Just a quick message for the beginners (and pros as well)

[Chewbecca]

Now, what if we just want to share images that we think are decent, or you know, images that are perfect to our "untrained" eye? Or even pics that are just simply endearing to us?

I took a pic the other day of my son running with my dog. They were playing together. The image was extremely over-exposed, but it is still an endearing picture to me. It probably would have been better had I zoomed in a little more, and if I would have had the settings on my camera just right for it.


Is there a separate beginner's picture gallery here (which, wait, I'll probably post this, go check out the rest of the forums and find it on my own), if not, do we just post pictures here?

 

[caspertodd]

Now, what if we just want to share images that we think are decent, or you know, images that are perfect to our "untrained" eye? Or even pics that are just simply endearing to us?

I took a pic the other day of my son running with my dog. They were playing together. The image was extremely over-exposed, but it is still an endearing picture to me. It probably would have been better had I zoomed in a little more, and if I would have had the settings on my camera just right for it.


Is there a separate beginner's picture gallery here (which, wait, I'll probably post this, go check out the rest of the forums and find it on my own), if not, do we just post pictures here?

Probably the "Just for Fun" section would be good for that particular one. There are some people here just as myself who also like to see pictures that are not necessarily for critique but just for sharing as well. I believe "Just for Fun" is what that is for.

 

[tirediron]

I don't really want to get into specifics: but (Tirediron) you are being too generic here...
TRUE: forums enable showcasing and C&C - and while your images and many others may be worthy of C&C there are others which, frankly, are just mediocre (at best) and pooss pir (at worst)... Some images I have seen on here are way beyond "brightening", "horizon straightening", "suggestions for a crop" - they are seriously OOF, seriously blown-out, and even the word amateurish would be 'kind'...
No..! (Tirediron) "they" would seriously not pay money for such images...
And I will seriously not offer my comment to obvious crap photography that has been posted with "Whadya tink 'o these..?" headlines...
Man... The camera boffins have spent KryptoZillion$ developing and perfecting the tech of their brands - so there is little excuse for posting poor quality images... Beginners or not...
Nil Carborundum Illegitomi
Jedo

Jedo, I think we'll have to agree to disagree. I grant that some people do over-do it, posting 10, 20 or more pictures and asking for C&C when what they really want is praise for a picture that it may not deserve it. Well, IMO, the best way to deal with those people is to point out to them that what they're doing is not constructive. If they're feelings are hurt, oh well.

Saying that there is no excuse for posting quality images, well, I think you're plain wrong there. Yes technology has advanced leaps and bounds since I got my first 35mm SLR - an old Miranda, with a couple of 'S' mount lenses, no internal meter, and a top shutter speed of 1/500, but I thought I'd struck gold! I remember going to my photo teacher (Grade 11 IIRC) and showing him what I thought was a great capture. He looked at it, and then sat me down and went over the problems; yes the exposure was not bad, but it was a couple of stops over (How many noobies can identify 1/2, 1 or even 2 stops over/under? Sure the camera will meter the scene, but do they know the best points to meter? That's where experience comes in), the horizon wasn't anywhere near level, and a few other things. Yep, my bubble burst, but guess what? I took that, and went off, and the next batch of prints I brought in were better, and so on...

I don't by any stretch claim to be an expert, but I do know that I got where I am because people who knew a lot more than I did were patient enough to sit down with me time and time again, and say, "No, you need to fix this..." or "A better way to light that would be..."

As I said, because of my very restricted 'net connection for the next five months, I won't be able to look at too many pictures, but I'll do what I can. If you others don't want to, then don't. I would like to think that in some small way, I'm paying back those who helped me when I was learning.

Just my $00.02 worth - your opinion may vary.

 

[Village Idiot]

Ah, interesting where this has gone. I guess my message was lost in translation.

I really posted this as a little wake up to the noobs, like me. Not as a cry for people to look at and comment on my pictures. That was not my intention at all.

I just seemed to notice how soooo many of the noobs ONLY post to ask questions (which I agree, many can figure out with a search) or to post pictures.

Most of the noobs NEVER comment on other pictures. They never give suggestions or advice to anyone. They just want to take take take. And in order for a forum to work, I believe that everyone needs to contribute.

Why should anyone expect feedback if they dont give it to others?

By saying that I was going to take the time to comment, I was not trying to say that anyone else should. Just that I want to be a contributing part of the disscussions here, and not just another noob who wants wants wants.

Personally, I'd rather not have a real noob handing out information that they just read about on a forum the other day without knowing if it's true or how it works.

 

[tirediron]

Probably the "Just for Fun" section would be good for that particular one. There are some people here just as myself who also like to see pictures that are not necessarily for critique but just for sharing as well. I believe "Just for Fun" is what that is for.

Or, post it in the appropriate gallery, but make it clear that you are not asking for C&C.

 

[caspertodd]

Or, post it in the appropriate gallery, but make it clear that you are not asking for C&C.

Yeah, that would work too I guess.

 

[julie32]

This forum states the following: The Beginners Place: Brand new to photography, or brushing up on some of the basics? Don’t be shy! Talk to other beginners and ask all your basic photographic questions here!

So those are the "rules." Therefore, one does not need to google what A is on the body verses the the A on the lens. They can ask it here, and they do. It's a safe place where people don't have to be shy to raise their hand and ask a question. The more tenure obviously WANT to answer that's why they're on the beginners forum.

 

[dEARlEADER]

This forum states the following: The Beginners Place: Brand new to photography, or brushing up on some of the basics? Don’t be shy! Talk to other beginners and ask all your basic photographic questions here!

