I don't have photoshop yet or a good camera. I just have a small canon powershot. I can take good pictures if I try, but I can't take 'great' pictures so a LOT of projects on this site are intimidating. I was wondering if anyone else posts simple, normal shots that sort of describe their day to day life. I'd like to follow more people/have more people follow me so that I can learn neat little tricks and stuff.
My 13 year old as a small cheapish camera and he is pretty good with it, mine is a bit more upmarket. However we just take normal photos. What constitutes a good shot against a great shot is in the eye of the beholder.
photoshop and a good camera have nothing to do with taking good photos, once you can take good photos they can certainly enhance that further, dont wait until you have a good camera to start trying harder
I have a cheap camera and use free editors. pixlr.com is decent for simple editing and you don't have to download anything.
I'm also pretty intimidated by the seasoned photographers here but I try to remember that I'm doing this project for ME, to document a year of my life and share it with anyone who is interested. art isn't meant to impress other people!
however, you do have some impressive photos, I especially like this one:
and this one:
one is something beautiful that you captured and the other is something ordinary that you made beautiful
@stoksy Thanks for that. I know I don't need an amazing camera to take good pictures, it's just harder to make them look quality when you have a simple digital and practically nothing for enhancing.
@kissmycoffin Try picnik.com for fun photo editing ideas. Much of the site is free or for 20 bucks you can use the full site for a year. I love it. I too am pretty "simple" with my photography, just have fun with it :)
I don't have an expensive camera either - I also own a Canon Powershot but guess what? I haven't been lugging it around with me. So far, I've been taking all my pictures for this project with my cell phone.
The great thing about the 365 project is that it can be so many things to so many people and we get to see so many different styles in one place. I can't wait to see my collection at the end of the year to see if I can figure out what exactly my style is :)
What you consider a simple, normal shot
I look at and say 'hey wow!! that's great!'.
Yes, it's nice to have Photoshop or similar but don't discount how much just a few basic adjustments (exposure, contrast, etc) and some strategic cropping can do for a photo.
One idea might be to take this year to really learn the strengths, weaknesses, and funky quirks of the camera you have now.
It took me quite a while to be happy/comfortable/content with my photo work. I think that was the biggest hurdle for me to get over (and the discontent still rears it's ugly little head from time to time).
Keep taking photos and keep looking at other people's work. Take the lessons from what works for you and leave the rest.
I post only pics with my little nikon coolpix and iphone using the lomo setitngs. Very simple. I only rarely get access to a decent camera. I am intimidated to but I just thought damn it who cares the project is about capturing something everyday and not about who has the most professional shot. I don't really like editing software so don't use it. I like to just post the pics exactly how they were taken so it is a more accurate detail of my day and not manipulated (although some of the post effects people use are simply stunning).
My photos are all things that relate closely to my day to day life & all are taken with my cell & a couple photography apps I found in the Android Market. They are not great by any means but they all have meaning and/or memoris behind them. I love when others notice and comment on a shot but I am doing this for me so I remind myself of that when I feel like my photos aren't up to par w/ others on here.
You don't need an expensive camera or photoshop to make a photo look great. You have some pretty good examples of that already miss :p
This is gorgeous. Before I had my nikon and a photo editing program, I used the basic windows photo editor that only allows changing the contrast and brightness and that worked just fine for me. unless you want to get really into editing, I would just use picnik. It's free and is a really great editing site.
We're all our own worst critics. You're doing great. :)
I think most people consider themselves "average".
It isn't until someone points out the special in what we consider typical, that we actually tend to see it ourselves.
I'm pleased I'm not the only one intimidated by many of the photos I see on this site. It makes me feel better to know there are some other people who feel the same way.
Even though I do a lot of post-processing I don't have great pictures and my camera isn't that fantastic either. I'd say my shots are pretty simple since they're all from my day-to-day life (every photo is taken on a whim if I happen to pass by something interesting), but I guess that's what makes it more personal instead of something staged and professionally shot. You can keep your own daily photojournal this way.
I do have a great camera, but often take crappy photos! I figure though that I am getting so much out 365 of it in terms of learning and inspiration that it doesn't matter if my photos are the best or the worst of the lot. And I am enjoying documenting my life and no one else can do that as well as me!
I love looking at other people's photos, the good and the bad, on this site. I can take inspiration from other people's photos and I can see how life is in another part of the world.
I take both! LOL! Some shots are simple easy no fuss ones and others come out so well they surprise me! LOL! What I love about this site is there are photographers at all levels here! I love looking at everything!
I'm using a simple bridge cam (Sony DSC-H20)... and I only use photoshop for really smal corrections and to put my signature!
But I'm totally amateur... sometimes good shots, other times terrible shots!
I know nothing about photography and only attempted editing for the first time this week. I have a budget canon point and shoot too. No photoshop I've been using online editing sites and don't think I'm doing TOO badly. I'm not feeling intimidated by the great pictures I'm using them for inspiration. Off to have a look at your pics.
