Do I have potential?

[Aleen]

These are some of my most recent photos and I would appreciate any and all input. Right now I am still using my p&s digital, but I am hoping to upgrade soon to a digital SLR.

1.

2.

3.

4.

:blushing: Please let me know what you think & How I can improve.

 

[kelli_anne]

The second one is all blown out! The rest are ok, but there is nothing really special about them.

 

[creisinger]

Flower/plant shots with a point and shoot camera are tough to say the least.

You're quite restricted in terms of depth of field (aperture settings) which makes it hard, not to mention the lousy optics and the small sensor which leads to "mushy" (not crisp/sharp) images.

Furthermore the composition in all images doesn't look very appealing - it just looks like snapshots of plants.

It's also relative to ask if one has potential. It depends on what you are aiming for. Are you trying to live off of the photography business one day or is it just a hobby?

Everybody has potential it's a matter though how to unlock it.

 

[Ryan L]

Looks like flowers...

 

[Dallmeyer]

Maybe you have potential, maybe already fruition. I cannot offer any view without knowing how you yourself feel about the pictures. 3 & 4 are quite good in terms of exposure, composition and focus. Picture 2 is overexposed. Not sure what camera you use but in pictures like this with very bright petals you may need to allow the camera to adjust to the brightness of the scene for a few seconds (?). The first picture is ok in basic terms. Its presented smaller than the others obviously. The composition is a bit hasty but maybe it was more difficult to do than the others. Keep going with it!

 

[KmH]

Everyone has potential.

Learning and study are how potential is converted into knowledge and skill.

Photography is a visual art. As such a good photographer needs an understanding of what, and what doesn't, work artistically.

The visual arts have been in developement for a couple of thousand years now. Tap into that collective knowledge to hit the ground running.

Study composition, color, light.

 

[Aleen]

Maybe you have potential, maybe already fruition. I cannot offer any view without knowing how you yourself feel about the pictures. 3 & 4 are quite good in terms of exposure, composition and focus. Picture 2 is overexposed. Not sure what camera you use but in pictures like this with very bright petals you may need to allow the camera to adjust to the brightness of the scene for a few seconds (?). The first picture is ok in basic terms. Its presented smaller than the others obviously. The composition is a bit hasty but maybe it was more difficult to do than the others. Keep going with it!

3 is actually my favorite and I am just a very enthusiastic hobbyist. I like plants right now because they tend to not move. The Camera I am using is a Kodak Easyshare but it is starting to die. I want to improve and be able to use my pictures as and in art.

Thanks for all the comments so far

 

[c.cloudwalker]

KmH beat me to it so I'll just agree with him. Everyone has potential.

And then I would just repeat what he's already told you. What I think of the photos you posted means nothing if you are willing to learn. No, they are not very good and, so what? None of us were born knowing it all. We studied, we learned, we sweated blood and tears over it all sometimes and we developed our potential.

 

[thisisthegame]

has potential yes

 

[Dallmeyer]

Ikebana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe you have potential, maybe already fruition. I cannot offer any view without knowing how you yourself feel about the pictures. 3 & 4 are quite good in terms of exposure, composition and focus. Picture 2 is overexposed. Not sure what camera you use but in pictures like this with very bright petals you may need to allow the camera to adjust to the brightness of the scene for a few seconds (?). The first picture is ok in basic terms. Its presented smaller than the others obviously. The composition is a bit hasty but maybe it was more difficult to do than the others. Keep going with it!

3 is actually my favorite and I am just a very enthusiastic hobbyist. I like plants right now because they tend to not move. The Camera I am using is a Kodak Easyshare but it is starting to die. I want to improve and be able to use my pictures as and in art.

Thanks for all the comments so far

 

[Aleen]

Thank you Dallmeyer,
I found the artical both interesting and informative.

 

[Raizels]

When I first joined I got very similar responses. By reading the C&C, even the hurtful ones, I learned tons of new things and I take pictures in an entirely different way. Keep shooting and posting! You've obviously got the eye.

 

[Dallmeyer]

Thank you Dallmeyer,
I found the artical both interesting and informative.

I'm glad. I assume you're shooting JEPGS which are being processed in-camera and it is difficult to get perfect. If you have a ""macro"" mode (often in P&S cameras is a flower icon next to the relevant button and shows also in the camera display), use that. Also you may have a choice of light-metering modes. If you have ''spot metering'' try that also for flowers. Look at the flower and identify the brightest area of it in terms of relected sunlight. Spot meter that and see how that does.

 

[er111a]

everyone has potential, when I look at these photos I see someone who is just started out as a seed, however if you keep on trying and soaking in the knowledge that can be learned, you will bloom like a flower into a very talented photographer, it just requires a lot of hard work and patience, don't give up

 

[tasman]

Just keep on shooting. You will get better.