so i've been doing this for a while now...but after seeing my other friends photstream (friend1 & friend2 & friend3) on flickr ive came to notice that my picture suck (mine)compared to their's!
maybe it's because i only have a point and shoot and they have those $800 rad cameras with all the good focusing and other crap that pisses me off
Okay, I'm going to be really honest with you cos I don't really see the point in not being...some of your friends have great photos, others I'm not so keen on, I guess it's largely up to the likes/dislikes of the individual as to the sort of picture you like. Yes, they do have better *quality* pictures then you, probably because they have better cameras but I wouldn't necessarily say that overall they had better pictures then you, especially the ones on your first page which are really good. I guess you just need to keep practicing, play around with perspective, effects that sort of thing, as your friends,family, randomers for constructive criticism and just keep going!
@Cearra, it is simple, a good photog can use any camera and capture great image. The quality might not be as tack sharp as the High end cameras but some photog with high end cameras are not good. it is in the eye of the beholder, if you think you suck, then do something to learn to take better images. Don't use the excuse you have an inferior camera. Look at this link setup by Chase Jarvis. All images are with the Apple Iphone, granted it is a 400 phone but camera is not it's primary function. BEST CAMERA
I agree with Jeff. I don't have a real expensive camera, but I've learned what it's capabilitites are, and I can produce photos that are pleasing to me. I can advise you to really dive into your camera, try and try...it's a true learning process, and I don't think anyone who takes photographs can ever stop learning.....Kepp with it!
I totally agree don't get hung up on what camera you have - use it as a push to try harder, look for more interesting POV etc. My camera is a pile of "sh*t", the lens is held on by sellotape, it only takes about 3 pics at a time before i have to turn in on and off again, and it has so too much sand in that it grinds when i play with the focus...but I see this as a challenge, and TJ is right, practice practice practice and when the camera God chooses to give us both snazzy cameras, we will both be brilliant - I'm following you now oh rubbish camera friend! p.s i don' t think your pics suck at all
CEARRA - i'm just bursting to answer this post and please forgive me in advance for it being long winded.
1st- i couldn't disagree more about the it being a $800 camera thing. (along with Jeff O) I've been so inspired by Chase and his cell phone photography. The camera isn't what matters. You can make a 35mm pinhole camera out of a matchbox and take amazing photos out of that.
2nd- (the reason why i'm bursting at the seams) i just went thru this self-loathig "i have no talent" thing myself. what i did to get thru it was to take a honest look at the photos of others that i liked and asked myself..WHY do i like these photos so much?. for me i notice that for the photographers that i loved, their photos had a common or collective theme running thru them. like Andrea -all of her photos have a kind of faded color/vintage feel to them or Annie -most of her photos use a very specific photoshop action. Anyways the point is being able to create an identity thru your photos might make you like them more. at least it's worked for me.
3 - art is soooo subjective. just keep doing what you do. practice, make mistakes, just have fun. there will always be someone out there that likes that photo.
Jeff is right on. Cameras mean nothing. There is a helluva picture posed here taken with a "shoebox" camera. Yeah, just what it says.
Taking a picture comes from the heart, if artistic is what you are looking for. Dig deep. It is the images that you make beautiful that everyone else would pass by and not even notice is what makes a good photograph in most cases.
Keep it up. With some, it happens instantly. With others (me, for example) it is a constant learning process.
For the record...I have been shooting pictures since I was 7. I thought I was doing great a couple years ago, and made a portfolio.
Since joining this site, my learning has been improved exponentially. I look at that portfolio I made a couple years ago and laugh.
nikki thank you for posting the link on the pinhole camera, i was looking for one just the other day, and this one actually seems a great one to make!!
Cearra from the quick look through the flickr links, it was good to see that you all have different styles. you have a good eye for different perspectives, another of your friends does great with photoshop. you are definatley not a bad photographer, but if you beat yourself up about not having a good expensive camera it can definatley become a great big barrier to your creativity.
learn to love your camera, or even try putting together a pinhole, im sure it would come out with some great effects and would really test what kind of eye you have! im both scared and excited to try a pinhole its so back to basics that what if im not good without all my capability to delete the bad and post process!
just stay true to yourself and dont let the pressure of what you friends are shooting or shooting with get you down, if you photograph because you love to then keep it up, dont get discouraged.
I have a simple point and shoot also. I don't feel mine compare to lots I've seen. At all! But you know what....I don't care. I'm here to learn. I love to take pictures. If YOU like your picture, that's all that matters.
Cearra - we have all been there. If you feel like you want to improve, there are plenty of resources out there. Scott Kelby books are great, http://digital-photography-school.com has tons of great stuff including beginning lessons and how to get to know your camera, and of course the best learning method - just shooting more and more! it'll come. good luck!
I'm not a great photographer (or even deserve to be called that LOl), but I'd like to share some of my experiences that relates to your query.
I understand where you're coming from regarding really high-end cameras. I sometimes find myself getting frustrated at the capabilities of my camera whenever I can't get what i want out of it, such as faster shutter speed, more zoom power, etc. But that doesn't mean people who have simple digital cameras are inferior. You just gotta work extra hard, be extra quicker, be more open minded, and be more in touch with your artistic side.
