Most people on TPF have digital SLRs, although a number also have point-and-shoot cameras as backup or as lazy cameras. DSLRs give the photographer control over ISO, white balance, shutter speed, aperture, focal length (through interchangeable lenses), and various lighting options (onboard flash, off-camera flash, stobes, studio lights, etc.). As such, most people are here at TPF to learn how to use all these variables to their advantage in producing esthetically pleasing images.
Think of image-making as having three supports: technique, composition and subject. Technique is about the camera, the post-processing, the light arrangement. Composition is the conscious choice of the photographer in picking the arrangement of elements in the image, deciding on what to emphasize, looking for the right perspective, and trying to fit all this together in a way that is visually appealing and tells a story. The subject is whats on the other side of the lens, and includes the subject, the foreground, background, ambient light, movement (or not), time of day, and even the seasons. Successful images have a solid base in all three areas.
Images also have an audience. An audience composed of family members will have a very different reaction of images of the kids, compared to an audience of strangers who have no clue of the identity of the people you are photographing. Pretty much all the people at TPF are strangers to each other, although as in any on-line community, we get impressions of the personalities behind the aliases. Since strangers, by definition, know next to nothing of your personal history, environment and situation, they can only judge the images you submit by the same criteria they use for looking at any other images that they are not personally involved in. That is, is the image interesting? Is it attractive? Is it esthetically pleasing? Is it visually striking? An image which is very compelling to a photographer may be completely lost on a stranger audience if the clues to the context are not present in the image. It is considered to be an admirable skill to have the photographer include enough clues in the image for us to be able to construct a narrative or story without using any other outside information.
Acquiring the skills needed to produce better images and understanding how to influence your chosen audience is a process that takes much time and effort. Ive been at it for over 40 years, and Im still learning new stuff every time I pick up my cameras. The more I learn, the more I see how much more there is to learn, and the more I can begin to appreciate the artistry of the masters. Elsewhere, I referenced a book that claimed that to achieve mastery in any field, one has to spend at least 10,000 hours learning and perfecting the craft. There is a lot of truth to that idea. Keith (KmH) has a thread about learning the fundamentals. As in every field, learning the fundamentals gives you the basic tools you need to ply your craft. In the photography field, the fundamentals include exposure (which your camera doesnt allow you to control), lighting, and composition.
Finally, there is the matter of how to interact with an on-line forum. We dont know you, you dont know us. You create the persona that we see online, through your postings, your questions, your responses, your images. Thats all we know of you. So, the reaction you get is directly related to the personality you reveal through your postings. If you want people to be helpful, you have to give a little explain what youre trying to do, what youve tried and where you are stuck. You will get (this is the internet, after all) responses ranging from the clueless, to very pertinent. Again, this being the internet, you take what is good and toss the bad. You also have to give back to the community contribute your thoughts to others asking for critique, participate in discussions. People who just want to talk about themselves are
boring.
So take this any way you want. If you want help in improving, make it clear what you want help with, and then learn to accept (and filter) the advice you get. If you want to be accepted as a member of the community, participate in threads other than your own. If you want to tap into the incredible amount of knowledge that there is in this forum, learn to ask for it in a way that makes people want to help you. Otherwise, you will be written off as a crank, or troll.
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