Joining a Photography Club as a Beginner | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: Before joining a photography club, two adults discuss beginner support, photo walks, feedback sessions, and whether the atmosphere suits one person..

EN → JA / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Joining a Photography Club as a Beginner to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

写真クラブに入ろうかと考えていますが、経験が浅いと感じています。

shah-SHEEN KLAH-boo nee hai-ROH-kah toh kahn-GAH-eh-teh ee-MAHS-gah, keh-KEN gah ah-SAH-ee toh KAHN-jee-teh ee-MAHS. I am thinking about joining a photography club, but I feel inexperienced.
B

初心者を歓迎して、わかりやすく指導してくれるクラブを探してください。

shoh-SHIN-shah oh kahn-AY shee-teh, wah-kah-ree-yah-SOO-koo shee-DOH shee-teh koo-REH-roo KLAH-boo oh sah-GAH-shee-teh koo-DAH-sah-ee. Look for one that welcomes beginners and gives clear guidance.
A

このクラブでは、写真を撮りながら歩く活動や、写真について意見をもらう会があります。

KOH-noh KLAH-boo deh-wah, shah-SHEEN oh toh-REE nah-GAH-rah ah-ROH-koo kah-tsoo-DOH yah, shah-SHEEN nee tsoo-ee-teh ee-KEN oh moh-RAH-oo KAH-ee gah ah-ree-MAHS. This club offers photo walks and feedback sessions.
B

それは役に立ちます。実際に練習しながら技術を学べるからです。

soh-REH-wah yah-koo nee tah-chee-MAHS. jee-SAH-ee nee ren-SHOO shee nah-GAH-rah gee-JOOT-soo oh mah-nah-BEH-roo kah-rah dehss. That is useful because you can learn technique through real practice.
A

ほかの人はみんな高性能なカメラを持っているのではないかと心配です。

HOH-kah noh HEE-toh wah MEEN-nah koh-SAY-noh kah-MEH-rah oh moht-TEH ee-roo no deh-wah NAH-ee kah toh sheem-PAI dehss. I worry that everyone else will have advanced cameras.
B

良いクラブは、機材だけでなく構図にも重点を置きます。

YOH-ee KLAH-boo wah, kee-ZAI dah-keh deh-NAH-koo KOH-zoo nee-moh JOO-ten oh oh-kee-MAHS. A good club focuses on composition, not just equipment.
A

写真を共有すれば、自信がつくかもしれません。

shah-SHEEN oh kyoh-YOO sheh-BAH, jee-SHEEN gah tsoo-koo kah moh-SHEE-reh-MAH-sen. Maybe sharing photos will build my confidence.
B

それなら、時間をかけて小さなポートフォリオを作り始める助けにもなるでしょう。

soh-REH nah-rah, JEE-kahn oh kah-KEH-teh chee-SAH-nah POHT-foh-ree-oh oh tsoo-ree hah-jee-MEH-roo tahs-keh nee-moh nah-roo deh-SHOH. It could also help you start a small portfolio over time.
A

入るかどうかを決める前に、集まりを見学したほうがよいかもしれません。

HAH-ee-roo kah doh-oh-kah oh kee-MEH-roo MAH-eh nee, ah-tsoo-MAH-ree oh ken-GAH-koo shee-tah hoh-GAH yoh-ee kah moh-SHEE-reh-MAH-sen. Maybe I should visit a meeting before deciding whether to join.
B

そうすれば、その雰囲気が自分に合うかどうかを見ることができます。

soh-oh-soo-sheh-BAH, soh-noh foon-EE-kee gah jee-BUN nee ah-OO kah doh-oh-kah oh MEE-roo koh-toh gah deh-KEE-MAHS. That lets you see whether the atmosphere suits you.

