What would you have wanted to know when you started?

[ShooterJ]

Nothing .. I came into Photography the same way I did with anything I learned/learn. No expectations starting out.. no regrets about how I got where I am.

Just shoot, enjoy and be open to the idea that you'll keep on learning.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Maybe not just know, but also believe, to be humble and patient. I've had some rough times arguing about my photos and since I've become more accepting of others' opinions, I think I've improved faster.

 

[baturn]

Patience. Photography can't be done in a hurry or haphazardly. At least for me. I still struggle with this constantly.

 

[Josh66]

Funny. I was just now thinking about this. Not in a photography context though...

If I could start over, knowing what I know now, would I? No.

The "process" of learning is half of what makes it "learning".

Without going through everything you have to go through, you would not be who you are. So I say, go ahead and make mistakes.

 

[Jingles]

Nothing because learning is half the fun. learning what works, what doesn't work, discovering things for yourself that make your photos better is always fun. Learn from your mistakes, and above all else just have fun with it.

If I was doing photography for anything else but fun then I'd seriously consider why I was doing it at all.

 

[amolitor]

I just remembered to post this:

"Don't worry about where to stick the subject in the frame. Worry about the frame as a whole and the subject, if any, will take care of itself."

 

[imagemaker46]

I would have liked to have known that photography was going to become a world where mediocre images were considered great, where people with no skill could take pictures without understanding anything about photography. It would have saved me 40 years of learning a skill that is slowly being taken over by amateurs with phones.

 

[ShooterJ]

I would have liked to have known that photography was going to become a world where mediocre images were considered great, where people with no skill could take pictures without understanding anything about photography. It would have saved me 40 years of learning a skill that is slowly being taken over by amateurs with phones.

People with no skill have always taken pictures without knowing anything about photography?

How is photography being "taken over" and how does one person or a hundred thousand people with no talent impact your own skill?

Just baffles me that photographers are so offended by the idea that somebody besides them take pictures?

EDIT: I guess I think of it in terms of my own craft... people that shoot. There are millions of gun owners who pride themselves on their ability on a regular basis.. the vast majority of which can't shoot at a professional level... it doesn't have any effect on my skill sets so it's never bothered me.

Likewise in Photography ... the industry has produced point and shoot cameras for a long time that required no skill on behalf of the photographer. That doesn't impact the people who do have skills ... it just means lots of people at various skill levels have cameras.

 

[Derrel]

I would have liked to have known that photography was going to become a world where mediocre images were considered great, where people with no skill could take pictures without understanding anything about photography. It would have saved me 40 years of learning a skill that is slowly being taken over by amateurs with phones.

We hear this lament a LOT. There's quite a bit of truth in it though. When photos were made ONLY on film, pictures were less-common, more-expensive to make, and far,far,far, FAR fewer people actually made photographs. Today, many editors and writers think they can just snap a few frames with a P&S digital, or a low-end Canon Rebel, or even a phone camera, and can run the images through software, and get "decent" images.

Of course, this is the way things actually work in the world. At one time, only the VERY rich knew how to read and write. Then literacy became widespread. At one time, only the very wealthiest people had "home movies", and the remainder of the population had only a handful of B&W snapshots; the common folk had ZERO motion images of themselves or their children or activities, vacations, weddings, etc.

I think the things that made photography "easier" were Super-8 cartridge loading movie cameras; the flashcube; the Instamatic 126 cartridge loading concept and the Kodak Instamatic; decent color print film; the proliferation of FAST 1- to 4-hour minilab develop and print; then the development of the video camera from a huge video recorder + camera monster and its morphing/evolving into a small,self-contained cam-corder, specifically something like the Sony Hi-8 format camcorders which were small, like the very small Sony TR-5 camcorder at $899 back in 1990. By the time motion video had been miniaturized and refined down to the Hi-8 format camcordesr...digital imaging had truly "arrived"...and still photography was about to be revolutionized.

It's been quite a shift; a weekend fishing trip used to mean a roll of film, or maybe two rolls of 36; today, it can be 1,000 to 2,000 digital "frames"

 

[ShooterJ]

The world is always going to shift and change in that manner. If you're a pro what does it matter? The advance of technology is inevitable and the fact that more people can take photos doesn't make you less talented.

To me, it just seems like wishing there were less gun owners in the world so I'd be more recognized as a professional shooter.

It just doesn't matter to me. I love advances in technology and I encourage people to learn.. or just have fun. Either way .. drop me and any weekend shooter in the woods and there would be no question of talent.

Same with any of you who produce amazing images.. stacked up against any snapshooter, there's no question of skill.

 

[AGWAC]

I would have liked to have known that photography was going to become a world where mediocre images were considered great, where people with no skill could take pictures without understanding anything about photography. It would have saved me 40 years of learning a skill that is slowly being taken over by amateurs with phones.

As someone who's just getting into photography seriously- I welcome this. I want to define my craft and rise above the masses of people taking snapshots. I want people to see my photos and know something about them is different. I want my work to speak for itself. Since everyone has some sort of camera, be it a phone, p&s or DSLR, I want them all to see my work and wonder why their photos never turn out as good.

Basically everyone having a camera gives me more motivation to be a better photographer.

 

[amolitor]

These darn kids with their dry plates are ruining photography!

 

[Derrel]

I would have liked to have known that photography was going to become a world where mediocre images were considered great, where people with no skill could take pictures without understanding anything about photography. It would have saved me 40 years of learning a skill that is slowly being taken over by amateurs with phones.

As someone who's just getting into photography seriously- I welcome this. I want to define my craft and rise above the masses of people taking snapshots. I want people to see my photos and know something about them is different. I want my work to speak for itself. Since everyone has some sort of camera, be it a phone, p&s or DSLR, I want them all to see my work and wonder why their photos never turn out as good.

Basically everyone having a camera gives me more motivation to be a better photographer.

AGWAC, you would make a very poor, bitter middle-aged photographer. Your positive outlook and can-do attitude would automatically disqualify you from the Curmudgeon's Club & Newbie-Hater's Society....just sayin'...

 

[ShooterJ]

I think it's just a question of business. If you're a pro in business and you're failing.. it's not because other people with less skill have cameras. It's because you know photography far better than you know business.

There are a lot of very good photographers who've adapted to change and make a healthy living.

If you're not in business and just love photography and enjoy achieving a high level of skill then do so... the 500 people in your neighborhood with cameras aren't stopping you.

 

[imagemaker46]

For those that don't buy into what is happening within the professional world of photography read this. If you are not working in, or have never worked in the professional photographic world then it's really easy to just say "Change, adapt and success will follow, experience and skill will always count no matter what"

TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT ? Jim Colton