The cheapest Way of Photography
As someone who started the path of photography in the beginning with my phone, and later on used gear, it's safe to say that I have experience with budget photography. People always assume that photography has to be pricey and expensive, which doesn't have to be the case, but when browsing through new gear, bodies, and lenses, costs can be astronomical. So to prove this, I collected some points here for you, enjoy!
Your Gear
Before you jump into used and more affordable gear (which can be risky), you need to make sure what you are buying, what condition it is in, and what could be the troubles or issues of that particular model. Of course, you can't expect a 50-megapixel mirrorless cutting-edge body for peanuts, so drop your expectations, and be realistic!
In my opinion, an entry-level DSLR or micro 4:3 Camera with around 10 megapixels, should do the job for 99% of beginners, even though these days every Youtuber might say differently, by stating you need to have the newest and best. I bought my Canon 1100D back in 2021 as my first camera, for under 100 Euros, with the 18-55 kit lens, and it served me perfectly, to this day, even at weddings, and trust me, most people don't care about pixels that much.
An alternative could be your phone, which in my opinion is still the most limited, and least user-friendly experience, no matter what phone it is, so I would suggest a cheap, older but functional, if possible interchangeable lens DSLR, in case you would like to upgrade your lens later on!
Fixed Lens micro 4:3 Cameras are a great option too, although you lose the ability to control your exposure and shutter, but have a nice JPEG which is good for any social platform out of camera if you don't want to do any editing yourself.
2. The Subject
Even though this is a personal preference, I would recommend street photography, or basically, anything where a shallow depth of field isn't necessary.
In my experience, you could shoot pretty much anything even with an entry-level DSLR, or even a small compact digital camera, as long as you know its capabilities, and don't have unrealistic expectations, like expecting a perfectly sharp image at an ISO of 6400, with barely any light, from an older APSC Sensor.
3. Cutting Costs
It could be overlooked, but there are many ways to cut costs, especially in your time as a beginner. First of all, don't spend your money on renting a Studio, or paying for models, if you want to try portraits (did this myself once, and regretted it).
Shoot your friends, and family instead, most people are happy if they have their pictures taken, especially with a camera and not just a phone.
4. Benefit from the free stuff
This is the most important point, no matter what you shoot. Shoot as much as you can, and whatever you can, after all, practice is free. Do you know what else is free? *Tai Lopez voice* KNOWLEDGE. These days you have all the knowledge about almost any topic on the internet, whether you want to learn about gear, composition, or some inspiration for your work.
This is a bit of a longer list, but I have been through all these steps and managed to improve just by following these guides, without the best or newest gear. You might be surprised how much better you will perform if you put in the work and learn how to adapt even with limitations. At the end of the day, all the great photographers from the past decades, when there were no 50 megapixel cameras in their pockets, had probably worse gear than you. Let that sink in ;)
