5 Quick Bits of Advice for Beginning Photographers - Article

[Derrel]

I went back and re-read the article. I didn't want to dismiss it out of hand, entirely. It does have some nuggets of wisdom, but is also has a sort of Ken Rockwellian flippant tone that (inadvertently?) invalidates some of the points he tries to make. I thought #5 was utterly LAME. But that's one of the problems with one-man blog posts--no editing, no filtering, no guidance from somebody who can read the writer's WORDS, and see what he has actually WRITTEN, and who can then give the blogger some editor's advice on how well what was written actually conveyed the IDEA the writer tried to convey.

If he had said in Tip #5, "have the courage of your convictions, and believe in your photography, believe in your artistic goals," his Tip #5 would have made some actual SENSE. Instead, he went kind of Ken Rockwell on that, and drifted off into hyperbole, and then crossed the center line and ran head on into a truckload of nonsense bound for the San Diego airport Ikea store...

Still, I suppose there are some good points too. Like not trusting camera store sales people blindly. It depends on the store, and the sales associate I think. And the internet is filled with the blind leading the blind. But ya know, a lot of blind people have very good hearing and refined senses of smell, so...

 

[JRuby]

Some of the other article on the site are a bit more of a help, but i agree with the above.
Ive alot to learn. :/

 

[bc_steve]

I'm not sure how serious that article is.

1) States that other photographers (online and in clubs) along with books (even pro books) are all unreliable and shouldn't be used - so who can you learn from?

2) Sounds good but ignores the fact that theory can surpass skill - many a teacher can teach the theory of a subject without being the top skilled person at that subject

3) Probably true but sort of is just repeating what point 1 said

4) Tricks and teaching aids are different things

5) Wait what no critique?

I get the feeling it started with some good ideas but the examples and presentation just sound confusing and a bit missplaced.

yep, he really lost me on #5. You may get 1 negative response amid a hundred pats on the back, but that criticism i much more likely to help you grow as a photographer. Don't let it get you down, and don't ignore it. Learn from it.