why are my photos just ordinary

[tsaraleksi]

Probably you should move here to the midwestern United States for a while, where it really is boring as heck, then move back with a new appreciation for your landscape . Unless you think flat-as-a-board corn fields are interesting, I suppose!

 

[Mgw189]

We are generally our own worst critic. Unless of course you post photos here then all bets are off At any rate once you reach a certain point in photography you become complacent with what you are shooting. I have had it happen several times where I look at a photo and go meh but a friend or someone else sees it and goes WOW. As far as why you may think that none of us will know or be able to help if you dont give us something to work with. Post a couple ya think are meh and let us be the judge.

 

[TamiyaGuy]

I know it's difficult, but try and pretend you're a tourist. It is hard, as I've tried it in my home town and, although the results were OK, they were hardly awe-inspiring (although Chelmsford really is dreadful ). Also, try and take a different view on things; instead of taking a photo that involves your entire subject, try and isolate specific parts of it to bring out texture (keeping the rule of thirds also helps a lot), or try to take a photo of something virtually lying flat on your stomach, rather than from eye-height.

Also, if you can, it might be worth going to the outskirts of the town; here in Essex, although there is hardly gob-smacking vistas along the whole of the county, there are some really lovely brick bridges along the river. Explore a bit before taking your camera there, so you're not necessarily thinking about taking photos, but thinking about what looks beautiful.

Also, planning ahead is very important. Old buildings or landscapes in general look best in the "golden hour": the hour before sunset or after sunrise.

Best of luck getting those shots! I'm sure they'll be fantastic.