Learning to take a better photograph is second only to learning a new language

• The surge in mobile photography fuels appetite to learn more skills
• 64% of Brits now use smartphones or tablets to take photos
• People rely on the law of averages rather than good composition to capture a decent image
• 92% want to make their photos look better but three quarters don’t have the skills
• Over a quarter avoid selfies

London 05 December 2014 – Research into photo habits, released today by online learning company lynda.com, reveals that understanding how to take a better photograph is second to learning a new language on the list of skills Brits want to learn. The lynda.com study also highlighted that most of us (64%) now use smartphones or tablets to take photographs. This surge in mobile photography is driving the desire for many to improve their photos and 92% wish they could take better photos if only they knew how. Naomi Campbell is one such person who admitted in a recent interview with the Evening Standard: “All these years working with photographers and I actually have no idea how to take a picture!” In fact, one in 12 people now don’t take photos at all because they think they lack the relevant skills or knowledge.

Most people rely on the law of averages rather than good composition to capture a good photo
In spite of people wanting to take better photos, 60% spend less than 30 minutes learning how to use their camera properly and, only a tiny one in 50 make use of any training to help them to improve their skills. Consequently, seven out 10 (71%) trust in the law of averages by taking more shots than necessary in the hope that one will be good enough. Most people (55%) do nothing to improve the composition of their shot such as moving people and objects to try and get the perfect picture. About a third (36%) experiment by changing settings on the camera.

No selfies please we’re British
While the selfie may be the photo of choice for celebrities like Selena Gomez who features regularly in Cosmopolitan’s best celebrity selfies, only 20% of the 1,000 UK adults questioned admit to taking them. Over a quarter (27%) deliberately avoid taking selfies – let alone “groupies” or “ussies” – because they don’t see them as quality photos.

Three quarters don’t have the skills to improve photos
About three quarters of those surveyed do not have the skills to use post-processing tools. The majority that do, use Adobe Photoshop (93%).

Alex Zivoder, Vice President and Managing Director – lynda.com EMEA, said: “This research highlights that quality is a high priority for many Brits, with the majority keen to create good photos. As devices get increasingly sophisticated, many consumers are missing an opportunity by not making the most of their investment – mainly because they don’t have the confidence to use more than just a few of the basic camera functions.”

“lynda.com can help consumers, photo enthusiasts and pros learn how to take better photos using their smartphone, tablet or camera through unlimited access to more than 460 online courses, and training from some of the most inspirational expert photographers like Douglas Kirkland”

The desire to share images online seems to be a real driver for taking photos, with seven out of 10 (69%) of the 1,000 UK adults questioned now sharing photos on social media. Facebook is the dominant platform used by 88% of photo sharers, with 28% using Instagram.

The research was undertaken for lynda.com by Research Now in September 2014. It captures responses from a nationally representative sample of 1,000 UK adults.

lynda.com: Inspirational photography training and tutorials
lynda.com offers a wide range of in-depth photography courses to help both professional and amateur photographers improve their skills and the use of the tools at their disposal. lynda.com offers access to over 460 photography courses from some of the world’s leading photographers, including Douglas Kirkland. These courses, available on Mac, PC and as a dedicated app on most mobile devices, enable consumers and photographers to learn from the best minds in the industry. lynda.com covers all of the main photography software packages, including Photoshop, Lightroom and more. It also offers how-to guides for equipment from most of the major camera manufacturers. It is a one-stop online learning centre available 24×7 that covers everything from how to shoot photos that tell a story, to choosing the right gear, creating a photo book or simply enhancing photos taken. lynda.com helps photographers become masters of digital photography. A wide range of photography courses are also available in German, French and Spanish from video2brain – a lynda.com brand.

To try a taster of lynda.com’s photography courses, please visit: http://bit.ly/1yfSAbR

About lynda.com
lynda.com is a leading online learning company that helps anyone learn business, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals. Through individual, corporate, academic and government subscriptions, members have access to the lynda.com video library of engaging, top-quality courses taught by recognized industry experts. The company also provides German, French and Spanish-language content under the video2brain brand name. lynda.com, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Carpinteria, California with offices in San Francisco, London, Sydney and Graz and is funded in part by Accel Partners, Spectrum Equity and Meritech Capital Partners.

Learn more about the lynda.com story at www.lynda.com/press and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lynda.

Follow us on Twitter @lynda and @lyndaEMEA

Press contacts
Mario Morello, Senior Consultant, Kaizo +44 (0) 203 176 4700 Mario.Morello@kaizo.co.uk

Tariq Ahmed, Head of Communications, lynda.com EMEA +44 (0)7598 390 111 tahmed@lynda.com

Source: RealWire