Lack of confidence: I’ll have to admit it. After all these years of taking pictures, I lack confidence that my effort will come out the way I want it to. Maybe by admitting the problem...

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I’ll have to admit it. After all these years of taking pictures, I lack confidence that my effort will come out the way I want it to. Maybe by admitting the problem I can overcome it. I do mostly snapshots because they don’t present this problem, you get what you get. But "making" a photo with a preconceived result is a real struggle.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Keep plugging at it.
Not everyone has the "perfect eye", I don't, still.

You may actually be better than you think.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Self-awareness is a critical first step towards personal growth. Although, you need to peel the onion another few layers down. What are you doing wrong? What right things are you not doing enough? What do you want to improve? Then, you just need to find the steps / actions needed to practice doing (or not doing) as you renew your journey on a new and better path.

User ID

gvarner wrote:

I’ll have to admit it. After all these years of taking pictures, I lack confidence that my effort will come out the way I want it to. Maybe by admitting the problem I can overcome it. I do mostly snapshots because they don’t present this problem, you get what you get. But "making" a photo with a preconceived result is a real struggle.

There was a long thread about "working the subject". Before you read it just ponder what that means. It means something beyond a snapshot, but implies that rather than a preconceived idea you let the subject inspire you. Youre improvising in reaction to the subject rather than working toward a fixed idea about the final result.

I put in about 15 minutes working the scene below. Whether it appeals to you or not, you can plainly see the variations that result from "working the subject". My high tech gear was one middle aged iPhone. The end result was not important. My iPhone is my "sketch pad". You might benefit from doing some sketching.

(Download)

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

User ID wrote:

There was a long threead about "working the subject". Before you read it, just ponder what that means. It means something beyond a snapshot, but implies that rather than a preconceived idea you let the subject inspire you. Youre improvising in reaction to the subject rather than working toward a fixed idea about the final result.

Good point. And by extension, you don't have to get it right the first time, as in a single perfect shot. Rather, being digital, take as many as needed to assure you'll have at least one that justifies your impulse to even stop and raise the camera to your eye. Photography is not a sport like golf where the low score wins. Rather, the measure of success is success. One great image is an undefeated season. It doesn't matter how many <Delete>s occurred prior to that image. Michael Jordan wasn't the greatest because he practiced really hard. He's the greatest because he has six championships and no defeats.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

User ID wrote:

There was a long thread about "working the subject". Before you read it, just ponder what that means. It means something beyond a snapshot, but implies that rather than a preconceived idea you let the subject inspire you. Youre improvising in reaction to the subject rather than working toward a fixed idea about the final result.

I watched a video on working the scene and I do it sometimes but way too seldom. Thanks for the tip.

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

To me, that’s the great thing about digital photography. You can take as many shots as you want and see the results while doing so. By studying them, you can get a good idea of what you might change and work from there. Good luck!

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Longshadow wrote:

Keep plugging at it.
Not everyone has the "perfect eye", I don't, still.

You may actually be better than you think.

Thanks. I do get lucky once in awhile and have some nice keepers. Most of them are from the 70's in my SLR days when I had to be picky because of the cost of film. Each capture had to be worth the effort. In fact, that might be how I need to approach digital images now, that each one is only worth the effort I put into it.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

gvarner wrote:

Thanks. I do get lucky once in awhile and have some nice keepers. Most of them are from the 70's in my SLR days when I had to be picky because of the cost of film. Each capture had to be worth the effort. In fact, that might be how I need to approach digital images now, that each one is only worth the effort I put into it.

Alas, falling for this nonsense will get you nowhere.

You posted earlier in 2024 about a coming car show. There were 77 replies, of the typically varying UHH quality. Did that car show happen? What were you results? Where are your results posted?

If we gave two people the same camera and lens, and after a week we learned only one had practiced, who do you think will be better?

Practice aka 'shooting more', not less ....

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

gvarner wrote:

Thanks. I do get lucky once in awhile and have some nice keepers. Most of them are from the 70's in my SLR days when I had to be picky because of the cost of film. Each capture had to be worth the effort. In fact, that might be how I need to approach digital images now, that each one is only worth the effort I put into it.

Oh, I've been there with film, shooting prudently.
That's how, and why, I became very selective in what I shoot. I still do that.
Don't need 50 shots of one thing.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

CHG_CANON wrote:

Alas, falling for this nonsense will get you nowhere.

You posted earlier in 2024 about a coming car show. There were 77 replies, of the typically varying UHH quality. Did that car show happen? What were you results? Where are your results posted?

If we gave two people the same camera and lens, and after a week we learned only one had practiced, who do you think will be better?

Practice aka 'shooting more', not less ....

It’s quality that counts, not quantity. You can get quality without throwing ketchup at the wall.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

gvarner wrote:

It’s quality that counts, not quantity. You can get quality without throwing ketchup at the wall.

You expressed a level of disappointment in your current results. Do you really think shooting less will lead to any discernable level of improvement? One learns more from the experience of doing something, not from not doing. That's the fundamental basis of practice...

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

CHG_CANON wrote:

You expressed a level of disappointment in your current results. Do you really think shooting less will lead to any discernable level of improvement? One learns more from the experience of doing something, not from not doing. That's the fundamental basis of practice...

Let’s play the word games then. Not shooting less but shooting better would result in less total shots for much better photos.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

gvarner wrote:

Let’s play the word games then. Not shooting less but shooting better would result in less total shots for much better photos.

Oh well, you leave me questioning the sincerity of the initial post and whether you're actually seeking improvement via actions, rather than wishes, ifs and buts....

Hope is not a plan. A plan is a plan. Results come from actions, the execution of that plan, not mental reps standing on the sideline.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

CHG_CANON wrote:

Oh well, you leave me questioning the sincerity of the initial post and whether you're actually seeking improvement via actions, rather than wishes, ifs and buts....

Hope is not a plan. A plan is a plan. Results come from actions, the execution of that plan, not mental reps standing on the sideline.

So we have one thing in common: you want me to do it your way and I want to do it my way.