Has photography made you......

[Jonny]

look at things differently?

For example:

Today i was in a ladies house and there were wedding pics on the wall and instead of seeing a happy couple i was seeing poor lighting and shadows.
I was looking at a night time shot in the local paper that had a real orange cast....i was thinking - white balance you idiot!

I find myself doing things like this all the time now, i can no longer look at picture without examining it and criticising it.

Do u do this?

[ajbalazic]

Yes! Sometimes it can be very difficult to simply 'enjoy' a photo. I try to remember who was on the other side of the camera. If it's just a snapshot, I don't 'critique' too much. But a wedding photographer... it's his job to make a good shot.

However, you know you've gone too far when you can't enjoy your own shots without critiqing all of them endlessly. Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy.

Remeber, this is our hobby/passion, and anayzing pictures is part of that.

[Persian-Rice]

I judge a picture, but dont really think anyhting of it.

But I have started to look at everything like it was in a picture, I view things in 2:3. I know it sounds stupid, but I have learned how to ingore the rest of what I see and focus on a rectangular area. This has gotten me quite a few nice shots.

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

Yep, I do this.

Then I give myself a smack and look at the picture for what it is. This is a memory for someone who is not interested in the methodology.

Now I will take the information I saw in the errors or better yet, the things done right, to use in my own work.

[tim]

I look at photos the average person takes and think "oh my god they're horrible photos!". Of course you can't say that, people are proud of their photos and deep down inside everyone thinks they've got what it takes to be a pro.

[steven]

Yes I do this as well.
Look at a picture, decide if I like or not and then go on to figure out why and how the photographer could have made it better.
But I do no less when I look at one of my pictures;)

[roanjohn]

I don't so much criticize.........but now when I look at magazines (fashion magazines especially)..........I think to myself..........how did they do that?? or what lighting?? or how did they post process this photo?? etc.......... its really annoying.

Ro1

[Maureen Souza]

I really am not critical. I look at photography as a form or art..... while I have favorite artists, it does not mean the other artists are not talented too....to each his own. I even feel this way about some of my own photos but in the end, I'd rather have a poor picture than none at all if the moment was important for me to capture and keep.

[etaf]

have no choice really - as a amateur photographer, my eye is always looking critically at photo’s – at least that’s what I like to think. – I do the same with paintings and drawings.
I would not worry about it, in fact its what makes your photography improve
Just be careful you don’t offend anyone as your standard may well be much much higher than there’s. And there photos may be focused about content and record shots. And are not expecting or wanting any critisim about the photos as that’s not the context they are usually shown in.
I usually get a disclaimer from friends and family before they show me any photos now.

Persian-Rice:
let me know next time your out driving :) :)
{little joke no offense meant}

[Citizensmith]

It's a good photo if the content grabs you before the issues. :)

[sGu]

Funny you had this thread going, I was reading Guardian today while having my tea, on one page there was a photo of a monkey shot with aperture wide open, but whoever took it didn't even get the focus spot on! Monkey's ears were tack sharp but not eyes!

Then I thought, how did it skip photo editor's glasses? I would spot it straightaway!

[Vega$50]

That's funny...I was in an office today looking at some photos and doing the exact same thing....What could make this better?...Lighting is off...not sharp enough....

I also get the family members showing me thier snapshots asking for my opinion...I give it nicely....Funny thread!

[etaf]

how did it skip photo editor's glasses
i suspect it didn't - but that may have been the only picture and they needed it for the article to work - Loads of rubbish pictures in newspapers.
Also have a look at some of the magazines like Hello and OK - they also put poor quality (from a photoraphers view) pictures in as its news worthy or increases circulation etc.
I sometime look at Hello and OK just to see photo's of people and see whats current in poses etc

[pradeep1]

I have never been able to look a photograph normally for a few years now. I am internally very critical of others' work and my own. I think most people who try to pass themselves off as photographers actually are very poor at it, but it is not their fault...they are comparing themselves only to others who are equally poor. When I compare myself to some of the talented photographers on this forum and elsewhere, I realize how much I suck. That's life.

[Maureen Souza]

I realize how much I suck. That's life.


Photography is a form of subjective art Pradeep...I think we picture takers should chill out a little and just enjoy our work and other's. I feel very grateful to live in a time of such wonderful technology and the opportunity to use it. So I am going to enjoy it as well.....if picture taking is going to stress me out, then it isn't worth it. ENJOY your new XT!!!

[Claire]

I have always reacted to images with questions like "how did he do that?" or "eh, that light looks a bit off". I admit doing it a bit more now though than before.

What really messed me up though was when I took an "Art in Context" class at Uni. The teacher would bring us to the National Gallery and tell us about the imagery, the meanings, connotations and artistic codes etc. Then we had a huge exam on it. After that class my friend and I couldn't pass a damn billboard or see any pictures without going "oh yeah, that signifies...". lol

[aam1234]

Photography made me do something else. Now I look at things from photography perspective, as if I'm looking at things through a viewfinder (so to speak). Doing the daily things I kind of try to find things to shoot even without having a camera around.

[Claire]

Photography made me do something else. Now I look at things from photography perspective, as if I'm looking at things through a viewfinder (so to speak). Doing the daily things I kind of try to find things to shoot even without having a camera around.

I do this too! Probably this much more than thinking about the technical aspects. I walk around and see things I'd love to shoot, but of course I don't have the camera around then. :rolleyes:

[aam1234]

Hi Claire. I think this is common among photographers. Can anybody confirm it?

Edit: opps, hope I'm not hijacking the thread.

[EoSD30fReAk]

this all sounds so familiar :lol:

[billsh]

Had to smack myself upside the head the other day. A friend showed me a picture someone else had taken and said what do you think. Before I could stop myself, I said " Nice but a little too much fill flash." He asked how I knew flash was used and so I tried to explain. He found it interesting, but I was wishing I could reach out and pull the words back into my mouth as soon as they came out.

I guess part of the critical process we perform on our own work, never turns off. That's a long answer to say "Me too."

Bill

[Jonny]

Oh my god, i did it again.

Today i was given a very, very steamy calendar by a rough builder. It featured shots of naked, beautiful young ladies drapped all over various power tools and the like.

Did i see stunning females like every over red blooded male? Nope.

I saw dodgy lighting, noisy shots and poor composition.

I need shooting!

[XXWoodmanXX]

I cannot tell you just how much I do this on a day-2-day basis, ever since I've gotten heavy into photography. You always try and "eye" something up, be it through composition, cropping, angle, etc. It amazes me how often I have to stop myself, to prevent from looking like I'm crazy out on the streets. lol

[R_Alexander]

I have only really got like this with my neighbours wedding photo's

Post Processing was terrible, a few photos were over saturated with colour, was really noticable in a few photos.

I find I am getting like this more and more since getting my 300D and getting into photography more and more.

Rob

[pugnugget]

I look at a photo and think to myself, what I'd do different.. or how I would have shot the photo. A different angle, or setting or focus point. Like many of you have said.. we all do this.