[Deiberson]

I thought I'd buy a camera that looked like it was good and then just walk around taking pics that deserved some type of award. I was thrown a curve ball not expecting that I'd be required to know something about exposure.

Spent a few months playing around with that and reading whatever came my way.

Pictures still suck.

Realized there is this thing called composition. More reading, practice, and patience. Another year invested.

Pictures still suck.

Found this thread on Post Processing. Invested more money, time, learning, tutorials, books, videos.....felt like I was starting back at step 1 again. Started to figure out enough with PP that I could save a few pictures and even be a little creative. But in the end...My pictures still sucked.

Strobes! That's what I need. That's what my pictures are missing! More books, tutorials, strobist.blogspot, flickr groups, frowknows etc.....
More hours spent reading about this new technique and what do I get...a compilation of deplorable pictures.

Its almost a typical "jack of all trades, master of none" scenario taking place.

What's more, is that I've spent so much time and money learning about these things that I've practically forgotten everything about exposure.

How do you guys do it? As I'm typing I'm reading about this thing called RAW. Awesome.

[eddie1960]

as henri cartier bresson once said "your first 10000 photographs are your worst"

maybe you just need to take more

Joking aside composition is the number one factor and that takes practice and you need to develop an eye that can see the extraordinary in the ordinary so to speak. I've been shooting for about 37 years now on and off and still struggle with implementing my vision, though feel i'm getting better. I really think it's like golf sometimes no matter how much you persist you may never be tiger woods but you have to keep trying when it's your passion

[minahasa]

..well.. nice shoes you have there.. I guess, it could easily fits me..since I just recently joining in

[séamuis]

I thought I'd buy a camera that looked like it was good and then just walk around taking pics that deserved some type of award. I was thrown a curve ball not expecting that I'd be required to know something about exposure.

Spent a few months playing around with that and reading whatever came my way.

Pictures still suck.

Realized there is this thing called composition. More reading, practice, and patience. Another year invested.

Pictures still suck.

Found this thread on Post Processing. Invested more money, time, learning, tutorials, books, videos.....felt like I was starting back at step 1 again. Started to figure out enough with PP that I could save a few pictures and even be a little creative. But in the end...My pictures still sucked.

Strobes! That's what I need. That's what my pictures are missing! More books, tutorials, strobist.blogspot, flickr groups, frowknows etc.....
More hours spent reading about this new technique and what do I get...a compilation of deplorable pictures.

Its almost a typical "jack of all trades, master of none" scenario taking place.

What's more, is that I've spent so much time and money learning about these things that I've practically forgotten everything about exposure.

How do you guys do it? As I'm typing I'm reading about this thing called RAW. Awesome.

every bit of what you describe, comes AFTER one simple idea. and that is your photographic vision. there is two quotes that I always cling to when it comes to photography and those are by the late Garry Winogrand:

"Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed.”

"You have a lifetime to learn technique. But I can teach you what is more important than technique, how to see; learn that and all you have to do afterwards is press the shutter."

so my point here is simple. throw out all this worrying and suffering over the technical details and just go out and capture inside that viewfinder your vision of what you see. your camera and the lens attached to the front is just the medium in which you use to capture that vision. there is nothing more to it than that. your problem (like so many others) is that you are starting from the wrong end. learn how to see first.

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Last edited by séamuis; 01-14-2011 at 09:54 AM.

[TaoMaas]

I really think it's like golf sometimes no matter how much you persist you may never be tiger woods

Furthermore, we need to keep in mind that not even Tiger Woods is always "Tiger Woods". He has to work at it to maintain that level. I have friends who throw a fit and bend clubs when they hit a bad golf shot. I tell them, "If Tiger can blow a shot, you can too. What makes you believe that you're better than him and should always be perfect?"

[normhead]

Post a few shots for us. We are picture junkies, that's how you "throw the dogs a bone" around here.

as henri cartier bresson once said "your first 10000 photographs are your worst"

Great quote, and the corollary, take your first 10,000 in your teens. You wont care how bad they are, it easier to suffer the consequences of incompetence, when you're truly incompetent at everything. ANd your friends on facebook will go gaga over then no matter how bad they are.

[eddie1960]

Great quote, and the corollary, take your first 10,000 in your teens. You wont care how bad they are, it easier to suffer the consequences of incompetence, when you're truly incompetent at everything. ANd your friends on facebook will go gaga over then no matter how bad they are.

too bad there wasn't digital and facebook when i was a teen in the dark ages, i can't quite picture what it would have cost for me to take 10000 pics back then even rolling my own as i did back then (never mind i would have been out of my teens by the time i got out of the darkroom)

on second though i'm glad facebook wasn't around back then, there is a lot of stupid crap i did i'd rather not have out there

[Frogfish]

Deiberson - that's a very funny post and put a big smile on my face. I'm certain your shots are much better than that !

