How do I get better?

[mson]

Other than simply shooting more, how can I be a better photographer? Classes in my area are pretty non-existent. I've posted a few shots on the forum but they usually don't get many responses. I think people are trying to be nice and not say anything rather than be critical. How have you gotten better?

[elTwitcho]

I've never taken a single photography class so I'm kind of in the same boat.

Posting online helps alot.

Reading helps alot.

Critiquing other people's work helps immensely because it teaches you to look for what elements work and what elements don't work, which translates over to your own photos quite well.

Critiquing your own work is also a hugely successful exercise for me. Look at your own work and identify everything that doesn't work for the idea you were trying to convey. If your photo is not fantastic and amazing, figure out why. Every little detail that does not belong or should have been done differently. Eventually, you identify some of these things before you depress the shutter

[saravrose]

lets see. I shoot, and then I shoot.... and then I read, and then I google dumb question's i'm to embarrased to post, and then I shoot... and post a couple.. and then read and then shoot.... I do a LOT more reading on here than I do posting. Don't feel disheartened if you're not getting responses to your posts right away or as much as you would like, asking specific questions to folks that you think will know the answer is a good idea. hope this helps, atleast a little.

sari.

[Wilt]

One of the things about photography is that skill comes in two forms...technical and artistic. The technical is pretty clearcut, but critiquing the artistic has quite wide ranges of what is acceptable...what one person thinks causes a photo to deserve a failing grade might not be an issue at all for someone else. A 'good' photo is a bit like arguing religion or politics! Simple example, I do not find an merit in looking at a Picasso, yet an art lover might think me daft. Or a great portrait might be downrated according to the 'formal rules of portraiture' by violating some rule about number of catchlights seen in the eyes, yet it is a wonderful and impactful and dramatic shot.

[BruceC]

agree %100 with what elTwitcho and saravrose said. I need to get better too. It seems my skill level is not getting any higher now.

[BruceC]

what wilt said too. That was not up when I hit the post button. Also elTwitcho, I was looking over you pictures just now. Wow I really like.

[mson]

One of the things about photography is that skill comes in two forms...technical and artistic.

Yeah, I think my technical skills are pretty good. I understand aperture and exposure, etc and what I need to do to get the desired effect. My problem is getting a shot to look like what I envisioned in my head.

Thanks for all the input so far!

[forsaken]

lets see. I shoot, and then I shoot.... and then I read, and then I google dumb question's i'm to embarrased to post, and then I shoot... and post a couple.. and then read and then shoot.... I do a LOT more reading on here than I do posting. Don't feel disheartened if you're not getting responses to your posts right away or as much as you would like, asking specific questions to folks that you think will know the answer is a good idea. hope this helps, atleast a little.

sari.


have to agree with sari on this one

[SkipD]

Other than simply shooting more, how can I be a better photographer? Classes in my area are pretty non-existent. I've posted a few shots on the forum but they usually don't get many responses. I think people are trying to be nice and not say anything rather than be critical. How have you gotten better?I would suggest reading books and/or magazines that are geared towards teaching photography. These publications will have a lot of sample photos to illustrate what they are teaching. There are often both good and not-so-good illustrations to show how to and how not to do what they are trying to get across. The idea is to compare these to your work and see if you are on the right track or if you need to incorporate additional ideas into your work.

Like others have said, there are two primary areas of competency in photography. One is the technical side - exposure control, focussing, etc. The other is the artistic side. That, in my opinion, includes things like focal length choice, lighting control, composition, intentional tweaking of exposure settings, darkroom or software processing, etc. I would suggest that you first work on totally understanding and mastering the basic technical topics and having good control of them in your work. Then expand into the other, more creative, areas.

Having and learning to use a good handheld light meter (preferably one which is capable of measuring light from flash sources - the Sekonic L358 would be a good choice) can help tremendously in mastering the basics and then some.

Mastering photography is very much like woodworking. You cannot expect to build fine furniture, for example, until you master the basics of cutting and joining wood. Beyond that, imagination and creativity come into play.

You don't really need to spend a fortune in hardware to learn photography. It's amazing what can be done without spending a lot. After a while, however, you will learn the limitations of your equipment and you will know what you need to expand your horizons. You won't, for example, be asking questions like "What lens should I buy for photographing soccer?". The answers to questions like that will be obvious once you understand the basics.

