What to do when you hit a wall?

[smoke665]

I've been around for awhile, but my attempts to move beyond point and shoot digital only started about a year ago. We have a saying in the south "even a blind pig can find an acorn every now and then", which somewhat describes my personal growth in digital. While many have either grown up with digital, or made the transition gradually, I've tried to absorb a tremendous amount of information over a short period of time. Despite my efforts to learn and practice what I've learned, it seems that I'm still finding that elusive nut, rather than moving toward predictable, repeatable shots. It's almost as if I've come to a wall, I can see what's on the other side, but I can't seem to climb over. I'm sure others have probably felt this way at one point, so how did you get past it?

 

[Ysarex]

Does your prior film background include the darkroom? In other words did you process your own film and make your own prints?

Joe

 

[snowbear]

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Figure out what you think is your biggest single challenge and work on that until you feel comfortable. Then move on to the next one.

 

[smoke665]

Does your prior film background include the darkroom? In other words did you process your own film and make your own prints?

Joe

For about 9 years processed and printed every week, several rolls and a lot of prints. All B&W for newspaper publication. Didn't shoot much color till later on, sent that off for processing.

 

[Overread]

You say you've hit a wall but you've not really described it; only generally waved your hand and said "there's a wall." Break it down into what it constitutes. What elements are there which are confusing you or proving hard to learn or what parts do you think you should know that you don't etc...

The more you can break it down into segments like that the easier it is to tackle; f you leave it generalist you won't ever know where to focus and furthermore those you ask won't be able to give meaningful advice to help either.

 

[Ysarex]

Does your prior film background include the darkroom? In other words did you process your own film and make your own prints?

Joe

For about 9 years processed and printed every week, several rolls and a lot of prints. All B&W for newspaper publication. Didn't shoot much color till later on, sent that off for processing.

So I read the gist of your original post in this sentence, "Despite my efforts to learn and practice what I've learned, it seems that I'm still finding that elusive nut, rather than moving toward predictable, repeatable shots." And from there I zero in on predictable and repeatable shots. Let's take the film experience analogy then and ask this question: Why bother printing yourself when you could have just dropped the film off at the one hour photo hut?

Next question: are you shooting and learning to process raw files and ignoring the JPEGs the camera creates? There is some method to the madness that camera JPEG software produces but it can be pretty elusive to pin down as opposed to simply bypassing.

Joe

 

[SCraig]

While many have either grown up with digital, or made the transition gradually, I've tried to absorb a tremendous amount of information over a short period of time.

Why? We have another saying in the south that goes, "Don't bite off more than you can chew". Is there some reason you're trying to absorb a tremendous amount of information in a short time? That's the best way I know of to forget half of what you try to learn. Try small bites, one thing at a time, and forget about trying to cram it all in at once.

Photography ain't rocket science. If you have a film background, disable most of the bells and whistles like AutoISO, multiple autofocus points, 3D dynamic autofocus, auto noise reduction, etc, etc, etc, etc and focus on the basics. You'll find that your camera is virtually identical to your old film cameras, just able to do more.

 

[Gary A.]

What wall are you hitting? Are you have trouble processing or shooting or both? The type of stuff you shot for the paper, can you easily replicate those photos? As an old news photog myself, I tend to just use the tools I would have used in a wet darkroom ... really simplifies the the learning curve, then you can expand upon that.

 

[chuasam]

You've only shot for ONE year.
You ought to be Nowhere near the wall.
Take classes, experiment with crazy ideas, shoot your greatest fears and desires.

 

[KmH]

Ya gotta get outside of your box:
The "nine dots" puzzle (Public Domain image. Author: Blleininger).

Puzzle rules: Link all 9 dots using four straight lines or fewer, without lifting the pen and without tracing the same line more than once.

Light direction and light quality are the key elements needed to make high quality photographs.
I wonder. How much study you have applied to them?

Composition is next on the list of importance. Again. How much have you studied the various elements of visual art composition - line, proportion, scale, visual weight, texture, depth, form, space, shape.

A few of years back I felt I needed to refill my creative juice container, but no method of doing that was coming to mind.
On a shopping trip to Walmart I went to the office and art supplies section to just look around and wound up buying a pad of sketching paper thinking doing some sketching, not something I do often because I don't do it very well, might help get me recharged.

The sketching pad just sat around - un-used - for several weeks.
One day I was dusting the floor in the little personal studio I have in what would otherwise be an upstairs bedroom, looked at the sketching pad and an idea for a photograph popped into my head.
I grabbed one of several sheets of white foam board I keep around to use as reflectors and laid it flat on a table.
I grabbed some thumbtacks and started taking sketching sheets out of the sketching pad and thumb tacking them to the foam board in the shape of waves.
I put a blue gel on a speedlight and set it up with a remote radio trigger behind the sheets of paper.
I put my DSLR on a tripod, closed the curtains on the window to darken the room and:

SOOC (straight out of the camera)

It works nicely as my desktop image:

Edited to B&W

Have you played with shooting incense smoke?

