How to break your "Plateau", tips on getting from great intermediate to "professional"?

[Gary A.]

Okay, I just looked at your facebook. Another area for self-improvement is to shoot everything, expand your shooting genres. We are all looking to capture the exceptional image. I found that shooting 'outside the box' contributes to elevating an image from good to exceptional. Expanding one's shooting experience alsos the photographer to take what they learned shooting one genre into another completely different genre. ...

Gary

 

[spacefuzz]

Alright you've gotten a ton of good advice on this thread but I'll weigh in.

As far as work goes I share everyone else's feelings that its technically good thought somewhat lacking in artistic expression. The senior image of the girl in the snow though...that one is awesome! Shoot more like that, adding an extra element to take a standard portrait and push it over the top into the realm of special.

Lose the prints, makes you seem cheap. You want to scream quality.

For bokeh look at getting a longer lens or getting closer to your subjects. Try a 200mm 2.8, delicious bokeh.

As far as taking your work to the next level FIND A MENTOR. Make sure its someone who's photography you love and whose advice you respect. It does not have to be a formal mentorship, but someone who can give you suggestions and teach you the little things that aren't in books. I personally have two mentors and they have done more to develop my photography than any other single source. They are brutally honest about my images and have provided invaluable advice and great opportunities.

 

[chuasam]

The biggest difference between Great Intermediate and Professional is repeatability. As an amateur, you can choose when you want to shoot and all that. As a professional, you gotta suck it up and do the shoot once the agreements are made.

If you want to improve the quality of your work, take a step back from photography and just learn to re see things. Taking workshops is a great idea too.

 

[Gary A.]

Okay ... one more thing. For many of us the difference between the hobbyist and pro is time behind the viewfinder. So shoot, shoot again and when you think you're done ... shoot some more.

G

 

[vintagesnaps]

Seems like some of it this is due to time (not being able to take a class, or to do prints for clients, custom galleries, etc.). Can't help but think maybe working on skills more before getting into this as a business would have been beneficial so maybe figuring out what /how much in the way of client work would be manageable for now and build from there.

I agree with other comments that many of your photos are nicely done, some are quite lovely, but with others I see some need for improvement with exposure or editing, framing and watching for distractions, etc. I think it takes practice to get good at photography and I don't know if you can get to a better professional quality/skill level learning online only.

If online learning works best, then see if there are any opportunities along with that to connect with other working photographers in your area to get advice, toss around ideas, etc. Maybe watch for one-day workshops. Or photography events at community art centers, or photography related exhibits, etc. (Are there any Foto Focus events in October in your area?)

 

[RockstarPhotography]

You will always be learning, but when you come to that point that you really understand your camera and lights its time to really STUDY your craft. Go out and find 100 images that you like and save them. when you get to 100 print them out, lay them on the floor and study them. Is there something in common with them? Why did you choose them? Really sit and look at them and find out what it is that made you pick them and you will then have a feeling of what your "style" is. Then, study the greats. Not just the great photographers, but the great painters, look how they incorporated light into the paintings, how they make pictures that really draw your eyes right to where the artist wants. This is a journey i'm currently on