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03/06/2006 07:15:04 PM · #1 |
If that's true, then what about yours truely, who can't take photographs?
I've been in photography one way or another, as a hobby, for many years. But I just can't seem to grasp the concept I guess. I've tried everything, reading everything I can't get my hands on, making so many notebooks to take with me on the most trivial of outings.
With my new camera, it does make things easier; but it also makes me realize how much game I don't have. I am approaching 800 photographs in less than a month of ownership and I only have 6 photographs that I like. (Never mind that others don't)
I go and look at some of the work you all do and I sit back and think, "maybe I should stay out of the pool."
I am tired of bouncing back and forth saying, "if I only had this lens, or I knew how to 'Photoshop' I could really 'shine'."
I know this sounds like bait for a pity party, but don't take it like that. I am at the end of my rope, and if I don't get an epiphany soon, I'm gonna run out of rope.
When did it 'click' for you? What did you do to make it happen?
What do you do when you feel like you 'city' has nothing to offer in the way of subject matter?
Best regards,
CN |
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03/06/2006 07:18:06 PM · #2 |
If you want to give away your camera, just let me know. I'll even pay for shipping.. haha.
Maybe your just thinking about it to much right now. Just go do some sort of activity that you like to do, and take pictures of that activity. Maybe you'll get a few more that you like because your involved in an activity that you enjoy (because I'm assuming that just taking pictures isn't an activity that you like to do a lot right now) ;). |
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03/06/2006 07:19:38 PM · #3 |
If you on't know how to photoshop....then learn, same goes with everything else.
I think that photographers can be tought, they aren't just born. Granted...some people have more raw talent than others, but there is always more stuff to learn.
I never stop learning....that's for sure.
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03/06/2006 07:20:22 PM · #4 |
Richard, you haven't even entered any challenges yet !!!
Re uninspiring city: concentrate on people, animals, still life, macro, IR, product photography, flowers ..... the list is endless. |
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03/06/2006 07:20:50 PM · #5 |
I say jump in and learn how to swim with the rest of us. Not all of us can be born in Iceland. :) I can't speak for anyone else but I am here to learn and progress as a human.
Swim On!
Erick |
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03/06/2006 07:21:11 PM · #6 |
With my photography talent I am on the same boat as you - the way I feel about it is totally diferent though - Just have a look at my entries - First entry I came second last (can't believe somebody did worse than I did). My latest one I ended somewhere in the middle with a score above 5 (actualy somebody chose my photo as a fav - person must be blind...)
What I mean to say is - Practise - Practise and practise. Do a couple of photography cources. Choose diferent objects and methods to do your photos. I do weddings, sport, functions - mostly for free - just to practise.
I am getting better and one of these days (not in the near future...) I will get my ribbons.
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03/06/2006 07:21:37 PM · #7 |
Baby steps...itty, bitty baby steps!
Tell us, what is it you like about photography?
Oh, and like "stare at the sun" I believe photographers /are not/ born, they are "developed"! ;-) (seriously, though, you learn by doing....a little at a time at first....then it gets easier)
Message edited by author 2006-03-06 19:24:41. |
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03/06/2006 07:23:27 PM · #8 |
Yeah, I'll also put my name on the list for the camera... LOL
Really, from what little I see in your portfolio, you aren't as "bad" as you think you are. In reality, even top-notch professionals don't produce THE image with every shutter click.
JUMP IN the water is nice.
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03/06/2006 07:23:27 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by stare_at_the_sun:
If you on't know how to photoshop....then learn, same goes with everything else.
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I think I know it 'enough' to post process images, but I was speak more-so of the term 'Photoshop' as in, "it's been Photoshoped." I'd like to learn more, but it seems a lot of people that are in the know are tight lipped. And the info available is pretty limited to 'make an adjustment layer and call it levels. Now adjust the left triangle....' Like every other Photoshop for photography book.
-CN |
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03/06/2006 07:23:38 PM · #10 |
Ever seen the movie Transamerica? There's a bit of dialogue that goes something like this:
"I've always loved singing," one says.
"Oh, me too, but I never had any real talent," responds the other.
"I never let that slow me down!" says the first.
I guess the question is, do you enjoy taking pictures? If the answer is yes, then the rest should follow.
Of those 800 photographs, I think that liking 6 is probably a perfectly acceptable ratio of duds to successes. I've taken something like 8000 photos with my current camera, and if I have 60 show-worthy pieces, I could only see that as a good thing.
Maybe you just need to fall off your rope and sink into a pit of despair for a while. After miring in the muck a bit, maybe you'll emerge with a clearer sense of what it is you want to do with your camera.
