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For a long time I wanted to find a forum on motor sport photography but had no luck. Eventually however, I found this site. But I have to say, having spent some time looking through each thread and leaving the occasional comment, I am a little disappointed.
As far as I can see, the majority of threads consist of someone posting several sub standard, 'stock' images at best, which show a sharp image of a car on track but show little thought towards composition, foreground, background, lighting, colours, style etc ........ followed by comment after comment saying Great set!!!
Anyone can take a camera to a track (as you will all know it seems pretty much everyone does these days) and press the shutter when a car passes by! For me, it seems that for the majority of posts on here, this is all people are doing! Photography is about more than this, it's not just about pressing the shutter when a car passes. Sports photography is a thinking man's game, it isn't just a reactionary thing!
What are people trying to achieve with their photography? What is the purpose of them taking photographs? I know for most people this is just a hobby, but they are posting on a forum asking for critique so they obviously want to improve, so I think we need to stop telling people they have a great image, when really all they have is a snapshot!
If you want to improve, think about what you are trying to say with your photography. What feeling are you trying to give/represent? Think in advance of the image you are trying to create. Shoot from different angles. Shoot at lower shutter speeds, and by low I mean low!! Think about composition. Think about your surroundings and how you can use them in your image. Think about how you can take advantage of the light. Look for unusual viewpoints! Take an image that no one else is taking! Take risks! Experiment!
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying every one on this forum is doing this. There are people who are taking very good photographs and who stand out. Off the top of my head Gary Parravani and 'Rally Captures' are both very good and it is clear in their photography that they are putting more thought and thinking more creatively about the images they are taking, hence why I can remember their names..... because their photography stands out as a result.
If people want to genuinely improve, and be taken seriously for their photography, and this site being taken seriously as a photography forum, then we should follow their lead!
As far as I can see, the majority of threads consist of someone posting several sub standard, 'stock' images at best, which show a sharp image of a car on track but show little thought towards composition, foreground, background, lighting, colours, style etc ........ followed by comment after comment saying Great set!!!
Anyone can take a camera to a track (as you will all know it seems pretty much everyone does these days) and press the shutter when a car passes by! For me, it seems that for the majority of posts on here, this is all people are doing! Photography is about more than this, it's not just about pressing the shutter when a car passes. Sports photography is a thinking man's game, it isn't just a reactionary thing!
What are people trying to achieve with their photography? What is the purpose of them taking photographs? I know for most people this is just a hobby, but they are posting on a forum asking for critique so they obviously want to improve, so I think we need to stop telling people they have a great image, when really all they have is a snapshot!
If you want to improve, think about what you are trying to say with your photography. What feeling are you trying to give/represent? Think in advance of the image you are trying to create. Shoot from different angles. Shoot at lower shutter speeds, and by low I mean low!! Think about composition. Think about your surroundings and how you can use them in your image. Think about how you can take advantage of the light. Look for unusual viewpoints! Take an image that no one else is taking! Take risks! Experiment!
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying every one on this forum is doing this. There are people who are taking very good photographs and who stand out. Off the top of my head Gary Parravani and 'Rally Captures' are both very good and it is clear in their photography that they are putting more thought and thinking more creatively about the images they are taking, hence why I can remember their names..... because their photography stands out as a result.
If people want to genuinely improve, and be taken seriously for their photography, and this site being taken seriously as a photography forum, then we should follow their lead!