The very FIRST thing you need to think about...

[chuasam]

I honestly fail to see any connection with drinking something brewed from something covered with civet cat crap and photography. Chu start a new thread somewhere , but lets try to salvage what is left of this thread which was meant for beginner photographers and not scatological quality comparisons.

Well you were offering free coffee of our choice.

 

[Tim Tucker]

Back on topic... (I drink tea and whiskey)

It's not what I would say is the first thing you need to think about. The very first thing you need to do in the visual arts, or photography, is look and see.

The main place that many fall is by believing that their vision is absolute and that others see what they present as they've presented it. This isn't always the case.

With accurate and honest observation you should easily see the difference between the images you take and the ones you try to emulate, and this can drive you quest for knowledge or learning. But it's totally useless unless you learn how to see things clearly and accurately.

To give you an example of how you don't always see thing accurately here's one of many of the "maths problems" floating around facebook:

You may think it's a maths test, but actually it's only a test of observational accuracy. How many of you noticed the double flower the first time you looked? The trick relies on lazy vision, it relies on you glancing briefly and making assumptions. Loosing the tendency to do this is the most valuable and first lesson an aspiring photographer should learn.

 

[ClickAddict]

Back on topic... (I drink tea and whiskey)

It's not what I would say is the first thing you need to think about. The very first thing you need to do in the visual arts, or photography, is look and see.

The main place that many fall is by believing that their vision is absolute and that others see what they present as they've presented it. This isn't always the case.

With accurate and honest observation you should easily see the difference between the images you take and the ones you try to emulate, and this can drive you quest for knowledge or learning. But it's totally useless unless you learn how to see things clearly and accurately.

To give you an example of how you don't always see thing accurately here's one of many of the "maths problems" floating around facebook:

View attachment 118966

You may think it's a maths test, but actually it's only a test of observational accuracy. How many of you noticed the double flower the first time you looked? The trick relies on lazy vision, it relies on you glancing briefly and making assumptions. Loosing the tendency to do this is the most valuable and first lesson an aspiring photographer should learn.

Another trick in this problem is, since the last flower has 4 petals and not 5, is it really the same value as the ones in the previous equations. (Therefore still an unknown). In which case the answer is.... "Not enough information."

 

[robbins.photo]

Another trick in this problem is, since the last flower has 4 petals and not 5, is it really the same value as the ones in the previous equations. (Therefore still an unknown). In which case the answer is.... "Not enough information."

Huh.. ok, see the answer I was going to go with was "salad".

 

[table1349]

I was thinking potpourri. The ladies love that stuff since it is a way to save dead flowers.