I Will always be rubbish.

Graelwyn said:
I did an A Level and got a B without much effort on the technical side, that is the problem... I always avoided reading up the technical stuff like the plague. I know composition, but until recently, I never researched aperture, shutter, iso, exposure bracketing, white balance in terms of how they work together etc etc, and so I am trying to get it all in my head at once, so that I choose the right combination is not as quick as I would like. Until now, I managed to get by without, but I wanted to progress and really get involved and get better so I have been trying to shoot manual and learn by trial and error what words.

I just hate my 'work'.
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Am I allowed to swear please? :bang: Graelwyn, like you, I had film for several years, then I stopped altogether, before starting again with digital a few years ago, getting my first dslr 2 1/2 years ago....do you want to know HOW many times my 'mentor' back then shouted RTMF at me? I think it was 3, before I did. Like you also, I can be a bit blokeish, thinking I can do it without the aid of manuals, books, etc, but you know what, HERE at TP is the best user guide and technical help you will ever need. THin, how many questions did you post before buying that camera, and every single one of them got a raft of helpful friendly answers.

Start easy, let the camera do the bulk of the work whilst YOU actually SEE the pictures and start getting shots you like, only then can you progress to having more input. Carry on in this negeative frame of mind and that canon really will have been the waste of time and money most of us Nikon users think they are [JOKE :p ]

Two years of owning two cameras before I had the confidence, in fact, ability and knowledge of the technical side before I could shoot all the time in manual and like nearly everyone else, these days, if using shutter priority or aperture priority makes more sense in certain situations, I have no qualms about using them. So will every tog round here that makes money from his/her work.


Now get off your ass, stop moaning and get shooting, your shots are as good and as valid as anyone elses and the ONLY thing you lack is practice and patience. BTW, I read an article last year that reckoned even pros, in the world of digital, have a hit rate of only 10%, ie, only 1 in 10 of every photo they take is up to their own exacting standards.... apply that theory to us mere mortals and 1 in 30 is good going ;)
 
Hi Graelwyn, if you want to see rubbish, look at my gallery. Many times I wonder if I even should be allowed to be on this forum, but then I think that I joined to learn, and have fun like someone else mentioned. And sometime I even think one of my shots is decent, only to be brought down to earth BIG time by some very valid comment someone makes. :( .... :LOL:

But then I am a slow learner!:LOL: And a sucker for punishment!

You on the other hand have taken some really nice pics and should definitely keep going at it! And enjoy it. Don't give up, it just isn't worth it!

Oh, and BTW, good luck helping your friend! :)
 
LadyLens said:
..............Now get off your ass, stop moaning and get shooting, your shots are as good and as valid as anyone elses and the ONLY thing you lack is practice and patience...............
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Perfectly said and very good advice (y)
 
Hey,

Same here, I'm a complete newbie and to be honest, get intimidated by many photo's on this forum because they're absolutely brilliant and patience isn't my strenght however I think I'm just going to be chipping away at it, besides your photo's in the galleries seem pretty good, and if you need help with any technical aspects, althought I know thiers alot of pro's on here, I'm a pretty dab hand at physics so just drop me a pm!!

oh and Keep Shooooting - Maybe start a 365? :thinking:
 
hi graelwyn, is the studio set up now?
 
Just had a scan at your shots babe and while 'Yes', most could be improved, I can honestly say your problem is your attitude rather than your photographic ability; have you considered that you may actually be suffering clinical Depression?

Most here would bite that chap's hand off for free reign in a studio - then get someone to show them a few basic 'How to's' quickly to start the ball rolling

You don't have to be a Lord Lichfield to take great saleable shots

If you were closer, I'd say pay me £300 for a full day and if at the end of that you couldn't run off excited and just get on with it - I'd give you your money back!

If it's not a medical problem - then it's a mental one you need to address - buy a 'Positive Mental Attitude' book as well as the photo ones

Good luck

DD
 
It sounds like your arty and composition ideas are fine, but when your shots get let down by your lack of technical ability you get annoyed.