I have a Canon 400D and it's a pretty good camera...but a camera doesn't make a good picture, in the same way an oven doesn't make a good cake! From the photos of yours posted in this thread, I'd say you have a real eye for what it is you're photographing - your shots are beautiful!
I only take day to day photos that are meaningful to me...in 20 years time I'll be able to look back and remember the story behind a shot, rather than it was just a nice photo iykwim? :D xx
Girl, you are crazy if you think you take average photos!! ALL of those above that people posted are awesome. This one caught my eye too. I LOVE the contrast of this one, the white snow is so white, the character that comes out of the people in this photo is tremendous and story telling. You've got the eye, love. Doesn't matter what camera you use to capture what you see and how you see it.
I only use a point-and-shoot camera and there are free editing programs that are popular. Picnik.com is an on line site which has some easy to use free features. Picasa is a free downloadable editing and organizing program that is my main program I use.
@ad76 I have a LOT of cell phone pics because I broke my previous camera and just recently got the canon powershot. Luckily I have an android and the camera is pretty awesome.
@kissmycoffin I didn't read what everyone else wrote but I'll say this:
1) Your shots intimidate ME. =D
2) I have a very old Kodak Easyshare that doesn't give me a manual option or a lot of other setting options AND it refuses to pick up fine details. There is no way I could ever get shots like other people on here do, simply because I do not have the right equipment. Your photos, for example, have better detailing than mine ever will. It doesn't make you a bad photographer, it just presents a bit more of a challenge. :)
3) I don't edit either. The most I can do is play with color and contrast. That's it. Seems you have more editing experience.
4) Average is a a matter of perspective. Art lies in the eye of the beholder. What might intimidate you, might not even impress the next person in the slightest. Worry about you and what you want to photograph....the rest will follow.
5) You are not alone. I feel the same way most of the time and it can be hard to not let it discourage me. So I know how you feel. I take "normal shots that sort of describe their day to day life". If I don't get out of my house to walk around, I don't get any shots so I have to do the best I can. You are more than welcome to take a look if you'd like.
6) I like your work. I am going to follow you. :)
7) LOVE this shot!!
@ravenwolf423 I think your photos are beautiful and I immediately found myself following you back.
Thank you so much, everything you said is so inspirational. I don't have any experience with editing, lol. I boost colors on picnik if I think a picture needs a color boost. But that's as close to editing anything I've ever come.
A lot of people seem to like that one. I think I'm going to frame it for my mom one day.
I think your photographs are great. Sometimes I try to take "artistic" shots (which don't even compare with most of the folks on this site). But mostly I use my 365 album to document and chronicle what's going on in my daily life. when I look back on them at the end of the year I think it will be a great way to remember 2011.
FYI...my camera had a bad connection with the USB cord so sometimes I am not able to download my pics off of my camera. That happened to me yesterday so I took yesterday's photo with my son's iPod. I think it turned out pretty decent!
@kissmycoffin I'm using the same camera you are on most of my photos. Once in awhile I steal my hubbys "bigger" camera (which is still only a p&s). Sometimes I get decent shots, a lot of times I don't. Then again, I don't have an eye for composition yet.
Novice, Simple, Everyday... that's me! I am trying to learn to be a better photographer but that's just going to take a lot of time and effort. In the meantime this is my second year of 365. last year I took nearly every photo with my Droid smartphone ;)
So there is so much talent and experience on this site, it can be a bit overwhelming. Every now and then I can get a great shot (I don't have the fancy equipment, either) but mostly my pictures are day-to-day life... isn't that point? :-)
i think that 365 is both to grow as a photographer and keep a visual diary of your life for a year. i think whatever makes YOU happy, whatever speaks to YOU, is just right. i tend to be a mix of art photos and just plain life / panic @ the last moment photos. good luck! and enjoy it! ♥
Don't think of 365 with any intimidation factor - some people do it with their cell phones!! Think about what YOU want to do with your pictures. Do you want to document your year, improve your photos, or do a picture book at the end of it? (Check out Blurb.com if you do) Anyway...relax, create, grow, enjoy. No pressure.
Every artist was first an amateur.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
PS If you want to improve your photography, check out Bryan Peterson's books, or Craft and Vision's website. http://craftandvision.com/
i can say that i'm not that good at pictures unless i really try as well. :) i find myself posting pics just to post something. and mine are sooc, even though i know how to use photoshop. i would call myself average.