[RacingMoose]

I shoot and shoot, then look at the exif data and learn from it. I've also purchased a few books that I've read and will continue to read again. This forum has also been a great resource for me. I've searched through the posts and learned a great deal and have also posted questions and received numerous tips from many helpful people here.

[Sam]

This forum is great for feedback and help. I went through and replied to the only people pic that was showing up for me. I can't really help you much with nature shots, since I don't take many.

I would suggest you post them in an area other than the critique forum. I have also had no luck there with help. If it is a people shot post in people, nature post in nature, etc. You will have the attention of people familiar with that type of shooting. Let us know you want feedback on specific areas of your work and that you are not afraid to hear the truth. I don't reply a lot of the time because either I don't have anything to add to what has been said already, or the poster didn't ask for feedback on a certain aspect and I don't want to come off as a know it all.

There are lots and lots of books you can read, but you should be able to do pretty well right here.


Good luck!

[DocFrankenstein]

I don't know my head from my arse in photography as art... so bear that in mind while you read my typos.

Study these topics:
history of art
history of photography
elements of design/composition
the color theory

Go through and try your hand on different "genres" of photography:
http://www.photo.net/learn/

Experiment with mediums - digital, film, medium/large format, pinhole camera...

Think broad.

[jbkalla]

If you're near Denver, you could try here:

http://www.denverdarkroom.com/classes/classes.html

The classes are in a scary, run-down building, but the photography knowledge is first-rate (at least as far as I can tell!). :-)

[Benji]

Well a lot depends on what you are shooting. I love shooting portraits. I have made my living shooting portraits since1982, and anyone who has ever tried to photograph a stranger, especially in a portrait type of environment (in studio or outside) knows how really difficult it can be. So what type of photography are you wanting to do?

Benji

[Wilt]

>> I have made my living shooting portraits since1882<<

WOW! Were you using tintypes back then???

[Benji]

>> I have made my living shooting portraits since1882<<

WOW! Were you using tintypes back then???

I guess I need to proof read my posting a little better. While I am an old timer I'm not that old!!!!!

Benji

[Sean-Mcr]

One thing i'd say about having your shots critiqued is this, it would be wise to look at the background of those giving you the critique. Jim from shootscatsalldaysvill (there's a hell of a lot of them out there) telling you that your portrait lacks impact can be taken with a pinch of salt. Your hardest critic should be yourself, you should get books on the people you admire, and study them. They're your benchmark, at least they are mine. the eye's a muscle, flex it as often as you can.

Don't take yourself too seriously, allow yourself mistakes, if you don't make them you don't make anything

Remember that the above is opinion, and you should question mere opinions. If you want to see further, then you should stand on the shoulder of giants...

I'm just one of the little guys

[condyk]

If you want to see further, then you should stand on the shoulder of giants ...

... and if want to see even further and with greater clarity ignore them and do your own thing without even thinking about it.

[Sean-Mcr]

I can't ignore beauty Dave

There's not many artists that wasn't inspired to pick up a brush or a guitar or a camera by somebody that came before them.

[DocFrankenstein]

... and if want to see even further and with greater clarity ignore them and do your own thing without even thinking about it.That's a new one coming from you :confused:

[condyk]

That's a new one coming from you :confused:

I'd hate to be predictable ... but I don't understand what you mean :confused:

[Benji]

Again it depends on what your images are being created for. If you have been commissioned to create a family portrait of a traditional family and the mother is expecting a nice traditional posed portrait you had better generate a nice traditional family portrait for her. If she is looking for something a little more contemporary then you can get a little more creative.

The late great master photographer Dean Collins used to say; "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder."

Benji

The above opinion is from a portrait photographer who earns his entire living shooting portraits and has for the past 24 years. If you are shooting for fun, not so you can eat tonight, it is an entirely different story.

[simatbirch]

I agree with everything said here. To get better, pick up your camera, and take pictures, download, be harsh on yourself; take more pictures, be harder on yourself. Repeat ad infinitum. You'll get better.

Reading has it's place, but once you have the fundamentals, you really need to put down the books and take pictures.

[mson]

The late great master photographer Dean Collins used to say; "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder."

HAHAHA, that's awesome!