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03/24/2015 02:50:35 PM · #1 |
If *one* other person can relate to what I have to say and it makes them feel better about who they are as a photog, then this is all good. There is *so* much about photography that I do NOT know. But I love photography. And despite being lacking in formalized training, and not making it a point to pursue it so that I am a "proper" photographer, I am having the time of my life simply muddling through. I feel extraordinarily fortunate to have had many great breaks/blessings and had photography for me grow into a passion that I can realize with the minimal knowledge that I have. That said, here are my musings on how to be a Happy Hack. There are a few basic requirements.
1. "The Eye"- Okay, there is nothing you can do to acquire this, but chances are almost nil that you made it to this thread without it. It's that inexplicable thing that made you buy and start playing with your camera seriously in the first place. I don't care what you call it......grace, a knack, a gift, but it's that thing that makes you pull the camera up, frame the scene, and shoot. "The Eye" is both a blessing and a curse. After all, it's what made you spend all that freakin' money on this stuff. But it's also what got that shot for you that when someone is walking past it on the wall, they stop dead, and say "Whoa!". So......you have to have "The Eye", but if you're reading this, you're most likely already there.
2. Equipment-This is a serious and frustrating issue. I just wish I could have back the money that I spent going down the wrong paths 'til I figured out what I needed and wanted. It's a balancing act, and the need part of it will ruin your wallet basically more than the want part will. I have more than I need AND more than I want because I didn't go far enough with my needs, and felt guilty about my wants. Since for the vast majority of the people doing this, it will NOT be a money-making proposition, it's hard to justify the expense of a good camera that will please you to own and be capable of more than what you can wring from it. But by the same token, even though these cameras are frightfully expensive, they are so advanced that it really does a lot of the work for you. This is a good thing, and as you learn and grow, it's nice to have the equipment that will allow you to improve without constantly having to upgrade. Do I know stone cold how to operate all the features of my camera? Good grief, NO! But it does what I need and want and I like it. Right now, I have a D810, a D600, 28-300VR, 16-35VR, 105mm f2.8VR, a D7000, 18-200VR & 12-24. What I wanted and needed to end up with is the D810, the 16-35, & the 28-300. I already sold another D600, a 80-400VR that I really didn't like, and have gone through a D70s & a D200. Don't even ask about all the DX lenses I've shuffled through. I forgive myself for this circuitous route intellectually, but.....It is, IMNSHO, better to have too much capability than too little. I wish now that I had gone from my D70s to a D3x or its equivalent instead of the route I did go which cost me way more than the D3x would have been at the time. Lessons learned the hard way......it seems to be one of those things I do. However.......if you have the money to indulge your fantasies equipment-wise, go for it!
2A. Software-Just an addendum to the equipment section. You do NOT need to spend a bazillion dollars on editing programs. PhotoShop Elements is cheap and powerful for less that $100USD. There are other programs out there, but like Microsoft, Canon, & Nikon, most folks use what's the most commonly available and well supported. You can spend big bucks later on all kind of bells and whistles as you decide you need/want, but you will find that you simply do not have to do so. I use Elements, and it's more than enough for the work I do. There are a whole bunch of techniques I don't know how to utilize, but I know enough to get the images I want.
3. Help-You *WILL* need it. There is so much to learn and need to know to truly enjoy this craft that it will seem daunting. I have found that the true secret to enjoying photography is to just let it happen. This is hard to do because you want to take fabulous pictures NOW, and EVERY time. Neither happens. Since you're here reading this, you should know that anything and everything you will encounter in your journey has been gone through by others in this community. It doesn't matter where your interests lie photographically, there are people who have already been where you're looking to go. And this community is VERY nice about giving the help you need. I can tell you emphatically that I might have given up in frustration had I not had the resources available to me here at DP Challenge. All along the way from when I started here back in August of 2006 until today, I have had the assistance and encouragement of this community. I have had everything from a genuine mentor to a question that turned out to be a simple answer. You merely have to ask, and help is there. You can find help with whatever genre, camera, and software questions, and generally very quickly, just by asking. I have *always* found solutions to issues I've had by asking someone here. Just remember to always pay it forward down the road....that's how the magic stays alive. DPC & its community is awesome.
