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08/24/2008 05:09:53 PM · #1 |
Some background: My friend and I both started photography at the same time a few years ago. Everything she does seems to be just amazing. We have pretty much the same amount of art training but I am no where near her level of skill. A lot of times, it's a little discouraging seeing the gap widen. This got us to talking about going to school. She's encouraging me to go to school but I don't have faith that school can teach the kind of talent that comes naturally to some people and therefore I couldn't hope to ever be at that level of talent. I definitley see how school can be greatly beneficial but to what point? SO...
Can people who don't have a natural talent for photography ever learn enough from schools and such to be as good a photographer as people who are naturally gifted with artistic skills? I would like to think so but have my doubts. What does everyone else think?
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08/24/2008 05:17:50 PM · #2 |
I think if you like it, you like it.
My images are subpar, BUT they bring me joy, and I am happy with what I take and how they come out, even if its not a national geographic/times magazine sort of image.
Do it because you like it, and because you want to |
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08/24/2008 05:18:54 PM · #3 |
I thought that was what Mastercard was for...
Talent can't be taught. Some things just come natural to some people. However, through perseverence and hard work, an amazing amount can be accomplished.
Lighting, composition, proportion, all have "rules"; that if followed, can turn out some pretty nice work. The most gifted will have a much easier time of it.
However, the world is full of stories of those who while less talented, worked hard to make up for it. It just depends on how hard you are willing to work.
If you want it bad enough, you can do it. |
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08/24/2008 05:22:56 PM · #4 |
The myth of talent.
It's a PDF article on the right side of the page
down from the menus. Interesting reading about talent. |
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08/24/2008 05:23:11 PM · #5 |
I think that there are some aspects to talent that can be taught. Technicals, mechanics, etc. of art can all be taught.
However, there is always going to be a base amount of raw talent that is simply not achievable if you don't have it. Intuition, insight, creativity. These kinds of things are inborn for the most part and can go a long way in where you may stand as an artist.
That being said, there is a place for art (including photography) at any level, and while some people seem to just transcend beyond the rest, it doesn't mean that the rest of us can't find a place to belong.
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08/24/2008 05:26:47 PM · #6 |
| I went to art school for photography. I started out in a class of about 45-50 I think. When I graduated, there were six of us. I was not the most talented at all. Now, I am the photo editor for a small town paper, and working my way up the latter. I have had some shoots I am so proud of, had some big time clients, etc etc. I am still not as talented as some of those who didnt graduate. But, I am doing what I want to, many of them are not. And my paycheck is decent. If you want it, go for it. Work hard, but make it fun. You'll do fine |
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08/24/2008 05:41:36 PM · #7 |
I think you can learn talent. I've heard many stories where people were originally bad at things, but they were determined to become good at it eventually. For example, in my school there are students who are not that bright but get higher grades than those who are naturally gifted because they try harder. Having said that however, if the kid who was smart actually sat down and tried at school he probably would do better than the other one. These principles are pretty much similar to photography IMO.
Message edited by author 2008-08-24 17:43:28. |
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08/24/2008 05:43:59 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by fir3bird:
The myth of talent.
It's a PDF article on the right side of the page
down from the menus. Interesting reading about talent. |
That was an amazing article!! Thank you for posting the link, it really spoke to me and was very encouraging. Definitley something I'm keeping around to read once in a while. |
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08/24/2008 05:47:46 PM · #9 |
| I do agree with everyone that you must like to do photography to ever hope to be good at it, and I do. Photography is fun and makes me happy. Seems most people believe that some of us just have to work a little harder at it than others which is okay, more rewarding I suppose. |
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08/24/2008 07:54:33 PM · #10 |
Dear Justin,
This is your lucky day. It just so happens that I am now offering a course in exactly what you seek. For only five easy payments of $19.95, you can enroll in "Slippy's School of Talent." As an added bonus, if you act now, I will throw in "Slippy's School of Troll-Voting."
Sincerely,
Slippy
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08/24/2008 08:03:19 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Dear Justin,
This is your lucky day. It just so happens that I am now offering a course in exactly what you seek. For only five easy payments of $19.95, you can enroll in "Slippy's School of Talent." As an added bonus, if you act now, I will throw in "Slippy's School of Troll-Voting."
Sincerely,
Slippy |
sign me up. But i'll only do it if you pay me $19.95 |
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08/24/2008 08:35:30 PM · #12 |
Talent?
When I was a young man, I shared a loft with a talented writer who was more interested in the visual arts than in language. I, on the other hand, could draw a decent line naturally and could, at will, create a commotion or two in 2 or 3D without agonizing over it. Trouble was, I had as little interest in any sort of dexterity as he had in hammering out his soul on an old IBM.
Now, I should tell you that he went on to teach Art at a prestigious institute. Most of his works hang in museums in the Americas and Europe.
I became a writer.
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08/24/2008 08:54:58 PM · #13 |
| When I was younger - maybe to 30 or so, I honestly believed that anyone could learn anything they really wanted with determination/application/whatever you call it........ my professional life has sadly forced me to admit that I no longer believe that. I no longer believe talent can be taught.... technical stuff sure but not "the eye" in photography speak. |
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08/24/2008 09:03:17 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by robs:
When I was younger - maybe to 30 or so, I honestly believed that anyone could learn anything they really wanted with determination/application/whatever you call it........ my professional life has sadly forced me to admit that I no longer believe that. I no longer believe talent can be taught.... technical stuff sure but not "the eye" in photography speak. |
What do you do that made you realize this robs? |
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08/24/2008 09:04:11 PM · #15 |
I suspect your friend has better equipment than you. It's all about the equipment you know ;)
bazz. |
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08/24/2008 09:14:01 PM · #16 |
The enemy of talent is laziness.