Word by Word

写真 写真 means photo or photography here, as in 写真クラブ, a club related to photography. It commonly appears before a noun to identify a type of photo-related activity or group.
クラブ クラブ means club in 写真クラブ, the group the speaker is considering joining. It is used after a topic or activity name to identify an organized group.
に に marks the destination or group entered in 写真クラブに入ろう, meaning into or to the photography club. With 入る, it identifies what someone joins or enters.
入ろう 入ろう means considering joining or entering in 入ろうかと考えています. It is the volitional form of 入る and is used here to express the speaker’s intention under consideration.
か か marks uncertainty in 入ろうか, giving the sense of whether to join or perhaps join. It commonly appears before と考える when someone is considering an action.
と と marks the thought being considered in 入ろうかと考えています. It connects the quoted idea 入ろうか with 考えています, so the speaker is thinking about that possibility.
考えて 考えて means thinking or considering in 考えています, referring to the speaker’s current consideration about joining. This te-form combines with います to describe an ongoing state.
います います functions as the polite ongoing-state auxiliary in 考えています, meaning the speaker is currently thinking about it. It is useful after a te-form when an action or state continues.
が が connects the two parts of 写真クラブに入ろうかと考えていますが, meaning but or although. Here it introduces the contrasting concern that the speaker feels inexperienced.
経験 経験 means experience in 経験が浅い, referring to the speaker’s experience with photography. It commonly combines with words describing how much experience someone has.
浅い 浅い means limited or not deep in 経験が浅い, so the speaker feels that their experience is limited. It is used here to describe the depth or extent of experience rather than physical depth.
感じて 感じて means feeling in 経験が浅いと感じています, where the speaker feels that their experience is limited. It is the te-form of 感じる and combines with います for an ongoing feeling.
初心者 初心者 means beginner in 初心者を歓迎して, referring to people who are new to photography. It is useful for describing someone who has little experience with an activity.
を を marks 初心者 as the object of 歓迎して, so the club welcomes beginners. It commonly marks the person or thing directly affected by an action.
歓迎 歓迎 means welcome in 初心者を歓迎して, describing the club’s positive reception of beginners. It commonly appears with a person or group being welcomed and with する-based expressions.
して して means doing in 初心者を歓迎して, linking the welcoming action to the following description of the club. It is the te-form of する and connects related actions or descriptions.
くれる くれる shows that the club gives the speaker the helpful action of providing guidance in 指導してくれる. It is used when someone does something beneficial for the speaker or another understood person.
わかりやすく わかりやすく means clearly or in an easy-to-understand way in わかりやすく指導してくれる. It describes how the guidance is given and commonly modifies an action that should be easy to understand.
指導 指導 means guidance or instruction in 指導してくれる, referring to teaching provided by the club. It is useful for organized instruction, especially when someone helps learners develop a skill.
探して 探して means look for in クラブを探してください, asking the listener to search for a suitable club. It is the te-form of 探す and is followed by ください to make a polite request.
ください ください makes 探してください a polite request to look for a club. It follows a te-form when asking someone to carry out an action.
この この means this in このクラブ, pointing to the particular club being discussed. It is placed directly before the noun it identifies.
で で marks このクラブ as the place where the activities are available in このクラブでは. It commonly identifies the location or setting of an activity.
は は marks このクラブでは as the topic, setting the club apart as the subject of the information that follows. Together with で, it means as for what happens at this club.
撮りながら 撮りながら means while taking photos in 写真を撮りながら歩く活動. 撮り is the form of 撮る used before ながら, and ながら shows that taking photos happens at the same time as walking. This whole expression describes a photo-walking activity.
歩く 歩く means walk in 写真を撮りながら歩く活動, describing the movement involved in the activity. It is used after 撮りながら to show the action happening at the same time.
活動 活動 means activity in 歩く活動, referring to an organized thing participants do. It commonly follows a description of the activity to name it as an event or practice.
や や links 写真を撮りながら歩く活動 and 写真について意見をもらう会 as examples of what the club offers. It indicates a non-exhaustive list, meaning these are among the activities available.
について について means about or concerning in 写真について意見をもらう. The whole expression is formed by に and ついて and identifies the topic that the opinions concern.
意見 意見 means opinion or feedback in 写真について意見をもらう, referring to comments about the photos. It commonly appears when someone gives or receives views about a piece of work or topic.
もらう もらう means receive or get in 意見をもらう, where the speaker receives feedback about photos. It is useful for describing receiving something from another person, including comments or help.
会 会 means meeting or gathering in 写真について意見をもらう会, referring to an organized session where participants receive opinions about photos. It commonly follows an activity description to name the gathering.
あります あります means there is or is available in 会があります, stating politely that such a meeting exists or is offered. It is used here for the existence of a meeting or activity.
それ それ means that or it in それは役に立ちます, referring to the photo walks and feedback sessions just mentioned. It commonly points back to information already discussed.
役に立ちます 役に立ちます means is useful in それは役に立ちます. In this expression, 役 names a useful role, に marks that role, and 立ちます says that something serves in it; together they describe something that helps. It is useful when evaluating an activity, tool, or piece of advice.
実際 実際 means actual or real in 実際に練習しながら, emphasizing practice carried out in reality. With に, it describes doing something through direct or real experience rather than only studying it in theory.
練習 練習 means practice in 実際に練習しながら技術を学べる, referring to repeated activity used to improve. It commonly appears with a skill or activity that someone is developing.
しながら しながら means while doing in 練習しながら技術を学べる. し is the form of する used before ながら, and ながら marks simultaneous actions. Here practicing and learning happen together.
技術 技術 means technique or skill in 技術を学べる, referring to photography skills learned through practice. It commonly appears with 学ぶ when someone develops a practical ability.
学べる 学べる means can learn in 技術を学べる, expressing the possibility of learning technique. It is the potential form of 学ぶ and commonly takes the subject or skill being learned as its object.
から から means because in 技術を学べるからです, giving the reason the activities are useful. It commonly follows the reason clause before です in a polite explanation.
です です provides the polite ending in 技術を学べるからです, making the reason statement polite. In this sentence it follows から to present the explanation respectfully.
ほか ほか means other or elsewhere in ほかの人, referring to people other than the speaker. It commonly comes before の and a noun when identifying other members of a group.
の の links ほか and 人 in ほかの人, meaning people who are other or different. It connects the first description to the noun that follows.
人 人 means person or people in ほかの人, referring to the other members of the club. The surrounding expression gives it the collective meaning of other people.
みんな みんな means everyone in ほかの人はみんな, referring to all the other people. It is commonly used to summarize all members of a group in an informal but widely usable way.
高性能 高性能 means high-performance or advanced in 高性能なカメラ, describing cameras with strong capabilities. It commonly appears before an object or device whose performance is being emphasized.
