What are TWO things which has really improved your photography in the PAST YEAR?

[Collin85]

I'm not talking about gear purchases (although it could be related to how you use your gear), but rather techniques, tricks or advice which has really notched up your photography as a whole. It could be something trivial you didn't know about this time last year, or some technique you picked up which has been invaluble to your shooting. For a beginner, this could be something as simple as 'learning about f-stops', 'shooting RAW' or even 'learning about Exposure Compensation', while for the more advanced shooter, it could related to improving your flash photography techniques or even learning how to better interact with your subjects (say, for portrait photography).

For me, I would have to say a much higher emphasis on correct exposure. In the past, I must admit I had been a little slack at times due to the headroom given by RAW, but I'm finding now that all my images come out with less noise.

For the second, I would have to say a better workflow in post-process and shooting multiple exposures more often when out in the field. This has allowed me to really enhance the viewability of my images, giving them more dynamic range when required and more 'pop'. In the past, most of my workflow involved just tinkering with a single image. Now I often work with multiple exposures for a 'keeper' shot, whether it's full on HDR merging in Photomatix, or just selective merging done in PS.

Anyway, that was for me.

Hopefully everyone here can share their experiences and stories, so we may all help each other improve. :)

[blackcap]

I've only been doing this for about a year, but the three things I've found most useful for landscapes are:

1) Get good natural light to start with. For me this is dawn and dusk.

2) Use grad ND filters. This really helps expose the foreground correctly when you have bright skies. I see so many photos with amazing skies but the foreground is completely black. While having the foreground silhouetted can work, most of the time I prefer to see the foreground as I would with my eyes.

3) Bracket exposures and blend in PS. My 3 and 4stop grad filters sometimes aren't strong enough when the sun is very bright, so some minor blending is needed to restore blown highlights.

Cheers,
Chris

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_gin/

[Hedley]

1) In all honestly, the biggest help has been getting out and taking huge amounts of photos and getting more familiar and faster with the camera. Despite all the help and advice from places like this, the biggest revelations have come from playing with settings.
2) Secondly, I reckon correct use of white balance settings has improved my images, as well as getting better at predicting how a shot will look given the environment and conditions - knowing when to compensate exposure one way or another etc....
So several things really but there's been no substitute for getting out there and working it out.

[DStanic]

Well I've only had my DSLR since christmas, so I've learned ALOT since then, and still have much to learn!

I guess for me 2 things that have made a difference since moving up from my Cybershot:

1. Using flash, learning how to bounce it and in combination with using the camrea in M mode (I usually use Av for most other stuff). If I am indoors, this is really the only way to go.

2. Lightroom. When I first started using it I thought it was frustrating and didn't see what the big deal is. While I know how to work my way around it now, I still have lots to learn but I can now work with RAW files quickly and do other things with it.

[peber]

Although I've been shooting for about 30 years I am still learning... A couple of things pops to mind...

1. Using manual more has given me a feeling for how to set exposure right from the beginning.

2. Lightroom 2. It has really changed the way I treat my pics.

3. Putting some money to buying a few nice frames and putting my best pics on the living room wall has made me appreciate my own work in a new way.

4. About a week ago at a meeting in my photo society we had a visit by a pro showing some of his work. He told us he had been shooting since he was 12 years old, he was now in his sixties. 2 years ago he went all digital, before that he had shot about 10.000 slides each year. So he showed us some of his latest stuff. Amazing and yaw dropping all over the place... Then someone asked him how he works with digital. He said that he knows nearly nothing about computers so he shoots jpeg and the only thing he does in the computer is - if needed - some cropping and sharpening with...Photoshop...Elements...1.0! Ouch!

5. So, to conclude, this year I've learned two things. Keep it simple! And, get it right in the camera!

/Per

[arkphotos]

From a beginner ..
1. Slow down and think about the light, the composition, and what I am trying to capture.
2. Understand post processing is part of the game (I am not good enough to get it all right in camera :) )

[Jim G]

Single biggest one for me has been taking the time out to shoot - despite having to burn the candle at both ends a fair bit it's paid off.

[Dermit]

Practice a lot and taking on challenging jobs. I shoot mostly on location and often times at places I've never been before. These locations vary widely, indoor, outdoor, sports, portraits, etc. Doing these kind of shoots over and over hones your ability to very quickly evaluate an environement and decide how to light and shoot it. It's made it so I evaluate places all the time whether i have a camera or not. I am contantly thinkg about how i would handle different environments, nearly everywhere I go.

