Lack of confidence (Page 4): :sm24: :sm24: :sm24:...

Horseart Loc: Alabama

DirtFarmer wrote:

If you are not satisfied with the way your way is producing photos, you will have to change your way or else you will have to change your satisfaction criteria.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Horseart wrote:

I'm sorry. I usually try to keep my mouth on such issues but I'm stunned. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone say they are not confident in their work and when suggestions are offered, say "I want to do it my way".

I see only one simple solution. Do it your way.

I have a friend that is a professional photographer and I went to an opening to a gallery show of hers. I saw her start to get glassy-eyed when she got cornered by a guy that didn’t really want to talk about her work. He wanted to talk about himself. He started of with how he identified with her because he was an artist too, he made music. He went on about how he went to school for music composition, but that writing the music was hard so now he just improvises. I wanted to smack him upside the head and tell him that’s what REAL artists do. They put in the hard work. Even if you have a talent for something you don’t really get good at it without putting in the work.

radiomantom Loc: Plymouth Indiana

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.

I have been shooting photos now for over 60 yrs. I have belonged to numerous camera clubs in including being president of two of them. This is perhaps one of the best ways to improve your photographic skills. I sometimes feel that I am my worst critic, but after posting many of my photos on UHH and receiving some wonderful comments from other members, I think maybe I am doing something right after all. Keep Shooting!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

jaredjacobson wrote:

...If the problem is in composition, I address this by evaluating lots of photos, mine or others’ and working out what they did that’s compelling...

I love to do this with other people's photos of subjects or scenes that I'm likely to encounter or have already photographed, but not in as interesting a manner as the one I'm admiring.

A quick way to find photos from other sources is Google. I just did search for "photos of trees at sunset." A huge variety displays, of course. For someone who might not have specific sources of inspiration, a lot can be learned from analyzing random Google results

alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ

Horseart wrote:

I'm sorry. I usually try to keep my mouth on such issues but I'm stunned. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone say they are not confident in their work and when suggestions are offered, say "I want to do it my way".

I see only one simple solution. Do it your way.

👍👍👍

Horseart Loc: Alabama

SuperflyTNT wrote:

I have a friend that is a professional photographe... (show quote)

I may be missing something. I'm not sure how this relates to my response. (I should not have responded at all) but anything we really hope to be good at takes work and a lot of practice AND paying attention to how others do it.
I have been an artist for 82 years...self taught since the age of 4, but I still listen to other artists, look at the art of others and will never know it all, but anyone can learn for the rest of their lives, if they are open to it. Only one person in the world will be the best and only one will be the worst. The rest of us are somewhere in between and hopefully trying to improve. Everything I paint sells and some of my photos sell too, but even though I will never be as good at photography as most of you here, I will always be caught trying.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Horseart wrote:

I'm sorry. I usually try to keep my mouth on such issues but I'm stunned. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone say they are not confident in their work and when suggestions are offered, say "I want to do it my way".

I see only one simple solution. Do it your way.

Dennis

Bill_de Loc: US

gvarner wrote:

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

Just what is "your way"? From the beginning it hasn't been working, or you wouldn't have started this thread.

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SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Horseart wrote:

I may be missing something. I'm not sure how this ... (show quote)

Essentially reinforcing that to really get good at something you need to put in the work. And just going out and shooting without intent isn’t putting in the work.

Horseart Loc: Alabama

SuperflyTNT wrote:

Essentially reinforcing that to really get good at something you need to put in the work. And just going out and shooting without intent isn’t putting in the work.

MJPerini

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.

I was going to let this pass until I saw your silly responses to chg-canon
He gave you some excellent suggestions
They involve doing a bit of work, maybe a little practice
Instead of trying any of it , you would rather play word games
You do not get any better at photography by talking, you get better by doing….. you seem to be living proof. “At it a long time never getting any better”

Now you can certainly go on doing exactly what you have been doing ,…that's fine
But why pretend you Want to get better?
That just wastes everyone’s time.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

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.

Identifying a problem is the first step towards a solution.

What you describe happens to all of us (those who are honest). With time, study and practice it will get better.

cmc4214 Loc: S.W. Pennsylvania

whatdat wrote:

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!

You can take as many pictures as you want for free, but you need to be careful not to get careless or sloppy.
It is a balance between quality and quantity
Practice is always good as long as you are trying, and not just "spraying and praying"

cmc4214 Loc: S.W. Pennsylvania

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 ....

I agree with practicing, but shooting more will not make you better if you are not trying, iow sometimes slowing down and concentrating more will improve results more than randomly firing off shot after shot.

TerryVS

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.

I think you've nailed your problem, "preconceived result". If you see something cool to shoot, say a lighthouse at the ocean stop thinking about all the photos you've seen before. Instead think about what's in front of you and how you can take this view, capture it and maybe even make it better.

Things like the sun about to break through a cloud may call for a pause. If fact anything changing is reason to let the photo happen.

Questions like what does the background look like and do you want to make it sharp, soft or blow it away?

Clear your head and look at what's in front of you and work the scene.