Beginner Imposter Syndrome in Beginners

[Phil V]

Photography is a weird overlap of the technical and the artistic.

I like to think of it like this.

We all know that to photograph is to paint with light, however, I like to think that this sentence is both a scientific fact - reflected light is literally captured in the image, but also that it's an artistic endeavour, the photographer selects or creates the light that is reflected and then captured to create an image to express their vision.

 

[Adam-G]

I like to think of it like this.

We all know that to photograph is to paint with light, however, I like to think that this sentence is both a scientific fact - reflected light is literally captured in the image, but also that it's an artistic endeavour, the photographer selects or creates the light that is reflected and then captured to create an image to express their vision.

Eloquently put.

I think because technical process comes quickly to me I make an unfair assumption that other aspects of learning something new will come as easily.

I need to teach myself that it's fine if it doesn't and to not beat myself up.

 

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Eloquently put.

I think because technical process comes quickly to me I make an unfair assumption that other aspects of learning something new will come as easily.

I need to teach myself that it's fine if it doesn't and to not beat myself up.

 

As I said in my previous post, the technical bit is the easy bit.
It is the seeing and creating the image that is the difficult bit.

However you can not create your vision with out a comprehensive tool kit of knowledge and technical skills.

 

[GeeJay57]

Eloquently put.

I think because technical process comes quickly to me I make an unfair assumption that other aspects of learning something new will come as easily.

I need to teach myself that it's fine if it doesn't and to not beat myself up.

 

There are loads of ‘rules’, but in the end (IMHO and FWIW), they mainly just formalise the way to construct an image that most people will find pleasing in some way or other. We are strange beasts and often images just ‘work’ even when they are technically flawed, whilst others might be technically great, but they don’t for whatever reason ‘work’.

When you see a photograph or indeed any image that you like, try to think what it is about that image that makes you like it. Then file that thought away for future use when creating your own work.

 

[mushy]

To the OP, I'm someone who generally likes structure in my life. I like clear processes and organisation. I'm good in activities that can clearly be measured with a clear way of improving (running, cycling) by applying clear training techniques where all that is required is effort and discipline

I have (re) taken up photography precisely because I want to explore my own creativity. And I want to think about beauty and imagination. I know there are some rules in photography but I sense there is something less formulaic in it. More about exploring ones soul

I know for an absolute fact that this isn't where I'll ever excel. In fact creativity is my huge weakness. For me, it's just about exploring what I find beautiful and why, or funny and why. My execution of the photo will hopefully improve but that's less important than the inner reflections I have while gazing on a scene.

It's not the endpoint, it's the journ...(can't complete final word as it'll trigger Nev)

 

[TheBigYin]

Horses for courses again! I am not a horse.




I am a stallion

 

[Adam-G]

To the OP, I'm someone who generally likes structure in my life. I like clear processes and organisation. I'm good in activities that can clearly be measured with a clear way of improving (running, cycling) by applying clear training techniques where all that is required is effort and discipline

I have (re) taken up photography precisely because I want to explore my own creativity. And I want to think about beauty and imagination. I know there are some rules in photography but I sense there is something less formulaic in it. More about exploring ones soul

I know for an absolute fact that this isn't where I'll ever excel. In fact creativity is my huge weakness. For me, it's just about exploring what I find beautiful and why, or funny and why. My execution of the photo will hopefully improve but that's less important than the inner reflections I have while gazing on a scene.

It's not the endpoint, it's the journ...(can't complete final word as it'll trigger Nev)

I was tempted to start singing "Don't Stop Believing" to send him into a meltdown.

 

[TheBigYin]

I think because technical process comes quickly to me I make an unfair assumption that other aspects of learning something new will come as easily.

I need to teach myself that it's fine if it doesn't and to not beat myself up.

I'm very much the same in my psychological makeup to how you describe yourself. As someone who's probably only about 3 boxes from death on the graph from the first page, one thing I realised quite quickly - call it 3-4 years in, but that was in the film era, with a much slower feedback loop and slower learning due to it being so expensive to just "experiment" - was that its great to be a quick learner on the hardware side, because it means you can get the technical side and it becomes second nature - so you can forget about the technical aspects and let them go on autopilot, while you put the bulk of your intellect and creativity into "realising the vision" of what you want to see / what you'd like to say with the image.

 

[Adam-G]

I'm very much the same in my psychological makeup to how you describe yourself. As someone who's probably only about 3 boxes from death on the graph from the first page, one thing I realised quite quickly - call it 3-4 years in, but that was in the film era, with a much slower feedback loop and slower learning due to it being so expensive to just "experiment" - was that its great to be a quick learner on the hardware side, because it means you can get the technical side and it becomes second nature - so you can forget about the technical aspects and let them go on autopilot, while you put the bulk of your intellect and creativity into "realising the vision" of what you want to see / what you'd like to say with the image.

I've definitely felt a lot better since reading a lot of the responses in the thread so I'm super grateful for all the input.

I decided to sit myself down and look at the photographs I've took in the last year and there's a lot of shots I'd say were subjectively "quite good" across multiple styles and genres so I'm definitely improving. It's just the rate of that improvement has slowed and that's perfectly fine.

I'm now focusing on spending more time shooting the things I love to shoot like gigs and musicians, pet photography, insects and spiders etc and that's really reduced my negative thinking around my ability. I can't remember whose comment it was earlier in the thread, but it forced me to ask myself the question "Would I still be doing this if I was objectively dreadful?" and I would. I enjoy getting out and about with the camera so much it's been a massive positive.

I've been doing this for just over 2 years, not 10+. I need to start judging myself fairly.

Here's a few favourites from the past few months.

 

[woof woof]

I've been taking photographs for 50 years now. I like taking pictures of people and places which will trigger a memory and I like the process. For me it has to be a combination of things and aspects. I have to enjoy the process of capturing and producing a picture and I have to be pretty happy with the final picture. If a link in this chain of experience and enjoyment breaks it can threaten the whole thing.

Your pictures are great Adam. Keep at it

 

[mushy]

To me, they seem like really very good photos indeed. If I can produce anything close to that in 2-4 years, I'd be delighted

 

[Adam-G]

I've been taking photographs for 50 years now. I like taking pictures of people and places which will trigger a memory and I like the process. For me it has to be a combination of things and aspects. I have to enjoy the process of capturing and producing a picture and I have to be pretty happy with the final picture. If a link in this chain of experience and enjoyment breaks it can threaten the whole thing.

Your pictures are great Adam. Keep at it

50 years! Wow. I used to walk around with a tiny instant film camera as a child but I lost interest in my teens. I was fascinated by digital photography but this was a time when it was prohibitively expensive to get into for most. Thank you so much for the kind words too!

To me, they seem like really very good photos indeed. If I can produce anything close to that in 2-4 years, I'd be delighted

Thank you! I've got a lot of tips by osmosis in reading posts and looking at shots from the smart people on this forum so it's a good place to be!

 

[mushy]

Not sure if it helps inspire you to get out but I've done a google sheet of the various weekly and monthly challenges I'm aware of

Photography challenges

Photography challenges Photography challenges Due date (time listed under challenge as well as whether GMT, UTC etc),Challenges <a href="https://www.flickr.com/groups/macromonday/discuss/">MACRO MONDAYS | Flickr</a>,<a href="https://www.flickr.com/groups/crazy_tuesday/discuss/">Crazy Tuesday | F...

docs.google.com