The "eye" for photography is something which cant really be learned and you already have that.

You cannot be expected to suddenly "know" all the technical stuff by magic. You HAVE to learn it.... we have all been there, it doesnt just happen.

It may seem like hard work, sometimes it is. It can take ages before it suddenly all fits together and you think "Ah, I see!" :)

I can see you are impatient but we have all had to go through this stage, so ge learning and once it all falls into place you will be happier with your pictures and happier in general. (y)
 
DiddyDave said:
Just had a scan at your shots babe and while 'Yes', most could be improved, I can honestly say your problem is your attitude rather than your photographic ability; have you considered that you may actually be suffering clinical Depression?

Most here would bite that chap's hand off for free reign in a studio - then get someone to show them a few basic 'How to's' quickly to start the ball rolling

You don't have to be a Lord Lichfield to take great saleable shots

If you were closer, I'd say pay me £300 for a full day and if at the end of that you couldn't run off excited and just get on with it - I'd give you your money back!

If it's not a medical problem - then it's a mental one you need to address - buy a 'Positive Mental Attitude' book as well as the photo ones

Good luck

DD
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My as I hate to, I have to agree with Dave... Your shots are good (yes, they could be better, but whose couldn't really?), so IMO it's more of an attitude problem, the way you feel about your work etc, because, as this thread has proved, some very competent 'togs have commented on your work and said it's good, so not everyone can be wrong :)
 
Some valid and excellent points made so far in this thread Graelwyn.
This forum is full of very helpfull and kind people, ranging from total novices(Myself included :bonk:) to pro's.
You have an eye for photography that many of us wish for so keep going and stop doing yourself down.
Think positive and get out taking pictures, above all enjoy it, if you get shots you don't like or think are crap learn from it and move on.

Life is way too short too mope about, get out there and have fun (y)
 
dogfan said:
This man is a diamond, have read many of his posts and i dont see negativity or criticsm, i see help and encouragement. If i could vote for forumite of the month he would get it.
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Prize Please :banana: :D

Seriously though, I have often "met" people online with a massively negative outlook, and it upsets me to know that they can't see what the talent they clearly have. I do chat with someone else here quite a lot, and he too has a massive confidence problem, and he too is newish to this, and is already taking nice shots (and improving all the time!).

Every single one of us novice users will feel they are not good enough, what is key though, is you turn that thought into the driving force behind improving.

Reminds me of when I was younger, I was quite a shy kid who got bullied a fair bit. I had to do football at school as part of P.E, and I was forced to join the primary school team. I was absolutely pathetic, and I could not kick the ball. The one time the ball landed at my feet, I ran away as I was terrified that the other chap running at me was about to hurt me. Fast Forward 15 years, all my mates playing football every weekend, enjoying the social side of it as well as the physical. I now have a 100% hatred of the sport, both on TV and playing. This all stemmed from me thinking I was so crap that there was no point in trying.

You have a good eye, you have been told that. Your portraits which I think triggered this simply had a little too much shutter speed. 1 tiny little button switch, and you would have nailed it. Next time, you will :)

Gary.
 
Janice said:
The "eye" for photography is something which cant really be learned and you already have that.
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Oh blimey - how true is that. I'm a technical person so struggle with the arty side.

I've also had my 40D for 9 months now and still find the need to go back to the manual to remind me of some of the lesser used functions. Last week I got my flashgun stuck in manual zoom and couldn't remember how to get it back :D

But just keep trying and playing. There's plenty of good advice on here and this has really improved my photography. Also if you keep taking there's always the chance to fluke a great photo (see last months photo comp :D ).
 
If we are going to have a competition on who takes the worst shots, I'll have you beat hands down.

EVERYONE takes bad shoots, anyone who says they don't is a liar. Now for me it's not how good the shots are, but did I enjoy myself taking them. Yes I'd like to have that killer photo that will sell for thousands but that' s not really the point.

