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DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> Mmmmm... that feels good....
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 09/01/2005 12:04:16 AM · #1
and I'm not going anywhere.

I was just thinking, if you're good at let's say macro photography or landscape photography or any other area for that matter, would you "step out of YOUR box"? Sure it's easy to do something you're extremely good at, I for one favor architecturally inclined photos and always seek them out, but are you depriving yourself of that certain "room for growth"? I guess I can sit around and wait for challenges that suit my strengths but then at the end of the day, I look at my portfolio and it's all building this and building that .

What I'm getting at is how many of "us" out there try something very different from what we are comfortable with. Sure I'll get low scores in challenges. So what??? I was looking at my portfolio and most of them are "architecture type" images. But recently, I've been trying other things and had been entering them in challenges. Sure I get blown away by voters but I did learn something from that exercise and I use those comments to improve. My highest rated image at around a 6.9 was an architecturally driven image (unfortunately it was DQed). My goal is to beat that score (though not shown) with a different type of style. I don't know... maybe a macro, a portrait, whatever :)

I think I've improved during my short stint here at DPC. I've been here only three months and I've noticed a change in the way my images had turn out.

Any thoughts?
 09/01/2005 12:06:32 AM · #2
my ratings tell me i'm best when not looking through the view finder... :-(

Yes, being good in different types is great, and this is certainly a good place to get pushed from all angles.
 09/01/2005 12:08:01 AM · #3
I think almost all of us will agree that we've improved since joining, if we've been here for any amount of time. I think I know where my interests lay in photography.. at least taking it, anyways.. but I still plan on expanding my horizons because I feel that it will all contribute to me being a 'better photographer' on the whole.
 09/01/2005 12:11:29 AM · #4
Indeed. To say that we haven't grown since being here is an absurdity. However, if you're good at something and try something new and get blasted by voters, would that discourage you? Would that make you go back to that style which you're good at? I think it's quite an interesting dilemna isn't it?
 09/01/2005 12:23:28 AM · #5
Well to say I've 'grown' since I've been here would be a gross understatement! Man have I've grown, and an awful lot of growin' to go, hehehe. I'm still in the stages of experimenting and expanding my horizons and learning new stuff. I enjoy dabbling in different styles or techniques. I don't think I've found a specific area that I'm better at, although I really dig 'guitar' shots. And for those, I just get a idea in my head from time to time when a challenge comes out, otherwise like I said, I like how the challenges give me specific goals or tasks if you will to aid in my explorations. Of course, I'm just kinda like that I think. When I was playin' in bands, I didn't like it as much when we tried to stick rigidly to a certain recipe or style.

hmmm, I don't know if I'm answering your original question or just rambling????? :-P

Message edited by author 2005-09-01 00:25:22.
 09/01/2005 12:33:06 AM · #6
Originally posted by rikki11:


Any thoughts?


If you look in my portfolio, you will see improvement. But you will also see schizophrenia as I try everything at least once. I don't think I'm particularly good at any particular thing but that doesn't stop me from trying. :)
 09/01/2005 01:24:35 AM · #7
Originally posted by dahkota:
Originally posted by rikki11:


Any thoughts?


If you look in my portfolio, you will see improvement. But you will also see schizophrenia as I try everything at least once. I don't think I'm particularly good at any particular thing but that doesn't stop me from trying. :)


This exactly what I'm talking about. It's all about trial and error right. Not fearing what the scores may be. I'm in the same frame of mind. Always trying until I'm confortable with one area and moving on to seek greener pastures :)
 09/01/2005 01:34:26 AM · #8
I think one of the really good values of all the challenges here is that they do approach photography from different angles. And yes, I agree that a good way of "using" the site is to explore how different techniques, perhaps those that have been highlighted in previous challenges, can be applied to good use in current and future ones.

How about a macro-emphasizing-textures-in-high-contrast-Ansel-Adams-style challenge? Another might be reflection-architecture-nighttime challenge. I don't see any reason why challenge themes that COMBINE different photographic ideas would be a bad thing.
 09/01/2005 02:08:13 AM · #9
That's a cool idea rgo. Sounds like an interesting new twist once in awhile :-)
But also, don't we already kind of do this. I mean, like there are the 'technique' challenges, like leading lines, texture, backlighting, macro etc. You work on these (by work I mean thinking about, planning, executing, voting, commenting etc.), and then the 'concept' challenges come along like shoes, dairy, construction, apple, etc. and you apply these techniques that you have learned and or practiced, like you try to take a shoe shot that is lit well, shows texture and has leading lines, etc.

I know this applies to me. It is all a continual 'building block' process. :-)
09/01/2005 03:04:09 AM · #10
Damn tricked by the thread title once again. I've got to stop being so naive.

Believe everyone including pros step out of their fields for once in a while just to do something different. Taking incredibly beautiful landscape photography can get boring at the end.

Oh and rgo, that's an interesting idea, better than the current challenges :/ Too broad for my taste.
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