When to realise that enough is enough!

Briony

Briony

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Name
Nicki.
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Does anyone else feel that when you just can't get things right when to call it a day with photography, :shrug: you feel that you are not going forward, improving etc :bang: :help: and nothing you do is right.?

At the moment everything I seem to take is crap aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
 
Might just be ego but I'm fortunate to maintain a reasonable amount of faith in my images. What winds me up is seeing work assigned on the basis of contacts rather than portfolio, but I guess that's a whole other story
 
Briony said:
Does anyone else feel that when you just can't get things right when to call it a day with photography, :shrug: you feel that you are not going forward, improving etc :bang: :help: and nothing you do is right.?

At the moment everything I seem to take is crap aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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Had a look on your Flickr and you have some nice images on there, so it's not technique that's an issue. They all seem to be wildlife based in the most part, why don't you pick a different subject, maybe one you don't really feel comfortable with and force yourself to go out and do that for a few weeks?
 
Hi Nicki,

I was just looking at the red kite photos that you posted just a couple of days ago. They were stunning! Your photography has most definitely improved.

I understand that there are days when things don't go well and days when things do, so hang in there and don't get despondent.

Maybe if you take on a long term project like I did with my 52 last year, you will be able to see your progress (even if there are ups and downs in the middle). Looking back through my images from last year, I think I improved but on top of that I was using less guess work with the settings by the end of the year. One of my images is going to be printed in a photography magazine, which I am thrilled about.

So, don't give up. Set your sights on a project and see it through to the end.

BTW, my red kites are still too shy. I have a stock of chicken wings in my freezer and am hoping to tempt them down a bit more this year.

Jenny
 
Where do you feel things are going wrong? Maybe if you post some pics and ask for advice we (the forum!) can help point you in the right direction.

If you're still ENJOYING photography stick with it. But if you're not then don't! Life is too short to do something you don't enjoy just because you think you "should".
 
MnM said:
Had a look on your Flickr and you have some nice images on there, so it's not technique that's an issue. They all seem to be wildlife based in the most part, why don't you pick a different subject, maybe one you don't really feel comfortable with and force yourself to go out and do that for a few weeks?
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Thanks just love the wildlife and find it a challenge I suppose that is why I think my piccys at the mo are crap :shrug: PRACTICE PARACTICE PARACTICE

jennyb said:
Hi Nicki,

I was just looking at the red kite photos that you posted just a couple of days ago. They were stunning! Your photography has most definitely improved.

I understand that there are days when things don't go well and days when things do, so hang in there and don't get despondent.

Maybe if you take on a long term project like I did with my 52 last year, you will be able to see your progress (even if there are ups and downs in the middle). Looking back through my images from last year, I think I improved but on top of that I was using less guess work with the settings by the end of the year. One of my images is going to be printed in a photography magazine, which I am thrilled about.

So, don't give up. Set your sights on a project and see it through to the end.

BTW, my red kites are still too shy. I have a stock of chicken wings in my freezer and am hoping to tempt them down a bit more this year.

Jenny
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Yeah you're right maybe joint the 52 again but seem to run out of time last year and got way behind and was hurrying to find a shot but then it is not a competition:shrug: so if I miss a week so what.

Thank you all, will go out again this afternoon and practice more.
 
I think my skill and ability are still low buy my level of expectation is quite high, I spend more time thinking before random shooting.
I do find at the moment I seem to thrive more on shooting some specific, if I just wonder outside with the camera I struggle to find a purpose for my pictures.
 
Nicki the reason I've been trying to persuade you to join us at Stokenchurch is to get you away from bird photography.
You live in a lovely area and the opportunities for landscapes are ideal.
I think you just need to have a change at what your shooting, as think it helps.
Most of my photography is landscape and wilidlife but I also enjoy a challenge and getting out of my comfort zone.
Steet photography is one aspect I used to be very wary of but now, when I get a chance I find that I enjoy it.
With my 100-400L gone back for repair and because I like photography so much, it's forced me to get out and try shooting other things and it really is an eye opener.
I think if we stick to 1 or 2 subjects we perhaps become a bit stale and we can't take what we have learnt and used it on other subject and improve our skills.
 
