Can every shot be taken artistically?

This defensive attitude hole you are digging is just getting deeper and deeper. You should have parked your ego at the front door.

Tell ya what, take a coupla deep breaths and count to ten, then relax, and have fun. That's what this is about.

My ego? Seriously? My fist instinct when someone asks any question isn't to tell them they just aren't very good and they should practice more. In the future, I'll know better than to attempt to discuss anything other than gear and why one should upgrade.

AndreaBFS wrote in post #5351862
My ego? Seriously? My fist instinct when someone asks any question isn't to tell them they just aren't very good and they should practice more. In the future, I'll know better than to attempt to discuss anything other than gear and why one should upgrade.

OK, I see...let's do this over again then.

AndreaBFS wrote in post #5340035
Do you find that there are certain shots that will just always be snapshots no matter how much you want to capture them with great composition? There are some people who seem to be able to take ordinary things and make them spectacular. I have a friend who can take a picture of some normal household scene and get 50 flickr comments. She just has something special.

Yes.

AndreaBFS wrote in post #5340035
Her house, her style, her kids' clothes... every setting she finds seems to scream to have pictures taken of it. Then I look at my house and I realize there is nowhere in this house to take something that isn't a snapshot -- unless it's an extreme closeup against a wall. I feel like I'm stuck in a snapshot rut.

I understand.

AndreaBFS wrote in post #5340035
There are a lot of times that I need a picture of something and no matter how hard I try, it's just never going to be a good photo. The other day, my 2 year old fell asleep on the kitchen floor. It was a moment I really wanted to capture, but I took tons of angles and the pictures are still just snapshots. I'm wondering if it's just me.

No.

Glad we had this "discussion"...

I don't know how many ways that I can apologize.

Your feeling inadequate as compared to your friend (your words) is spilling over to cause a lack of confidence in your photography skills.
Witness your post.

Find your niche and exploit it. Do that until you rebuild your confidence levels that you feel is appropiate for a 14 year veteran.

I am sorry that you feel flamed, t'was no ones intention.

C'est la vie ma cheri.

I was praising my friend for her talent. It's a shame that you feel praising others demonstrates your own inadequacy. :::shrug:::: Though it makes sense in looking back at this thread. It's telling how many people were willing to slam her as not really having talent, but just mindless flickr followers.

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Hey, Andrea,

Keep your chin up and keep posting! Sorry that a good question turned into a bit of a flame war -- don't take it personal. Each of us who embark into serious photography can benefit from the support of a community, but sometimes misunderstandings and disagreements happen, especially over the internet!

Today, I was walking through a little nature preserve in Portland, OR, with my Canon camera and white lens on my monopod slung over my back, when I met a new friend -- a woman who is new in DSLR photography but has made the horrid mistake of getting a Nikon D80!

We had a lot of laughs, and spent about three hours talking about photography! So, don't let a few bad moments spoil the fun! Your place here is valued!

tonylong wrote in post #5353351
Hey, Andrea,

Keep your chin up and keep posting! Sorry that a good question turned into a bit of a flame war -- don't take it personal. Each of us who embark into serious photography can benefit from the support of a community, but sometimes misunderstandings and disagreements happen, especially over the internet!

Today, I was walking through a little nature preserve in Portland, OR, with my Canon camera and white lens on my monopod slung over my back, when I met a new friend -- a woman who is new in DSLR photography but has made the horrid mistake of getting a Nikon D80!

We had a lot of laughs, and spent about three hours talking about photography! So, don't let a few bad moments spoil the fun! Your place here is valued!

Amen to that Tony

I am a novice and a workmate has a Nikon and an old sigma lens. He always gets better shots than me (poo) But i am sure that i will learn as i go.

Its a matter of time before my Canon gear blasts him away lol



KEEP ON KEEPING ON!

