Anyone else?

S

sheddy

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483
Name
Richard
Edit My Images
Yes
I see the quality of the photo's posted on here and then I consider my own work .... it just isn't up to scratch. I don't have much time to go out and enjoy, consider and take the picture being someone who is short of time .... I run my own business and have two young lads who I owe it to to spend time with.

Are there many others on here who are worried about postig up their work for C+C due to the scathing assessments given by some?
 
Sheddy, it sounds as though you have fallen into the trap.

Correct me if I am wrong but, The Trap is when you think that because you can fire off loads of digital pictures, every one should be perfect and make you go "wow". You think you should come back with hordes of wonderful pictures, but instead you come back a load of OK ones.

Back in the days of film, people were very much more conservative about their shooting rates. The cost of each frame, especially when shooting medium format or larger, was such that you had to CONSIDER each shot before you tripped the shutter. With the coming of digital and "free" pictures (no film cost) many of those same photographers suddenly lost their heads and started shooting dozens of rubbish pictures - it was purely the digital, machine gun approach taking hold.

Have faith. Slow down. Go back to the old way and CONSIDER your shot before taking it. Then when you do take it, it will be much better. It doesn't matter what subject itis either, the same holds true.

The other thing that creeps in with digital is the "it doesn't matter if Nicole has a telegraph pole sticking out of her ear, because I can fix it later in photoshop" attitude. WHY TAKE THE SHOT IN THE FIRST PLACE? Move one step sideways, or get Nicole ot move one step sideways - and remove the need to spend 3 hours changing the telegraph pole pixel by pixel. Easy.

Get into the way of thinking that success is judged not by HOW MANY pictures you come home with, but the QUALITY of just one.

You have said it yourself - you come home with a camera full of pictures you are not happy with. Imagine how you would feel if you came home with ONE that you were over the moon with - far happier, feeling far more successful. That is the mindset you have to adopt - don't go out in search of a hatful of good pictures. Go out to ge ONE, and then you wil be much more successful and much more pleased with the results.

My take on it anyway.
 
sheddy said:
I see the quality of the photo's posted on here and then I consider my own work .... it just isn't up to scratch.
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Yes and I decided that as I was never really going to make the grade, I got rid of my kit and then went and got a cheap bridge. I found that I started enjoying what I was doing again - and realised a couple of grand back into the bank.

I understand that mine is an extreme approach and I am considering buying a cheap low end DSLR because the bridge does not have the quality that even my skill warrants. At least I *know* what I can do now...

Chris
 
I will bet significants amounts of money that bar a few notable exceptions, almost everyone on here has baulked at one time or another from posting pictures because they don't feel they match the level attained by others. Everyone can feel mojo-less due to lack of time and pressures from all quarters, but lensflare has a good point about using what little time you do get effectively and slowing down a bit, taking time to get the shot you want, rather than 20 you don't.
...and for goodness sake, don't feel afraid to post them, ignore 'scathing' comments and make the most of advice given in more constructive and positive comments to improve next time. Scathing comments are not worth your worry ;)
 
I agree with Yvonne, but I'd also add to it - the vast majority of comments I see on here are really helpful and friendly. There are times I see scathing comments, but they are few and far between and generally not worth the paper they're written on. I guess like anything on the internet its easy to know what to listen to, and what to ignore

Hugh
 
sheddy said:
I see the quality of the photo's posted on here and then I consider my own work .... it just isn't up to scratch. I don't have much time to go out and enjoy, consider and take the picture being someone who is short of time
Are there many others on here who are worried about postig up their work for C+C due to the scathing assessments given by some?
Click to expand...


My pictures are not the worlds best, but I often post a couple up just to see what I can learn from the comments of others. Maybe I have been fortunate but in the main the comments have been helpful and constructive rather than ‘scathing’.

Can I suggest you give the membership a try, post up a couple and if you dislike the response then OK, but you never know you might find it helpful which will save you time in learning ‘how to’ take a good picture?:)

HTH
Cyb
 
My pictures are nowhere near as good as others on here. In fact, not even the same sport, let alone the same league.

However, it's not a competition. To give up doing something I love doing simply because I'm not as good as others is a ludicrous thought. My hobby is about me, not other hobbyists.