From the pictures I looked at, I think you are shooting above average photos. I have a mid range camera, perhaps even low end range (Olympus 800 UZ). This camera is a step above point and shoot cameras, but definitely not a high end camera. I am striving to become a better photographer, but I know I am not at the level that some of the 365 photographers are at. I try to learn from the photographs of others and the advice of others here. However, I am definitely on my own learning curve. I am trying to take raw (SOCC) pictures for the 365 project. I know Photoshop, but not like others in the 365 know it. I am trying to just have SOCC pictures so I can learn more about composition. I am trying to journal my photography skills growth and also what is going on in my life (basically my visual observations of what is around me). I think each person is doing their own thing with their 365 project and that is O.K.
you don't need the tricks and stuff... all u need are taste and the heart for photography, and u got it... practice is better than reading tutorials.. ^_^
@kissmycoffin you certainly have a good eye,all the photos that have been put here look professional to me,i alternate between my phone camera, my lumix p&s and my new dslr for pics,whichever i have handy when i see a shot i want is what gets used,this project is about fun,practice and learning not about who is the best
I sort of consider my photos average. I don't use PhotoShop (I have it, but it's too intimidating, lol), but I do use Picnik.com when it comes to editing. A lot of my shots are SOOC and when I do edit, it's very minor (like a boost of contrast). I don't agree with the old saying that anyone can be a photographer if they have a nice enough camera. It definitely takes someone with a good eye and creativity to really create a good photo. The camera is just the tool, but the photographer is the true artist. You take some great shots, and I love how your project is like a journal of your days, and not just a barrage of amazing professional photos. =)
I generally take (not very good) pictures of stuff!! I'm not too intimidated by the fab people here - I love looking and getting inspiration... and one day I will take pictures like that too! :) x
@lvmychunkalunka She is so right :) I see some AWESOME shots on here with iphones, and some mediocre shots (in my non-expert opinion of course) with $1000s worth of equipment.
@kissmycoffin - I have a dSLR (not the best in the world but way better than my capabilities). My photos are very ordinary but I'm learning. That said, I've seen some absolutely spectactular photos on 365 which were taken by P & S cameras and by mobile phones.
You think your cameras aren't 'good' enough? I use the camera on my blackberry 9105.. and I have over 200 followers after 20 days. It's all to do with your subjects, and, surprisingly, the writing that goes with your photos. Mine are making up a story, centred around a rubber duck. The quality of my photos is shocking compared to some of the photos you see on this site.. and I completely agree, it can be intimidating!
So if you don't feel that you can compete with, or measure up to the standard of the 'amazing' photos you see on here, I suggest that you find your own little niche to fill and be different :P
It's also how you take the photos, and a lot to do with lighting. If you shine a light directly into your camera the result can be pretty awesome.. if you know what to do with the rest of the space. Maybe I shouldn't be showing off my own pictures on here.. but this was just a phone camera, with no editing whatsoever (the best editing software I own is Microsoft Paint.. needless to say I don't use it.) and I was quite pleased with the effect of the lighting.
After that long ramble the only thing I can say really (because I am also a newbie) is that as long as what you are photographing is interesting, for absolutely any reason, people will like it, comment on it and follow it. :) x
@amorton1437 I know, some of my favorite shots are from my cell phone. Samsung androids have pretty amazing cameras.
Some people can do amazing things with simple cameras but I've seen pictures in Hawaii with fish eye lenses that cost more than my camera itself lol. It may be irrational but somedays I feel terribly... unskilled because of people here. But on other days they inspire me to practice everyday.
@katiegc24 First off, your picture is beautiful. It's not that I don't think my camera is good enough, I love it. Hell, my last 365 project was purely cell phone pictures and they were pretty awesome. But I'm not gonna lie, I feel threatened sometimes by the artists here. Which is good, I like feeling threatened because I push myself to become better.
@kissmycoffin - Thank you very much :) that is the best attitude to have.. and definitely one I will adopt! So thank you for that :)
Yeah I feel pretty bad compared to the other photographers, but I am hoping that I will be inspired by their shots and possibly create similar things.. except obviously with a rubber duck in them :P
As for having a good camera.. I would absolutely love a DSLR but 1. I can't afford it, and 2. It isn't practical. I wouldn't want to take it to college or out shopping with me; I just put my duck wherever I think would look funny and snap away. I feel very restricted by that. :
Your photos are good; I especially like the ones from the 2nd, the 4th, the 6th and the 8th January.. (even numbers, lol) just take lots, some days are bound to be better than others :)
@katiegc24 I like your pictures. They're light and comical. And super cute. =)
I know what you mean. I want a canon rebel sooooo badly. but it's so expensive. I'd have it in college with me but it definitely would not be for throwing in my backpack for classes and stuff. :\ It's be good for practice but 800 dollars is pretty steep.
It is the heart of the photographer, not the camera, I have through the years went from a cheap film camera, to the best, went from cheap point and shoot digital to multiple DSLR's and to tell you the truth looking back the point and shoot were actually more inspired. Not sure of others but as I get better equipment, seemed to think to much about the picture. Seem to lose spontaneity of yesteryears photos
I don't have a thousand dollar camera and I don't have fancy lenses. I don't have Photoshop either. Like most have said... 365 isn't about what people THINK you can do. It's about what you think can do... and more importantly, what you want to do.
