I agree with the majority of positive comments. A good teacher uplifts, a poor one tears down. Ultimately it only matters that you like your images, I do.

If you intend to ‘compete’ in national contests the judges like your guide will nitpick to death and never agree with each other. Not a world I’m interested in. Recently, I took Lightroom and PhotoShop classes from a professional photographer and commercial retoucher. His tolerance for ‘mistakes’ was very low. I learned a lot but have zero interest in being as ocd as him but it’s his job and livelihood.

Morning all! So I just got through taking a 5 day class with a very well known photographer who has won many, many awards, photos in the Smithsonian and is a judge for contests like Natures Best Photography. I learned sooo much about what makes a great photo.

Half way through the 5 days I was feeling quite overwhelmed and almost in tears because to get the photo that he would consider a photo seems near impossible. I totally understand photos before and just after sunrise and sunset are the best, but is it awful that I still want to take photos mid day? On several of my trips I have still gotten photos I really like, even though they do not have the special light and there are shadows etc. I scoured my photos and submitted them for the class and so far I do not have one photo that is not a "non-photo" due to shadow or lack of a hook or a background that is not totally creamy, or a host of other bad things.

I will post some of his comments to what I thought was going to be an ok photo.

The last one was reviewed verbally, the shadows! Bridge of the nose by eye, and the light patch of fur below the right eye as you look at the photo and curve shadow back to the nose is a big distraction. He could tell I was off by 2 degrees and that caused the bad shadow. The lighter fur to the left of the nose stops the eye from traveling from the lower left to the eye. You are supposed to have something soft in the lower left that makes your eye travel from lower left to the "hook" eye. In this case it does not work due to light fur interrupts the flow to the eye and then the shadows on the right. Then, the white fur on the lips could have been lightened to make it better if the other issues had not condemned it to be a "non-photo". Oh and the green line going through the background is bad.

Who knew you were not supposed to have sky in a bird photo, or that with something like a coyote all 4 legs must have separation and no crossover and that the farthest away front leg should be going forward. That the background must be very creamy with no light and dark areas. Shadows are the worst! Like crap, I was off by 2 or 4 degrees with the shadow. Must have a hook, no lines and of course good light, no messy sticks. Example an owl in a tree is bad if the leaves are all around it.

Anyway, I feel like a bad person/photographer for still liking some of my photos that are not perfect and still wanting to just have fun taking a photo and if I see a mom and baby moose at noon in a messy field of grass with a shadow, I'm still going to take the photo!

Again, I learned a LOT and the pro is a very nice guy and very talented. I will try and do what he says, but may still take what I know will be a "non-photo" am I bad?

Comments welcome, I have had lots of criticism lately, I can handle it! Well I might cry....

I started with my first camera when I was 7 years old. My grandfather, a photographer Gave it to me. I learned using a Kodak Pony where you had to set distance and aperture, then peer through a blurry little window hoping the photo would be correct. Over the years I continued to learn the art of photography. I had a B&W and color darkroom setup. To get some easy “A’s” in college and grad school I took photography courses. In all this I learned the technical aspects are just part of the equation equaling a good photograph. I joined a photo club and in the first group critique of members’ photographs I came across several people who resemble the “expert” you took the class from. At the end I went to the President of the club and expressed my displeasure with these other photographers tearing apart good photographs and their pontificating on how they would have done it. I never went back. Your photographs are wonderful! Don’t let this expert egoistic take anything away from your art! Keep on making photographs!