[S.Horton]

More subtle post-processing.

;}

[Kronie]

Working with raw and using a tripod more.

[mezorn26]

More subtle post-processing.

;}


Yeah, I had the tendency to over do it too..Still catch myself doing it at times...

[vkalia]

1/ Shooting a LOT of a subject. My initial shots are the more obvious and sometimes cliched shots - after getting those over with, I find myself thinking a little more deeply about what I am doing and getting shots which are a little more unique.

2/ Keeping it simple. Reduce camera gear, lenses, etc. 1 body and 1 lens. Or even 1 compact. When the camera is reduced to its bare essentials, I dont have the luxury of relying on various focal lengths or cutting edge technical elements. That is when I really start to really "see" things.

I find it interesting that so far, most of the responses have to do with the technical aspect of photography I personally think that most modern cameras and lenses do a very good job with the technical aspects of photography (sharpness, exposure, etc) - it is mostly the creative area that most people need to develop.

V.

[chukdivad]

1. Exposure (quit under exposing EVERYTHING!)

2. Composition (looking past and around my subject for distractions)

[tonylong]

1. This year I started shooting mostly in Manual exposure which has helped much in consistency in my shots

2. This year I made a real effort to push myself into work that was "different". Thi went in a couple directions: I had not shot sports or other types of "action" shooting other than wildlife/BIF, so I began shooting kiteboarders, rodeos, small planes, anything I came across, and I had a blast all summer! The other direction this took me in was going out with a body and one lens, often a prime, and concentrating finding new perspectives of old subject matter.

[SOK]

1) Finding POTN

2) Joining POTN

:D

[madhatter04]

1) Using film and learning to control my shots more, which improved my digital photography by quite a large amount.

2) Seeing things with a different perspective and coming up with my own style.

[S-S]

spending a large amount of time browsing professional photographers' blogs & websites (such as jasmine star etc)

taking photos taking photos taking photos

[HuskiesD1]

I shoot mostly sports..

1) Taking more photos

2) Watching the game closely, learning to read an offense and defense, then basing my position and setup based on what I think will happen.

[CheetaPita]

I shoot mostly babies and kids

1. learning how to pose a newborn and keep them asleep

2. increased patience with babies and toddlers.

[angryhampster]

1. Shooting for a newspaper

2. Learning how to properly utilize light.

[Crossfire]

1. Using a monopod
2. Custom white balance for indoor shoots

[Trainboy]

1: Getting a DSLR
2: Setting that DSLR on RAW.
Not gear related? Tell that to all the ****ty photos I took with film.

[rebecca12]

Well I only got a DSLR in April and since the end of April I have not been working so.
1 - Having time to shoot.
2 - Reading how to use my camera from the manual and POTN.

[FlyingPhotog]

1 - Joining a Photo "Club"
2 - Lightroom Ver 2.1

[Persephone]

Shooting for a newspaper...now I am seriously into something that I like.

Getting a DSLR. Faster, more responsive shutter, 75-300mm, and the 420EX have completely changed the way I take pictures.

[sjones]

1. Switching to film: When I had a DSLR, I argued, and I still do to some extent, that taking time to think about exposure, composition, subject matter, and such was up to the photographer irrespective of gear used. Yet, while I did not rush things with a DSLR, film slammed on the brakes more than I would have assumed; particularly in terms of composition and subject matter---is it film worthy?

2. Related to the above; getting a better grasp of exposure; training myself to view any object of any color in any lighting and estimate how many stops the object is in relation to medium grey; the effort is still an ongoing one. With a DSLR, I was already shooting manual only, but I had the histogram as insurance. Within two to three years, I want to be able to take the batteries out of my ol' mechanical SLR and rangefinder, which would deactivate the metering systems, and shoot a couple rolls using only my eyeballs to guess proper exposure; sunny days, nighttime urban, overcast, shadow, etc; different f/stops and so on…

[blackcap]

Within two to three years, I want to be able to take the batteries out of my ol' mechanical SLR and rangefinder, which would deactivate the metering systems, and shoot a couple rolls using only my eyeballs to guess proper exposure; sunny days, nighttime urban, overcast, shadow, etc; different f/stops and so on…

....why? Would make a neat party trick I suppose.

