How long before you felt you "understood" photography

[Flatland2D]

Hello everyone. I first got into photography 4 years ago with a point and shoot that had A/S/M controls. I recently bought a Sony Alpha 100 and I'm trying to learn more about photography as an art.

Looking at my photos over the past 4 years, I could probably count on one hand the number of pictures which I would consider "artsy" or worth framing. I really enjoy taking pictures and I'm understanding more of the technical aspects, but when I look at pictures other people post (or in magazines) I just think, "wow, my pictures don't look anything like that." Part of me is still trying to figure out what makes those pictures better than mine. I can't describe it, it's just a feeling. This is what I've dedicated myself to learning - what makes pictures great. My goal is to take pictures that can portray the exact emotion or idea I want. That is when I think I'll consider myself a real photographer.

So, how long did it take you guys to feel satisfied with your work? Or is it one of those things where you never really get there, because you always know you can do better? I know there's already many threads on advice for newbies (though anything would be appreciated), I was just wanting to discuss the progression of eveyone's skills.

Thanks in advance for any replies! I'm looking forward to being more a part of this community.

 

[ann]

i am not a guy, but it took me years to feel that i understood.

It will probably take me the rest of my life to be satisfied, and i already have 59 years of experince and figure about 30 more to go.

 

[Flatland2D]

So I guess the progression never stops!

I also wanted to add this. What little milestones did you hit along that way which showed you were heading in the right direction?

 

[The_Traveler]

What little milestones did you hit along that way which showed you were heading in the right direction?

Excellent question.
For me, two milestones:

1) when I stopped wanting to take pictures of everything I saw and started wanting to take specific kinds of pictures
2) when I was interested in what other people thought about my pictures (the ones that I liked) but I didn't care if they didn't like them.

 

[sabbath999]

I will let you know when it happens.

 

[Garbz]

I am never satisfied with my photos and I've been going for years. I am my own worst critic. Lots of other people love them though.

Photography is a hobby of mine and I think there will always be room for improvement. As soon as I stop thinking that my pictures stop improving.

 

[Remi M.]

I feel like I understand the technical side of photography. Using my equipment is more like driving a car now. I don't think much about what dial to turn or what button to press, I just do it without thinking.

I don't think I will ever fully understand the artisitc/creative side of photography. I feel like I'm not even close. Like garbz said, I'm my own worst critic.

I do feel like I'm getting closer to identifing my "style", and figuring out what I want to shoot and what I don't.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

I'm still working on understanding Photography because there is still a lot we don't actually know about it. But milestones? Realising that one of the main keys is getting the light right because then I could pre-visualise. Or grasping the fact that different types of photograph require different approaches.
When anyone asks me which of my pictures I consider my 'best' I always reply: the next one.

 

[Iron Flatline]

I dunno, there's the basics, and then there's the rest of your life.

If you figure out what various shutter speeds, apertures, and ASAs (or ISOs now) do for you, you're pretty much there.

The rest is developing a personal style, which is based on ever-changing influences, styles, and the underlying techniques.

 

[Bear]

As an artist, I have my practice and style I am more than happy with, but I this comes from past works before my venture into this medium. As a photographer I am having too much fun taking pictures of everything I can find with my new camera right now. I see a lot of my style in my current random photos, but I suspect the more I do this and more I demand of myself the more meaningful and "artistic" my photos will become.

 

[jeroen]

I've been doing illustration and graphic design for the past 16 years for a living. With 4 years of art school, that makes 20 years of learning.

I still am my own worse crittic and I am never ever satisfied. Stuff can be "acceptable" or "good" but they'll never 100% perfect. Once I will be satisfied I will stop learning and that would probably be the end of my career. It will also take the fun out of it. How can you make a next thing if you have already done the perfect thing?

Photography is just a hobby to me, but the same rules counts IMO.
I am far from professional, if I ever get there at all. I see some of the traps I'm falling in, but I know I have to take them to get any further. I can also see that I am learning and that my photos get better every 12 months or so. And I'm having a hell of a lot of fun while doing just so.

Like some wise man (or woman) once said: "[SIZE=-1]It's not the destination, it's the journey[/SIZE]."

 

[ksmattfish]

"If I knew how to take a good photograph, I'd do it every time." -Robert Doisneau

http://www.masters-of-photography.com/D/doisneau/doisneau.html

 

[kRiZ cPEc]

I stop by, saw your thread, and felt like to type something...so please don't mind if I am not answering your question--
I took up a serious attitude towards photography for no more than a year. I am inexperienced in this. I am still learning.
I think the process could go on forever--I myself have a tendency to feel satisfied with my shots initially. So I took part in some contests whatever with them and seeing them scoring fewer votes or even none, I would start thinking what's gone wrong with them. I ask someone for comments; comparing photos on similiar topics by others and looking at my photos again--they don't look as impressive as I felt in the beginning.
So, this is my answer--not a good one though

 

[fmw]

I understood the nuts and bolts of photography very quickly. I still don't understand the art of photography very well. It has been 1/2 a century. Either I'm slow or will never learn it.

 

[Flatland2D]

Thanks for all the great feedback. So it seems pretty unanimous that you never stop learning and are never really satisfied because you know you can do better. Let me rephrase that question. When did you start thinking your pictures were worthy of printing in a magazine or selling to others (or at least comparable to other good pictures)?