Contrasty Trees in the Sunset C&C

[Beast95]

i really liked your second input.....the third one also fine, but may be merited by some brightening?
Regards

Thats the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me on here... haha (:

[Ads]

[BadPictures]

Yea.. if the OP had a TRIPOD.. because that would have kicked the shutter speed WAY into non-handheld range... and most likely would have made the shot even contrastier.. and lost ALL detail in the trees. Sun Star?.. whatever.......

So you are unfamiliar with the concept of experimentation then, eh?

No... I am very familiar with experimentation... it is just that when I know from experience something wont work.. I know it is a waste of time to do it! Sun Stars (or more correctly, Aperture Stars).. have their place.. typically when shooting something with a lot of highlights.. choppy water for instance, or automotive photography..... but on a shot like this, it would be a waste of time to even try!

You obviously need to learn the basics, yourself.. before you start offering useless advice to people!

It's people like you that made me stop visiting here when I first came to this site a few months ago. I read a few threads and I saw a bunch of self important douche-bags that think they know everything and that no one should ever bother with doing anything since they already know how it will turn out. So many people here offer stupid advice about how they would use some technique or another or exactly how a photo should have been shot, and forget that photography is art. If everyone does it the same way, it would make for very dull art. Beyond that though, and specific to your comment, I gave him a place to start and something to think about without shooting his idea down as being totally worthless. Was it a perfect idea? No, maybe not. I'm not a professional, and as I said, only offered my theory on something to try and perhaps it could have gotten him thinking about how that photograph could have been improved. Maybe instead of posting to bolster your own self importance, you could try offering support and guidance?

Sorry to bring negativity to your post, Beast. I've seen so many comments like that here though, and I needed to get it off my chest. I will likely resume not visiting here now. lol Don't let the bastards get ya down, man. And remember if YOU like the picture, it's a good picture. Art is entirely subjective. The best you can hope for from a site like this is to help you learn the technical aspect of catching what you want. No one can teach you what you really like.

[BadPictures]

Also, I kinda dig what you were going for in that shot with the sunset and the silhouetted tree. Keep firing away. You'll be making masterpieces in no time.

[cgipson1]

So you are unfamiliar with the concept of experimentation then, eh?

No... I am very familiar with experimentation... it is just that when I know from experience something wont work.. I know it is a waste of time to do it! Sun Stars (or more correctly, Aperture Stars).. have their place.. typically when shooting something with a lot of highlights.. choppy water for instance, or automotive photography..... but on a shot like this, it would be a waste of time to even try!

You obviously need to learn the basics, yourself.. before you start offering useless advice to people!

It's people like you that made me stop visiting here when I first came to this site a few months ago. I read a few threads and I saw a bunch of self important douche-bags that think they know everything and that no one should ever bother with doing anything since they already know how it will turn out. So many people here offer stupid advice about how they would use some technique or another or exactly how a photo should have been shot, and forget that photography is art. If everyone does it the same way, it would make for very dull art. Beyond that though, and specific to your comment, I gave him a place to start and something to think about without shooting his idea down as being totally worthless. Was it a perfect idea? No, maybe not. I'm not a professional, and as I said, only offered my theory on something to try and perhaps it could have gotten him thinking about how that photograph could have been improved. Maybe instead of posting to bolster your own self importance, you could try offering support and guidance?

Sorry to bring negativity to your post, Beast. I've seen so many comments like that here though, and I needed to get it off my chest. I will likely resume not visiting here now. lol Don't let the bastards get ya down, man. And remember if YOU like the picture, it's a good picture. Art is entirely subjective. The best you can hope for from a site like this is to help you learn the technical aspect of catching what you want. No one can teach you what you really like.

They have to learn to walk, before they can run. I will tell you what I say to every other "self-important douche bag".. put up or shut up.. show us why we should listen to your opinion. You are probably just a NOOB with a camera, that has not even learned the basics, and are excusing your poor photography by calling it "Art"! Whatever! Those that stay and listen, learn... those with ego's like yours.. leave.. and seldom get better!

[BadPictures]

They have to learn to walk, before they can run. I will tell you what I say to every other "self-important douche bag".. put up or shut up.. show us why we should listen to your opinion. You are probably just a NOOB with a camera, that has not even learned the basics, and are excusing your poor photography by calling it "Art"! Whatever! Those that stay and listen, learn... those with ego's like yours.. leave.. and seldom get better!

I apologize for coming off as combative. I was trying to make two points, really. The first is about not being so negative about comments, but I did so by being negative myself and I regret that, because it does nothing useful to join in the flame wars. I would humbly suggest though, that there might be more effective ways of providing feedback than negatively and dismissively. You are correct about the technical aspects of the shot that I suggested; perhaps you could just have explained under what circumstance that might have worked, or what the limitations of that shot might have been, minus the negativity? I don't believe that I said anything offensive to warrant your negativity. The other thing that I would like to point out regarding this sort of thing is that even if someone completely misleads the OP, as I did (sorry about that Beast), he is not a moron. So he goes out, sets his camera the way I said and he ends up with a black frame or a very blurry image. My guess is that he will consider what happened and perhaps up the ISO or use a tripod and eventually end up with an image that works. Maybe it's still not a glorious image. Maybe it is. Either way, he learned a little more about exposure.