As others have said there is loads of good advice on here, just take your time and don't get too negative.
 
Hey Graelwyn, I am the same as you but I look at some of the photos i took a year ago when I first got my camera and some I took more recently and can see a world of difference, its only small but I can see that I am thinking more about my photos even though I didnt realise.

I have a goal to get published by the end of the year, I am no where near as good as some people on here but I am to get at least 2 decent pictures by the end of the year and I think thats an achievable target.

I do set out with massive expectations and think that my camera is going to work some magic to make what I am pointing the lens at come alive, and its at these times when I forget to take my time that my photos turn out fairly poor.

Keep at it, whats the worst that could happen?
 
Nicest people on the Net!
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:agree:

We all make mistakes, said the hedgehog to the hairbrush...

Don't focus on your mistakes, focus on your successes! Don't try and learn everything at once either. Pick ONE thing, and stick with it till you're happy.

Over the next couple of days, pick a different setting each day:

1: Aperture Priority (OR Pick your DOF Mode)

2: Shutter Priority (OR Freeze-frame / motion blur Mode)


Don't go out looking for a perfect shot, but rather see the effect the settings have on your pics.

Hell, we ALL shoot some real rubbish (even EdinburghGary;)) That's what the "delete" key was invented for!!
 
Jesus, you may as well give up with that sort of attitude :(

EVERYONE has feelings like that sometimes, it would seem yours are lasting longer than the norm :p Stop bloody well moaning and get out there! You'll have rubbish days, we ALL do, but taking just one good pic suddenly perks you right up :D

You wont get any sympathy from me, now hop to soldier :D:D
 
If it wasnt for this forum, and there friendly advice I would of given up by myself!! But i havent, Your photos arent crap!! trust me!!
 
Thankyou for the support and advice people and apologies for having been such a wet weekend... I do sometimes fall into that sort of thinking, and yes,to those who suggested the problem being 'mental' (a word I totally hate) I suffer a form of depression, namely bipolar, alongside Aspergers sydrome (So I hope there is no one living in the dark ages and considering this sort of thing a massive stigma) so my moods can at times be sensitive.

Anyway, I shall persevere and hope to God that all the info sinks into my brain one day. I don't think I could part with my camera as I have rather fallen in love with the feel of it in my hands.
 
Graelwyn said:
Thankyou for the support and advice people and apologies for having been such a wet weekend... I do sometimes fall into that sort of thinking, and yes,to those who suggested the problem being 'mental' (a word I totally hate) I suffer a form of depression, namely bipolar, alongside Aspergers sydrome (So I hope there is no one living in the dark ages and considering this sort of thing a massive stigma) so my moods can at times be sensitive.

Anyway, I shall persevere and hope to God that all the info sinks into my brain one day. I don't think I could part with my camera as I have rather fallen in love with the feel of it in my hands.
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:clap: on a very brave post. My brother in law has Aspergers Syndrom, and I absolutely salute you on coming here and posting your images. You are definately brave, and I think now that you have shared this, people might have a little bit more understanding with regards to your negative outlook. Unfortunately, my brother in law (21) is finding it very difficult at the moment, and is having dangerous and wild mood swings. Perhaps I can PM you for some advice? He really is in a very bad way :(.

Well done!

Gary.
 
Grae

When you a feeling down try and take a bright photo, An animal in the garden, A scene with the sun in it etc etc.

Many people have a form of depression for a wide range of reasons, there are no stigmas attached to that. Let people think what they want. There but for the grace of god go those that think any different.

(And i am an atheist)
 
EdinburghGary said:
:clap: on a very brave post. My brother in law has Aspergers Syndrom, and I absolutely salute you on coming here and posting your images. You are definately brave, and I think now that you have shared this, people might have a little bit more understanding with regards to your negative outlook. Unfortunately, my brother in law (21) is finding it very difficult at the moment, and is having dangerous and wild mood swings. Perhaps I can PM you for some advice? He really is in a very bad way :(.

