Great article

[loves_guitar]

In my ongoing efforts to become a better photograher, I found this great article.

http://www.myfourthirds.com/document.php?id=11237

I particularly liked the point that all the great pictures in history were taken with more primitive cameras than what we possess right now.

 

[Garbz]

That is true. My 30+ year old Nikon FE takes just as good images as a friends "superior" Nikon F60. An aquaintence of mine takes better pictures with her point and shoot as I do with my D200.

Photography is usually an art. A good paintbrush is not a pre-requisite, and a grain free perfectly coloured image may not be superior to a noisy abstract one. Ofcourse you still need something good enough not to limit your creativity, but learn to release the true potential of what you have before upgrading and you'll not only take better pictures but you will be richer too

 

[RacePhoto]

In my ongoing efforts to become a better photograher, I found this great article.

http://www.myfourthirds.com/document.php?id=11237

I particularly liked the point that all the great pictures in history were taken with more primitive cameras than what we possess right now.

I'd say just about every great photograph "in history" was taken within the last 150 years. The history isn't that long and of course, someone with a sheet film camera, that can only take about 10 photos a day, (or even worse, hand made sensitized glass plates!) is going to be more selective than one of us, out shooting an electronic machine gun with memory cards that hold 1000 pictures!

Good points for thought, but it rambles and repeats the same points, stated in various ways.

I have a feeling that if the author wanted to do some critical editing, like he rightly suggests 1 in 10 for the photos, he could do the same with his words. In other words, I bet he could have 7 points and said the same things, in less words.

Don't get me wrong. I don't dispute anything he wrote, just the way it's written.

1) Start at the basics, learn the fundamentals, study methods, history, techniques, and read everything you can. You can't construct a bridge without pillars, you can't construct a building without a solid foundation.

2) Listen to what others have to tell you and teach you, but eventually you are guided from within. Photos are individual, so shoot what you like and want to see, not what someone else says you should be shooting. That means you take photos for your inner self, not for someone else's idea of what you should be seeing. But first you need to listen to those who have gone before you and those who know more, before you can strike out on your own.

3) Be your own worst critic and be honest. Don't tell yourself that an average pictures is really good. At the same time, remember to take pride and admit that your best picture, is really pretty darn good.

4) Practice, experiment, shoot projects to learn a broad spectrum of ways to capture a wide knowledge of how to capture various subjects. Only then can you decide what direction you want to head in when you start to specialize and formulate your personal style.

5) Learn how art composition, light and colors effect the way an image looks. That would include taking a course in art appreciation, because that same information applies to photography. Learn lighting and shadows. Learn about perspective and human perception.

6) Learn the weaknesses and strengths of whatever equipment you have at hand and make the best of it. Cameras don't make art and you can take excellent photos with basic equipment. The artist is your brain, your understanding, your methods and your eyes, not the price of your camera or speed of the lens. No camera ever took a great photograph, the photographer did it.

7) Have fun. If you aren't enjoying what you are doing, go do something else. If taking pictures doesn't make your heart beat with joy, you are missing the reason and purpose for doing what you do, or for creating expressive art. Your pictures are all a little bit of you, that you are sharing with everyone else who views them. But more important, your pictures are for you!

8) If you are a photojournalist, you also have an obligation to accurately and fairly capture the truth and reality of what is included in your photograph. Otherwise, you are being dishonest. Everything else about technique, composition, history and equipment still applies.

 

[darich]

That is true. My 30+ year old Nikon FE takes just as good images as a friends "superior" Nikon F60. An aquaintence of mine takes better pictures with her point and shoot as I do with my D200.

Without having read the whole article i'd point out that it's the photographer that takes the photograph, not the camera.
If your older FE takes images equal to your friends F60 then you're similar photographers. If your acquaintance takes better ones than you with a cheaper camera then she's probably a better photographer.

The above is in no way a dig, but if someone gives me a point and shoot, i know what to do and how to work it because i'm a proficient photographer. However if i gave my girlfriend my 5D and 24-70mm f2.8 L lens she'd produce an image that was on a par with her 5mp P&S.

The reason that older cameras may seem to take better images could be down to digital and more people getting into the photography market. More and more people but the standard may not necessarily be improving.