You're already experimenting and you already have creativity... and you have a camera. Keep shooting and keep doing what you enjoy and what makes you happy. Everything else is just a minor detail. =)
I know I just do average photographs Brittany but I love taking them and I love looking at all the other photographs on this site. Yes, sometimes I feel intimidated but then I just look at it as great ideas for me to learn from. Welcome to 365 and just have fun. The pictures are just for you anyway!
I do average photographs too! But unlike alot of people, I like to post a "raw" photograph, unedited, and exactly how it was when I took it. I have several photo editing programs, but I have more fun trying to take a shot that doesn't need editing. :)
I use a canon Powershot and Picasa or Paint shop pro for editing. There are times that the p and s is limiting, but it is so light and I can't hold a heavier camera. I get a few good shots, and I am also intimidated by the great shots on here, but I enjoy looking at them a lot. Cleverness in selecting subjects and cropping make for interesting photos regardless of the camera.
I used a Kodak Easyshare for about 3 years and after that broke, a cheap little Samsung p&s. I have definitely felt limited by my camera at times, and would love to be able to afford a DSLR, but it just isn't happening right now.
On the other hand, I kind of like the challenge that shooting only with a point and shoot poses. I try to play around a lot with composition, angle, focus, etc...I take a lot of average photos, and a few I consider good, but I think this project has really helped me to grow. I also aim to take photos that require little to no editing, so most of my photos are sooc.
So I definitely understand where you're coming from, and you are welcome to follow me and ask me anything (though I can't guarantee I'll have an answer :)).
sometimes i feel like i get better pictures out of my p&s than my fancy dslr.....i had wanted the dslr before going to hawaii, but just took my p&s and my pictures were fantastic...
it's not really the type of camera you have, just the way you use it....
I know exactly what you mean. I've only ever owned a point and shoot, and I often feel very intimidated by people with fancy DSLRs and lenses. But, as most people have already said, it's not the camera but the photographer! I kept trying to explain that to some friends of mine who own huge, thousand-dollar cameras and are frustrated because their photos "aren't turning out as nice" as mine. I find it hilarious that people buy DSLRs thinking that they'll get better pictures but don't even know what all the functions do on a simple point and shoot!
And you don't need Photoshop, either... Picnik is AMAZING! I own Photoshop and use it quite a bit for tweaking levels and saturation, but everything I do on Photoshop I could (for the most part) probably do on Picasa! I even export shots from Photoshop and do more editing on Picasa, like adding cross process or something like that. :)
Your photos are fantastic. Don't feel intimidated and remember that in the end, you're doing this for you! That's how I see it; I don't really follow many people, besides my friends, and I don't even fill out the tags when I upload pics! Just use the other photos as sources of inspiration and motivation! (I'm saving up for a Canon Rebel... LOVE Canon cameras!!)
@kissmycoffin Brittany, I saw you pics and they are GOOD! A Suggestion: "Tag" each one you post ( Those you have posted can also be tagged at any time) Put as MANY tags as possible ..Check the tags of others or Check under the "BROWSE" at the top of the page and click Tag..you will see a LONG list of tags. Use as many as you like " There are MANY to choose from. This way your pics will be seen by MANY. ( tagging is done by clicking Edit) Good Luck ! Love the four pics in Black and white, btw ")
@kissmycoffin - my 365 is all about my kids and our daily lives so I have lots of normal shots!!! i also just upgraded from a PowerShot to a DSLR only 2 weeks ago, so almost all of my shots are with a PowerShot... and aren't that great, but hey, it is my life and kids and hubby! :o) Taking artsy pics doesnt describe my life. :o)
Hey! I completely understand where you're coming from! In all honesty, my camera cost me $80 ( http://www.amazon.com/CASIO-EXILIM-EX-Z33-BRAND-PINK/dp/B004JAL63C/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1295589607&sr=1-4). To top it off it's broken! I can only view half of the screen. This means I can't play with effects and settings and I can barely view the picture before I take it. It's a challenge. That's how I see this project, as a challenge to produce as good of photos as possible with what I've got (although I can't wait to get some crafty camera and work some magic with it.) So, my advice to you is work with what you've got, and when you see these professional looking photographs, don't be discouraged, INSTEAD play with angles and see how you can well you can compare with your average camera!
I didn't read through all the responses so I apologize if someone covered this but I wouldn't say that "practice, practice, practice" is the key. You can shoot and shoot and shoot but if you don't know how to capture and use light, how to set up a shot, angles of shots, etc. PLUS know your camera's capabilities, then your shots will forever be point and shoot. KWIM?
@kissmycoffin I think your photos are way above average, very creative and unique.. stalker made me laugh..