As has been said, if you enjoy your photography, that is what counts, being there in amongst what you love. I love landscapes as i love being out and about. I have been feeling a little negative lately due to not getting a lot of interest in my work from mags etc but I remind myself I do it because i love it.
 
Have a little patience! (to unintentionally quote Gary Barlow).

You'll get there.

You've just hit a wall of frustration, just just gotta sledgehammer your way through!
 
lawrie29 said:
Have a little patience! (to unintentionally quote Gary Barlow).

You'll get there.

You've just hit a wall of frustration, just just gotta sledgehammer your way through!
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Flipping thick wall ;) anyone got a BIG sledgehammer I can borrow:D
 
I think your shots have improved too Nicky. I agree with Darran. Try some other stuff too. That's what I've done and I do think I'm seeing an improvement in my photography (If not, it's definitely helping me understand it/adjust settings and stuff alot better)
Keep trying :)
If you don't fancy landscapes (Me neither) we could always make cakes and take photo's of those ;-) X
 
Tori said:
If you don't fancy landscapes (Me neither) we could always make cakes and take photo's of those ;-) X
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and bread, you gotta have bread :)
.
BreadCakes.jpg
 
:LOL: :LOL: But were they nice Babs? That's what counts! ;-)

Kev you're making me hungry now! :LOL:
 
Yum!! You've been practising Babs!! I think we should abandon Stokenchurch now and all come to you! ;-)
 
I know what you mean I think we all get stages where we feel we don't produce a good shot. I wen to Silverstone this week and did something completely different, British Touring Cars, certainly a challenge on the panning front they go a lot quicker than birds :LOL: but I got some that I was happy with and have posted them in Motorsport. There is some room for improvement though which is what makes the challenge of any photography worthwhile. If we produced 100% shots all the time I think that would also remove the fun of it.
 
Thank you all (y) I am now going to look for the hour we lost last night, it is making me tired :D
 
Get yourself a flash trigger and receiver and get your flash off camera. A whole new world will open up for you. :)
 
i know we all strive to get better and thats why we post our efforts here for other people to look at and point us in the right direction................. but does it really matter if this is our hobby, for me just being out there and looking for things to take photos of, composing and then taking ,just on the off chance i may get that image that will blow me and you away is enough, for me it is anyway:):):):):):)

I think sometimes us amateurs forget why we picked a camera up, just because we enjoy it plain and simple
 
Nicki, I've also seen improvement in your results over time. We are all learning, always. I sometimes get frustrated with my results. Is it the equipment? Is it me? It's usually me. I try to work out why things might be going wrong. I do some research, looking for guidance, experiment with settings and techniques to try to break down barriers. Once I conquer one hurdle I feel a sense of accomplishment and I can then see where my next weak point is and work out how to fix that.

I find variety to be a great stimulus. Attending TP meets is a great way to try out new things in safety and get some help and ideas from others. I used to hate the very thought of "street" photography, never mind actually doing it, but now I really enjoy it and attend any meetup I can. I really don't care what I shoot. I just enjoy shooting. Whatever the subject, whatever the conditions, there is the opportunity to improve skills and learn new things. The social aspect isn't too bad either. ;)

Try something new. You may find you like it. :)
 
Look at it this way. The progress curve in creativity isn't a smooth line, it's a series of steps. So you're on the point of making the next step and feeling really good about your photography. :)
 
Even the best photographers take duff shots. The rest of us don't get to see them and none of us know how many shots other people take to get a keeper. It could be one or it could be hundreds!
 
Agreed most togs just presemt thier keepers, so how many go straight in the bin we dont know.

Just keep going, maybe try something new for some variety.
 
Agree on the keepers versus the duds. I've only been into photography since September and I'd say my "keep" rate averages 10% of what I take. Sometimes higher, sometimes lower, but I'd expect to keep 1 in 10 shots. It's not great but I look at everything I take and try and learn from the duds as well. Sometimes I find I can learn as much from what doesn't work as from what does!!
 
I deliberately keep all the duds as they're useful for learning from. Sometimes later you find something in a dud you didn't see before so they're worth keeping anyway.
 
