Can I ask?

Ste Manns

Ste Manns

Messages
1,348
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi guys,

It's not often I post any pics, but on the couple of occasions I have, well I haven't had much response. This isn't a moan or complaint or anything, but to be honest I am very critical of my own stuff, I genuinly don't know if I'm any good or not, as the case may be. I appreciate all comments from everyone. Is it just a case of people haven't noticed my posted shots or is it that they're terrible and people are too polite to tell me? :D I promise I won't :dummy:

I want to eventually make a living from my photography, but that won't ever happen until I have passed the first hurdle - which is to be confident in my work, which is where you guys come in! As I'm not shooting a lot at the moment due to other matters I don't have a lot of stuff to put up, but I hope to improve this soon.

Ste
 
I haven't read the bump thread before - thought it was something to do with the classifieds! Silly boy...

Alright, tis a bit early for this one but I'm at work, don't have time to look for the older threads. Here is the latest one I posted:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=186733

I've had one comment which I appreciate, I'm aware of the PP boob in the left bottom corner. Before it vanishes to page 3 and is forgotten forever, can people comment please? I'm not normally the "needy" type :D

People who have seen my stuff (not just well meaning friends and family) say they like it, but I don't get a lot of responses on here hence my question. I'm not trying to pass this off as the greatest, to be honest it was just a quick test of my new lens but the result I feel is quite good :shrug: or is it??

In future I will try to use the bump thread more...:thumbs:
 
I think aside from purely technical errors - out of focus, back-focussed, badly exposed, glaringly horrible composition, over-the top, non-existent or inappropriate post-production, then you're only going to get vague comments along the lines of: "mmm...nice" or "mmm... not my cup of tea..."...

It's a subjective medium - the current general consensus dictates what's fashionable, but little else.

Peer-Group approval is all well and good, but how many Great Masters earned a decent crust in their lifetimes? Most were jobbing-painters and managed to put bread on the table, but did so by commissioned work - pandering to the popular styles of the age...
We look at those images now and hail them as masterpieces, but at the time they were just catalogue poses for the most part...

Looking at some of your work it looks good, technically speaking. You have a good grasp of lighting and composition. You know how to pose a sitter - you have an eye for a good image and have captured the expressions of those sitters to their advantage...
It might not be high art, but it'll sell - and that's good enough...

What more can you ask for?
 
Arkady, having started to read your reply, I nearly suffered a heart attack, until I read it all....I thought you were telling me to put my camera gear on ebay...:eek:

I hear what you are saying, and coming from you it means a lot to me. I don't know what I am "expecting" responses to my pics will be - it's this darn confidence thing, or lack of it. When you're genuinly uncertain of your own work it's hard. I tend to like my own stuff but I have no idea what other people think of it, apart from "well meaning friends/family" - I wonder, how do all you professionals become confident in your own stuff? What if nobody ever tells you its good, how do you know?

Because this is more than a hobby to me, I need that confidence before I can justify charging people. I need to learn a few more things (PP being one biggy) before I do, and I'm aware of it.

Going into the new year I want to push my photography some more. I have a million ideas to work on. I want to become more proficient at getting the "bread and butter" stuff right everytime (a bit hit and miss at the moment but I'm working on it) and I want to produce more images that have a greater meaning - what most pro photographers call their "personal work" I think. You know, the arty stuff.
 
I think you would benefit from the criticism and help from a camera club - they do this stuff all the time.

All clubs are affiliated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain, find yours here http://www.pagb-photography-uk.co.uk/
 
the sharper the better...
 
Ste Manns said:
I wonder, how do all you professionals become confident in your own stuff? What if nobody ever tells you its good, how do you know?
Click to expand...

This may sound arrogant or narrow-minded, but it's my honest opinion.

When I look at other photographers' work it falls into two categories:

1) "Wow, I wish I'd taken that!"
2) "Pfft...I could do better than that!"

Regardless of subject matter.

I compare my own work to others out there who are getting work published and I can honestly say that in my own field, my work will stand with the best of them, given the same situations and access to the 'event' in question.

Oh and it's taken 30 years of trying...

In News Photography, if it's good enough to get printed, then it's good enough...simple.
On to the next job...

That's not to say i don't strive to find the next award-winning image every time i go out, because I do...but sometimes a crap job is a crap job and you get what you can and walk away quickly...
 
I don't feel thats arrogant at all - I've seen pro images I know I can do better, even at my current level of ability. I guess what I am trying to say is, this day and age there are a lot of people out there doing photography - some are great, some not so great. I don't want to be one of those people producing rubbish and charging people for the privilege. But it's hard knowing when I've reached that level without input from others who know about this stuff. I respect the opinions of people on here - I know there will always be the "nice shot" or "sorry doesn't work for me" comments, but I see posts on here with great input from others, lots of help and a great deal of amazing shots that people obviously adore. The shots I've posted so far aren't "great images" but I wasn't after that sort of critique at all, I'm trying to gauge whether what I post is how I am seeing it but with little or no feedback it's impossible! Even the "nice shot" comment is useful if there are lots of people saying it. I honestly was beginning to wonder about whether I can take a good picture or not, I thought it can't always be because of the inherant problems with forums. Someone must have seen them, I thought, so the lack of comments was causing a dent in my already low self confidence.
 