4. Experience-Shoot, shoot, shoot.
I leave that line emboldened and by itself because that is how it works. You have to learn, discover, develop, and become the photographer that you are. In the long run, YOU are the one who becomes the end result, so what you must do is discover and bring forth that photographer. I have gotten to the point in my journey where I am very happy with where I am. I don't remember exactly when I got there because it was a gradual transition. I know how to work my camera reasonably well, I can compose the shot the way I want it to be, I can post process a darn good image, and as I am engaged in the process, I have the confidence to know that I will get what I want out of the process. There was a progression that got me here, and somewhere along the line, I stopped being my own worst enemy. I quit wanting to be like that photog over there, I stopped trying to pick out the slightest flaw in every shot, and I realized that I could never get any enjoyment out of photography as long as my expectations were always just one or two steps beyond what I could accomplish. I started to enjoy the shots I got. I would look at them and realize that there was something about the scene that inspired me in the first place. So I look at the image, cultivate and develop that "thing" that made me push the shutter. I give myself a break.......most of my stuff is spur of the moment, so perfect composition is generally not happening. The funny thing is that having been doing this with passion and intent, it amuses me to see how many of my images turn out to be well composed and shot because I do so much composition work unconsciously now before I push the shutter. Getting to this point has meant that I have shot a lot of crap during the process. Funny thing is.......when I go back through some of my older stuff, I find gems that I overlooked because of this or that flaw that at the time, was a dealbreaker, only to realize with a little more experience, it wasn't bad at all.
Now, obviously, this is all based on my own experiences and perspective, but what I hope is that more people will become more comfortable with who they are as a photographer, and maybe lower the bar for themselves and allow themselves to enjoy what they do without holding themselves up to impossible standards. Am I a hack? Yep! Am I happy? Enormously! And my GF and I have our own gallery where we show and sell our work, so I also have validation of our work on a regular basis. Most importantly, I know my skills and limitations, so this allows me to be.........A Happy Hack Photographer.
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03/24/2015 06:32:16 PM · #2 |
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03/24/2015 07:34:12 PM · #3 |
being a happy hack photographer also allows you to ignore all the pretentiousness that is abound.
there is always someone to tell you what doesn't make a professional, what isn't art, what isn't photography, what gear you should be buying, etc etc etc.
all that matters is that you know what photography is and what it means to you. well done.
Message edited by author 2015-03-24 19:34:29. |
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03/24/2015 09:30:08 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by Mike:
being a happy hack photographer also allows you to ignore all the pretentiousness that is abound.
there is always someone to tell you what doesn't make a professional, what isn't art, what isn't photography, what gear you should be buying, etc etc etc.
all that matters is that you know what photography is and what it means to you. well done. |
Yah.....I guess I could have said this a bit more succinctly......8~)
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03/24/2015 09:30:28 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by glad2badad:
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Thanks, Barry!
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03/24/2015 09:37:41 PM · #6 |
| Awesome thread and words Barry thank you! Well said |
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03/24/2015 10:00:25 PM · #7 |
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03/25/2015 07:04:15 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by jgirl57:
Awesome thread and words Barry thank you! Well said |
??? Wasn't me. It was Jeb who spoke so eloquently. :-) |
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03/25/2015 07:58:35 AM · #9 |
Great read. One thing that makes me a hack is the histogram, never really bothered to look at one. I have a basic understanding of how they work and whatnot but I'd rather look at an actuall image and and adjust accordingly. I read pros all the time talk about their histogram. For me, the day I start reading a histogram is the day I'm taking this too seriously.
