bkellyusa Loc: Nashville, TN

I'm an intermediate photographer and probably not even an advanced one. As it is now I've read tons of books, listened to a thousand hours of instructive videos and bought at least 5 five course on photography. I started as an absolute beginner about 3 years ago. I'm now at a point where I am buying instructional material that spends a lot time going over stuff I already know. What's next? What books or other instructive material would help me get to the next level. I'm already studying books on art but I don't know if I have the best ones for photography. Please advise?

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

Slow down on your studying, (don't give it up though).

Go beyond your comfort zone and just do it! *(Practice, practice, practice, some say.)

tramsey Loc: Texas

Now it is time to practice what you know. Then shot and critically look at your photos and determine how to improve it. Then go reshoot it, keeping in mind what you are going to do. The next step is practice, practice, practice and always have fun doing it.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Composition, composition and composition. Shoot and self analyze until you like it. You'll be advanced when you can get 1 in a 100.

KTJohnson Loc: Northern Michigan

Start taking actual photos. Evaluate them. Edit them. Have others critique them.

Rinse. Repeat.

Retired fat guy with a camera Loc: Colorado

Put the books down. Go outside and take thousands upon thousands of pictures. Take pictures of birds, dogs, cats, cars, people, buildings. Trees, flowers. Do you see where I am going with this? Don't leave the house without your camera. Take pictures then, take some more. It's not like you have to pay to get film developed anymore. Other than your time it's free. It's time to start thinking outside the books, and start trusting your eye, your instincts, what you think makes a good shot. You are going to have some bad shots. Everybody does. Not every pictures you take is going to be a blue ribbon kinda shot. Just learn from them. Ad here is the most important lesson you can learn, have fun. If it a'nit fun why do it?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

As the others have indicated, practice, critique, practice, critique. Additionally, post a few of your better photos in the "For Your Consideration" section. You'll get a lot of beneficial pointers. Follow-up with questions, too.
--Bob

Kuzano

Let us know when you have digested and are doing all of this:

http://photoinf.com/

NoSocks Loc: quonochontaug, rhode island

The road to the next level (whatever that is) is the same way a pianist gets to Carnegie Hall. Practice, practice, practice.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Make photographs. Start with an idea in mind, take photographs and then assess how close you got your idea. If you didn't meet your goals, then try to find out why and how to fix it.

It's simple, but may take a while...

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

As others have said----shoot as much as possible. Try new and different things and look at your photos to see what you like and what don't like and see what you can do to improve the things you don't like.

p.s.
I am no expert or ace photographer. Those are the things I'm doing in an attempt tp improve my photography.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Go out and USE your camera!

While photographic education is one early part of the learning process, there are many others. Here is a learning model I use in developing training curricula:

Presentation of a topic — a high-level, "big picture" overview of what is to be learned

Education — the "drawing out of interest in" a subject through presentation of contextual facts and concepts

Instruction — presentation and assimilation of the PROCESSES to be performed, in step-by-step detail

Training — hands-on, repetitive experimentation, using the tools and materials of the trade to perform real processes (The aim of most training is to get people to conform to process requirements. Photography is part artful inspiration, and part technical craft. The technical craft benefits greatly from standardization of process... Expression of artful inspiration can be practiced, but hardly "trained," since it is highly individual.)

Feedback — critical evaluation and review of the training experience, with applied behavior modification

Competency Demonstration — showing what you've learned by doing it with no assistance

Testing and Evaluation — a written review of knowledge, similar to a college examination

You are probably at a point where you have enough knowledge to go out and photograph at will. DO THAT, and you will learn far more than you can glean from books at this point. Loop back through the educational media at some point, starting with your camera manual. It will mean FAR more once you have gained experience.

For a deeper understanding of this, go read Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers. Anyone who wants to get really good at something needs to understand the benefits of practical immersion in it. Malcolm explains that as well as anyone.

JPL

Post processing and composition are the most important things in photography. Focus on that.

Photocraig

That's the definition of the Perfect Practice, that, indeed makes perfect. The variable is the self critique. and knowing what YOU wanted (pre-visualized???) and who you got. And either understanding why they were different or having the vocabulary (which you should posses after your studies) to ASK. Our wonderful Digital medium which provides: Instant feedback, unique settings per exposure like White Balance and ISO that were previously (in film days) limited to emulsion and Processing) and the extensive info in EXIF are all tools to verify what went RIGHT as well as what could be changed for a different effect.

It is a creative journey that never ends.
C

Oh yeah, composition IS the photo. A technically perfectly picture of a poorly selected subject (mandatory, in my view) without interesting light is just a picture.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

What tyedyetommy said, It's time to start thinking outside the books, and start trusting your eye, your instincts, and a few others alluded to is what might be the most helpful advice right now.

It sounds as though you may be so tied up in left brain thinking and technique that you aren't allowing the creativity to grow. Get away from thinking and just feel.

Rather than be concerned about perfect exposure, depth of field or focal length, allow yourself to get lost in the moment. Find subjects, scenes, weather, cities or events that are of great interest to you outside of photography and then go and take a bunch of pictures of it, them, that. Have fun while you're at it!

Then evaluate which of your results best represents the mood, emotion, feeling of your experience.

Check out these short articles:

http://photographylife.com/whats-important-in-a-photograph-and-what-isnt/

http://www.simplerphoto.com/technically-perfect/

Don't let obsession with technical perfection or following the "rules" outweigh inspiration, creativity and emotion.