Is there anyone left who wants to learn?

[LaFoto]

I would venture to guess that a lot of the users with thousands of posts can easily grow pretty tired of trying to keep up with the critique section and share the same advice they have undoubtedly shared a hundred times before.

Well, you might be right here, Icon, and yet.... it is ok.

My nearing 19.000 posts have not come from my participating in Off-Topic games or chitchat (apart from some, of course), but I try to establish communication (that is my personal key-word here) with almost everyone on the forum, if I can, given I feel some sort of connection. I try to comment as much as I can, mostly so because I just KNOW (from my own feelings and emotions and suspense and whatnot any time I post a photo) how much people who go public with their work in this manner crave for a reply (or two, or many) - any sort of, preferably - of course! - some encouragement.

What I say, and how I comment, is not always in pointers towards "the right way". More so since I cannot really give any. I only the other day happened to browse through a DVD of my own with "Scanned Prints from April - October 2005" --- and ever so MANY of those photos of mine show ALL the flaws and faults an average photo can have :shock: . So, Elsaspet, I must admit that all I have ever learned about photography I have learned in the three years that I have been member of TPF! No kidding! So if anyone should ever think that "LaFoto" has "the knowledge" ... ha! It's all from here!

So I am far, far, far from being a) a professional and b) a photographer with THE knowledge. I have never taken any classes, whether that be high school photography classes or college courses or maybe only a photography class in an Adult Education Centre.
So I freely comment from the standpoint of a total amateur!

Seems like to some I am the only person to comment at all... or to start the ball to roll at last. And nothing hurts more than a 0 posts-thread, I think. So I sometimes also hope to only make someone happy...!

But I also see what you are saying, Elsaspet.
There are some around who do seem to have picked up a camera a month ago and seem to already know it all. Or have read a piece of advice yesterday to pass it on today, undigested, barely chewed. But that is what a public internet forum is like, and we are in February 2007 today and need to look forward from here ... not backward to what once was. It never helps in life (in whatever you do) to wistfully look to the past, to sigh and say: "Those were the days, my friend, when everything was better".

And another remark to you personally, Elsaspet: I admire you for building up a business in almost no time at all, and what a successful business it has become. You really, really, REALLY wanted to learn and DID learn. MUCH. ENORMOUSLY much! Wow-wow-wow!

 

[elsaspet]

You are the coolest LaFoto. And YES, you always kept the ball rolling. You have been a great soundingboard to sooooo many of us. I for one totally appreciate all the time you take to try to give us all great feedback.
Hehe. Yes, I guess I was having a "those were the golden years" moment yesterday.
I guess I just need to come around more often and get to know everyone!
Thank you for your kind words LaFoto (and Teri too). But I can promise you that had I not come here with my crappy little fern photo, and received such tender loving crit, I would never, ever, ever, be doing photography for a living now.
Smooches!!!!! I've missed you!

 

[Christie Photo]

...had I not come here with my crappy little fern photo, and received such tender loving crit,...

Now I have to go looking for this awful image.

 

[Alison]

Cindy, I remember that picture I think that in any forum there are cycles and that you joined when the right people were active and able to help you. For many reasons I am no longer shooting professionally, the time away from my family being the main one. I have really enjoyed watching your work evolve over the past two years and I am so glad that you have become so deeply involved in wedding photography. I don't feel I have the same level of input that I used to, especially in regards to marketing and such because I'm not actively doing that anymore.

TPF may not be the same as when you first joined, our membership has grown and by sheer volume it's hard to keep track of everyone. I think people are still learning though. And of course there are some who answer questions with what might be the "wrong" answer, but I don't think they do so knowingly. As with anything you have to remember the source of the information, especially on the internet.

I am glad you came with your fern photo

 

[elsaspet]

Now I have to go looking for this awful image.

It won't be hard to find the crappy ones. They were the first thousand or so I posted.