Ste Manns said:
I don't feel thats arrogant at all - I've seen pro images I know I can do better, even at my current level of ability. I guess what I am trying to say is, this day and age there are a lot of people out there doing photography - some are great, some not so great. I don't want to be one of those people producing rubbish and charging people for the privilege. But it's hard knowing when I've reached that level without input from others who know about this stuff. I respect the opinions of people on here - I know there will always be the "nice shot" or "sorry doesn't work for me" comments, but I see posts on here with great input from others, lots of help and a great deal of amazing shots that people obviously adore. The shots I've posted so far aren't "great images" but I wasn't after that sort of critique at all, I'm trying to gauge whether what I post is how I am seeing it but with little or no feedback it's impossible! Even the "nice shot" comment is useful if there are lots of people saying it. I honestly was beginning to wonder about whether I can take a good picture or not, I thought it can't always be because of the inherant problems with forums. Someone must have seen them, I thought, so the lack of comments was causing a dent in my already low self confidence.
Click to expand...

See, your main problem is subject matter - you're trying to do artistic commercial photography...
Just take some really cheesy photos of rough-looking birds with big or saggy hooters wearing too much make-up on a grotty beach, or in a studio with some lights left set-up by the previous photographer and you'll have loads of comments...:D
 
Ste Manns said:
I don't feel thats arrogant at all - I've seen pro images I know I can do better, even at my current level of ability. I guess what I am trying to say is, this day and age there are a lot of people out there doing photography - some are great, some not so great. I don't want to be one of those people producing rubbish and charging people for the privilege. But it's hard knowing when I've reached that level without input from others who know about this stuff. I respect the opinions of people on here - I know there will always be the "nice shot" or "sorry doesn't work for me" comments, but I see posts on here with great input from others, lots of help and a great deal of amazing shots that people obviously adore. The shots I've posted so far aren't "great images" but I wasn't after that sort of critique at all, I'm trying to gauge whether what I post is how I am seeing it but with little or no feedback it's impossible! Even the "nice shot" comment is useful if there are lots of people saying it. I honestly was beginning to wonder about whether I can take a good picture or not, I thought it can't always be because of the inherant problems with forums. Someone must have seen them, I thought, so the lack of comments was causing a dent in my already low self confidence.
Click to expand...

Post a link to some of your shots. Give us a selection of half a dozen varied images.

I still think you should pop along to your local camera club. It won't cost you anything for the first night and you'll get plenty of the feedback and interaction you're after.

Edit: don't worry about charging people for rubbish. You won't do it very often, if ever, as they won't use you and they won't pay. That is the ultimate judgement on whether you're good enough or not. That is what Arkady was saying about being published.
 
Arkady said:
See, your main problem is subject matter - you're trying to do artistic commercial photography...
Just take some really cheesy photos of rough-looking birds with big or saggy hooters wearing too much make-up on a grotty beach, or in a studio with some lights left set-up by the previous photographer and you'll have loads of comments...:D
Click to expand...

Do you have to join the Forces to do that? :p

Edit: leave the lights set up please bud :lol:
 
HoppyUK said:
Post a link to some of your shots. Give us a selection of half a dozen varied images.

I still think you should pop along to your local camera club. It won't cost you anything for the first night and you'll get plenty of the feedback and interaction you're after.

Edit: don't worry about charging people for rubbish. You won't do it very often, if ever, as they won't use you and they won't pay. That is the ultimate judgement on whether you're good enough or not. That is what Arkady was saying about being published.
Click to expand...

That's the bit that worries me! I can't afford to be that person, I'm obviously not the only one but when I do "launch" I will have two precious people relying on me to bring home the bacon, so I have to be up to the standard.

I will reconsider the club route, it's not the cost it's the time commitment that's hard. I will also post some more shots soon in the appropriate sections.

Thanks guys for the input - I already feel better!

Ste
 
Ste Manns said:
That's the bit that worries me! I can't afford to be that person, I'm obviously not the only one but when I do "launch" I will have two precious people relying on me to bring home the bacon, so I have to be up to the standard.

I will reconsider the club route, it's not the cost it's the time commitment that's hard. I will also post some more shots soon in the appropriate sections.

Thanks guys for the input - I already feel better!

Ste
Click to expand...

It's two hours once a week. You've got to put the work in bud. The world will not beat a path to your door. Nobody who's any good at photography and earning a professional wage learned their craft in five minutes. Several years mostly.
 
The craft bit - well I'm not expecting to learn it in five minutes, been at it several years already, I'm just saying right now it's hard to find the time for photography full stop. This is why I'm still saying "eventually". I could jump now but I am aware of all the hard work and commitment you pro guys have done to get to where you are now, and accutely aware of the many who fail for whatever reason.

You're right of course. I don't want a shortcut into the industry, and your suggestion is helpful and I will look into it. Back to the original question - I suppose I wanted to use this forum as a precurser to people offering critique up front and in person - to soften the blow so to speak. I think I need to post more shots and see how it goes.
 
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