Check out Commercial and Industrial Photography section of our forum.
How Can An Intermediate Photographer Best Advance Their Skills To The Next Level
Mar 3, 2017 14:54:05 #
rattlesnakeron wrote:
Studio photographers live in a completely different world than the nature photographer. The studio photographer can use a million lights. The nature photographer has one that being the sun. Once there is an understanding of the five kinds of light the sun can offer there is no problem about getting it right the first time in the camera.
What are the 5 types of light the sun can offer?
A good reference might help me understand.
Mar 3, 2017 14:55:33 #
bkellyusa wrote:
I'm an intermediate photographer and probably not ... (show quote)
The best advice I can give you is to join a camera club if I you have one in your area. If more than one try several. I have belonged to several clubs for over 50yrs. and they have been a wonderful experience. I am currently the President of one of them and past Pres. of another. I know of several professional photographers that were in-experienced when they joined and they attribute their success to what they gained from others through the clubs.
Mar 3, 2017 14:57:29 #
Ricinus
Loc: Leduc Alberta
I watched some online videos by Art Wolfe and they really opened my eyes to the artistic side. At least now I have an idea of how to make a picture better with proper composition and editing. Now it's time to get out and practice..
Mike
Mike
Mar 3, 2017 15:21:39 #
1) give yourself projects...by subject, technique, artistic challenge...whatever. Keep a self-evaluation notebook.
2) work on your weaknesses rather than your strengths....but don't take the process so seriously that you burn out...fun matters.
3) find/engage a buddy, colleague, mentor or two for critique and discussion. But, mainly ignore the inane smiley faces when you post something on line.
5) set your own standards but don't work in a vacuum
2) work on your weaknesses rather than your strengths....but don't take the process so seriously that you burn out...fun matters.
3) find/engage a buddy, colleague, mentor or two for critique and discussion. But, mainly ignore the inane smiley faces when you post something on line.
5) set your own standards but don't work in a vacuum
Mar 3, 2017 16:01:12 #
It's like swimming. You got to get in the pool to learn to swim. You can't learn to swim from books. After learning the very basics of photography, shutter speed and f-stop relationships, lens focal length, affect of changing ISO on image quality, and hand-held shooting vs tripod use, go out and shoot. The basics need to be second nature.
If you like photographing people, try this:
Use the equivalent of a 50mm lens on a full frame sensor and fill the frame with a person's face. Than change focal length to approximately 100mm, back up, and fill the frame with the same size image of the person's face.
The result should be that the face made with the 50mm lens has kind of a "christmas ball" effect (nose is larger than normal). The shot at 100mm should be very natural. Look closely to compare.
Another issue is to compose the image in such a way that your viewer's eye never leaves the image; all lines lead back to the subject. This is something that is hard to teach because it takes some artistic ability. But it can be achieved.
If you like photographing people, try this:
Use the equivalent of a 50mm lens on a full frame sensor and fill the frame with a person's face. Than change focal length to approximately 100mm, back up, and fill the frame with the same size image of the person's face.
The result should be that the face made with the 50mm lens has kind of a "christmas ball" effect (nose is larger than normal). The shot at 100mm should be very natural. Look closely to compare.
Another issue is to compose the image in such a way that your viewer's eye never leaves the image; all lines lead back to the subject. This is something that is hard to teach because it takes some artistic ability. But it can be achieved.
Mar 3, 2017 16:05:42 #
Lucius
Loc: Denver, Colorado
I joined a local camera club. There a two meetings a month. One is a program meeting and the other is competition. Each month, there is a different subject for competiton. For example February was photos of barns, beches and bridges. March is long exposure; April is Silhouettes and on. This makes get out and shot, but I am out of my confort zome many times.
At the competition, they review and rate all photos submitted. So, you get very good feed back on your work.
I highly recommend this course.
At the competition, they review and rate all photos submitted. So, you get very good feed back on your work.
I highly recommend this course.