So those are the "rules." Therefore, one does not need to google what A is on the body verses the the A on the lens. They can ask it here, and they do. It's a safe place where people don't have to be shy to raise their hand and ask a question. The more tenure obviously WANT to answer that's why they're on the beginners forum.

:cheer:

Surely you don't think just because the forum policy states beginners should ask all of their basic photographic questions that they actually should?...

 

[rmh159]

The basics are the basics are the basics. The basics do not cahnge for ANYONE. We ALL should know them. The info on where we can learn about the basics are placed in people's sigs, stickies, FAQs, the search button, google, youtube, books and a million other places.

Good point.

I could definitely see where it would get frustrating to be addressing issues that are easily found in someone's camera manual.

If I had to draw a line on this issue it would be that it's good to post pictures to develop your creative eye... bad to post pictures to learn how to use your equipment.

 

[caspertodd]

Good point.

I could definitely see where it would get frustrating to be addressing issues that are easily found in someone's camera manual.

If I had to draw a line on this issue it would be that it's good to post pictures to develop your creative eye... bad to post pictures to learn how to use your equipment.

Well, not necessarily. Just because you read the manual doesn't mean that you are going to know how to stop motion in certain light for example. Maybe I posted a picture of my dog running across the yard on a cloudy day, and the dog is blurry. I post the picture and say "can anyone help me, here is my scenario, I keep trying to take my dog's picture, but he is always blurry". Then you may respond something like "up your ISO to maybe 400, set your camera on Tv, set your shutter to at least the same as your focal length..." or whatever. You are not going to find that in the manual, and has nothing to do with creativity.

 

[dEARlEADER]

Good point.

I could definitely see where it would get frustrating to be addressing issues that are easily found in someone's camera manual.

If I had to draw a line on this issue it would be that it's good to post pictures to develop your creative eye... bad to post pictures to learn how to use your equipment.

Who says you have to address these repeated issue's? or anyone for that matter?

 

[rmh159]

Who says you have to address these repeated issue's? or anyone for that matter?

The person posting the pictures saying "Please C&C my shots.".

You don't HAVE to do anything but assuming you want to respond to someone's request for a response... blah blah insert my other post.

 

[PhotoDonkey]

What if I post some pictures, pointing out what I already know is wrong with them, but hoping to get additional feedback? Yeah, I can tell an underexposed image from an overexposed image, but maybe I don't notice that the photo is oversaturated. Or maybe I don't realize that the composition sucks.

I don't have a problem with someone saying I should do a search instead of ask a frequently asked question, but I do take issue when people don't think I should post a picture I've taken, looking for a little feedback, just because I haven't been at it for very long. And to be fair, I try to post only a couple of images at a time, because I don't need to critique every shot I take.

I've read Understanding Exposure, and another book about photography techniques, but until I get some feedback about what I'm doing wrong, I'm just going to keep doing it wrong.

It's the same reason I took guitar lessons from a professional guitarist instead of just trying to figure it all out myself. He didn't have a problem telling me to drill alternate picking or chord changes, even if he thought I should know to do it myself. He just told me to do it. And what do you know, I'm a better guitar player today than I would be if I hadn't had his input.

But you know what, if you don't want to spend your time looking at my photos, that's fine with me. I don't need more than a couple of responses to "get it". There are plenty of people here that will offer advice. And every bit of it is greatly appreciated. To those of you that are willing to take the time to help out a beginner, you have my gratitude. To those of you that don't, that's fine too. But it's not necessary to gripe about the guy who took a few shots and isn't sure what's wrong with them.

 

[~Stella~]

I like the spirit of rub's post and agree with the sentiment.

I'd never try to go into technical things that I don't have a handle on myself but I'm not sure that's all that common anyway. And photos are more than just the technical aspect - they are art and I do feel qualified to comment on my opinion of the artistic side of the image. I try to be helpful when I can, regardless of my newbie status, but posts like some of these on this thread could cause beginners to shy away from both commenting and offering their own images for comment, which is unfortunate.

I'd much rather have a dozen beginners tell me they find my photos appealing (or what they would find more appealing) than a bunch of views and no responses. Even for a pro, I can't fathom that a beginner's post that "I really like the colors in the third one" or something else fairly basic is so terrible to have to put up with.

 

[Senor Hound]

Today I was quite frusterated that no one else commented on the photos I posted. And that got me thinking...how many times have I commented on someone elses photos. Hmmm, about the same numberas people have commented on mine.

I guess I feel that because I am learning, what I say might not be "correct." But you know what, if a picture makes me say Oh, I like that! Wow, thats incedible! Oh, geez, that could really use some work on the exposure or composition. Or that subject doesn't appeal to me at all -- I'm gonna say it.

I know we all have busy lives, but for the amount of time I come here and browse, what would it take for me to spend 5 mins and give a little C&C. Nothing, at all.

So for all you new people who want some feedback, who want advice on what camera to buy, which lens to get, how to break into wedding photography or anything else, make sure you give something back as well.
I'm sure even the seasoned pros around here would like to get a few comments on the photographs they post.

ps - Thanks to everyone who provides such great information on this site. Hope I can return the favor in some way, some day. And expect to see me posting a lot more in the future.

95% of people out there are inexperienced photographers. If photographers thought the noob's opinion wasn't important, then they'd be missing out on a lot of people liking their photos (which equals money if they're a professional).

This kind of reminds me of movies. The ones that go up for Oscars (the most artistic and technically sound photos), are rarely the ones that make the most money (the photos the masses enjoy looking at). It depends on who you're trying to please and what the purpose of the shot is, but as long as we all keep that idea in mind, then ALL criticism is worth SOMETHING.