な な links 高性能 to the noun カメラ in 高性能なカメラ. This form is used before a noun when the preceding description modifies it.
カメラ カメラ means camera in 高性能なカメラ, the equipment the speaker worries others may have. It is used here as the thing possessed by the other people.
持って 持って means having or holding in 高性能なカメラを持っている. It is the te-form of 持つ and combines with いる to describe the continuing state of possessing the camera.
いる いる functions as the state auxiliary in 持っている, indicating that the other people have the cameras. Here it describes continuing possession rather than the simple presence of a person.
ない ない is part of the uncertain negative expression 持っているのではないか, which conveys the speaker’s worry that everyone may have advanced cameras. It does not mean a simple standalone no here; it helps form the possibility question inside the concern.
心配 心配 means worry or concern in 心配です, expressing the speaker’s anxiety about the other members’ equipment. It is useful for stating concern about a possible situation or result.
良い 良い means good in 良いクラブ, describing a club with a supportive approach. It directly modifies クラブ and evaluates the club positively.
だけでなく だけでなく means not only or not just in 機材だけでなく構図にも重点を置きます. だけ limits attention to equipment, while でなく provides the negative linking part; together they show that composition is also included. This construction is useful for adding another important item after saying something is not the only focus.
構図 構図 means composition or framing in 構図にも重点を置きます, referring to how elements are arranged in a photograph. It is useful when discussing the visual arrangement of a photo rather than the equipment used.
も も means also or too in 機材だけでなく構図にも, adding composition as another focus alongside equipment. It commonly marks an additional item that shares the same role or action.
重点 重点 means emphasis or priority in 重点を置きます, identifying what the club gives special attention to. It commonly appears with 置く when describing the main focus of an activity or policy.
置きます 置きます means places in the expression 重点を置きます, where it idiomatically means places emphasis on. It is the polite form used with the object receiving priority, such as composition here.
共有 共有 means sharing in 写真を共有すれば, referring to making photos available to the club members. It commonly describes sharing information, files, or creative work with other people.
すれば すれば means if or when doing in 写真を共有すれば, introducing the possible result of sharing photos. It is the conditional form of する and links the action to the confidence that may develop.
自信 自信 means confidence in 自信がつく, referring to the speaker’s belief in their own ability. It commonly appears with つく when confidence develops through experience or practice.
つく つく means develop or be gained in 自信がつく, describing confidence that grows. With 自信, it refers to gaining confidence rather than physically attaching something.
かもしれません かもしれません means might or may in 自信がつくかもしれません, expressing a possible result without certainty. In this fixed expression, かも marks possibility, しれ completes the expression, and ません gives it a polite form. It is useful when making a cautious prediction.
なら なら means if that is the case or then in それなら, responding to the previous idea and introducing a possible additional benefit. It commonly bases a conclusion or suggestion on information just mentioned.
時間 時間 means time in 時間をかけて, referring to the period spent developing a portfolio. It commonly appears as the object of かける when emphasizing time spent on an activity.
かけて かけて means spending or taking time in 時間をかけてポートフォリオを作り始める. It is the te-form of かける and links the time spent with the activity that follows.
小さな 小さな means small in 小さなポートフォリオ, describing the modest portfolio the learner may begin building. It appears directly before the noun it modifies.
ポートフォリオ ポートフォリオ means portfolio in 小さなポートフォリオ, referring to a collected presentation of the speaker’s photographic work. It is useful when discussing a body of creative work gathered over time.
作り 作り means making in 作り始める, where it links the action of creating a portfolio to 始める. It is the form of 作る used before another verb to express beginning that action.
始める 始める means start in ポートフォリオを作り始める, meaning start making a portfolio. It commonly follows the action form of another verb to show that the action begins.
助け 助け means help or assistance in 助けにもなる, referring to the club’s role in helping the learner start a portfolio. It identifies support that contributes to achieving a goal.
なる なる means become or serve as in 助けにもなるでしょう, saying that the activity may also serve as help. With に, it identifies the role or result something takes on.
でしょう でしょう means will probably or would in 助けにもなるでしょう, presenting the benefit as a polite, tentative expectation. It is useful when making a prediction without stating it as certain.
入る 入る means join or enter in 入るかどうかを決める, referring to joining the photography club. It is the basic form used before かどうか when considering whether to do something.
どうか どうか completes 入るかどうか, meaning whether or not to join. The expression is used when a decision depends on two alternatives, such as joining or not joining.
決める 決める means decide in 入るかどうかを決める, referring to making the choice about joining. It commonly takes the matter being decided as its object.
前 前 means before in 決める前に, placing the visit before the decision. The pattern verb plus 前に is used to describe an action that happens before another action.
集まり 集まり means gathering or meeting in 集まりを見学した, referring to a club meeting the speaker can visit. It is useful for an organized occasion where people come together.
見学 見学 means visiting to observe in 見学した, describing attending the meeting to see how it is. It is commonly used when someone visits a place or activity for observation rather than full participation.
した した is the form used in 見学したほうがよい, within a recommendation that it would be better to observe the meeting. Although it has a past-form shape, this construction recommends an action that has not yet happened.
ほう ほう means an option or course in 見学したほうがよい, which expresses that observing the meeting is the better choice. The pattern with ほうがよい is used to give advice or a recommendation.
よい よい means advisable or good in 見学したほうがよい, contributing to the recommendation to visit the meeting. In this construction it evaluates one possible action as preferable.
そう そう means that way in そうすれば, referring to visiting a meeting as the action just proposed. Together with すれば, it means if you do that and introduces the expected result.
その その means that or the in その雰囲気, pointing to the atmosphere of the club meeting under discussion. It directly modifies 雰囲気.
雰囲気 雰囲気 means atmosphere or mood in その雰囲気が自分に合うかどうか, referring to the feeling of the club environment. It is useful when judging whether a group or place feels comfortable or suitable.
自分 自分 means oneself or oneself personally in 自分に合う, referring to the speaker’s own preferences and personality. It commonly identifies the person for whom something is suitable.
合う 合う means suit or fit in 自分に合う, asking whether the atmosphere is suitable for the speaker. It commonly uses に to mark the person or thing that something suits.
見る 見る means see or check in 雰囲気が自分に合うかどうかを見る, describing examining whether the atmosphere suits the speaker. It commonly takes かどうか to express checking an uncertain point.
こと こと turns 見る into the nominalized action in 見ることができます, making seeing or checking the subject of ability. It commonly follows a verb before ができます to express being able to do that action.
できます できます means can or is able to in 見ることができます, stating that the person can check whether the atmosphere suits them. The construction verb plus ことができます is a polite way to express ability.

