Can every shot be taken artistically?

Pekka wrote in post #5367644
Think about that Iwo Jima flag raising photo - in order to take such a photo you have to be there.

OT for a second. There's some interesting info regarding the Iwo Jima shot. I don't know the validity of this source but it was an interesting read. In that article, scroll down to the part "Joe Rosenthal's Flag".

Sorry for going OT.

Answer originaly post.

Some snapshots will just look like snapshots. Putting some layers on it, adjusting tones, colors, curves etc etc can help most but not all shots.

On the other hand I always believe artists see what can be not what is.

Its not bad to take advice from other artists or photographers, you just gotta learn and realize that some will understand your style and give you helpful advice and others will try to teach you their ways of doing it which could in turn make your photos look like theirs(that kind of help is common).

The more you shoot the more you learn youll realize which ones were giving you good advice and which werent. Shoot, have fun.

That is what got us interested in this hobby in the first place

Pekka wrote in post #5367644
But I think what you seem to be pondering about is your lack of "access", which in many times makes 80% of a great photo.

Another very valid point. Inside is pretty much all we have had for 6 months. I'm so ready to get outside now that it's getting warmer! I couldn't be more bored with the same photos of my living room over and over and over!

cdifoto wrote in post #5367623
I'd vote for cleaning up/painting the house.

Lighter paint would definitely be good for my well-being and for a lot of my purposes -- like being able to bounce flash (woohoo!). Unfortunately it wouldn't have helped the particular shot that made me start thinking about this again. I think I just need to come to terms with the fact that some things just aren't destined for a frame on the wall -- and even the best photographers ditch a lot of shots that might have been "something" if the scene had presented itself in a different way.

And again, on the wedding forum issue. Honestly, I rarely see many interior shots that I see as much more than snapshots. So perhaps it is again just my perception of indoor scenes that makes me unhappy with most pictures taken indoors.

AndreaBFS wrote in post #5368238
And again, on the wedding forum issue. Honestly, I rarely see many interior shots that I see as much more than snapshots. So perhaps it is again just my perception of indoor scenes that makes me unhappy with most pictures taken indoors.

Quite possible, as I see a lot of indoor photos from weddings that blow me away. Or at least I used to. I haven't ventured into the wedding section much lately.

As for my own personal photos, I too prefer outdoors. My interior sucks, and it's the S.O.S. every time. I rarely even pick up the camera anymore if we're stuck inside.