Does anyone else have this problem?

[Baaaark]

I am not the best photographer, but I am a really good critic. I have a really good eye for looking at a photo and seeing what I like and dislike about it (which is great), but I have SO MUCH problem actually doing so while shooting. I get out to a good spot, start shooting away, and think the shots are great. Then I get home, and realize something glaringly wrong with it.

Does anyone else do this? For having such a good eye I sure do suck it up when its my own work...lol. I have really bad ADD, so maybe my complete lack of patience with my creative process has something to do with it.

 

[atbawrps]

If you think you're a good critic because you can see what is wrong with images that are already created... use that on your own images before you create them (pressing the shutter release).

 

[Baaaark]

If you think you're a good critic because you can see what is wrong with images that are already created... use that on your own images before you create them (pressing the shutter release).

I get in too much of a rush, I guess. Plus, its harder to tell when you're out doing it with your eye up to the camera. Its only when I can see them all big on my monitor that I go, "You fool, look at that big trash can over in the corner!"

 

[musicaleCA]

Everyone's a critic...

Patience is a major virtue in photography. Hell, I spent half-an-hour on a single shot today messing with my flash (yeah yeah, I'm still learning flash darn it), and I still don't think I got what I want, but that had a lot to do with the limitations of on-camera flash. Blast it all; gotta get me a stand.

As for trash cans, I find it can help to take my nose out of the viewfinder when observing the background. The BG isn't blurry when I'm not looking at it through the viewfinder, for one. You know, I don't think I like DoF preview. At all.

 

[brysons]

I have the same problem. One thing that I tried recently that helped a bit was taking my laptop out to the park and shooting maybe 5-10 pics of a subject, reviewing them on camera, and then viewing them on the laptop. Then you can see your problems, say WTF?! and then go look through the viewfinder again so you can find the problems in there, and then re-shoot and repeat until you have a better picture than you started with. I'm still struggling pretty bad with composition, but shortening the gap between taking and critiquing and then re-taking has certainly helped me see some things more easily.

Actually, now that you mention it, I think it's time for me to repeat this exercise myself... I definitely agree it's easier to see certain problems in retrospect, but I guess we'll learn with time! (I hope)

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I deal with the same thing Baaark. Slowly, as I notice the same thing happening, I start to think about it more in the field. It's just gonna take time, I guess.

 

[paulk_68]

I think it is just a case of being harder on ourselves, than we are on other people,.. in most cases, some people think they are God's gift to the world of photography and can do no wrong.

I've never had anyone criticize/critique my pictures worse than I do (that I'm aware of).

 

[AtlPikMan]

Yes, i have this problem. I view my pics one the LCD and think i have something, when i view it on my monitor its trash....

 

[Iron Flatline]

Two things:

A: Keep shooting. Practice, practice, practice. Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour rule.

B: Filter. When you look at another photographer's portfolio, you see twenty shots out of three year' worth of work. Remember that one really good shot a month is good. If you're shooting for a day, you're lucky if you end up with one that will stand the test of time.

 

[Overread]

^^ +1 to what Iron said!

Sounds like nothing is wrong with any of you - its perfectly normal development.
Don't let it get you down and always remember that even the great photos of past and present can be found to have some techinical or compoisitional error(s) in them. Perfection is a goal we seek though we might never actually reach it - part of the fun is trying

 

[inTempus]

You'll find that you will almost always be your own worst critic. At first you'll think everything you do is impressive. That's pretty early on. Then you start to look at other peoples work and realize "wow, my pics suck". Once you have this eye (which you claim to have) then you can start to improve your photography. If you thought everything you did was perfect, you would get no where. Even the most accomplished artist isn't always content with their own work, and they constantly strive to improve.

"A work of art is never completed, it's just abandoned." - Paul Valery

 

[inTempus]

Yes, i have this problem. I view my pics one the LCD and think i have something, when i view it on my monitor its trash....

I've found that when this happens you have good composition but you screwed up the exposure. Some screw-ups can be fixed, others obviously can't. If all I had to worry about was getting the exposure right and most of my shots had interesting composition I would be golden. For me its easier to get the technical aspect of photography right, it's the artistic part I struggle with.

 

[Guido44]

You'll find that you will almost always be your own worst critic. At first you'll think everything you do is impressive. That's pretty early on. Then you start to look at other peoples work and realize "wow, my pics suck".

So true. I agree 100%.

As long long as I keep working, studying , a practicing I know I'll get better. That's one more thing I love about photography.

Dan

 

[Samanax]

Plus, its harder to tell when you're out doing it with your eye up to the camera.

It shouldn't be. What you have to to is train yourself to see the shot before you put your eye up to the viewfinder. One of the tricks I've read about is to take a index card and cut a retangular hole in the center of it with roughly the same aspect ratio as the viewfinder. Then go out walking with this index card and "pre-sight" your shots with it. Eventually you'll be able to pre-visualize your shots without it, then just raise your camera to you eye and adjust until you see the same shot through the viewfinder as you saw in your head.

 

[atbawrps]

It shouldn't be. What you have to to is train yourself to see the shot before you put your eye up to the viewfinder.

This.