[sjones]

....why? Would make a neat party trick I suppose.

A: An exercise for better understanding exposure, even when using a meter.

B: For the hell of it.

C: Why not?

D: I will be able to use at my mechanical cameras without ever having to worry about batteries dying on me.

E: In case I go out with a medium format camera without a built-in meter and forget to bring the hand meter.

F: For street photography, could possibly expedite process when having to make a quick shot.

G: Like you said, nice party trick.

[GilesGuthrie]

1. Understanding the importance of context in composition, and then thinking it through before the shot.
2. Learning the fourth point on the exposure triangle: flash exposure composition.

[MattMoore]

- Practice off-camera lighting
- using a tripod

[Ol' Jalopy]

1) Shooting film

2) Improving my post processing skills

Honorable mention:

Buying an ultra wide-angle lens :)

[Bill Pham]

1 slow down and look at what i'm seeing.
2 learning how to use the light right
2 still learning how to photoshop better.

Bill

[Riff Raff]

1. Learning to gel my flashes for color balance with the ambient light. My white balance finally looks "right" regardless of how much ambient light gets into the shot.

2. Learning not to underexpose, and instead trust the higher ISO settings.

[bwc]

Howdy, the first is this website where users of Cannon equipement can readily exchange info and ideas with speed and clarity. And second is the other website for Nikon lovers. You see I have both systems, eventhough for the past hundred years or so(just kidding) I've been a large format industrial photographer. However, this website is better than the other already mentioned. Before I joined these two sites I always laughed when I saw someone attempt a landscape with a 35mm camera, now I'm attempting the same in my elder years and diggin' every minute of it!:)

[stephen_g]

Well, I shoot just about entirely bmx, and I still suck but;
1) starting to 'photography' at the start of the year with a compact, which luckily had M mode.
2) getting a dslr a few months back and using off camera flashes, which I might add, with optical slaves, totally sucks.
3) I still don't like doing PP work, I don't even know much about it, but I'm learning a bit.

[superstes]

For me

1. Shooting Manual
2. Raw

Steve

[400dabuser]

What has done me good stead, is the composition of the shots I tend to do or try to do.

I wasn't using the rule of thirds in the beginning, but had this lecture in our photography club, which told me all about it.

And also, flash techniques, although, I haven't got a speedlite flash gun, which is my priority for my next purchase

[dmmiller]

I still have a long way to go to "get it right", but so far i've learned...
- to turn my camera vertical (which helps with the crop tighter rule) Especially when shooting sports.
- Started shooting in RAW a month or two back. Didnt realize how much control you have afterwards... its AMAZING! :)

[JCH77Yanks]

1. Learning not to be so self-conscious about shooting in public with a tripod (or with a dSLR for that matter)

2. Having a greater understanding of the properties of light - both artificial and natural.

[PhotosGuy]

... or advice which has really notched up your photography as a whole. I got off my (one) butt this weekend & moved my (two) feet outside with my camera. The results are here. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=578150)

For a beginner, this could be ...'learning about Exposure Compensation' Learn EC & metering modes as you go. For starting out, when you're tired of the green box or "P" mode, manual exposure is actually easier than compensating with EC.
This shows how the subject can affect the exposure & why manual keeps me worry free:
Post #47 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=5191658&postcount=47)

First set the f-stop & shutter speed you need for the effect you want. Then the other parameter: f-stop or shutter speed. Then adjust the ISO.
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

Some help with understanding shutter and aperture settings!
Virtual Camera (http://www.photonhead.com/simcam/)

[Travisj]

My # 1 is caring. Not about my gear but what it does for others. I got away from just being another guy with a camera to someone who really wants to make someone happy. People around me have come to know that I don’t do it for money but at the same time they compensate me for what I do and it is very appreciative. I don’t ask a lot and usually it a last moment shoot, lol.

My second would be finding this. It’s nice to see how others see what you do and how they don’t. I could prolly find fifty different things to put on here but were limited to only two, lol. Just my two cents but right now it’s all I have.

[ironchef31]

1) Taking a couple of courses
2) Daily dose of POTN like it's crack

[midget]

1. finding/joining POTN and learning from you all.
2. shooting exclusively with my 50mm prime.