Is not the size that matters, it's what you do with it.. or something! haha I think you can take good photos with pretty much anything, it's all a creative process - sometimes simpler is better. I just got PS and you can do some totally crazy stuff with it, I dont think it necessarily makes better photos it can actually make things look contrived. hmm I guess at the end of the day beauty is in the eye of the beholder and usually people are way too critical of themselves
I think your photos are great; you have heaps of talent. I take all my photos with a Canon powershot point and shoot and lots of people like my pics. I don't have Photoshop; sometimes I use Picnik to edit or make collages but usually I just aim and press the shutter and see what happens. I agree with Karen: tag your photos. And if you want more followers you need to follow and comment on others and they will often return the follow.
Ah, someone shares my thoughts! :) I haven't yet checked out your photos so you may be intimidating me too :D
I have a Canon PowerShot SX110 which is apparently called a "point&shoot" camera, so my photos are usually "just photos". I try not to edit them more than greyscale or light&contrast (Paint Shop Pro). I'm also the generation that has learned to photograph in film and feel guilty when I edit my shots... I still have my old film cameras (pocket and systems/single lens reflex)! It took me quite a while to change to digital camera.
If I edit my pic more than the above mentioned, then it shows and is meant to show - like my caleidoscope pic :D
I just started this project this year (finally!) so I'm not yet following many people, but I too want mainly to see what others with similar cameras make of their photos.
I use a point-and-shoot as well. :)
Yeah, I have average shots, but I'm fine with those as they just really describe how my day went. It's great for reminiscing on certain days, and I think those kinds of shots are the best. :)
Will be checking your album now. :P
Hey! Don't let it intimidate you!The best juice come from what you can see about your own life,your year, how you see the things in the world around you..
If you want be a serious photographer, you will find support as well,seeing the other great work and trying catch it, because some people does give good tips t, if you ask for.
If it's not your goal, just upload your pictures, and be happy!
A big giant hug!
Let's enjoy!
you know, im saying it again, it's not the best equipment nor the most sophisticated editing software that makes an impressive photograph.
i have a regular point-and-shoot camera & i scramble over my very minimal knowledge with post-editing. there's a lot of people here in our 365 community who are making really great pictures but they're not there to cause me to be picture-envy. i see them as my inspirations. i see them as friends who are better than me but are also just like me because they also look up to others & see others the way i do.
yes, it's true, it's intimidating at times, but you must not dwell in there. seeing abilities that are obviously better than ours tells us how many other doors we can to open for ourselves. talents are given to everyone in different levels, that i learned to accept, and the passion that you give on things that you love can't be less than others'.
I just use a Kodak Easy Share but I do some minor editing (using the Kodak Easy Share Software that came with my camera) to my pictures. When I first started, which was only a few weeks ago, I was taking simple pics of stuff in my life and puting them right on here without editing. But, after reading some blogs and looking at other pics, I wanted to try to challenge myself to see things in different perspectives and take better quality pictures. I do notice though that if a pic meant alot to me on a certain day, even if another may be "technically" better, I will choose the one that was special to myself. This is a project for you and what you want to make of it. I am curious to see what your pics are and you now have a new follower.
While I do have a good camera and PhotoShop, I am not making this a contest or letting myself be intimidated by the amazing photographers who are here. Inspired by? Yes. :) But the purpose of MY project is documenting our daily life... and as long as I get a photo for the day, I'll be happy! GL!
i use a canon power shot iv taken great close ups with it i also use a canon 500d i take my powershot everywhere ts always n my bag n case see somethng when im out even shopping...i use the 500 if i go out to take pics or to take the wldlife in my garden
@delenna Don't be ashamed to edit! Sometimes pictures need a bit of tweeking to look good, but the work in general is still something beautiful that you captured. =)
@kissmycoffin I'm definitely average. I have a good camera but just learned how to turn it off from automatic. I follow some amazing photographers which doesn't intimidate me too much, instead I am inspired. I've learned so much the past 3 weeks and am so happy to be a part of this community.
Follow me if you want to see some more average and hopefully they'll turn into great photographs as the weeks pass! :)
my pics are very definately average! I only have a pentax digi and my iphone. My pentax take quite good close up pics though. I havent bothered with editing so far due to lack of time. I am investing in a dslr next month but even so - my pics may still be average?
I am sure it has been said, but yes, this site has both, simplistic and artistic, I try for the latter, but usually put up the former. Any camera can take a decent picture, and you dont necessarily need editing software, what you need is an eye for something interesting, and to put your spin on it.