Grammar Points

～ながら

写真を撮りながら歩く

shah-SHEEN oh toh-REE nah-GAH-rah ah-ROH-koo

to walk while taking photos

～ながら connects two actions done by the same person at the same time. The main action comes after ながら.

経験が浅い

経験が浅い

keh-KEN gah ah-SAH-ee

to be inexperienced

浅い literally means “shallow,” but with 経験 it means having little experience. Japanese uses が to mark what is limited.

Japanese Vocabulary

わかりやすい adj
wah-kah-ree-yah-SOO-ee clear; easy to understand
意見 noun
ee-KEN opinion; feedback
活動 noun
kah-tsoo-DOH activity
経験が浅い phrase
keh-KEN gah ah-SAH-ee to be inexperienced
考える verb
kahn-GAH-eh-roo to think; to consider
指導 noun
shee-DOH guidance; instruction
写真クラブ noun
shah-SHEEN KLAH-boo photography club
写真を撮りながら歩く phrase
shah-SHEEN oh toh-REE nah-GAH-rah ah-ROH-koo to walk while taking photos
初心者 noun
shoh-SHIN-shah beginner
探す verb
sah-GAH-soo to look for; to search for
入る verb
HAH-ee-roo to join; to enter
役に立つ phrase
yah-koo nee tah-TSOO to be useful; to be helpful

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to walk while taking photos

Show Answer写真を撮りながら歩く

photography club

Show Answer写真クラブ

clear; easy to understand

Show Answerわかりやすい

to be inexperienced

Show Answer経験が浅い