How did you develop into great photographers?

[Alan Rossiter]

July 21, 2008 at 10:35 pm

Hi Faye,

Obviously the obligatory “I’m not a great photographer” has to come out first. What I did when I started off was to look at photoraphy sites – not exclusively forums like this one but something like http://www.betterphoto.com which tends to be a dumping ground for 30,000+ images a month which are mostly artistically orientated. Try to replicate them, the ones you like, and see how it’s done.
Have a look at my signature – Anatole France (whoever he was) does make sense. Courses will teach you the fundimentals of photography but you need to develop a style, something that you like and not necessarily what you feel will be appreciated by the majority. BUT, you need to get the basics of light capture, how your camera does that and how an image is composed first (what makes it appealing). Then bring it further…

Alan.

[Faye Morgan]

July 22, 2008 at 9:14 am

Hi all

Great answers!

I have some other issues…..

I sometimes feel like a fool being out taking pictures, mainly city pictures. I think it looks a bit stupid when I dance around an object to get different angles, and kneel down, and sometimes I would need to lie down on my stomach to get the best angle, but I dont…. I feel looked at. Has anyone else felt the same?

Another thing, what do you do about the weather? When it is just grey, rainy and windy (like an Irish summer) do you just give up photography those days and stay in a drink tea?

[aoluain]

July 22, 2008 at 10:42 am

I know what you mean,

i used to be the same myself taking urban pictures, but i wouldnt say im real gungho noe either.
I depends where you are. just pretend your a tourist!
I dont think people pass too much remarks these days, yea they will look
but they dont know you and you will never see them again!

just go for it.

[MartinOC]

July 23, 2008 at 5:32 am

Faye, about the weather issue, it reminded me of what Michael Kenna (a photographer with a big fan-base on this site) wrote in his beautiful book on Japan:

“I was often greeted by a large group of photographers with tripods and cameras already lined up. If the sky was clear and the sunrise beautiful I was usually the first to leave. However, if it was overcast or raining, I would soon be left alone.”

Martin