Getting to judgemental on photos..

[Aakajx]

I'm always picking and judging the photos I take. There's always something I'm not happy with. I know I need new lenses.. But photos I take in general I just don't like them. Even though my mother or friends will say they look fine and carry on how great they are. But the photos I'm not pleased with still. It's starting to frustrate me.

Does everyone else get like this?

 

[rexbobcat]

Yes, most creative people are very self-critical. It's just that some are better at hiding it.

 

[pgriz]

The problem is not the equipment. You need to figure out what is not "right" about the images, and address that aspect. Of course, when you're starting out, you usually don't even have the basic vocabulary to describe what it is you want in your image. But that's fine - that's part of the fun of learning the visual language, and coming up with your own variation or style. In fact, until you've built up enough experience, it's probably not helpful to be TOO critical. If you have access to a photo club, that is usually a good way to get comments and critiques as part of competitions, workshops and similar activities. Another aspect of this is that you never really get "there", as there's always something new to learn and to master.

 

[imagemaker46]

Every good photographer is critical of the work they do, they have to be in order to improve. Family and friends are notorious lairs when it comes to pictures, they will say pictures are good for two reasons, they don't know any better or they don't want to hurt feelings.

The only people I trust to be honest with my images are other photographers that I know are good photographers, and will tell me straight up one way of the other.

 

[The_Traveler]

The problem is not the equipment. You need to figure out what is not "right" about the images, and address that aspect. Of course, when you're starting out, you usually don't even have the basic vocabulary to describe what it is you want in your image. But that's fine - that's part of the fun of learning the visual language, and coming up with your own variation or style. In fact, until you've built up enough experience, it's probably not helpful to be TOO critical. If you have access to a photo club, that is usually a good way to get comments and critiques as part of competitions, workshops and similar activities. Another aspect of this is that you never really get "there", as there's always something new to learn and to master.

Read this above.

Now read each line.

The problem is not the equipment.

You need to figure out what is not "right" about the images, and address that aspect. - Like any other art that is based on learning a craft and developing skills - and that means actual learning facts, developing skills, developing judgement and lots and lots of practice.

 

[Josh66]

Does everyone else get like this?

All the time.

As Derrel once said, (paraphrasing) it means you're starting to give a ****.

 

[Aakajx]

Yeah I understand it's not just about equipment but I only have 1 old lens 70-300 mm that fits my new camera lol. So I do need some new lenses. I don't know a lot about photography yet. But there's a lot that bothers me. Might be the light in the picture, might be a person who just walked past at the wrong time or I feel there's no life to the picture. i love pictures that take me to another place or that makes me go "wow that's beautiful..there's nothing I'd change" . But none of my pictures lately have done that for me.

But I'm glad I'm not the only one lol..

 

[The_Traveler]

I don't know a lot about photography yet.

that part is under your control.
My bet is that, when you learn a lot more, all of a sudden that crappy old lens will get better.

 

[minicoop1985]

Just wait until you get into film... Then start thinking about how much that bad exposure cost you.

This is one of the great things about digital photography: you can take 180 horrible photos to get one good one. It's also a bit of a crutch, unfortunately, as people just take 800 photos, get two or three good ones, and learn nothing from the experience. This is why I think learning about photography with a digital camera, then applying that to film/something more manual or limited in capacity is a good idea. It's done wonders for me.

 

[Light Guru]

Just wait until you get into film... Then start thinking about how much that bad exposure cost you.

This is one of the great things about digital photography: you can take 180 horrible photos to get one good one. It's also a bit of a crutch, unfortunately, as people just take 800 photos, get two or three good ones, and learn nothing from the experience. This is why I think learning about photography with a digital camera, then applying that to film/something more manual or limited in capacity is a good idea. It's done wonders for me.

A great way to combat the spray and pray mentality is to pre-visualize your final image before you trip the shutter. Once you know how you want your image to look you can then take the exact steps needed to achieve that image.

For example two years ago I went to Yosemite NP and took several hundred photos (film and digital) I came away with only one image I was pleased with. Compare that to my trip to Glacier NP last summer I literally only exposed 17 sheets of 4x5 film and no digital, I came away with 5 images I was pleased with. The difference was caused by thinking about and planning out my images entirely before I tripped the shutter.

 

[steveraw]

Yes when the photos are not clicked by you. You get judgmental about them. It's a natural human tendency.
______________________________________________________________

A camera freak, eager to learn more about the latest cameras

 

[minicoop1985]

Just wait until you get into film... Then start thinking about how much that bad exposure cost you.

This is one of the great things about digital photography: you can take 180 horrible photos to get one good one. It's also a bit of a crutch, unfortunately, as people just take 800 photos, get two or three good ones, and learn nothing from the experience. This is why I think learning about photography with a digital camera, then applying that to film/something more manual or limited in capacity is a good idea. It's done wonders for me.

A great way to combat the spray and pray mentality is to pre-visualize your final image before you trip the shutter. Once you know how you want your image to look you can then take the exact steps needed to achieve that image.

For example two years ago I went to Yosemite NP and took several hundred photos (film and digital) I came away with only one image I was pleased with. Compare that to my trip to Glacier NP last summer I literally only exposed 17 sheets of 4x5 film and no digital, I came away with 5 images I was pleased with. The difference was caused by thinking about and planning out my images entirely before I tripped the shutter.

I've noticed I do this now. Definitely take my time, even with simple, easy product shots.

 

[Gavjenks]

Wait, what lens do you have right now? Looking at your previous threads and such, I don't see anywhere you mentioning what you own as far as lenses.
I mean, if you have some huge piece of junk on the from of your camera, it MIGHT partially be the equipment...
People say "it's not the equipment" a lot, but as a dude who routinely shoots with both L glass and also with pieces of old binoculars glued into toilet paper tubes during the same shoots, I can assure you that sometimes it is.

However, you said you had a 6D, and if you own anything legit from Canon that actually physically fits on a 6D, then you're probably fine / it's not the equipment / buy some photography books (not being dismissive. I would link to specific ones but I'm not at home to go refer to my collection. Really though. Books are awesome. Ones on lighting and composition theory, primarily, not gear). And then practice a lot.

If you have some weird JC Penney 1950's thing from your grandma's attic with a flimsy Chinese adapter on it or something though, then maybe we need to talk about that first...