How do you do it

[DanOzSTX]

Im new here and Im the first to admit I dont have an imagination, but after seeing some of the cool pics around here Im just curious; do some people just have that knack for finding interesting things to take pics of? The biggest wow to me so far is the pic of the smashed pumpkin. What would make someone think to take that picture? It is awesome, makes me wish it was halloween again so I can try to copy something like that. I did however think of getting a pic next year of a nice pumpkin and then taking the background color out (prolly been done a million times before though)

Im going to like this forum I think

 

[ball]

I'm just getting back into photography. At first I wondered where I would find something worth taking a picture of, but I've noticed that since shooting my first roll of test film I seem to see potential photographs everywhere I look.

 

[fightheheathens]

some people do have a knack for taking pictures of interesting things,
but probably the most important part is just taking a picture of everything.
im sure, for every interesting picture that a photographer posts here are shots of 10 other objects that just didnt turn out interesting.
the more pictures you take of everything, the more you learn what looks good and what doesnt and what is interesting and what isnt.

 

[Patrice]

Here's a thought, if anything you see holds your attention for more that a second or two, then it might be worth taking a photo of it. The challenge would then come from making that photograph: unique, interesting, emotional, expressive. Once you've got that down, you'll be well on your way to being rich and famous. But it's worth a try. If you shoot a thousand pictures for everyone you really like - you're doing good.

 

[fmw]

I disagree with heavens and agree with Patrice. Shooting randomly accomplishes nothing. Look for things that catch your eye and then engage your brain. Explore the subject with your camera using different distances, angles, focal lengths etc.

 

[LaFoto]

Personally I feel quite attracted to something that photography can do but our eyes cannot, i.e. the focus on something quite particular. We have the ability to focus on things in the near and to focus differently when things are further away from us, with our eyes, that is, but once we look into the far, almost everything in our vision (large parts of the centre vision) is in focus. No distinction between what we look at and what is closer to us and further away.

The camera can more clearly focus on what is our primary interest and can "sculpture" it out from the rest by a wide open aperture, small depth of focus and a totally blurred background.

It takes a while to SEE how things might look as a photo when you work with the elements I mentioned (and maybe a longer lens as to blur out the background even more), but you can train your eye to kind of pre-visualise it and determine whether you find the image worthwhile taking.

As to wider scenes you can also train yourself to "see the world in frames", as it were. Once you see that something attracts you and you want to see that underlined/highlighted/taken out of everything that surrounds it by framing it in a photo, it may well be worth that photo.

 

[Torus34]

Places: imagine that you have been hired by a magazine to provide a five picture 'spread' for an article on your home town. Walk around your town looking at it in different lights -- early morning, cloudy day, bright sunshine, etc. Decide on 5 scenes. Take the pictures.

People: think about your friends and family members. Anyone there with a strong personal trait? Pick out three such people. Consider how you would show their character in a photograph -- props, pose and lighting. Take the pictures.

Things: pick out three interesting objects in your home. Consider how best to photograph them using light from a window or other available source. Place each item in the light you wish. Turn and adjust it for the best photograph. Take the pictures.

Evaluate: look at your pictures. Did they do what you wanted them to do? If not, why not? If they did, could have they been further improved?

Grow: put what you've learned to use in your next pictures.

Happy New Year.

 

[ksmattfish]

What are you interested in? It's tempting to say "I'm interested in photography!", and then go out and take a bunch of photos of anything and everything (and that can be a lot of fun). But I think most people find they do their best work when photographing something they are interested in outside of photography.

 

[neea]

Welcome.
And yes, you will like it here, very much

I find it very inspirational to look through Photography magazines or other photographers webpages online.
Try not to let it discourage you and think your pictures will never be as good.
It takes practice. And keep in mind that for all of us (theres a thread around here somewhere called "how many 'keepers'") we can take hundreds of pictures and maybe have only a handful turn out good or REALLY good and sometimes even fantastic.

Look at the pictures and ask yourself 'How did they take that?'
Try to figure out some of the cameras settings. Pay attention to the angle they used.

Sometimes I'll find a picture taken somewhere half way across the world and I will try to think of what I can capture in my local area that would look similar.

That's how I do it sometimes, especially when I feel very uncreative and discouraged.

And then just get up and go out and take pictures of things. Anything that may catch your eye.

 

[DanOzSTX]

Thanks for the tips. I like old looking things, and now that I think of it theres alot of possibilities just in the city Im in. I guess I just need to walk around and find them.

 

[markc]

"Chance favors only the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur

I keep using that quote, but I think it applies to photography perfectly. The people that are consistently able to take advantage of these interesting moments have gotten their skill to the point that they don't have to think about what they are doing. When they see a good shot, they raise the camera and shoot it. Once you shoot enough, you learn to compose in your head and know what settings you need to get what you are imagining. Then it's just a matter of setting them and snapping.

All that takes a lot of practice, though. You spend a lot of time learning to compose by looking through the viewfinder and trying to find "what looks good". As Patrice said, find things that interest you and shoot, shoot, shoot. Different people have different approaches, but for myself, it eventually went from going out to try and find a good picture, to putting myself in a position to take the kinds of pictures I wanted to create.

 

[Jazz]

<<< ... to putting myself in a position to take the kinds of pictures I wanted to create. >>>

Well said, and I think it shows that photography is not an event, it's a process. We work to create the environment in which we want to photograph. It's an accumulation of details.

Everyone develops their own interests. For me it's the light. Is the light soft or hard? What color is the light? What is its direction? What emotions will it invoke?

 

[neea]

Everyone develops their own interests. For me it's the light. Is the light soft or hard? What color is the light? What is its direction? What emotions will it invoke?

This is interesting. I dont think I've thought of light this way (obviously it's important) at least not consciously I dont think.

I will definatley try to think of it this way more often now

 

[Iron Flatline]

If you like a certain shot, understand how it was done, and try and emulate it. not every good shot needs to be a stunning original. You can start doing those parallel to honing your own skills - which you can ramp up by copying ideas that you like and want to add to your repetoir.

 

[ball]

...I like old looking things, and now that I think of it theres alot of possibilities just in the city Im in. I guess I just need to walk around and find them.

I resemble that remark ;-) I'm sure there are potential subjects in the small town that I live in, but I prefer to go elsewhere. There's a much larger city about 20 miles South of here that has a wealth of interesting buildings and things. I try to take pictures without being shot.