Unsure photographer

vidar · Jun 8, 2011

Well, I'm not exactly new to Photography, but I am trying to find my "style" so to speak.

I've taken many courses on studio lighting and "creative" photography. I was mainly disappointed in the creative courses as I didn't really walk away with anything new to try out.

I've given up on portrait photography as I have a hard time posing people. I'm just not sure what I'm looking for when I do that. So, I took a shot at doing some sports photography. I'm a fan of sports, so it was a logical progression.

I did some shots at a professional NHL game (even though apparently I wasn't supposed to have my DSLR there). Anyway, got some great shots, but I can't exactly go to every game (that gets expensive). I did some local kids soccer team shoots and that went over pretty good as well.

I think this is the area I want to get into, it would either be that or landscape style photography. But I'm just not sure where to begin with all this. A studio is easy...it's right there, you set up the lights and you shoot. But landscape photography is harder. I need to find things to actually shoot. Living in a city I know I need to get out to get the better shots. Unless I go urban.

Argh. I need to figure out what to do.

Anyway, thanks for reading this and if you have any suggestions on how to get into more sports photography it would be greatly appreciated.

bazooka · Jun 8, 2011

Style and subject matter aren't really the same thing, fwiw. But I wonder why you bought a camera in the first place if you don't know what you want to shoot? I suppose some people just buy them because it's technical and it feels good and sounds good. Kind of like owning a sports car and just keeping it in the garage. It's ok to be a collector I suppose, but if you want to be a photographer, then surely there are images that you've seen that have impressed you... images that made you wonder if you could do that? Or maybe images that you can just get lost in...

vidar · Jun 8, 2011

Oh, there definitely is stuff that I'm drawn to which falls mostly under the portrait photography, but in the grand scheme of things doing portraits is not my strong point. As I had stated, posing people is a very weak point for me. I keep hoping to find some type of course that teaches posing techniques, but never did find anything, so I decided to move on to something that called more to me like sports photography. Capturing images that if they are not capture disappear and will not be seen again is something that intrigues me. Portraits can always be set up again in the same manner, but that once in a lifetime goal that happens in sports, that's something different.

GreatPhotoRace · Jun 8, 2011

Here's some inspiration (as far as Sports Photography is concerned):

Very mesmerizing.

Granted this is a video, but shot with a tilt shift lens, which you can purchase (or you can "cheat" by postprocessing.)

vidar · Jun 9, 2011

Ok, that tilt-shift concept is very cool. It certainly gives a whole new perspective. I will investigate that more!

The_Traveler · Jun 9, 2011

vidar said:
Oh, there definitely is stuff that I'm drawn to which falls mostly under the portrait photography, but in the grand scheme of things doing portraits is not my strong point. As I had stated, posing people is a very weak point for me. I keep hoping to find some type of course that teaches posing techniques, but never did find anything, so I decided to move on to something that called more to me like sports photography. Capturing images that if they are not capture disappear and will not be seen again is something that intrigues me. Portraits can always be set up again in the same manner, but that once in a lifetime goal that happens in sports, that's something different.

Vidar,

I think there is a bet of pre-cart horsing happening here.
Start taking pictures, get good with your camera and get that technical obstacle out of the way.
You will find yourself being drawn to one kind of photography and wanting to try it more, wanting to learn how to do it.
What you know how to do now is not of real significance compared to what you can know later if you want to.

vidar · Jun 10, 2011

Traveler, I have the technical stuff down already...I've been shooting for many years, I'm just trying to find my niche I guess at this point.

JBArts · Jun 15, 2011

Hey you know what, you must not treat photography as only an art but treat it as your passion! Once you let it flow into your system, you will surely captured unusual refined photographs! Good luck to you!

jwbryson1 · Jun 15, 2011

I think that video is fantastic. I have never seen anything like that before and I could not pull myself from it. Well done!

weepete · Aug 23, 2017

May14 said:
However, it may be impossible to try out everything you seem to like. That is understandable. There is one article I have recently seen that may help you save time and money on that. here it is - How To Choose Your Genre In Photography

Necromancer, please check the date of the posts.

vintagesnaps · Aug 24, 2017

That Weepete, and May14 has posted the same link in at least 3 different threads so far. Just another spammer digging up old threads. Although maybe somebody will get something out of the advice in the thread...

benhasajeep · Aug 24, 2017

The one nice thing about a forum like this is the pictures others take and post. Can give you ideas to emulate, or might even give you an idea of your own.

Welcome to the forum.

Delfuego · Aug 25, 2017

vidar said:
Well, I'm not exactly new to Photography, but I am trying to find my "style" so to speak.

I've taken many courses on studio lighting and "creative" photography. I was mainly disappointed in the creative courses as I didn't really walk away with anything new to try out.

I've given up on portrait photography as I have a hard time posing people. I'm just not sure what I'm looking for when I do that. So, I took a shot at doing some sports photography. I'm a fan of sports, so it was a logical progression.

I did some shots at a professional NHL game (even though apparently I wasn't supposed to have my DSLR there). Anyway, got some great shots, but I can't exactly go to every game (that gets expensive). I did some local kids soccer team shoots and that went over pretty good as well.

I think this is the area I want to get into, it would either be that or landscape style photography. But I'm just not sure where to begin with all this. A studio is easy...it's right there, you set up the lights and you shoot. But landscape photography is harder. I need to find things to actually shoot. Living in a city I know I need to get out to get the better shots. Unless I go urban.

Argh. I need to figure out what to do.

Anyway, thanks for reading this and if you have any suggestions on how to get into more sports photography it would be greatly appreciated.

Delfuego · Aug 25, 2017

What equipment do you use for the sports photography?

limr · Aug 25, 2017

Delfuego said:
What equipment do you use for the sports photography?

He is unlikely to answer as the thread is 6 years old and the OP hasn't been on the forum since April 17, 2011. It's nice that you are enthusiastic and ready to jump into the forum. This thread was revived recently by a spammer, which happens from time to time, so it's always good to get into the habit of checking the dates of the threads.