Never Satisfied

DavidVote · Jan 20, 2015

Is it normal to never be satisfied with snapshots you take? I mean, I go onto Flickr looking at these awesome pictures that people take, then after browsing around for a while, looking back at mine I just cringe. Sometimes I want to throw my camera at a wall and be done with photography. Granted I've only been shooting for about half a year but what other people could achieve in their photos is just unbelievable and is both discouraging and encouraging at the same time. I've gone weeks without shooting a single picture and find it so hard to get the motivation to knowing that next picture isnt going to satisfy me.

tirediron · Jan 20, 2015

Okay... you've been shooting for six months, but have you been learning for six months? Most of those great images you're talking about didn't happen by accident. They were created because someone knew what they were doing. The photographer understood the technical side, such as exposure, focal length, etc, and the artistic, composition, angle... My suggestion would be to identify one aspect of your images that you don't like, and learn how to improve that, and then move on to another... posting images in the galleries further down the page for critique by other members ("C&C") will help speed the process along.

Fred Berg · Jan 20, 2015

Henri Cartier-Bresson said that the first 10,000 photos you take are your worst, and that was when it took time to get through 10,000 photos.

Don't be in such a hurry. Take time over your photos and enjoy learning.

runnah · Jan 20, 2015

I don't think any good artist has ever been 100% satisfied with a piece they have done..

Satisfaction breeds complacency which in turn breeds a lack of creativity.

DavidVote · Jan 20, 2015

tirediron said:
Okay... you've been shooting for six months, but have you been learning for six months? Most of those great images you're talking about didn't happen by accident. They were created because someone knew what they were doing. The photographer understood the technical side, such as exposure, focal length, etc, and the artistic, composition, angle... My suggestion would be to identify one aspect of your images that you don't like, and learn how to improve that, and then move on to another... posting images in the galleries further down the page for critique by other members ("C&C") will help speed the process along.

Hello, thanks for the reply. I think I've been learning for the past 6 months and I think I have a pretty good grasp on the technical side of photography. Starting to get there composition wise. It's just that I get into a photo session with really high expectations then the end result is ...ehh.. at best.

jsecordphoto · Jan 20, 2015

If I was completely satisfied with my photos, that'd be a problem. It's what motivates me to keep learning and improving.

480sparky · Jan 20, 2015

DavidVote said:
....... It's just that I get into a photo session with really high expectations then the end result is ...ehh.. at best.

Then perform a post mortem. Study your images and see where you failed. Was it due to poor or incorrect lighting? Incorrect selection of a camera setting? Not paying attention to the background? Misunderstanding of some step in post?

Armed with that knowledge, you can set out again with a bit more confidence.

Lather, rinse, repeat........ and BAM! You've gained experience.

Designer · Jan 20, 2015

DavidVote said:
Sometimes I want to throw my camera at a wall and be done with photography.

Get to know bribrius, and the two of you can get together and compare notes.

Torus34 · Jan 20, 2015

Take a bit of time to select your three best photographs, print them as, say, 8x10's, matte to 11x14 and frame them. Put them on a wall where you can easily see them. Three months later, go through your recent best shots and see if you wish to replace any on the wall.

It's a nice way to follow your own progress.

And if you want to, you can learn to cut your own mattes. It's easy and also permits you to compose in whatever format you wish. I shoot B&W film and often use the full 35mm frame size -- a 1:1.5 format or, alternately, a 1:1 or other 'oddball' format for 120 film. I can matte in, say, 6x9 or 8x8.

Gary A. · Jan 20, 2015

Not being satisfied is the foundation required to be great photographer ... Not being satisfied can fuel your passion for a lifetime of photography. (Not being satisfied can also extinguish a passion, lol.)

I've been shooting for more than half a century and I am still not satisfied. There are times I want to throw my cameras against the wall also. I always see photos that are better than mine that I wish I had captured (and I worked professionally for a couple of decades). Not only are the photos of others better than mine ... but everytime I process my images I think of ways to improve and kick myself in the butt for not seeing those improvements until after the fact.