Hi Brittany, You don't have to own the best equitment to take great photos. From what I can see, your work is great! You capture day to day images in a very creative and interesting way. Your composition is happening. You have to crawl berore you can walk or run. And equitment will come. Unless your filthy rich, it takes most of us alot of time and saving money to get our gear. I feel like those of us that do it this way appreciate and take better care of our stuff. Keep up the good work. I am following you and want to see more of your creations. If I can ever be of any help, feel free to ask! ~Dave~
I do! I am just documenting my life, day by day. I thought that would be fun. I don't care if anyone comments, I am not interested in competing. I think that everyone has different objectives and it's not necessary to have the most expensive equipment or outrageous processing to be interesting!
I have a point and shot Sanyo camera, very average. Sometime I even post shots I have taken on my iPhone. Sometimes I crop an image, but most are as they come. I have always loved taking pics in my garden so thought I would share them with others. Every now and then a random pops in there. Keep up the good work, your shots are great.
hi Brittany, I just have a small Canon IXUS, it is my first time with digital. I don't photoshop anything and I don't want to, just learning to take the best shots this little camera can take. It has a lot of features I still haven't tried. If I compared my photos with most people on here, I would give up right now, but I'm not trying to compete with anyone, just making a visual diary of the year and learning how to use my camera. I enjoy looking at other people's shots for ideas but to be frank, am not interested in ones that are taken in studios or digitally altered.
I have an SLR but have only just done a beginner course so I can learn to use some of the many buttons and dials on it lol!! The aim of my project is to take a photo from each day and I look forward to looking back over my year at the end of it. I hope to improve and learn things from others and I find their are things I would ike to try when I look at others projects. I do not have photoshop (looked at it but find it so confusing!!) and often post photos straight from my camera or just do some basic editing on iphoto or picnik. Enjoy your project for what you want it to be and don't worry about others projects. Everyone uses the site differently but it all makes it very interesting :)
Another average point-and-shooter here. I love what you've done with your project so far, it's so fun and honest. Mind if I follow along for the journey? =)
having a pro camera doesnt mean you will take brilliant photos, yeah it helps, but i've seen some atrocious photos taken with a 5dmk2, they looked like they were from a cheap point and shoot
AND we all have to start somewhere, just think all those people you're intimidated by were once just like you, looking up to others, but they stuck with it and improved and look where they are now :)
i've taken some brilliant shots with my iphone, they arent the best quality, but still theyre good photos (not as good as with my 5d tho)
I'm using a compact, a DSLR and a mobile phone to take stuff for my project. The mobile phone, at 2MP, takes decidedly poor shots. I don't think that this project is only built around "Quality" photo's. Take one a day, record your world and share it. Enjoy taking pictures and don't get hung up on quality.
I'm pretty average, if I would say so myself. I have a DSLR, but I'm not entirely too awesome with it yet. :P Glad to be learning along with some people! :)
I used a simple p&s camera for my photos last year. I did get a DSLR for Christmas but that was only after learning about composition of photos due to lighting and angle and I fully understood what I was looking for in a camera. Having a good camera does not make you a good photographer if you do not know how to use that camera. I tried not to use the flash on my camera for most of my shots to use the natural lighting available or to use different settings on my camera. I use Paint Shop Pro for editing my programs but if you use a program like GIMP (a free program that I have seen compared to PS). Great pictures are a matter of personal opinion but the best way to take great pictures is to go out, learn your camera, and experience with different shots. Take the same shot over and over again using different settings and keep a log of the settings you like for different situations. My p&s did not have any manual settings so I just used the cameras presets to take photos - for example, I took flowing water using the night landscape setting with no flash, fireworks with the fireworks setting, etc. Just keep taking photos.
another average photographer here. I use my iphone, so unless I'm really lucky no 'great' shots. I'm doing this because it's a fun way to record my life/world though, not to create art.
Your pics look great, and can only become better with practice :)
@kissmycoffin I have a canon cybershot. small... I'm not a great photographer, but I've been trying to take some 'cool' shots. I think I am no where as good as some ppl on this site, but I love looking at photos and getting ideas. I'd love to follow you :-)
I have three point & shoot and one SLR....but I keep reverting back to my fav Point and shoot. They have been around the world with me and almost never let me down....the SLR has never left town! :) I believe that it is only important to make yourself happy. I do very little to my pictures, preferring SOOC!
i dont edit any of my photos and i really dont care to. i just capture a picture, that in the moment it was taken, had some kinda of meaning to me or purpose in my day. i try to diversify my photos, but if you follow me, chances are you will see alot of military related photos this year. thats become my life. I have 3 brothers, multiple cousins, an uncle, multiple friends, and my boyfriend who are all in the military, and spread across all the branches. i have a lot of pride in my military family.
@kissmycoffin my photos are pretty poor, my camera is pretty poor but it doesnt matter im still happy with what I take , I dont edit mine or anything usually
I have a canon eos 40d but most of my photos for this project are taken with my iphone - since that's what I always have with me! I wouldn't worry about being average or comparing yourself to others. I think it's more about noticing things that interest you, sharing your life through what you find as you go about your day to day life. i don't use photoshop - my photos for this project are all straight out of camera, and most of my others that i post on flickr are too.
