The Most Powerful Weapon in the World

[Dionysus]

it seems to me that you tend to get easily angered by critiques of your shots. You put them up for critique, then get upset when people critique it, then you start being rude about it, and in this case start with the sour grapes about how if you had a 50k camera it would be more appreciated. Look around man, there are wonderful shots being taken with point and shoots and bridge cameras.

I am by no means anything more than an amateur and will consider myself so probably for the rest of my life, so please don't take this the wrong way, like I'm better than you or something. But, you seem to get so angry at everyone else and start getting rude, when instead you should be looking inwardly at what YOU'RE doing wrong since you seem to fail a lot at conveying your messages in your pictures. If you want honesty, most of your pictures look like snapshots. You seem to have a hard time figuring out how to artistically approach your photos. Instead of dramatic angles and lighting, and planning out your backgrounds, you tend to shoot straight ahead, no concern for lighting and angles, and struggle with how to frame a photo, and chalk up your backgrounds to "i have what i have" like everybody else here is working with a million dollar budget. You don't have plain black or white tshirts or pieces of paper? You refuse to process your pictures, too, so you are further limiting the impact of your photos in that regard, as well. So...pick up a book on composition or art basics, dont blame the people, and your insecurities about your equipment. You seem to look outward as far as whats wrong with your photos, and look for things to blame. A good student, and person who truly wishes to learn something looks inwardly, and is humble and changes things in their approach so as to become better. You seem to approach this art as a beginner yet with the stubborness and rigidity of a lifelong photographer.

As the photographer it is your job to make people understand your emotions while taking a picture. It's not the viewers job to guess at your meaning, if you really are trying to convey a specific message. Like the pen issue...you have this whole background as to your love of pens, and why they are important to you...MAKE US FEEL THAT...MAKE US SEE THAT IN YOUR PHOTO. Instead you take a photo of a pen on a very off colored background because "thats what you have", straight on, and at a few angles, then get angry at US for not getting this whole background for your love of pens.


Please understand that I am not saying these things to talk down to you, as I myself think my pictures suck, and am continually trying to get better...but to help you understand that your approach to this is all wrong. I'm coming from a place of seeing a lot of your posts turn angry and rude, just because we dont get what you're trying to say. If this consitently happens so much, is it really our fault, or yours?

 

[blash]

The pen itself is good, DOF is good, background is wrong. Choose a background that complements your message - draw up a contract in that old font of the "'New York Times' that's at the top of the front page", put the pen on that - and have the contract read something like "sign away your economy". You would use multiple exposures - one for the pen, and one to yield just barely enough focus to the parchment so that the focus is still on the pen but you can see what the parchment says when you look a little closer.

 

[stsinner]

it seems to me that you tend to get easily angered by critiques of your shots. You put them up for critique, then get upset when people critique it, then you start being rude about it, and in this case start with the sour grapes about how if you had a 50k camera it would be more appreciated. Look around man, there are wonderful shots being taken with point and shoots and bridge cameras. If this consitently happens so much, is it really our fault, or yours?

You're absolutley right, and I apologize for being rude or seeming angry.. I wanted it to come too fast. It's also hard to come to the realization that your idea fall short to the degree they do.. I actually liked that the cake plate matched the walls once the DOF blurred it all together.. But that was pointed out in critique.. I have a book that I just picked up about composition, and it's interesting. So much to consider when framing a shot.

Thanks for the post.

 

[Dionysus]

i just hope i didnt come off as mean, as honestly im just trying to help you long term, so you become the photographer you want to be. we all want the same thing. we all want to be good, and photography is no different than anything in this world you take on that means anything to you.

parenthood: when something happens w/ your child who do you blame first? other people, or do you usually blame yourself and try to find a way to do things better?
firefighting: when something goes wrong on the job, who do you blame? others or yourself?
etc etc...its no different.

There will always be pictures you love that are extremely personal to you, that nobody else gets...dont let that hold you back or anger you. I have a whole catalogue of pics no one liked here but I and MANY others do. art, and its appreciation vary with every person that looks at it.

The cake top thing was obviously scratched and scuffed up. If you have a message so important to you to convey...don't you want it conveyed as cleanly as possible?

keep at it man, youll get there..everybody has their own timeframe as to when they become what they want to become.

 

[stsinner]

Continuing with the same theme/idea, how is this:

 

[Aggressor]

I like the paper better this time around. I only wish that the most important part of the text (...at war with Japan) were sharper and bolder. Maybe try to get the entire paragraph in focus?

This time, I got your message -- but not immediately -- I had to figure out what that document said first.

 

[BrandonS]

Leaps and Bounds better