera, but before that point, it amounts to overkill.
4. Learn to Handle Color
Almost all disposable cameras are loaded with color film. This means you can explore the moods of different color combinations and the effects of color contrast and saturation without investing in a digital camera.
5. Evaluate Different Fields of Photography
A disposable camera, or actually a series of them, is all anyone needs to decide what subdivision of photography has the most appeal. One camera’s worth of portraits, one of landscapes, one of architectural detail or botanical specimens is all it takes. One camera’s worth of anything will tell the photographer if this is a field to pursue or to set aside.
Any beginning hobbyist has to think about money. It takes a certain commitment of money and time to investigate the possibilities of photography. The use of disposable cameras can help lower the barriers to entry to the hobby.