Andrea!!
Hey, I checked out your flickr site and you have a lot of potential. There are times when we all get frustrated, especially when we are striving for the next level. I believe you are looking at it the wrong way.. Don't sweat your friend or their talent. Theirs is theirs. Yours is yours. And you have talent. You admit you haven't been doing this a long time. So, don't sweat it. The key is to look at really, really great photos. Most flickr shots are good snapshots anyways. Yes, I said it, and I'm on flickr too. Every picture is not going to be art. But if you know what "art" is and never settle to push your shutter release until you know you've gotten something special, then your keeper rate goes up. There are times when you just have to get the shot if you're getting paid. And that's a fact. You want to make them as beautiful as possilble. But there are times you "have" to get the shot. You can go to youtube and search the masters of photography. Someone has done an excellent job at compiling slideshows of the greats. Sit, watch, and learn.. Look at how they use light. How that manipulated their camera to get a desired result. And also many of them only had one time to get it right. One shot in film, so no post like today. This is what you should get yourself familiar with. But for now. Just get out there and take photos. Get up early in the morning with your ipod and "look up, look down, look all around" and start to form your world one shutter release at a time.

We need to be careful about giving out unsolicited advice then...

Ah..."potental" says bb987. Ah...."14 years" says OP.

?? Yes, I've been using Photoshop for 14 years. I got my first copy with a student loan when I was in college in 1994. In that regard, I don't think not knowing Photoshop is my issue. Apparently, you do.

Are you implying that my level of post processing is unacceptable for someone who has many years of Photoshop experience? I certainly never implied that I had nothing to learn, only that you were incorrect in your assumptions that I know basically nothing about anything. Can you give me specific examples of how you believe I need to improve on post processing? My link has been right there in my sig, so I'm sure you've had some time to study my work.

Apparently you believe that my level of Photoshop experience indicates my photography should be much better by now (I've been using a DSLR for 4 months). I'm assuming you must be quite an accomplished and qualified judge to be comfortable in handing down such judgment. Then again, it might be more fun to be passive aggressive and drag this issue into other threads. :::shrug::::

Yes

Andrea - So all you wanted was a simple yes or no? I have been participating on these omline forums for about 13 years and I have learned a couple things. Threads are going to go in the direction that they are going to go. No matter how emphatic you are in your posts about the type of answers you are looking for, you are going to get a mix. Everywhere from your exact answer to things completely unrelated. You just can't control how thousands of people will respond. Not to mention that forums are not meant to be ones personal helpline.

The fact is, you have read way too much into Chauncey's and others posts and didn't realize that people were actually trying to be helpful and friendly. Then you spat all over them. I also notice that you have Image Editing set to be OK. To me that indicates that you are open to constructive criticism of your photos.

You posted your photo because somebody suggested that you post your photo so "we can be the judge" You didn't have to post it, but you did. What did you expect?

Stefan

I didn't want a simple yes or no. Not sure where you got that. I wanted to discuss the subject matter I put in the OP. If you had nothing at all to contribute about the differences between art and a "snapshot" or whether every shot has potential for greatness, then you could feel free to close the thread. You aren't required to answer a thread that doesn't interest you. :::shrug::::

I didn't ask for help with the shot I posted. I posted it BY REQUEST to demonstrate that yes, there seem to be certain shots that just can't be made into much more than a snapshot. I don't believe I indicated anything else.

I know better than to start another discussion topic. Don't worry, it won't happen again. I realize that some people who have no interest in the topic will still feel compelled to give *some* response, no matter how little it actually relates to the topic.

I am suggesting that after 14 years of experience, your question should have been self evident
and that after 14 years of experience you have adopted a very defensive attitude about your work.

I responded to a question that I thought was posed by a neophyte and I implied nothing at all about the quality of your work.
I only responded to your question, period and you took offense to that?

I've only got a year vested in this photography and Photoshop thing and I will be the first to admit that 99% of my images leave a lot to be desired,
but I do not berate those that take the time to offer advice. I do not assume that they are being malicious. Why do you?

Got to go my love, the nurses are coming to give me my meds.
It's relief from my being a single parent of six, special needs, adopted children at age 65 and yes, I have been blessed.
I'm sorry that you don't feel that way.

Please don't confuse "people" with one person, either. Let's remember that I was only blindsided and taken aback by ONE response. So let's not try to make everyone gang up on me and get all offended at how I "spat on them" -- I did nothing of the sort.

Your wording implies that I took exception with WAY more than I did.