[cancan7]

1) Browsing through pictures on Flickr, photo.net and of course POTN

2) Bringing my camera with me as much as possible

[bildeb0rg]

1.Realising that I suck
2.The desire to improve.

[snuttebuff]

1. Finding POTN!
2. Searching at POTN

[iamcanonman]

The biggest thing that has helped improve my photography recently was getting my flash off camera, (and getting a second one). I have also done a lot more "people" pictures recently, instead of just still life and landscape. For some reason the more I practice the better I get.

[blackcap]

For some reason the more I practice the better I get.

Hmmm, that is weird. I wonder if this principle could apply to other fields as well? Nah. :lol:

[Tessa]

I shoot racing, so:

1. Going Av (narrow DOF - yum!)
2. Just thinking more and finding new ideas and angles.

[venkatesan_h]

Although I've been shooting only for about 6 months, the things which i got improved are

1) using evaluative metering and getting correct exposure

2) Digital workflow and post processing

[acchildress]

1. Started taking lots of photos in all kinds of conditions and twiddling the knobs to see what this or that would do.

2. Going to events that off interesting photo oportunities like concerts, carnivals, car and plane shows etc.

[oaktree]

1. Reviewing my photos with a more critical eye using Andreas Feininger's list of (a) visual impact (stopping power); (b) emotional impact: and, (c) meaning.

2. Shooting more.

[Greg_C]

1. Learning to balance Flash with ambient light better in my Macro shots. This has helped also with my portrait work also.

2. Using a tripod more has allowed me to do slow shutter speed macro work. This has meant a more natural look to my shots.

[James P]

Learning about custom white balance, manual exposure, shooting in RAW and flash control has taught me just how little I know about photography and how much more there is to learn. With this in mind, I've learned to stop talking about photography and to start listening more.

[DStanic]

The biggest thing that has helped improve my photography recently was getting my flash off camera, (and getting a second one). I have also done a lot more "people" pictures recently, instead of just still life and landscape. For some reason the more I practice the better I get.

This is exactly what I want to do in the coming months...

[neil_g]

1) getting the 20D - AI Servo and * button focus rock my world for action shots

2) discovering the speedlite 580mk2 - i was quite anti-flash and pro-natural light before and its opened my eyes

[echo]

I've found the biggest factor for improving my work is having pictures published on magazine covers etc. It tends to give focus (no pun intended!) and makes me want to try even harder. Just thinking about what I 'm shooting and being relaxed seems to be more important than any particular technique.

[SkedAddled]

1 ) Finding, registering, and subsequently becoming involved in, POTN and the S5 users' forum. These two forums have provided a great wealth of information, and continue to do so.

2 ) Experimenting with what I have. There's really no substitute for giving things a go, playing around with adjustments, and simply not being afraid to try something new.

[form]

......The two things that have really improved my photography in the past year were the Canon 135 f/2 and Adobe Lightroom.

The next things I hope will improve my photography are some opportunities to be more creative and the mental and physical tools to do so.

[Jacobus Photography]

When I first started shooting, a little under a year ago, I bought Bryan Peterson and Scott Kelby books. Understanding Exposure is a REALLY good beginners book.

[hofajoab]

1. Getting flash and getting it off camera.
2. Light modifiers.

[Rizal]

1) Usinq a 512mb CF exclusively and thinking about every shot because J have limited space.

2) Shoot for the light instead of the subject everything (even the ordinary) looks better in great light.

[Sorarse]

Buying a digital SLR and learning how to use Photoshop.

[DanteCaspian]

1. Practise (though still not enough)
2. Pressure on big jobs

[DStanic]

For 2009 I think it will be:

1. Flash off camera (I just got my off-shoe camera cord) and wireless ETTL (plan on getting at least one more flash).

2. Trying to find people to photograph.:lol: My wife lets me take her picture if she's dolled up (doesn't need it, she's beautiful) otherwise she stears clear, and I don't have alot of friends.

[Mosca]

Man, I just started doing this stuff a few months ago; where could I start?

1) The Proud Photography classes. They put stuff in a framework that gave me the structure to build understanding. A real deal for the money.

2) Understanding Exposure And Kelby's Digital Photography 1 & 2.

3) Taking the camera everywhere, and shooting stuff.

4) A good tripod is as important as a good camera.

As for the techniques, I'd have to say #1 is taking the camera off of "auto" and putting it on "M". Everything starts there.