Add some color with Photoshop editing.
Flame

Rosebud

 

[smoke665]

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

40 plus years in business, one of my favorite sayings. Prided myself on isolating complex problems into manageable bites.

Break it down into what it constitutes

If I could answer this in a concise manner, I would have already addressed the problem. I have a working knowledge of the technical aspects of photography, composition, and software. I can take a shot and if nothing else produce a decent shot post processing. The frustration comes in when making that step from decent to good on a consistent basis.

are you shooting and learning to process raw files and ignoring the JPEGs the camera creates?

I switched over to Raw last year. Pentax gives you several different options for image finish tones, which you can also customize to personal settings. All of the data for the tones is included in the metadata of the raw image. I've switched to processing the raw file in Pentax's Utility software, because it allows access to that data, then doing further editing in PSP.

disable most of the bells and whistles like AutoISO

Some of the frustration started with a newly acquired camera. Despite it being the same manufacturer, there are a few differences. The other thing is why they always feel it necessary to set the default to "on" for those bells and whistles. Yesterday evening I started the tedious process of taking multiple, images with each lens to compare the effects of aperture, shutter, and ISO. Surprised by some of the results..

 

[smoke665]

Light direction and light quality are the key elements needed to make high quality photographs.
I wonder. How much study you have applied to them?

Composition is next on the list of importance. Again. How much have you studied the various elements of visual art composition - line, proportion, scale, visual weight, texture, depth, form, space, shape.

A few of years back I felt I needed to refill my creative juice container, but no method of doing that was coming to mind.
On a shopping trip to Walmart I went to the office and art supplies section to just look around and wound up buying a pad of sketching paper thinking doing some sketching, not something I do often because I don't do it very well, might help get me recharged.

Though far from my profession in life, art in one media or another has always been a source of fulfillment and relaxation for me. From wood working, metal working, sculpture, carving, painting and drawing, and photography, I've managed some good (according to others) and some so-so work. I think you're right in that we all come to a point when we feel like we've reached an impasse in creativity. The fact that you were able to create beauty in the mundane is a testament to the fact that you moved past that point. This may be part of the funk I'm in, I know much of technical aspects of what should work, it's putting that knowledge to work in a creative format. It might be that the time has come to settle on a direction, rather than snapping away in a random manner at anything that catches the eye. It hasn't gone unnoticed that many of those on this forum are very good in certain areas, be in portrait, landscape, wildlife, etc.

I apologize my hand is a little unsteady today, but I think you can see one of the solutions to the problem, there may be more.

 

[Overread]

The frustration comes in when making that step from decent to good on a consistent basis.

I like to call that intermediate and its horrible. The gains are small and often the result of continued practice. You often won't see them, but they do happen. Also with getting consistently good results note that this is good to aim for but not something to go nuts over. It's also very variable. Take a top sports photographer; they might well be great working in sports with a high keeper rate - but put them in a studio and they might fall to bits. Sure they'll have basic skill, but the new environment and situation will dull their results for a time.

This is why self development is often good when done alongside focused projects and themes because you work within a niche where you can improve; as opposed to doing everything.

Yesterday evening I started the tedious process of taking multiple, images with each lens to compare the effects of aperture, shutter, and ISO. Surprised by some of the results..

Can you share those results with us - what surprised you?

 

[smoke665]

put them in a studio and they might fall to bits. Sure they'll have basic skill, but the new environment and situation will dull their results

I got completely away from anything to do with photography in early 1980 because it became an unbearable chore thanks to inconsiderate people who thought my sole purpose in life was to photograph every little insignificant event in their life. I fear that in my haste to enjoy reentry I've let the process out weigh the end result. Your quote somewhat confirms another thought brought on by a comment made by KmH earlier, it's true we each have subject matter, techniques, and experiences that we do better at than others. I need evaluate where I fit best and concentrate on that.

Can you share those results with us - what surprised you?

Regrettably I deleted the files. I intend on redoing it more in depth for each lens. The surprise I was referring to came when I weeded out images. My interpretation of a properly exposed histogram didn't necessarily coincide with what I thought was a good image.

 

[Overread]

Of course not; the histogram is purely one of many tools. It's prime use in the camera is ensure that you get the most light data without clipping the highlights whilst achieving the creative result you want - in reality you will often compromise between light data gathering - light you have and the creative result you want.

If you get hte most light data you can then edit those results with the most degree of choice - and of course you might edit them far away from a "correct" histogram result.



As for where you best fit - forget that - find what you most ENJOY more than anything else. Might be you're not as good at it as you want. That's fine as now you've got a focus. Of course we all do enjoy doing what we are good at too so having some idea where you can shine even if its not your most favourite subject is good too.