larrywilk Loc: Palm Harbor, FL

I have been on this wonderful forum for nearly a year and have benefited immensely from the information and knowledge presented here. I have been taking pictures for over fifty years but MAKING pictures for only the last few.

I would like to offer my insight on what I have learned.

You, and only you, need be happy with your image - unless you are selling it.

Advice will run the gamut of Work The Shot to analyze and take only the shot you need.

We have Rules - but you need not necessarily follow them.

Everything should be done in camera. What photo Editing Program do you use?

Use the Histogram for exposure - the Histogram is useless.

Be sure to make thirty backups of your images, you never know when a hard drive may fail.

That question has already been asked! I only joined this morning.

And, God forbid, Never, Never, Never ever post an image with a crooked horizon!

Folks, I say this with tongue in cheek, so please don't get upset. I am making fun of myself as well.

There is so much contradictory information out there that some photographers proclaim as gospel while others insist the opposite is true, we often confuse the Newbie with our replies to the original query.

Now I am not saying either group is right or wrong, I am suggesting to our neophyte photographer that there is only one correct way to do it...your way!

Try all these different methods. Give them an honest try and then use what works for you. Each image we post is a statement of how we view something. It is your image and often it is "not quite" what we are trying to say but over time our skill level will rise enough to more closely resemble what we wish to convey.

Meanwhile have fun!

Larry Wilkerson

smcaleer Loc: Dearborn Heights, Michigan

:lol: :thumbup:

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Tom DePuy Loc: Waxhaw, N.C.

Well said.

lightchime Loc: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

I would say that on this one, your horizon is pretty straight and you are not suffering from dirt on your sensor.

Nightski

I have to be honest. I completely disagree Larry.

I think you have to be careful who you listen to. Follow threads, and watch what someone posts before listening to advice. Make sure the person has the technical chops, and can produce a great photograph before eating up every word he/she says.

I am never completely happy with anything I shoot. Even the few shots I have in my archives that are pretty good, I know what their flaws are.

If you are happy with everything you do, how do you improve? Without self critique how do you gain new skills?

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

You are correct and I believe this is the heart of what Larry is saying. Listen and evaluate.


I believe the line, 'Try all these different methods. Give them an honest try and then use what works for you. ..." addresses this.


The struggle to improve pushes you to make you better, but to what end if you do not stop to smell the roses?

HOT Texas Loc: From the Heart of Texas

I don't agree with that, I know where I stand and don't need someone to tell me. I agree with Larry there always someone who thinks he knows it all and they don't know diddly.

chaser48 Loc: Texas

Not very well said.....EXTREMELY WELL SAID. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Critique is a critical process that helps us see beyond ourselves and evolve our work into something more. It is knowing who to listen to that is important and sometimes not always evident at the time.

Listen to everyone, evaluate everything, but ultimately decide for yourself what changes you will or will not make. This is the struggle every good photographer eventually comes to terms with finding clarity on the other side.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

There are a lot of things in life I do not find perfect, think can be improved and will work on improving, and yet am completely happy with.

larrywilk Loc: Palm Harbor, FL

You make some very valid points and I will not say they are the wrong approach...they work for you. My point is if this approach does not work for the newbie he will not accept or use it. A long time ago I learned that people will tend to accept something that agrees with what they believe or feel more readily than something that goes against what they believe. Inertia or whatever you wish to call it at play.

For example, one group of photographers tells me I should make everything right in camera while another claims I should work the shot. Which is correct? My wife is a very deliberate photographer and she takes beautiful pictures...slowly. I, on the other hand, will take photos of a subject from many different angles with different exposures, framing, and focus. Which is wrong? I know our personalities come into play as do our experiences.

Your approach is more deliberate like my wife's and this works for both of you. I am not advocating listening to every Tom, Dick and Harry as to what is correct. I can watch a topic on Youtube and different, very good photographers will claim one method superior to another; but the good instructors also reference other methods so that you can explore those options as well.

Critique is an invaluable tool for grading the level you have reached. I contribute and lurk around your section constantly, it is a boon to many of us. No, I am never completely happy with any of my images either, but, on occasion, I approach making a "good" image. Thanks to your section and its contributors I believe I am getting more of what I want.

I really don't think there is much disagreement on what we advise. I say try 'em all, your approach is to research the advocate and his information thoroughly before trying.

No, it is not likely you will gain much improvement without self-critique. But you must also realize what level you are at in experience. A newbie will not produce the same results as a Karsh or Zack Arias. But that becomes a yardstick to measure themselves against.

Nightski, you are a very talented photographer, teacher and mentor, but the newbie isn't. They rely on photographers like yourself to guide them. I would have no quarrel listening to your advice, but if it did not fit me or my personality, it would not be useful. As in the example above, if I was told to limit my shots, I'm afraid I would not follow this recommendation.

That is all I was saying. Use what works for you. But Only after honestly exploring many avenues.

And have fun...it is a hobby, you know.

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

Larry, thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts. Sometimes when a newbie puts his/her toe in the water, it seems that sharks swim right over and take a bite. That must be intimidating to some.

Nightski

I think I know where I stand, until someone comes along and proves me absolutely wrong. While I have some pretty strong opinions, I am always open to seeing things from another persons point of view. St3v3M just laid out some new thoughts for me on the response I posted. I have the deepest respect for him, and I am going to consider every word he said. Especially the part about smelling the roses. I am so completely on task all the time, I very much forget to do just that.

That being said, how others react to my images is a very important thing to me. It's the way I convey my message, my emotions about a time and place, and if nobody gets it, then I have more work to do.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Very well stated Steve. Knowing who to listen to is certainly the crux of the matter. Viewing other's work to see how they handle focal points, exposure, etc. will be a good indication for relying on their critique on similar matters.

Keep in mind though, photography should be fun, not stressful, and sometimes it is the journey that is most enjoyable. If you fret about every picture being perfect you will soon not take many, and post few in the forum. 8-)