Technically, photography consists of a series of steps. One's attention to detail at each and every step is required for technically great images. What separates the professional photographer from the hobbyist is consistency. (I am using 'professional' as a measurement of ability not as an accounting term.) The ability to day-in and day-out capture the exceptional image. That consistency requires time behind the viewfinder to develop the skill and experience needed for professional level consistency.

Improvement isn't a matter of time since you first picked up a camera ... improvement is based upon time behind the viewfinder. In the beginning the best/quickest way to get higher on the learning curve is with a formal/structured environment. Take a class online or at community college, join a photo club, find a mentor and most importantly shoot. Take your camera out with you and shoot everyday. To reinforce what you already seem to be doing is to be your own worst critic. Self critique every shot, ask for help, delete, delete, delete. Three basic rules for improvement:

1) Shoot;
2) Shoot again; and
3) at the end of the day when you're done shooting ... shoot some more.

I am very competitive. I love photography because it pushes me to do better, it feeds that competitive element. Challenge yourself, channel that 'not being satisfied' into fuel for improvement. Doing so will give you a passion that will last a lifetime.

Gary

PS- To answer your question, Yes.
G

Stradawhovious · Jan 20, 2015

I have never taken a decent photograph.

Doesn't stop me from trying.

TreeofLifeStairs · Jan 20, 2015

Stradawhovious said:
I have never taken a decent photograph.

Doesn't stop me from trying.

Hmm. Does that mean that they were all indecent?

SCraig · Jan 20, 2015

Of all the cameras I've ever bought or seen I have yet to find one that comes with a can of "Instant Ability" or "Instant Knowledge" included in the box. Those two critical items only come from experience.

Stradawhovious · Jan 20, 2015

TreeofLifeStairs said:
Hmm. Does that mean that they were all indecent?

But... that would likely make them decent... right?
Wait. What? I'm confused.

DavidVote · Jan 20, 2015

Designer said:
DavidVote said:

Sometimes I want to throw my camera at a wall and be done with photography.

Click to expand...

Get to know bribrius, and the two of you can get together and compare notes.

How should I do that? Should I just send him a PM?

Gary A. said:
Not being satisfied is the foundation required to be great photographer ... Not being satisfied can fuel your passion for a lifetime of photography. (Not being satisfied can also extinguish a passion also, lol.)

I've been shooting for more than half a century and I am still not satisfied. There are times I want to throw my cameras against the wall also. I always see photos that are better than mine that I wish I had captured (and I worked professionally for a couple of decades). Not only are the photos of others better than mine ... but everytime I process my images I think of ways to improve and kick myself in the butt for not seeing those improvements until after the fact.

Technically, photography consists of a series of steps. One's attention to detail at each and every step is required for technically great images. What separates the professional photographer from the hobbyist is consistency. (I am using 'professional' as a measurement of ability not as an accounting term.) The ability to day-in and day-out capture the exceptional image. That consistency requires time behind the viewfinder to develop the skill and experience needed for professional level consistency.

Improvement isn't a matter of time since you first picked up a camera ... improvement is based upon time behind the viewfinder. In the beginning the best/quickest way to get higher on the learning curve is with a formal/structured environment. Take a class online or at community college, join a photo club, find a mentor and most importantly shoot. Take your camera out with you and shoot everyday. To reinforce what you already seem to be doing is to be your own worst critic. Self critique every shot, ask for help, delete, delete, delete. Three basic rules for improvement:

1) Shoot;
2) Shoot again; and
3) at the end of the day when you're done shooting ... shoot some more.

I am very competitive. I love photography because it pushes me to do better, it feeds that competitive element. Challenge yourself, channel that 'not being satisfied' into fuel for improvement. Doing so will give you a passion that will last a lifetime.

Gary

PS- To answer your question, Yes.
G