If you feel like your 'city' is un-photogenic, well, you could be right. But I bet there are some streets that you haven't visited, some alley you haven't explored, some region that remains a mystery. And if not, there's always the next town over. Or you could take to doing setup shots on your desk with a clip-on light :)
Anyway, best of luck to you in your ongoing struggle with the difficult medium that is photography! I'll leave you with this - don't let DPC define your own standards of what is good, don't despair when your scores are poor, and I can tell you that for me, photography has never been easy but it's almost always been rewarding. There is value to be found even in the times of great frustration when you honestly think that the best thing to do is throw your camera out the window. |
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03/06/2006 07:24:43 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by jdw91479:
If you want to give away your camera, just let me know. I'll even pay for shipping.. haha. |
Shipping and Handling will be $2500... Want my PayPal address? ;)
J/K - I love it... Best camera I've ever bought.
-CN |
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03/06/2006 07:25:39 PM · #12 |
| Man, ive only submitted one photo right now, and the second is on the way. In no ways am i proud of my work in comparison to what ive seen on this site, but so many people here are pros. Why not jump in with the best. If you start to sink, there is always a helping hand in the pool. Im pretty happy with the feedback so far, and im learning some interesting things here. Dont see DP as your only teacher though, because the ratings do have a tendancy to somewhat cookie cutterish. thats not a bad thing, but im saying theres a definite dp style. Dont use it as your only 'floating device' if you wanna put it that way. :D |
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03/06/2006 07:26:05 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by Beetle:
Richard, you haven't even entered any challenges yet !!! |
I am in a challenge now, Square Crop.. It's doing okay I suppose. I thought it would do better, but it's not. Que Sera Sera...
-CN |
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03/06/2006 07:27:03 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by CarpeNoctem:
I'd like to learn more, but it seems a lot of people that are in the know are tight lipped. And the info available is pretty limited to 'make an adjustment layer and call it levels. Now adjust the left triangle....' Like every other Photoshop for photography book.
-CN |
Not really.... //www.dpchallenge.com/tutorial.php
And there are plenty of Great books on the topic (available for free at your public library)
Not to forget websites...with tutorials...including Adobe's
Message edited by author 2006-03-06 19:27:13. |
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03/06/2006 07:30:07 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by marcellieb:
With my photography talent I am on the same boat as you - the way I feel about it is totally diferent though - Just have a look at my entries - First entry I came second last (can't believe somebody did worse than I did). My latest one I ended somewhere in the middle with a score above 5 (actualy somebody chose my photo as a fav - person must be blind...)
What I mean to say is - Practise - Practise and practise. Do a couple of photography cources. Choose diferent objects and methods to do your photos. I do weddings, sport, functions - mostly for free - just to practise.
I am getting better and one of these days (not in the near future...) I will get my ribbons. |
Well you got a smile! As far as you're '2nd' spot, I thought it was rather good.
I'm a little wary about the courses, they seem to all say the same thing... (adjusting your apeture will allow you to control what is in focus... blah blah blah...) So I am a bit put off by the course offerings by most.
-CN |
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03/06/2006 07:30:51 PM · #16 |
I'm in the same class as you.... only less frustrated, lol
I know I'm getting it one bit at a time, and I'm really hoping that afterlife (the challenge) will give me something to really put myself up against. If you just keep inproving your skills slowly, and not trying to leap ahaid of yourself, you'll be fine. I learned that the hard way, and had to go back to the bare basics. Now i feel I'm finaly starting to grow a bit... and at a rate I can live with
Stick with it.
Try not to get to frustrated.
And PM one of us when you start thinking like this... We'll se yah Straight :-) |
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03/06/2006 07:31:29 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by tapeworm_jimmy:
. In no ways am i proud of my work in comparison to what ive seen on this site, but so many people here are pros. |
I forgot to mention though, I am so happy with how far I have come with my private work, and my own advances in photography. Thanks DP and Jodie Coston. Btw, if you havent checked out her site you should, cause it helped me out a ton! //www.morguefile.com/archive/classroom.php I believe she is a member here. Her class put me so far ahead of myself. |
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03/06/2006 07:34:10 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by CarpeNoctem:
What do you do when you feel like you 'city' has nothing to offer in the way of subject matter?CN |
One idea: Go close up or extremely close up. There's a whole new world if you just look close enough in your own backyard.
Another: Try something totally different, something perhaps, that you don't think that you are good at.
Yet another: Go to Barnes and Noble and look at the photo magazines and the photo books (especially the sale table) for inspiration and ideas. Pick a style or photographer that you like and/or would like to emulate, and then go for it. Learn what it takes to do similiar work, even if it means attempting to copy it until you learn how.
More: Do the same thing here on this site. I recently saw an attempt at duplicating Scalvert's Fantasy Challenge ribbon winner. Somebody saw his image, and was so impressed with it that they wanted to give it a try. This image (and the copy) were done indoors, and therefore, the city they resided in did not matter.