[Ash]

We can be quite self-critical when it comes to photography, particularly when it's a passionate hobby. Relax and allow the feedback and self-critique to be your guide to improvement - but don't try to force it. You'll just put unneeded pressure on yourself to improve. If it's any consolation, you're not alone: have a look at this graphical representation of a photographer's perception of their work:



It does help to have ample opportunity to shoot interesting subjects, even better if you like portraits and you look as good as this for self-portraits: Interview with Self Portrait and 365 Photographer – Anna Gay - Anna Gay Photography (it's almost a crime to be an attractive model as well as a photographer!)

There are so many talented photographers around that I too wished I had their eye and PP skills, but ultimately it's about forging an individual style and flair that makes those images you take uniquely yours. And if you can create such unique art that's increasingly effective and touches the audience in your own way, then you're doing well. Enjoy the journey, don't be dismayed by the long-term process it is.

[Capslock118]

You could always call it quits and move onto another hobby - no negativity here, this is my sanctuary

"jack of all trades, master of none"

Think of it this way. When the war comes and passes, will you be able to survive on one mastered skill or will I survive on knowing enough of each trade to keep my house standing and stocked?

[Gashog]

I take a lot of pictures with my phone. It's good exercise.
99% of my phone snaps are crap but I get an interesting one now and again.
I delete a lot of stuff but here's a couple I just uploaded (special...for this thread).
I bet if I was serious, I could take a pretty good photo with my Droid. (Maybe I'll try it later).
The more you use your eye, the better your pictures get, regardless of your camera/equipment.

[monochrome]

Thirty years ago my (then future) brother-in-law gave me a fly fishing rod (damn him). I could substitue a misstep in the progression to accomplished fly fisher

• To fish
• Any fish
• Many fish
• Large fish
• Challenging fish
• To fish

for every step in the progression to accomplished photographer in your lament.

I'm still not there - and I will never be there - because I don't fish enough. But I enjoy fishing at my own level much more today than I ever did when I was "learning" to fish, and I was much better then.

Before I cast I think about my rod, lines, leader, tippets, flies, casts and where I am casting - and I make far fewer casts in a day than I did before. In fact, I consider I had a good day if I make a perfect cast to a spot where I think there MIGHT be a nice fish - even if I don't get a rise, hook one or actually land and admire one before release. The important thing is to fish, not to catch fish.

One piece of advice I will offer you, thouigh, is to look at a lot of good pictures. Check art books out of the library. Go to museums and galleries. Look at Pentax Photo Gallery (or even Canon's version). Look at the galleries here. If you have SEEN 10,000 pictures you might see a picturesque image in a scene.

When you are walking along, you see something and you reflexively think, "That's a picture," then you are close. A small amount of skill with exposure and a willingness to bracket shots will get you what you want much of the time.

I'll leave it to you to work out the analogy - but for me the important thing is to photograph.
.

[cats_five]

every bit of what you describe, comes AFTER one simple idea. and that is your photographic vision.

Exactly. And it doesn't come easily to everyone. My mother took some fabulous shots with an Olumpus 35mm P&S and no technical knowledge whatsoever - she had a gift. (she was great at lots of kinds of needlework, she could design and make dress patterns, a great knitter, did upholstry, made lampshades, and taught herself a more elegent handwriting when in her 50s)

However I know a few people with £££££ gear who never take a worthwhile shot.

Self-critique is difficult as well, and critiquing other images helps develop it. I'd suggest you lurk in this group for a while and maybe join and post some images yourself:

Flickr: Photography Critique

The technique stuff (both pre- and post-shutter) is all subservient to the vision.

[stanic]

Post a few shots for us. We are picture junkies, that's how you "throw the dogs a bone" around here.

lol lol lol

[ll_coffee_lP]

Sounds like you might be complaining about the ongoing process of learning an art form. If you don't find this process exciting then I'd suggest you find a new passion.

If you are looking for a finite A-Z hobby that you can eventually excel at the highest possible level I'd also suggest you find a new hobby.

If you'd like a suggestion...stick with one learning component until you are comfortable with it and enjoy what you are producing, then move on to another with the hopes of enhancing what you are already doing.

c[_]