SONY
Never beat the editing allegations
Where to Start
It's just photography, not rocket science. Here's the exact order I'd hand a friend — you don't need all four, just the next one.
New here? If you only get one thing, make it Settings (Step 2). 👇
Know your model? Skip down to the next section
1 / Quick Start Guides and Videos - get your camera set up in 10 minutes
What it is: The absolute fastest way to go from "I just unboxed this" to "okay, it's ready to shoot." Menus, the handful of settings that matter, and the ones you can safely ignore.
Why it matters: Sony menus are famously deep, and 90% of it you'll never touch. This strips it down to just the switches worth flipping so you're not lost in submenus on day one.
Who it's for: Brand-new Sony owners, or anyone who's had the camera a while but never really set it up on purpose.
The products:
Sony Quick Start Guide $12 CAD
Sony Colour Beginner Guide $12 CAD
What it's worth: The confidence to actually pick the camera up. This is the on-ramp — affordable, fast, and it removes the "I'm intimidated by my own camera" wall.
2 / Settings Guides - the exact recipes for photos that look edited (they're not)
What it is: My actual in-camera settings, pulled straight from my EXIF data — shutter, aperture, ISO, white balance and creative style — for a range of real lighting situations, with the reasoning behind each and a quick-reference table for the field.
Why it matters: This is the core of everything. It's the difference between "a photo I took" and "a photo I'd post." You stop shooting on Auto and start telling the camera exactly what you want — and your shots look intentional before you ever open Lightroom.
Who it's for: Anyone who's off Auto (or ready to be) and wondering why their photos don't look like the ones they see online. If you buy one thing from me, buy this.
The products:
Sony ZV-1 Settings Guide $30 CAD
Sony ZV-1 Flash Settings Guide $30 CAD
Sony RX100 VII Flash Settings Guide $30 CAD
What it's worth: Years of my trial and error, compressed into settings you can dial in tomorrow. This is the level that actually changes your photos.
3 / Theory Guides - understand WHY, so you can build your own look
What it is: The reasoning under the recipes — how your flash actually works, how colour and white balance shape mood, why certain settings give certain feelings. Not "set it to this," but "here's why this works, so you can adapt it anywhere."
Why it matters: Settings get you my look. Theory gets you your look. Once you understand the why, you can walk into any lighting situation — one I never covered — and figure it out yourself. This is where you stop copying and start creating.
Who it's for: People who've used the settings, love them, and want to go from following a recipe to actually cooking.
The products:
Sony RX100 VII Flash Guide $30 CAD
What it's worth: Independence. This is the level that means you'll never be stuck again, whatever the light does.
4/ Photography Guides - beyond settings: how to actually shoot
What it is: The stuff that isn't in the camera at all — composition, light, timing, how to shoot a place so it feels like something, how to come home from a trip with photos you're proud of.
Why it matters: Perfect settings on a boring composition is still a boring photo. This is the layer that turns technically-good shots into ones people stop scrolling for.
Who it's for: Anyone who's got their settings dialled and wants the eye to match the gear.
The products:
How to Photograph Your European Summer $35 CAD
Solo Shoot:How to Look Like Someone Took Your Photo $15 CAD
What it's worth: The taste to go with the technique. This is what makes photos feel like yours long-term.
Sony Camera Guides
What Model Are You Shooting
Find yours — I'll point you straight to your guides.
My most-covered body; you've got the full ladder
Flash shooters, this one's for you.
The principles carry over, and a dedicated guide's in the works.
Sony ZV-1 Guides
Sony RX100 VII Guides