The only person's pictures I compare my own to, are my own. I am continually striving to be better, but only for personal improvement.

For me, the standard of other people's work is totally irrelevant to mine. The only time other people's photographs become relevant to me, is when I'm appreciating them.
 
I understand where you are coming from Richard because I used to feel the same, but if you can't spend the time that some of the members do in setting up and post processing then you will never achieve the same results. The idea is to get the the best results you can with the time you have available. I certainly find PP very time consuming so I have changed some of my camera settings to compensate. I found I was always sharpening my pictures and increasing contrast levels so these settings have now been increased in my camera with some good results and less PP. I have also stopped using my lenses at the widest aperture unless absolutely neccessary and this has improved the quality of the pictures.

I dont see any point in changing to a bridge camera. I have a bridge camera and the results are never as good as the DSLR, the slower auto focus and shutter lag can be very annoying. Your camera is better than a bridge.

It may be a case of just going back to basics and using auto settings for general photos and then playing with the settings using the dial on P with a bit of bracketing if you are worried about exposure. Even on auto settings you have more chance of getting a better shot than you would with a point and shoot or bridge.

So my advice would be to go back to basics using the preset modes and then start moving on again using P and tweaking some of the in camera settings until you find you have more time on your hands.

Good luck!
 
sheddy said:
due to the scathing assessments given by some?
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I rarely see any scathing comments. TBH, I think people are a bit fluffy sometimes and should be more brutal if we're to learn and progress.
 
sheddy said:
I see the quality of the photo's posted on here and then I consider my own work .... it just isn't up to scratch. I don't have much time to go out and enjoy, consider and take the picture being someone who is short of time .... I run my own business and have two young lads who I owe it to to spend time with.

Are there many others on here who are worried about postig up their work for C+C due to the scathing assessments given by some?
Click to expand...

I've started this club.... You're most welcome to join. I'm expecting a very high membership.

Application form and direct debit mandate are in the post.
 
68lbs said:
I rarely see any scathing comments. TBH, I think people are a bit fluffy sometimes and should be more brutal if we're to learn and progress.
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Agreed. If anything, I've noticed people being over generous with their praise for pictures that maybe don't deserve such accolades for fear of causing offence.

Either that, or my appreciatation is crap. Which to be fair, is quite a high possibility.
 
sheddy said:
I see the quality of the photo's posted on here and then I consider my own work .... it just isn't up to scratch. I don't have much time to go out and enjoy, consider and take the picture being someone who is short of time .... I run my own business and have two young lads who I owe it to to spend time with.

Are there many others on here who are worried about postig up their work for C+C due to the scathing assessments given by some?
Click to expand...

I think it's important to share your work and get honest feedback. Otherwise it is difficult to really know if you are moving in the right direction or not. Some people won't care to improve, what I mean is, as long as THEY are happy with their shot, than that's all that matters. Others will want their work to please everyone who views it, and this is a much harder thing to achieve.

I think it's important when posting work to have a somewhat thick skin, it's quite easy to take negative crit personally. Just ask yourself a few qestions though, and whilst you may be in a different situation, it works for me. I just remind myself all the time that I picked up my first camera less than 2 years ago, and therefore can't *expect* to nail every shot and know what the hell I am doing. This helps put the negative crit firmly in context.

Gary.
 
Lensflare said:
Sheddy, it sounds as though you have fallen into the trap.

Correct me if I am wrong but, The Trap is when you think that because you can fire off loads of digital pictures, every one should be perfect and make you go "wow". You think you should come back with hordes of wonderful pictures, but instead you come back a load of OK ones.

Back in the days of film, people were very much more conservative about their shooting rates. The cost of each frame, especially when shooting medium format or larger, was such that you had to CONSIDER each shot before you tripped the shutter. With the coming of digital and "free" pictures (no film cost) many of those same photographers suddenly lost their heads and started shooting dozens of rubbish pictures - it was purely the digital, machine gun approach taking hold.

Have faith. Slow down. Go back to the old way and CONSIDER your shot before taking it. Then when you do take it, it will be much better. It doesn't matter what subject itis either, the same holds true.