Yet more: That brings up a good point. There is much more to photography than landscapes, nature, and other outdoor photography. I've been considering getting the (I don't know what it is called) tent-like set-up that you put your subject in, add light, and take the picture so that only the subject is captured, the background and the rest of the picture is white.
Last one for now: Stop trying to force something in the city to work for now. Look up the tutorials on this site and learn another type of photography. Explore something else, and eventually, you'll find fresh inspiration again in the city after you've given it a bit of a break. |
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03/06/2006 07:35:31 PM · #19 |
.. i figure it took me 10,000 pics before i got to the point of 'many' keepers
one of the real tricks is 'DON"T give up' ..
keep shooting something until you like what you get,
play with light,
play with angle,
play with depth of field,
play with focal length
get on a ladder,get on the ground use, a bare light bulb, break rules \ make rules / look at others work & criticise + proclaim how you would do it better THEN try to
800 is a drop in the bucket .. keep shooting & ONLY show off the best & delete the others as soon as you see what you did wrong ..
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03/06/2006 07:36:44 PM · #20 |
Hey Richard. Don't get too discouraged my friend. I think your "Love" picture shows some creativity, and your Civil Poultry Gathering is also a nice shot. Both showcase that there are indeed photo opportunities out there, regardless of where you live. I think both shots show that you have some talent with regards to studio shots, something which I suck at personally. Some photographers can do it all, while others obviously show more talent in specific styles, whether it be portraits, landscapes, studio, product, etc. This site is great because it pushes you to expand and grow, but remember to stay true to what you love about photography. I think early on when I first started here, I let myself get too caught up in taking challenge shots, and got away from taking pictures of the things I love to photograph the most.
As for your landscape shots, I think you just need to work on your composition a little bit and really stop to think what the picture is going to look like when you are looking through your view finder, and really try to think about everything within the frame before you snap the shot. This is something I'm still trying to work at each day. As time progresses you will find yourself noticing things through the view finder that you never used to think about (example - are there objects sticking out of the top of someone's head, or power lines in the background that take aways from a pictures strength).
Remember that there is uniqueness all around the various places we all live, so don't forget that what you may take for granted, like cool old cottages and farmhouses, may be something that others never get to see and enjoy. I used to live in the mountains of Virginia, and after a while I took the leaves changing colors for granted. Now that I live in California, where you don't get such a treat every fall, I miss it.
Anyway, sorry for the long post. I guess its just my way of saying "seize the night" and hang in there. Now get back in the pool!!!!
Take it easy - Dave
P.S. - Enter some challenges :) |
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03/06/2006 07:39:25 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by KaDi:
Baby steps...itty, bitty baby steps!
Tell us, what is it you like about photography?
Oh, and like "stare at the sun" I believe photographers /are not/ born, they are "developed"! ;-) (seriously, though, you learn by doing....a little at a time at first....then it gets easier) |
Kind of a broad question, or rather the answer is. First off I am technically oriented. Yeah I know, strike 1. My technical admiration is centered in the ability to capture photographs at all. (It amazes me still.)
But if you remove all the bells and whistles, extreme lighting, super lenses, awesome cameras, etc. you are still left with photography. Not so with a lot of other 'things'.
With all that removed, I like it because... You can really capture some moments. The moments always been there, but it takes a box and some film and the right circumstances and you can see it again and again from now till the second coming.
-CN |
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03/06/2006 07:42:34 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by CarpeNoctem:
With all that removed, I like it because... You can really capture some moments. The moments always been there, but it takes a box and some film and the right circumstances and you can see it again and again from now till the second coming.
-CN |
Seems to me you answered your own question.
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03/06/2006 07:46:19 PM · #23 |
This is a great thread. And I needed it, too. Thanks, all! :-)
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03/06/2006 07:46:24 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by rasdub:
Hey Richard. Don't get too discouraged my friend. I think your "Love" picture shows some creativity, and your Civil Poultry Gathering is also a nice shot. Both showcase that there are indeed photo opportunities out there, regardless of where you live.
As for your landscape shots, I think you just need to work on your composition a little bit and really stop to think what the picture is going to look like when you are looking through your view finder, and really try to think about everything within the frame before you snap the shot. This is something I'm still trying to work at each day. |
Thanks for the compliments Dave, but I have to point out these are 'copies' of original works from other DPC'ers. How They Do That and Tutorials.
That's kind of my dilema, those are great ideas. I saw them and I wanted to try and do them too. Great school work, but I can't take credit for em.
The landscapes, I know what you mean. Composition sucks in them and I didn't see some of the shadows that really take back from the image.
Thanks for the advice
-CN |
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03/06/2006 07:47:59 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
This is a great thread. And I needed it, too. Thanks, all! :-) |
You've certainly got some great works in your portfolio!
-CN |
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