 

[elsaspet]

Hehe Alison, wasn't that poor fern pathetic? LOL. But dang, I thought it was pretty cool at the time. I listened to the crit, reworked it, and saw that it was instantly way better. I was like, "Wow!" I was a believer!
I'm sorry you've stepped out of photography professionally because you are awesome, and another huge icon to me. But you have a wonderful family so I look forward to lots of pics of them!
I've taken to heart what I've read in this thread, and I will try to quit beotching, and go in and try to learn even more, and give some back when I can. I just started a "How'd you do that" in Portraits, and I think it would be a blast to do in all the various forums. There is a ton of knowledge amoungst the members here. It's just all in the delivery, eh?

 

[Hertz van Rental]

What I say, and how I comment, is not always in pointers towards "the right way".

The only aspect of Photography that has a 'right way' and a 'wrong way' is in the Technical areas, that is exposure/processing/printing.
Virtually everything else in Photography is a matter of what works and what doesn't.
If you do something that gets you the result you want (especially if you can repeat it) and it works then it's the 'right way' as far as you are concerned. It might not be the best way, the most elegant way or the easiest way to do it - but it sure isn't the 'wrong way'!

 

[elsaspet]

The only aspect of Photography that has a 'right way' and a 'wrong way' is in the Technical areas, that is exposure/processing/printing.
Virtually everything else in Photography is a matter of what works and what doesn't.
If you do something that gets you the result you want (especially if you can repeat it) and it works then it's the 'right way' as far as you are concerned. It might not be the best way, the most elegant way or the easiest way to do it - but it sure isn't the 'wrong way'!

And this starts a whole new topic. Once you learn all the normal photo stuff, you are called upon to break it.
But you have to know the rules first, and most importantly "why".
And then just crush them. But with a reason as to why. It's all about understanding.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

But I've told you before - there are only three rules in Photography!
Are you referring to composition - there are no rules there, only conventions. And you will find that when you think you are breaking the rules you are, in fact, merely conforming to a convention you weren't aware of (but I won't go into all that here. I seem to remember explaining it in another thread anyway so interested people - go mine the archives).

I was referring to techniques and methods of working

 

[elsaspet]

But I've told you before - there are only three rules in Photography!
Are you referring to composition - there are no rules there, only conventions. And you will find that when you think you are breaking the rules you are, in fact, merely conforming to a convention you weren't aware of (but I won't go into all that here. I seem to remember explaining it in another thread anyway so interested people - go mine the archives).

I was referring to techniques and methods of working

Hertz,
You taught me well, and I know there is no confirmation there either. If you know a rule well enough, understand it, grasp it, then you are free to break it.
Technique and methodology is a pretty wide topic, but I'm not conventional on either. I just want to do it differnetly, as if that's possible!

 

[Alex_B]

...and Alex your advice is well informed so dont feel concearned about your activity here.

Thanks!

But maybe my phrasing could easily be misunderstood. I wrote about falling quiet in this thread only. So don't worry, I will still post in other threads telling people what I think

 

[elsaspet]

Speak up Alex! You have much to contribute!
(On this thread too)

 

[JohnMF]

I too think i remember your fern photograph, so maybe it was better than you think, It seems to have left an impression!

Reading this thread reminded me of something else i read http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/06/great-photographers-on-internet.html

It's quite funny

 

[photogoddess]

Cindy, FWIW I completely agree with you. :hugs: It's been way too long since I've posted any images here exactly for the reasons you mention. Problem is, it's an internet community with a revolving active membership and thus has a life of it's own. There are, as you mentioned, a group that is consistently helpful.

Hertz - my love! Where have you been? Your input is sorely needed and it hasn't been the same around here without you.

 

[Christie Photo]

Reading this thread reminded me of something else i read http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/06/great-photographers-on-internet.html

It's quite funny

Funny! And, just a bit scarey. It's seems SO real! The only thing I found missing was the obligatory DoF comments.