Message edited by author 2015-03-25 07:59:01. |
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03/25/2015 10:14:08 AM · #10 |
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03/26/2015 01:13:59 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by chazoe:
Great read. One thing that makes me a hack is the histogram, never really bothered to look at one. I have a basic understanding of how they work and whatnot but I'd rather look at an actuall image and and adjust accordingly. I read pros all the time talk about their histogram. For me, the day I start reading a histogram is the day I'm taking this too seriously. |
Fine, but don't disregard a valuable tool just because you associate it with seriousness or professionalism. The beauty of the histogram is that it gives you a lot of valuable information with a quick glance. You can use the histogram and still be a Happy Jack photographer. |
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03/26/2015 02:24:52 PM · #12 |
Great thread. I'm going through a bit of the lens need/want/make-do-with-what-I-have swing atm.
I *WANT* some 2.8 lenses, I *NEED* a good VR Telephoto lens to replace my soft-focus 70-300 4-5.6
It's so hard to see a 70-200 or 70-280VR lens that ISN'T a 2.8 and only a fraction of the cost and not pull the trigger to buy it. but will I regret it later? probably. so I sit on what I have until I can get what I want (or until the NEED outweighs the WANT of the better lens in the future) |
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03/26/2015 03:11:16 PM · #13 |
Really nice musings!
My only addition would be to note that buying top quality used gear is a great way to go. The stuff that was top-end 5 or 6 years ago is still extremely nice equipment. No reason to go for latest and greatest if you just want to be a happy hack photographer.
Frankly, the biggest difference is sensor size, after that it's all just minor differences. |
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03/26/2015 03:13:59 PM · #14 |
I enjoy the challenge of seeing how high I can score with a kit lens.
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03/26/2015 03:16:48 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by Cory:
Frankly, the biggest difference is sensor size, after that it's all just minor differences. |
The biggest difference is in the size of the photocells -- all of the sensors these days are "big enough" in terms of the number of pixels captured, but the quality of those pixels (signal:noise ratio) especially in low light varies widely.
Originally posted by nygold:
I enjoy the challenge of seeing how high I can score with a kit lens. |
I've been trying to submit my Free Study entries using the Minimal editing rules ...
Message edited by author 2015-03-26 15:18:03. |
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03/26/2015 03:20:34 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by nygold:
I enjoy the challenge of seeing how high I can score with a kit lens. |
I've been trying to submit my Free Study entries using the Minimal editing rules ... |
I've been trying to submit mine using expert editing rules, it isn't working out too well. |
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03/26/2015 03:28:24 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by nygold:
I enjoy the challenge of seeing how high I can score with a kit lens. |
One of my proudest accomplishments to date was ribboning with a $10 P&S camera from 1999.
Message edited by author 2015-03-26 15:30:01. |
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03/26/2015 04:16:13 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by bvy:
Originally posted by chazoe:
Great read. One thing that makes me a hack is the histogram, never really bothered to look at one. I have a basic understanding of how they work and whatnot but I'd rather look at an actuall image and and adjust accordingly. I read pros all the time talk about their histogram. For me, the day I start reading a histogram is the day I'm taking this too seriously. |
Fine, but don't disregard a valuable tool just because you associate it with seriousness or professionalism. The beauty of the histogram is that it gives you a lot of valuable information with a quick glance. You can use the histogram and still be a Happy Jack photographer. |
Oh absolutely. My point was more about me than anything. I totally see why others use it and swear by it, I just can't make myself do it and I figure that makes me hack(that and my portfolio). ;) |
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03/26/2015 05:32:50 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by Cory:
Originally posted by nygold:
I enjoy the challenge of seeing how high I can score with a kit lens. |
One of my proudest accomplishments to date was ribboning with a $10 P&S camera from 1999.
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Similar story here. I took down the big dogs in expert with a kit lens, very little editing, and a score of 7+.
My lucky day and one and only ribbon.
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03/26/2015 05:55:09 PM · #20 |
| Well said Jeb! I notice we are both members of the 50+ club (meaning we are in our 6th decade of life), one benefit of maturity is being able to determine what is really important to you, and not what others think should be important. Will one of my images ever be published in a national magazine? Not likely. Do I care? Heck, NO! I like what I do, and enjoy learning the craft of photography, and that is enough. If other people like my images too, that is just icing on the cake! |
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