The other thing that creeps in with digital is the "it doesn't matter if Nicole has a telegraph pole sticking out of her ear, because I can fix it later in photoshop" attitude. WHY TAKE THE SHOT IN THE FIRST PLACE? Move one step sideways, or get Nicole ot move one step sideways - and remove the need to spend 3 hours changing the telegraph pole pixel by pixel. Easy.

Get into the way of thinking that success is judged not by HOW MANY pictures you come home with, but the QUALITY of just one.

You have said it yourself - you come home with a camera full of pictures you are not happy with. Imagine how you would feel if you came home with ONE that you were over the moon with - far happier, feeling far more successful. That is the mindset you have to adopt - don't go out in search of a hatful of good pictures. Go out to ge ONE, and then you wil be much more successful and much more pleased with the results.

My take on it anyway.
Click to expand...

Well said, and absolutely vital advice.
 
I somehow feel sorry for those who produce perfect results. What do they have to strive towards? I love getting out there and trying. Occasionally I'll get a shot I really like but it's not about the results for me, it's the act of getting out there and seeing the shots, regardless of how I mess them up with the camera.
 
And I'd agree with it too. I still shoot film and that's one good reason why I do it.

If you are coming home with a camera full of pics you are not happy with then a little analysis might be required. I'd like to think we could all help with that too without being scathing. And if you put in your post that this is the help you want then that might point us in the right direction with the comments.

But what makes you think they are no good? Is it the composition? Is it the depth of field you are using? Focal length? Just the subject matter? Exposure problems?

I think I've suffered from just about all of these at some point!

I sometimes find that when it comes to my own personal pics that by the time I have the freedom to go and shoot something the timing is all wrong too, wrong time of day, wrong light, wrong weather. So I go and read a book instead! Are you trying to make good pics out of a bad subject because that's all the time you have?

If it is, I know how that feels! Take your time, make some time if you have to, schedule a little "you" time in there even if you have to get up early or go out when the kids are in bed. I've shot Salford Quays at 5am just to get time to do it.

Pick your subject, give yourself time and take your time. :)
 
Lensflare said:
Sheddy, it sounds as though you have fallen into the trap.

Correct me if I am wrong but, The Trap is when you think that because you can fire off loads of digital pictures, every one should be perfect and make you go "wow". You think you should come back with hordes of wonderful pictures, but instead you come back a load of OK ones.

Back in the days of film, people were very much more conservative about their shooting rates. The cost of each frame, especially when shooting medium format or larger, was such that you had to CONSIDER each shot before you tripped the shutter. With the coming of digital and "free" pictures (no film cost) many of those same photographers suddenly lost their heads and started shooting dozens of rubbish pictures - it was purely the digital, machine gun approach taking hold.

Have faith. Slow down. Go back to the old way and CONSIDER your shot before taking it. Then when you do take it, it will be much better. It doesn't matter what subject itis either, the same holds true.

The other thing that creeps in with digital is the "it doesn't matter if Nicole has a telegraph pole sticking out of her ear, because I can fix it later in photoshop" attitude. WHY TAKE THE SHOT IN THE FIRST PLACE? Move one step sideways, or get Nicole ot move one step sideways - and remove the need to spend 3 hours changing the telegraph pole pixel by pixel. Easy.

Get into the way of thinking that success is judged not by HOW MANY pictures you come home with, but the QUALITY of just one.

You have said it yourself - you come home with a camera full of pictures you are not happy with. Imagine how you would feel if you came home with ONE that you were over the moon with - far happier, feeling far more successful. That is the mindset you have to adopt - don't go out in search of a hatful of good pictures. Go out to ge ONE, and then you wil be much more successful and much more pleased with the results.

My take on it anyway.
Click to expand...

excellent post :clap: fully agree
 
I'm a confirmed newbie, but have always learnt quickly in whatever I've done. The only way to do that with anything is to humbly offer up your results and hope those more knowledgeable will offer constructive advice on how to improve.

Personally, I'd rather have scathing criticism than no comments at all. I've posted a few pictures that I quite liked, but had no takers offering anything. Does this mean they're good, bad or in between? God knows! I certainly don't! Put on a thick skin and post away then listen, learn and apply what people say...especially if you like their work.
 
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