[Lurch]

I guess this is a bit of a follow up of my previous post: Feeling a bit overwhelmed - PentaxForums.com

I posted this up on my blog, however I wanted to give something back to this tremendous community that has helped me substantially. I hope this might help others in my position:

A while back I posted up on the brilliant Pentax Forums about feeling very overwhelmed regarding photography. All the acronyms, the terms, the different usage etc was really getting to me.
I was also finding that when I did get a chance to go out and shoot, so much of what I shot was garbage with only a select few I would deem as usable. Many members of the forum posted up with words of encouragement, and I also spent more time reading both technical how-to’s, but more importantly other members stories of both getting into and getting the most out of photography and their camera. A great read I found was a section on the Pentax Forums called Pentaxian Profiles. These stories really gave me a lift. And also start getting me thinking less about the science and more about the art.
I’m really not the most creative person in the world. I have ideas but very rarely know how to, or have the opportunity to put them into practice. The thing I have really started to enjoy about using my camera is that my ‘film’ is free and storage is cheap – so just keep shooting. It’s no biggy to run off a few frames, then flip back through them to see how I’m going.
However the biggest hump I’ve overcome is the understanding (well, at least the basics of) Aperture vs Shutter speed vs ISO. I now feel a lot more comfortable adjusting things to what *I* feel is right. I am more then happy to run off a few frames and see how I’m going and then make changes. But the difference is that now I’m more confident about the changes I’m making. “Oh, that a bit over-exposed, so I’ll turn down the aperture or adjust the exposure compensation”. It’s such a revelation to get past this.
I’ve also come to realise that all those ‘garbage’ shots aren’t a total loss. I now spend time going through them and working out what I did wrong and how I can stop it from happening the next time. I am also starting to really enjoy the few real ‘gems’ that I take. I study these as well, learning what I did correctly so I can out that in place next time around.
Now that I have at least a little more understanding of what I am doing, I am starting to experiment a little more. I am finding a great challenge in finding something that would normally be rather mundane, and making it interesting. A macro shot of some jelly beans to instance. Or taking a photo from an unusual angle that most people would never see from. Or more importantly, an angle that I would never see from (which normally means right down low – hehe).
I am also a man of toys. I like my toys, and I am very glad I updated to the GX20. It not only gave me the boost in motivation, but also something that is comparable to other Pentax users. I am ale to see absolutely brilliant photo’s taken by other GX20/K20D photographers and it really gives me something to strive for. I do know that it is not all about the kit, but being the person I am – for me the kit makes it even more fun.
All in all, I am really starting to enjoy just playing. Seeing what I can do and challenging myself. I realise from a seasoned photographers point of view that what I am doing is very, very basic – but for me it is still a challenge – and I am ok with that.
I dont know how many people actually read my blog here, but hopefully one day someone who is struggling may read this and it might give them the boost they need and help them realise that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
- Lurch

[ramseybuckeye]

Lurch, you definitely get it.

[Lurch]

Thanks mate - much appreciated.

As I said, I'm find it more and more fun to just play. Once I have some cash for some basic lighting gear, I really want to set up some space at home to shoot different subjects/Items. Like my own little studio

Hopefully at some stage others who are feeling this same sense of being overwhelmed will read this and take some hope from it

[theperception2008]

Lurch, I know how you feel too. I started out about a year and a half ago. It's been a long way. as you get more confident with your exposure settings, you'll then start to want to manipulate light, make parts of the background disappear, change the scene by underexposing. I started off with a GX-20 as well but it was stolen about 6 months after having it as well as all my lenses... :-( but I picked myself off the floor and restarted. This I picked up a Pentax K100D Super and a M 50 1.4. Now I am running a prime focused kit and I have to say that I wish I had the Gx-20 now as I could work with the rear curtain sync and all the other neat features of the camera. Oh well. Anyways, keep on shooting away! The more you shoot and analyse, the better you'll get! :-)

[no soap]

Be careful Lurch, it's addictive...

[ardentartichoke]

seeing this post so early in the morning is definitely a mood booster thanks for being honest and modest, i feel almost exactly the same - i'm also a beginner. take it easy and have fun, i think you're on the right track and hopefully i am too.

[Lurch]

Be careful Lurch, it's addictive...

My wallet is already agreeing with you

The wish list never seems to get shorter