I don't have a great camera, sure don't have an Iphone (I don't even have a cell phone), and my pictures will probably not catch anyone's attention if they do decide to follow me but anyone who reads what I post on here and on my pictures is welcome to do so and welcome to comment on them. I take my pictures with a Fujifilm Finepix Camera and honestly have no idea what kind of zoom it has. Like a lot of the other people here say I just found this site because someone on facebook had it on there and I thought it was cool so I decided to join up and try it out for a year.
I like your photos! I take all my pictures with a blackberry and don't worry too much about getting "the perfect shot". I just photograph whatever moves me each day. :)
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Just a little tip - we are all our own worst critics..
I really like this one of yours
I'm also pretty intimidated by the seasoned photographers here but I try to remember that I'm doing this project for ME, to document a year of my life and share it with anyone who is interested. art isn't meant to impress other people!
however, you do have some impressive photos, I especially like this one:
and this one:
one is something beautiful that you captured and the other is something ordinary that you made beautiful
And I'll have to check out plixir
What you consider a simple, normal shot
I look at and say 'hey wow!! that's great!'.
Yes, it's nice to have Photoshop or similar but don't discount how much just a few basic adjustments (exposure, contrast, etc) and some strategic cropping can do for a photo.
One idea might be to take this year to really learn the strengths, weaknesses, and funky quirks of the camera you have now.
It took me quite a while to be happy/comfortable/content with my photo work. I think that was the biggest hurdle for me to get over (and the discontent still rears it's ugly little head from time to time).
Keep taking photos and keep looking at other people's work. Take the lessons from what works for you and leave the rest.
This is gorgeous. Before I had my nikon and a photo editing program, I used the basic windows photo editor that only allows changing the contrast and brightness and that worked just fine for me. unless you want to get really into editing, I would just use picnik. It's free and is a really great editing site.
We're all our own worst critics. You're doing great. :)
It isn't until someone points out the special in what we consider typical, that we actually tend to see it ourselves.
I love looking at other people's photos, the good and the bad, on this site. I can take inspiration from other people's photos and I can see how life is in another part of the world.
But I'm totally amateur... sometimes good shots, other times terrible shots!
XP
I only take day to day photos that are meaningful to me...in 20 years time I'll be able to look back and remember the story behind a shot, rather than it was just a nice photo iykwim? :D xx
You all are really helpful and you make me feel so much better about posting stuff here. @oneone365
@positronicmommy
@missdeb
@cindyisboring @farmboy9155
@breislame
@froggie
@kwakefield
1) Your shots intimidate ME. =D
2) I have a very old Kodak Easyshare that doesn't give me a manual option or a lot of other setting options AND it refuses to pick up fine details. There is no way I could ever get shots like other people on here do, simply because I do not have the right equipment. Your photos, for example, have better detailing than mine ever will. It doesn't make you a bad photographer, it just presents a bit more of a challenge. :)
3) I don't edit either. The most I can do is play with color and contrast. That's it. Seems you have more editing experience.
4) Average is a a matter of perspective. Art lies in the eye of the beholder. What might intimidate you, might not even impress the next person in the slightest. Worry about you and what you want to photograph....the rest will follow.
5) You are not alone. I feel the same way most of the time and it can be hard to not let it discourage me. So I know how you feel. I take "normal shots that sort of describe their day to day life". If I don't get out of my house to walk around, I don't get any shots so I have to do the best I can. You are more than welcome to take a look if you'd like.
6) I like your work. I am going to follow you. :)
7) LOVE this shot!!
Hope that helped! ~Jess
Thank you so much, everything you said is so inspirational. I don't have any experience with editing, lol. I boost colors on picnik if I think a picture needs a color boost. But that's as close to editing anything I've ever come.
A lot of people seem to like that one. I think I'm going to frame it for my mom one day.
Every artist was first an amateur.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
PS If you want to improve your photography, check out Bryan Peterson's books, or Craft and Vision's website. http://craftandvision.com/
i have to say this is pretty good.... ^___^
you don't need the tricks and stuff... all u need are taste and the heart for photography, and u got it... practice is better than reading tutorials.. ^_^
@lvmychunkalunka I know what you mean =)
@elsz They're definitely inspirational! But being honest with myself, I know I'm intimidated.
So if you don't feel that you can compete with, or measure up to the standard of the 'amazing' photos you see on here, I suggest that you find your own little niche to fill and be different :P
It's also how you take the photos, and a lot to do with lighting. If you shine a light directly into your camera the result can be pretty awesome.. if you know what to do with the rest of the space. Maybe I shouldn't be showing off my own pictures on here.. but this was just a phone camera, with no editing whatsoever (the best editing software I own is Microsoft Paint.. needless to say I don't use it.) and I was quite pleased with the effect of the lighting.