You could be born with innate aptitude. But it's rarely enough. You can develop it with constant attention and hard work.
A very few are born to talent. Some are willing to work hard enough to develop it. Most are too lazy to put in the effort.
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08/24/2008 09:32:13 PM · #17 |
Talent is defined as a natural endowment or aptitude. In other words, something that you're born with. Therefore, talent cannot be learned or taught. However, that doesn't mean that you can't learn to be good, or even great, at something, even if you have no talent for it. On the flip side, being talented is no guarantee that you will be great, or even adequate. Having a talent for a thing just means that learning and practicing that skill comes easier for you than for the non-talented. Even the talented have to work at their skill. They have to learn and practice just like everyone else. It’s just a bit easier for them then it is for the rest of us. A talented person that isn’t willing to learn or work at their skill may never be any good, and almost certainly will not reach their full potential. Hard work and perseverance usually pays off, even for the untalented.
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08/24/2008 10:32:31 PM · #18 |
Talent is something you just know how to do & you can do it well, but you can't remember how you learned it. Some people seem to've been born singing on pitch, others seem to've been born hyper-competitive, with an ardent desire to Be Somebody. Madonna can barely carry a tune but look where her ardent desire to Be Somebody took her.
It's nice to have talent. It's also wonderful to have an ardent desire. IMO an ardent desire will take you further, & faster than talent alone. |
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08/24/2008 10:44:44 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by Mick:
Talent is defined as a natural endowment or aptitude. In other words, something that you're born with. Therefore, talent cannot be learned or taught. However, that doesn't mean that you can't learn to be good, or even great, at something, even if you have no talent for it. On the flip side, being talented is no guarantee that you will be great, or even adequate. Having a talent for a thing just means that learning and practicing that skill comes easier for you than for the non-talented. Even the talented have to work at their skill. They have to learn and practice just like everyone else. It’s just a bit easier for them then it is for the rest of us. A talented person that isn’t willing to learn or work at their skill may never be any good, and almost certainly will not reach their full potential. Hard work and perseverance usually pays off, even for the untalented. |
Awesome description. I had a feeling hard work was in my future. Either that or marry rich, guess I'll have to decide... |
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08/24/2008 11:30:58 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by cujee:
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Dear Justin,
This is your lucky day. It just so happens that I am now offering a course in exactly what you seek. For only five easy payments of $19.95, you can enroll in "Slippy's School of Talent." As an added bonus, if you act now, I will throw in "Slippy's School of Troll-Voting."
Sincerely,
Slippy |
sign me up. But i'll only do it if you pay me $19.95 |
What's the cost for the stinky fish landscape course????? |
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08/25/2008 12:23:20 AM · #21 |
talent is a starting point. hard work is what gets you places. i have talents, but only really worked at one. i sing, and took opera training for 7 years. then realised i didn't want to do the work, so now i sing in choirs.
i drew and painted well from an early age, and worked at that hard. while the talent helps, it's not a given that talent will help, and may well hinder. also, some people's talent peaks early, and they cannot grow beyond that.
i rambling, 'cause it's 1:30, and i should be in bed...
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08/25/2008 12:47:13 AM · #22 |
This is a big can of worms kind of thread that has been opened. I think that talent is a gift. You have it or you don't.
It took me about 10 years to learn to play drums to the point that I could play anything that I could think in my head, then about another 5 years or so to learn to not play so much in order to make money with it.
I feel that photography works along the same lines, that you learn to isolate subjects and be a lot more picky about what you put in the product as you go along. Learning what to leave in or out has a lot to do with having the "talent". Some of it can be learned, but "it" just happens if you have the talent and enough training or experience to have the skills needed.
Dedicated hard work has a lot to do with how far you can go with the talent. Being in the right place at the right time is another big factor, but that's another thread.
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08/25/2008 12:49:14 AM · #23 |
I think talent is a double edged sword.
I am talented at a great many things..but I never really aspired to be great at these things...just good at the many things that I was 'talented' in.
My greatest joys...have come from working on the areas that didn't come easy and attaining success there. |
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09/06/2008 09:30:34 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by lemeryj:
Originally posted by Mick:
Talent is defined as a natural endowment or aptitude. In other words, something that you're born with. Therefore, talent cannot be learned or taught. However, that doesn't mean that you can't learn to be good, or even great, at something, even if you have no talent for it. On the flip side, being talented is no guarantee that you will be great, or even adequate. Having a talent for a thing just means that learning and practicing that skill comes easier for you than for the non-talented. Even the talented have to work at their skill. They have to learn and practice just like everyone else. It’s just a bit easier for them then it is for the rest of us. A talented person that isn’t willing to learn or work at their skill may never be any good, and almost certainly will not reach their full potential. Hard work and perseverance usually pays off, even for the untalented. |
Awesome description. I had a feeling hard work was in my future. Either that or marry rich, guess I'll have to decide... |
I agree, that is an awsome description. And "ardent desire", along with passion and perseverance, helps to achieve success. Half of any business is Sales. I like a quote by Roosevelt about Success is when effort meets opportunity. here are some more supposedly by the same president:
"In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."
"Believe you can and you're halfway there."
"Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering."
"It is always better to be an original than an imitation."
(but I think our styles are derived from emulating many great ones)
"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed."
"Success, the real success, does not depend upon the position you hold but upon how you carry yourself in that position."
"All the resources we need are in the mind."
"Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster."
"The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything." |
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