Well done!

Gary.
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Free to pm me, I am ok at advising others... just not so good at applying any advice to my own self. Lol.
 
EdinburghGary said:
Ehh??? Hang on :D I have never claimed to shoot anything BUT rubbish! :bat: :)

Gary.
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Did you have an exhibition at the photographers gallery in London last year?
There was one of photo's taken at a landfill site. Didn't think much of them to be honest. :D
 
Graelwyn said:
Thankyou for the support and advice people and apologies for having been such a wet weekend... I do sometimes fall into that sort of thinking, and yes,to those who suggested the problem being 'mental' (a word I totally hate) I suffer a form of depression, namely bipolar, alongside Aspergers sydrome (So I hope there is no one living in the dark ages and considering this sort of thing a massive stigma) so my moods can at times be sensitive.

Anyway, I shall persevere and hope to God that all the info sinks into my brain one day. I don't think I could part with my camera as I have rather fallen in love with the feel of it in my hands.
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I wasn't sure whether to post about Aspergers/bipolar as I thought your posts sometimes seemed to be from 2 different people and seemed similar to someone I know that suffers from both conditions.

Stick with the photography and your camera will start to reflect what the eye is seeing.

Have you read "Understanding Exposure"? A great read and really easy to understand.

http://www.sprintbooks.co.uk/scripts/browse.asp?ref=820711&source=K84


Congrats for being so honest:clap:
 
Whether you're rubbish or not (I haven't looked at any of your pictures), this is no good:

"I Will always be rubbish."

Especially the full-stop. It just implies you think you're rubbish, and you have accepted this. When I look back at my earlier work, I'm shocked at how sketchy it was. Now and then I stumble across directories on my PC of images I had selected for galleries, even as recently as 12 months ago, and now I think 'But they were crap!'.

The fact is, whether you really are rubbish or not, you have the ability to improve your results. As has been said above (I've only skimmed over it), mental attitude is very important. About a year ago I was photographing some places, and I wasn't 'feeling it'. I was worried about the dangers of the places I was in, I had realised that I was only in those particular locations to collect content for a website that didn't generate me any revenue, and so my motivations were wrong. My pictures came out poor. They were badly composed, blurry, often with blown highlights. Just no good.

My solution was to leave the camera alone, until I decided it would be useful to me. True, that's a bit drastic, but later when I found a really inspiring subject to photograph, I had a positive attitude towards the project and it showed in the images. I think perhaps if you pressurise yourself now after all this thought on the matter, it'll make things hard.

I suppose the really important thing to remember, is that you don't have to accept anything. And that's not limited to photography. It includes fears of all sorts. Me, I haven't flown in an airliner without valium since god know's when, but for tomorrow I've decided I don't need it anymore. My reward is two days with my camera in a city I've been waiting to see in ages.

So, decide today that you are not always going to be rubbish. It works.
 
I've only just joined up today & was interested to read your post.....

It seems to me that you may have too much technical stuff rattling around your head right now, you've been trying to get better by absorbing all this material but in so doing probably just getting a little confused once you actually pick up the camera. I reckon you should take it step by step, set yourself targets to get your head around. Next time you go out with the camera, try just shooting in say aperture priority, plan the shots, don't take too many, maybe even make notes as you take them and then try to critique them slowly once they are up on the computer. That way, you can master one function at a time and then move one once you're happy with the results.... just an idea!
As for the studio, like everyone says... seems like too good a gig to miss out on really

(I'm off to take a dose of my own medicine!!!)

Good luck :)
 
Graelwyn said:
I don't think I could part with my camera as I have rather fallen in love with the feel of it in my hands.
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There you go:) Positive aspects of photography!!

I can sit there all evening caressing my D300, and muttering quietly to myself...:bonk:

Have you thought about doing a 365?
 
If you think your pictures are crap, good, at least you have developed a critical faculty, and recognize it because so many people never ask themselves the question, you can improve you've just taken the first step.
 
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