How do you get better at photography?

[skieur]

Post processing for film was originally done in a lab. Post processing of digital is done on a computer. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with getting it right in the camera, and NOTHING to do with graphic design.

skieur

This goes down as the SECOND dumbest thing I've heard on TPF lately. Someone else has been carrying the torch, but you're catching up quickly.

Considering your limited photographic experience, as per your profile, I find your statement laughable. Usually such rationalizations come from those not familiar with computers.

skieur

 

[rexbobcat]

Considering your limited photographic experience, as per your profile, I find your statement laughable. Usually such rationalizations come from those not familiar with computers.

skieur

I'm sure that serving 10 years as head photographic chancellor of Earth allows you to make such judgments.

I feel humbled in your presence.

Looking down on us from a place of obviously higher photographic stature, I'm surprised you socialize with us commoners.

 

[jhodges10]

Buy $5,000 to $20,000 worth of gear that you really cannot afford, and then let the overwhelming feelings of guilt push you to new heights of education and achievement. A heavy debt load is a marvelous motivational tool.

Nostradamus...er Derrel's got the right idea but he forgot the "and still look through the B&H catalog wanting to spend more."

 

[cgipson1]

Post processing for film was originally done in a lab. Post processing of digital is done on a computer. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with getting it right in the camera, and NOTHING to do with graphic design.

skieur

This goes down as the SECOND dumbest thing I've heard on TPF lately. Someone else has been carrying the torch, but you're catching up quickly.

Considering your limited photographic experience, as per your profile, I find your statement laughable. Usually such rationalizations come from those not familiar with computers.

skieur

Funny... I think I can claim a little bit of experience! I started shooting when getting it right in camera was the only way to go... because I wasn't that good in the darkroom to start out. Even the people I knew who were considered experts in the darkroom, still advocated getting it as right as possible in camera to minimize the work in the darkroom!

So Skioor... I find YOUR statement laughable! Extremely!

Yes.. you can be a crappy photographer, and good in PS.. and get away with it (and I suspect this is how you work, since you advocate it!)... but it is still much better to get it right in the camera. Anyone that says otherwise is full of CHIT!... You been hanging around the MWAC's or something??

 

[2WheelPhoto]

take class...or 10

 

[pgriz]

The best improvement in my photography started to happen when I joined a very active photoclub of about 150 members, with weekly competitions, multiple workshops and presentations, and various mentoring sessions. Learning from people who know their craft, and can watch you and see what you're doing right or wrong, is so much faster than learning it by trial and error. I know such photoclubs are not present everywhere, and the quality of the club depends strongly on the membership composition, but if you get lucky, this could be the best investment you can make.

 

[luisegonzalez]

Also, participating in forums such as this one helps in learning what others are trying and what is working for them and what is not.

 

[luisegonzalez]

With over 30 years of practicing the art I have learned that reading new material, searching the net for new images, practicing the techniques that you already know plus trying new ones are crucial parts in advancing your knowledge.
Luis E Gonzalez

 

[ahcigar1]

What I generally do.

- Study
- Think about what I want in a photo and how to achieve it
- Set up photo to best of my ability
- Shoot
- Review photos
- Think how can improve
- Study more
- Repeat all the above

Oh and I always have fun doing it because I enjoy it.

 

[bhop]

Read less, shoot more.

 

[unpopular]

pfft. If you actually want to work, that's fine. But if you're lazy, you can just sit around on your computer and yammer about it here on TPF.

Your photography won't improve any to anyone else, but from your perspective you're AWESOME. And isn't that all that really matters?

 

[12sndsgood]

pfft. If you actually want to work, that's fine. But if you're lazy, you can just sit around on your computer and yammer about it here on TPF.

Your photography won't improve any to anyone else, but from your perspective you're AWESOME. And isn't that all that really matters?

See I come on here to get a dose of reality and to remember that I'm not that great at this yet. I'm always doing stuff backwards.

 

[unpopular]

Yeah. That works to an extent, but also people here tend to have a pretty limited idea of what is good. I mean, I know what you mean - it's easy to get delusional, but at the same time it's good to get a variety of input.

 

[table1349]

I've been thinking about this lately, and it seems that even though I enjoy reading tutorials on photography on various websites, I learn the most if I read a few tutorials on the type of photography (landscape, portrait, etc) right before I go out and shoot. Then, I have the information still fresh in my mind and ready to incorporate. However, I think that articles on composition are universal and can be read anytime.

I spent a few hours the other day just reading random articles on posing for portraits and took notes, but I don't think I'll use it for a lonng time -- and if I do, I'll probably have forgotten about those notes :mrgreen:

What about you? How do you learn?

“Practice is the hardest part of learning, and training is the essence of transformation.”
― Ann Voskamp,

 

[SCraig]

Most people have advocated the same things, however there is one thing that nobody has mentioned: Learn from your mistakes. I see some people here doing the same thing over and over and over. They miss focus or they miss exposure or the miss something and never, ever learn from their mistakes.

When you are starting out your bad shots are just as important as your good ones. LOOK at the bad ones. LOOK at the EXIF data and figure out what you did wrong. IS it over or under exposed? Why? It should have been right but it wasn't, so why? Does the scene have a wide dynamic range that you metered incorrectly? Is it out of focus? Why is it out of focus? Is the depth of field to narrow? Did your autofocus lens focus on the wrong part of the view? These are things that anyone can look at and see for themselves. Don't throw those images away, learn from them. EXIF data is invaluable and, like many here, I would have given anything for something that handy when I started out.