After that long ramble the only thing I can say really (because I am also a newbie) is that as long as what you are photographing is interesting, for absolutely any reason, people will like it, comment on it and follow it. :) x
Some people can do amazing things with simple cameras but I've seen pictures in Hawaii with fish eye lenses that cost more than my camera itself lol. It may be irrational but somedays I feel terribly... unskilled because of people here. But on other days they inspire me to practice everyday.
Yeah I feel pretty bad compared to the other photographers, but I am hoping that I will be inspired by their shots and possibly create similar things.. except obviously with a rubber duck in them :P
As for having a good camera.. I would absolutely love a DSLR but 1. I can't afford it, and 2. It isn't practical. I wouldn't want to take it to college or out shopping with me; I just put my duck wherever I think would look funny and snap away. I feel very restricted by that. :
Your photos are good; I especially like the ones from the 2nd, the 4th, the 6th and the 8th January.. (even numbers, lol) just take lots, some days are bound to be better than others :)
I know what you mean. I want a canon rebel sooooo badly. but it's so expensive. I'd have it in college with me but it definitely would not be for throwing in my backpack for classes and stuff. :\ It's be good for practice but 800 dollars is pretty steep.
Thank you =)
You're already experimenting and you already have creativity... and you have a camera. Keep shooting and keep doing what you enjoy and what makes you happy. Everything else is just a minor detail. =)
I like your work!
And I use a point and shoot too :)
On the other hand, I kind of like the challenge that shooting only with a point and shoot poses. I try to play around a lot with composition, angle, focus, etc...I take a lot of average photos, and a few I consider good, but I think this project has really helped me to grow. I also aim to take photos that require little to no editing, so most of my photos are sooc.
So I definitely understand where you're coming from, and you are welcome to follow me and ask me anything (though I can't guarantee I'll have an answer :)).
it's not really the type of camera you have, just the way you use it....
And you don't need Photoshop, either... Picnik is AMAZING! I own Photoshop and use it quite a bit for tweaking levels and saturation, but everything I do on Photoshop I could (for the most part) probably do on Picasa! I even export shots from Photoshop and do more editing on Picasa, like adding cross process or something like that. :)
Your photos are fantastic. Don't feel intimidated and remember that in the end, you're doing this for you! That's how I see it; I don't really follow many people, besides my friends, and I don't even fill out the tags when I upload pics! Just use the other photos as sources of inspiration and motivation! (I'm saving up for a Canon Rebel... LOVE Canon cameras!!)
Is not the size that matters, it's what you do with it.. or something! haha I think you can take good photos with pretty much anything, it's all a creative process - sometimes simpler is better. I just got PS and you can do some totally crazy stuff with it, I dont think it necessarily makes better photos it can actually make things look contrived. hmm I guess at the end of the day beauty is in the eye of the beholder and usually people are way too critical of themselves
I have a Canon PowerShot SX110 which is apparently called a "point&shoot" camera, so my photos are usually "just photos". I try not to edit them more than greyscale or light&contrast (Paint Shop Pro). I'm also the generation that has learned to photograph in film and feel guilty when I edit my shots... I still have my old film cameras (pocket and systems/single lens reflex)! It took me quite a while to change to digital camera.
If I edit my pic more than the above mentioned, then it shows and is meant to show - like my caleidoscope pic :D
I just started this project this year (finally!) so I'm not yet following many people, but I too want mainly to see what others with similar cameras make of their photos.
Now I'll go check yours ;)
Yeah, I have average shots, but I'm fine with those as they just really describe how my day went. It's great for reminiscing on certain days, and I think those kinds of shots are the best. :)
Will be checking your album now. :P
If you want be a serious photographer, you will find support as well,seeing the other great work and trying catch it, because some people does give good tips t, if you ask for.
If it's not your goal, just upload your pictures, and be happy!
A big giant hug!
Let's enjoy!
i have a regular point-and-shoot camera & i scramble over my very minimal knowledge with post-editing. there's a lot of people here in our 365 community who are making really great pictures but they're not there to cause me to be picture-envy. i see them as my inspirations. i see them as friends who are better than me but are also just like me because they also look up to others & see others the way i do.
yes, it's true, it's intimidating at times, but you must not dwell in there. seeing abilities that are obviously better than ours tells us how many other doors we can to open for ourselves. talents are given to everyone in different levels, that i learned to accept, and the passion that you give on things that you love can't be less than others'.
you get a follower here. love.
Follow me if you want to see some more average and hopefully they'll turn into great photographs as the weeks pass! :)
AND we all have to start somewhere, just think all those people you're intimidated by were once just like you, looking up to others, but they stuck with it and improved and look where they are now :)
i've taken some brilliant shots with my iphone, they arent the best quality, but still theyre good photos (not as good as with my 5d tho)
Your pics look great, and can only become better with practice :)