So, I had a discussion with my husband last night.
I took a photo of some lavender in my garden - did a quick auto-correct, and quickly un-did it because it made the results far too harsh. I showed my husband my finished pictures, and he said it was too soft. I said it felt appropriate for the subject and anyways, I liked it.
I know in photography there's pictures which are "tehcnically" right, but how much of it is personal preference? And how do you know if you're getting it right or not?
@amyamoeba Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I am a complete amateur, know none of the 'rules' about thirds or anything else, just go with my gut instinct about what I like. My stuff might be rubbish but it's my taste and I go with that... my 365 project is one of the few areas in my life where I can!! It think it's a beautiful shot :)
I quite often show my shots to my husband. He chooses his preference and I generally then go with something completely different :o) I edited this particular shot because I thought the original was too dark but my husband said he preferred the original
There's no accounting for taste. It's very personal. I usually know what I like but sometimes go through a phase of looking too hard at shots and wonder what I saw in them but then when I come back at a later date realise I still like them. I think how you're feeling on a particular day can also affect what you do with a photo.
I really like your lavender shot and agree with you. For the subject matter this processing is very fitting :o)
To me it's right if I like it. I think its all down to personal taste too. I guess that's why we fave some photos and not others and why when we post a photo we're really pleased with, we are disappointed when we don't always get a rave reception! lol I know there are rules and I am slowly learning but to me if I like it it's a goer! Love your softness in the picture and is more than appropriate for your lavender subject. :-) @filsie65@psychographer
@Cherrill I totally agree with what you've said! I have faved photos that no one else has, and not faved photos that everyone else has (and then I feel guilty but I remind myself that it's a matter of personal taste and I should fave what I really love and not just what everyone else does). It's the same with the photos I upload. People's reactions always manage to surprise me. What I really like would get a milder reaction than what I don't like as much. It's so surprising sometimes. But I love that we are all different people with different perspectives and different likes and dislikes, and I love that there is so much interaction on this site, even if that interaction sometimes leads us to question our own skills and reactions. 8)
ask 10 people to give you an opinion on a shot and you will no doubt get 10 answers, the one thing I have learnt is that your photos are never going to please everyone and to try and make them do that will only end in disappointment. the only person you know you can please is yourself so yes all art should be about personal taste just know that if you like something someone else will probably like it too :D
Gosh I think you have just asked the $64 million dollar question:0) We all like different things, therefore we all see different things - gosh that either doesn't make sense or is too deep for me:0)) Your shot above is so beautifully soft,
I am no help what so ever, sorry but your project post what makes you happy:0)
While there are some basic photography rules which do help make a photo pleasing to the typical eye, real likes or dislikes are completely individual. I always go by my gut reaction if something looks good and try then to see how I can tweak it to bring out the best (but to my tastes). Like everyone's been saying impossible to please all. Go with what YOU like.
I think you're photo is lovely, but if I had shot that picture the result would have been different. It would have been sharper, the colours would have been brighter, and probably had reduced dynamic range too. But then it would have been my photo, not yours. My shot would not have captured what you saw, that's entirely up to your eyes and your camera.
@psychographer@superbeyotch I know a woman that entered an art contest 4 yrs in a row. She did the same... got her husband's opinion and then went with something opposite or totally different. Best she did was an honorable mention the 2nd year she entered. I told her maybe she should go ahead and pick what her husband thinks she should enter, sot he 5th year she did figuring she had nothing to lose and took 1st place. Now she takes his opinions seriously but she never did before then. LOL!!!!!!!!
I added, you KNOW he has great taste because he picked YOU! so why doubt it? ;)
@jsw0109 Good save with the "he has good taste because he picked you!"
I love the softness of the photo you posted. Personally, I often hit "auto adjust" in I-Photo to see what the computer thinks needs to be done, and usually I disagree with the auto adjustment because it seems too harsh/too dark/too saturated, so then I click "undo" and then mildly adjust the settings to my liking.
@38mm the longer you're on this site, the more it starts to seem like you're seeing the same shots over and over, but the same even holds true with street photography, even though you can never truly capture the same scene twice, so you're absolutely correct re: who to take pictures for (yourself) and the PP
I say everyone has valued opinions, we are not all meant to be the same. If you try to please the masses, you may end up not pleasing yourself. A fine line we tread, be true to yourself and you can't go wrong.
Flower shots get a bad name - I know some people don't like them, so I've thought a lot about it recently. I have taken a lot of flower photos. It's not because I love flowers, I think it's the beauty of the colours, shapes and the structure which I don't tend to look at in great detail unless I'm taking a photo. I aim to get beautiful images - and I would be proud to have taken the shot you started this post with. It's beautiful!
i have that problem, a shot that i prefer, my partner prefers it sooc, or with a frame. i'd like to use some more processing techniques but he boo's me for it.
i think it does come down to personal tast, and i would guess the number of followers you get shows if you are doing it right or not
@lauralatham To be honest, flowers feature because I live in a place which was once voted the worst place to live in England, and so being seen out with a camera...well, lets just say I don't feel too safe.
And so Monday - Saturday I'm trapped in the house, although it turns out a small garden is a huge place when you start shooting macro!!!! My only real day to get out an about is Sundays.
@psychographer That ladybug looks like she's about to come under attack!
@Cherrill I agree - some of my most popular shots are from days when I haven't tried so hard - maybe that the secret to taking good pictures ;-)
@jsw0109 I'll take on board the "picking me" idea as well ;-)
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There's no accounting for taste. It's very personal. I usually know what I like but sometimes go through a phase of looking too hard at shots and wonder what I saw in them but then when I come back at a later date realise I still like them. I think how you're feeling on a particular day can also affect what you do with a photo.
I really like your lavender shot and agree with you. For the subject matter this processing is very fitting :o)
I am no help what so ever, sorry but your project post what makes you happy:0)
I added, you KNOW he has great taste because he picked YOU! so why doubt it? ;)
Though there are some people here who are desperate for the PP, I guess that is why it is generally always full of the same styled shots.
Personally I could happily go the rest of my life without seeing another flower shot.
The irony being I shot some daisies today, go figure :)
I love the softness of the photo you posted. Personally, I often hit "auto adjust" in I-Photo to see what the computer thinks needs to be done, and usually I disagree with the auto adjustment because it seems too harsh/too dark/too saturated, so then I click "undo" and then mildly adjust the settings to my liking.
i think it does come down to personal tast, and i would guess the number of followers you get shows if you are doing it right or not
And so Monday - Saturday I'm trapped in the house, although it turns out a small garden is a huge place when you start shooting macro!!!! My only real day to get out an about is Sundays.
@psychographer That ladybug looks like she's about to come under attack!
@Cherrill I agree - some of my most popular shots are from days when I haven't tried so hard - maybe that the secret to taking good pictures ;-)
@jsw0109 I'll take on board the "picking me" idea as well ;-)