But the second point I wanted to make was the more important one, and it is for Beast, more than anyone else; which is that art is subjective. The fact remains that if you like the photographs you take, that's really the important thing. I think it is great that you're excited about your photography. I am sure if you keep working at it, you'll take pictures that you likes better than these, and that other people will be more impressed by as well. So I was not making this point to defend this current photograph (or my own). I was just suggesting that everyone has their own style and it's easy, once you do get a handle on technique to forget the art and go with what you know and what you've seen (or what other people suggest because it worked for them). If you want to be unique though, you have to keep trying to expand your horizons outside of those cliche shots that obey all the "rules" and are technically brilliant, but ultimately are antiseptic because most people who look at it feel like they've seen that before. That's not a dig on anyone or anything... it's just that as I have spent some time looking at photography forums like this one, I can see how one could get the impression that there is a "right" way to compose and photograph and get in a rut. As cgipson said, it's important to walk before you run, so you should know and understand the guidelines, but don't forget to break them when its appropriate. No one will die though, even if the picture is horrible. Keep experimenting and reading and learning.

[Beast95]

But the second point I wanted to make was the more important one, and it is for Beast, more than anyone else; which is that art is subjective. The fact remains that if you like the photographs you take, that's really the important thing. I think it is great that you're excited about your photography. I am sure if you keep working at it, you'll take pictures that you likes better than these, and that other people will be more impressed by as well. So I was not making this point to defend this current photograph (or my own). I was just suggesting that everyone has their own style and it's easy, once you do get a handle on technique to forget the art and go with what you know and what you've seen (or what other people suggest because it worked for them). If you want to be unique though, you have to keep trying to expand your horizons outside of those cliche shots that obey all the "rules" and are technically brilliant, but ultimately are antiseptic because most people who look at it feel like they've seen that before. That's not a dig on anyone or anything... it's just that as I have spent some time looking at photography forums like this one, I can see how one could get the impression that there is a "right" way to compose and photograph and get in a rut. As cgipson said, it's important to walk before you run, so you should know and understand the guidelines, but don't forget to break them when its appropriate. No one will die though, even if the picture is horrible. Keep experimenting and reading and learning.

I really appreciate the nice comments, and thanks for trying to be so honest. I didnt think anything mean of what you said, you were basically trying to compliment me but still tell me there is still a lot of room to improve. and I am fine with that! Thanks for being supportive! I thought it was pretty nice of you. And you do have some good points, it's true that with art it is okay to break rules (as long as it's on purpose, haha).

&& Thanks about the sunset and silhouetted tree (:

[Beast95]

They have to learn to walk, before they can run. I will tell you what I say to every other "self-important douche bag".. put up or shut up.. show us why we should listen to your opinion. You are probably just a NOOB with a camera, that has not even learned the basics, and are excusing your poor photography by calling it "Art"! Whatever! Those that stay and listen, learn... those with ego's like yours.. leave.. and seldom get better!

I really do respect your opinions and honesty, but all that BadPictures was trying to do was try to work a compliment in there.

I do hope you can continue to make honest comments/feedback on my photos in the future, and I hope to learn a lot (:
I know you do have a pretty good reputation around here, so I trust that you know what you're talking about!

[cgipson1]

I don't believe that I said anything offensive to warrant your negativity.

Ok... so this is your version of sweetness and light? lol

I read a few threads and I saw a bunch of self important douche-bags that think they know everything

[cgipson1]

They have to learn to walk, before they can run. I will tell you what I say to every other "self-important douche bag".. put up or shut up.. show us why we should listen to your opinion. You are probably just a NOOB with a camera, that has not even learned the basics, and are excusing your poor photography by calling it "Art"! Whatever! Those that stay and listen, learn... those with ego's like yours.. leave.. and seldom get better!

I really do respect your opinions and honesty, but all that BadPictures was trying to do was try to work a compliment in there.

I do hope you can continue to make honest comments/feedback on my photos in the future, and I hope to learn a lot (:
I know you do have a pretty good reputation around here, so I trust that you know what you're talking about!

Not a problem.. I have just been a little cranky lately! I apologize for for the thread "Drama Jack"!

[Beast95]

haha its good man!

[BadPictures]

I don't believe that I said anything offensive to warrant your negativity.

Ok... so this is your version of sweetness and light? lol

I read a few threads and I saw a bunch of self important douche-bags that think they know everything

That'd be more or less why I was apologizing....

[cgipson1]

I don't believe that I said anything offensive to warrant your negativity.

Ok... so this is your version of sweetness and light? lol

I read a few threads and I saw a bunch of self important douche-bags that think they know everything

That'd be more or less why I was apologizing....

It's cool!