Could it also be that you are reaching the flatter part of your learning curve and because you are not making earth shattering discoveries and improvements as much as you did in the beginning, it makes you feel you are not making much progress? Refining the art of your hobby takes years and the penny drop moments become less frequent and farther apart. Doesn't mean you are not getting better though. Time to look back at the beginning and remember how far you have come - no point jacking it in when you've done this much already now, is there?
 
So very true these comments, just a VERY hard learning curve and when you think you have done well you get knocked back again.

Still keep on practising and climbing this very very long staircase and who knows maybe just may be I will get off the bottom rung :shrug:
 
Nicki, maybe it would help to be very specific about the walls you are hitting. Take your nuthatch thread, to which I contributed a day or two ago. You have received plenty of advice that should help you to move forward. You can take the advice on board and try again, try something different that you think of yourself, carry on just as before, or give up completely. Two of the options make sense. Two don't. So what's it to be?

If you have other examples of difficulty with your photography then spell them out. The more specific you can be, with examples and EXIF, the more help people can offer. All you need to do is to ask. Nobody wants to see you give up. :)
 
tdodd said:
Nicki, maybe it would help to be very specific about the walls you are hitting. Take your nuthatch thread, to which I contributed a day or two ago. You have received plenty of advice that should help you to move forward. You can take the advice on board and try again, try something different that you think of yourself, carry on just as before, or give up completely. Two of the options make sense. Two don't. So what's it to be?

If you have other examples of difficulty with your photography then spell them out. The more specific you can be, with examples and EXIF, the more help people can offer. All you need to do is to ask. Nobody wants to see you give up. :)
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Thank you (y) but some questions seems so trivial to ask and feel I don't want to ask them.

I just can't seem to be consistent with my shots :shrug: still unsure of what settings to use and suppose I am frightened to use different ones but certainly the advice you gave me about the nutties cetaily worked, but this should come natural to me should it not:shrug:

My PP is really non existent and find it hard to understand some things that people say because I am not computer literate and as I have said before it is all a matter of self teaching :help:

This is why I would have liked to tag along as a helper to any tog so I can pick up different pointers etc. and advice re settings.
 
Briony said:
Thank you (y) but some questions seems so trivial to ask and feel I don't want to ask them.

<snip>

This is why I would have liked to tag along as a helper to any tog so I can pick up different pointers etc. and advice re settings.
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That's what's so nice about attending a TP Meet. There will always be advice on hand. You can see how others are tackling certain situations and how their results differ from yours. Unfortunately you and I do live rather a long way apart, otherwise I'd be more than happy to help. Surely there must be someone closer to home to nudge you in the right direction.

Failing that, just ask on the forum. It's better to ask, even what you believe to be a numpty question, than just stew in disappointment and frustration.
 
Briony what editing program do you have? I'd be happy to show you what I know in lightroom? Its not much but it might help.
 
Tori said:
Briony what editing program do you have? I'd be happy to show you what I know in lightroom? Its not much but it might help.
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Photoshop 7 I'm afraid can't afford any more :shrug: and has taken me ages to learn things in that.

I also use the Canon DPP.
 
Never feel embarrassed about questions you need to ask. Indeed some find it frustrating when there are questions asked by newbies, but personally I only get annoyed when I think that people are asking with no 'real' intention of 'learning' and just asking because they are too lazy to find it out for themselves and perhaps will read your reply and not do anything about it. Now you are a 'real' member of this forum, a valued member with many friends who are aware of your journey to learn this art and support you on it. There are many here who want to help you and will NEVER think your questions are trivial! Sometimes it is the silliest little thing that puts up a barrier that is frustrating. If you don't ask ALL the questions, how will you find out what it is that is causing you the angst? Every one here wants to help you. Even newbies like me!

Have faith. Every journey is made up of lots of little steps :)
 
I've felt like giving up several times but after a while u realised it had just been a bad day and i knew that the fixation would be back in a day or two.

I have so much more to learn but just hang on in there and it'll come!!

Anyway when all is lost at least it's a good way to keep in some sort if shape. Well for me it is given I love landscapes and the only exercise I take is climbing to strange placed with camera gear. Look at it as a lifestyle choice!! Lol
 
Nicki, your shots have massively improved from last year! Without the knowledge of computer systems or the ability to PP images as much of others you may also have a big advantage, when you can get those shots right every time in the camera you'll have a big bonus over a lot of peeps...
 
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