Mar 3, 2017 16:18:50 #
They are Back lighting, side lighting, front lighting, spot lighting and rim lighting. All done with the sun.
Check out Video for DSLR and Point and Shoot Cameras section of our forum.
Mar 3, 2017 17:45:58 #
Now I might have a different take on the idea of taking many shots. I think there is something to be said for slowing down and being reflective. Put the camera on a tripod, to slow down, even if you have IS lenses. Look at the light and the shadows, where is the sun, what is the quality of light. Walk to different distances from the subject, different camera angles and camera heights, reflect on what is unique about your subject and ways the elements of the scene might make a worthwhile composition. Then hope the bird doesn't fly away.
Mar 3, 2017 17:47:15 #
tyedyetommy wrote:
Put the books down. Go outside and take thousands ... (show quote)
Thank you; I needed that too.
Mar 3, 2017 18:04:30 #
rattlesnakeron wrote:
They are Back lighting, side lighting, front lighting, spot lighting and rim lighting. All done with the sun.
I was part way there :)
1. Shade/Overcast
2. Backlighting
3.Direct Light
4.SideLight
5.Golden Hour
Mar 3, 2017 19:13:36 #
I think it all depends on why you are taking pictures. It is to please yourself or someone else? Is it to eventually make money at it? Is it to be a part time, semi-full time gig, or sole bread winner. Once you are clear on why, you will know where to go.
Check out Printers and Color Printing Forum section of our forum.
Mar 3, 2017 20:06:25 #
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and PRACTICE!
Go out and shoot trying to utilize what you have read and seen. Challenge yourself to do things you haven't done before and try a new approach to older experiences.
Present your photos online here at UHH and reviews comments from others both less and more experienced than you.
Mostly, if you are not making your living from photography, go have fun and do it for you. If you are happy with the results, great!
I can always learn from the real world experiences and others. I don't have to agree but I learn and have fun.
GO AND HAVE FUN!
Go out and shoot trying to utilize what you have read and seen. Challenge yourself to do things you haven't done before and try a new approach to older experiences.
Present your photos online here at UHH and reviews comments from others both less and more experienced than you.
Mostly, if you are not making your living from photography, go have fun and do it for you. If you are happy with the results, great!
I can always learn from the real world experiences and others. I don't have to agree but I learn and have fun.
GO AND HAVE FUN!
Mar 3, 2017 20:30:56 #
bkellyusa wrote:
I'm an intermediate photographer and probably not ... (show quote)
Get out and shoot. Get away from the videos. Make mistakes. You should not have to have had as much videos and reading to do, as you are bogged yourself down with techniques that others are pushing on you. Shoot, shoot, shoot. You will become much more comfortable when you spend the time actually using your equipment instead of reading about how others use theirs. I am self-taught, but I have made mistakes along the way, (still make them occasionally), and then looked up why those specific things didn't happen the way I wanted them.
You can't become a better welder, baseball player, rock climber, artist, and the list goes, if you don't just pick the subject interest you want to specialize in, and focus on that first. Then expand to all the other distractions that come along the way. It sounds like you are attempting to learn it all via books and printed media. I have no books or videos on any photo techniques. I am somewhat pleased by the work I produce, but keep striving for better.
Good luck, and get rid of the books, they aren't the answer. You need to learn how to see the image first before you capture it.
Mar 3, 2017 21:12:31 #
TheDman
Loc: USA
Find someone who you consider to top of the profession and say "Hey, how did you shoot those?"
Mar 3, 2017 21:53:00 #
When I am able I go out with some very good pros. I look at the way they shoot,how they shoot,what they shoot,when they shoot,with what they shoot and ask as many ?s as possible and try to stay out of the way. I go to their galleries and look at their pictures. I also look for progress in my photos over the years. I'm looking to change my game up also. Just haven't figured it out. So I'll just keep shooting and see what happens. Good luck with your quest!
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
Check out Film Photography section of our forum.