One thing I've learned is: make your camera work for you. Find out what your camera is capable of; it's strengths, it's weaknesses. Add in a little of your artistic capabilities, and you can expect great results. Because no matter how badass one's camera is, the undoubtedly most important part of a photo is the eye behind the camera who captured it. The heart. The soul. The spirit. It all boils down to overall composition and individual perspective. you'd be surprised how many photographers have sucky photos despite their high end cameras.
Secondly, educate yourself, especially when it comes to photo editing. Find time to discover different techniques to bring out specific parts of your photo that you want to stand out, that you, the photographer, want to convey to your audience.
Lastly, just KEEP ON SHOOTING! :D In this day and age, we can actually afford to shoot our hearts desire and not worry about films! So don't stop shooting! See something interesting? Shoot! Finding inspiration at 2am? Shoot! Never stop shooting, and never stop sharing what you think is worthy to be shared.
And the heart? The heart is always worthy to be shared. ;)
High end camera's just make things easier technically, once of course you understand how to use them. But am with the others, a good camera does not always equal a good photo and I know that very well, lol.
My best advice is to take your time. Spend an afternoon or two with just you and your camera. Go for a walk, and have a real good look around you, things that you would normally miss start to pop out.. and ask to be photographed. Sure, some will look not so good, but some will look fab! Take time and enjoy yourself, lay on the floor or climb a wall, play around with angles and seeing things from all different ways. If you have fun and 'get into it' it will show in your photo's for sure the same way rushed photo's show you werent really into it..
Best of luck.
Keep shooting and keep practising. Don't worry about "measuring up." There will pretty much always be someone that's "better than you" in some way or another but you have to keep with what you feel the desire to shoot.
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1st- i couldn't disagree more about the it being a $800 camera thing. (along with Jeff O) I've been so inspired by Chase and his cell phone photography. The camera isn't what matters. You can make a 35mm pinhole camera out of a matchbox and take amazing photos out of that.
2nd- (the reason why i'm bursting at the seams) i just went thru this self-loathig "i have no talent" thing myself. what i did to get thru it was to take a honest look at the photos of others that i liked and asked myself..WHY do i like these photos so much?. for me i notice that for the photographers that i loved, their photos had a common or collective theme running thru them. like Andrea -all of her photos have a kind of faded color/vintage feel to them or Annie -most of her photos use a very specific photoshop action. Anyways the point is being able to create an identity thru your photos might make you like them more. at least it's worked for me.
3 - art is soooo subjective. just keep doing what you do. practice, make mistakes, just have fun. there will always be someone out there that likes that photo.
Taking a picture comes from the heart, if artistic is what you are looking for. Dig deep. It is the images that you make beautiful that everyone else would pass by and not even notice is what makes a good photograph in most cases.
Keep it up. With some, it happens instantly. With others (me, for example) it is a constant learning process.
For the record...I have been shooting pictures since I was 7. I thought I was doing great a couple years ago, and made a portfolio.
Since joining this site, my learning has been improved exponentially. I look at that portfolio I made a couple years ago and laugh.
So, keep at it!
Cearra from the quick look through the flickr links, it was good to see that you all have different styles. you have a good eye for different perspectives, another of your friends does great with photoshop. you are definatley not a bad photographer, but if you beat yourself up about not having a good expensive camera it can definatley become a great big barrier to your creativity.
learn to love your camera, or even try putting together a pinhole, im sure it would come out with some great effects and would really test what kind of eye you have! im both scared and excited to try a pinhole its so back to basics that what if im not good without all my capability to delete the bad and post process!
just stay true to yourself and dont let the pressure of what you friends are shooting or shooting with get you down, if you photograph because you love to then keep it up, dont get discouraged.
im off to buy A MATCHBOX AND SOME FILM!
I understand where you're coming from regarding really high-end cameras. I sometimes find myself getting frustrated at the capabilities of my camera whenever I can't get what i want out of it, such as faster shutter speed, more zoom power, etc. But that doesn't mean people who have simple digital cameras are inferior. You just gotta work extra hard, be extra quicker, be more open minded, and be more in touch with your artistic side.
One thing I've learned is: make your camera work for you. Find out what your camera is capable of; it's strengths, it's weaknesses. Add in a little of your artistic capabilities, and you can expect great results. Because no matter how badass one's camera is, the undoubtedly most important part of a photo is the eye behind the camera who captured it. The heart. The soul. The spirit. It all boils down to overall composition and individual perspective. you'd be surprised how many photographers have sucky photos despite their high end cameras.
Secondly, educate yourself, especially when it comes to photo editing. Find time to discover different techniques to bring out specific parts of your photo that you want to stand out, that you, the photographer, want to convey to your audience.
Lastly, just KEEP ON SHOOTING! :D In this day and age, we can actually afford to shoot our hearts desire and not worry about films! So don't stop shooting! See something interesting? Shoot! Finding inspiration at 2am? Shoot! Never stop shooting, and never stop sharing what you think is worthy to be shared.
And the heart? The heart is always worthy to be shared. ;)
My best advice is to take your time. Spend an afternoon or two with just you and your camera. Go for a walk, and have a real good look around you, things that you would normally miss start to pop out.. and ask to be photographed. Sure, some will look not so good, but some will look fab! Take time and enjoy yourself, lay on the floor or climb a wall, play around with angles and seeing things from all different ways. If you have fun and 'get into it' it will show in your photo's for sure the same way rushed photo's show you werent really into it..
Best of luck.