" Postcard Shot"..

[mysteryscribe]

shooting pictures and critique from semi knowledgeable people teaches composition. Solely Mimicing any one style makes you a one trick pony.

A new photographer should try everything all kinds of photography. There are lots of things photography can and should say. Don't think you have to find somebody else's way. You can learn in schools and you can learn by making your own mistakes. True learning is not copy or memory it is understanding.

The post card draftsman's approach is one way for sure. But it is not good for portraits where a good image is more than technique. Don't get bogged down, keep looking for your own niche.

Nothing wrong with being a good technition, I like to think I am. There is also nothing wrong in being a fair technition and an inspired photographer. Best thing to do is to learn how to compose a shot so that it is second nature, then go out and find your own place in the word.

Just my opinion.

 

[New England Moments]

I hear what your saying mysterscribe... I'm only suggesting that a person new to photography mimic as a practice .... I , as well as you , had heros in photography, and always tried to shoot in their style... after awhile the niche comes... because you as a photographer expand on these heros.. learning your own style...

Composition is a VERY big part of photography...
In our times ( meaning lol me and you as ole timers..) we didn't have the luxury also of just aiming a camera , and letting it do the thinking ( techs ) for us.. and today many people refuse to use manual settings.. so composition really must be learned... so again, nothing wrong with having heroes out of Photo Mags, and following there footsteps, until walking on your own comes natural..! and it will each time one pushes the shutter..

 

[mysteryscribe]

No my point was know and understand the rules not just mimic a style of photography. If you know and understand the norms of composition whether you are shooting a landscape or a portrait you can be competant.

One of my famous stories coming here. I have been retired for about five years now but a couple of months ago I got bored and agreed to do a wedding for a nice couple whose daughter was getting married. They had an uncle who was a commercial photographer but they weren't sure he would actually show up. I explained that I don't do back up. If he showed up he would have to shoot behind me. All agreed.

He showed up and two minutes later he knew he was out of his depth. He didn't have half an hour to set up the shot then reset it and do it ten times. It was meatball photography pure and simple. He told his nephew that he was so glad they hired a pro because he was lost.

He knew how to shoot commercial photographs of food, but was lost at what I was doing. He probably knew how to make a commercial shot over and over till he had it just right. Unfortunately that is a luxury I seldom had in any of my shoots. It was most always shoot it as it lays. The uncle probably got some excellent shots just because he was behind me with a Nikon d2x shooting exactly what I shot.

In that case you need lots of experience with lots of types of shots. Nothing wrong with being a commercial photographer or a landscape photographer, but if you learn all there is to learn about composition then you are a PHOTOGRAPHER first then a landscape or commercial photographer and probably will never be completely lost in a shoot.

Not trying to discourage anyone but expressing my opinion that you need to understand what you are doing not just do it by root memory. Hope that doesn't come off too professorish.