Your breakthroughs in photography?

[GoM]

Mmm...does it count if you feel like you're either on the verge of another breakthrough, or coming to the end of the intermission of two parts to a drawn-out one?

 

[mysteryscribe]

since its not a contest sure it counts.

 

[Mad_Gnome]

I've been around cameras and photography nearly my entire life. I remember even from my earliest years seeing my mother carrying her Minolta XD-11 and taking photographs of everything she could. When I was very young, I even received a camera as a birthday gift: a shiny, new Kodak Tele-Instamatic 110.

I left that camera behind a long time ago, and drifted away from phtography as a craft for several years, but I became interested in it again a few years ago when I inherited a Minolta X-700 and a bagful of lenses. At the same time, my mother purchased a brand-spanking-new Canon Powershot G5. The Powershot G5 was the source of my first revelation: that I was capable of capturing images that fascinated people.

When that first image captured people's attention, I wanted to understand how it was created: the mechanics of it. I've always been technically minded, and my parents always told me I should be an engineer. With that background, I tackled the mystery of exposure like a math problem. I started playing with Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO to see how they affected images. Learning how to make the camera capture an image the way I wanted it to was a HUGE breakthrough.

The next breakthrough was when the first person was willing to pay me to take photographs for them. The idea that someone was willing to pay me - rather than an established professional - seemed ludicrous at the time. It seems even more ludicrous now, when I realistically assess the skill level I was at at the time. That happened to me twice more last year, and I did three times as many TFCD shoots. This year is looking even better, with three paid gigs lined up in the next two weeks. Not bad for a kid who grew up in the slums.

My most recent realization is that if I truly desire to become a professional, and make my living off of my photography, I will absolutely need to learn post-processing skills. This has nothing to do with my photography, simply the demands of the industry. If you don't know how to manipulate a raw image (camera RAW or film negative) you will be passed over in favor of those who can.

And in response to neea, I have held this credo true for some time: "Anyone can pick up a digital point & shoot camera and call themselves a photographer, but to consistently compose compelling images takes a great deal more." It's sort of like the difference between cleaning a gun and playing Russian Roulette. Only without the whole risk of death thing.

 

[neea]

Cool thinking kiddo...

Thank you very much!!!

Mad_Gnome:
And in response to neea, I have held this credo true for some time: "Anyone can pick up a digital point & shoot camera and call themselves a photographer, but to consistently compose compelling images takes a great deal more."

Very true.

I sure like this topic. This is exactly why I come to this forum. I could never talk to my friends or family about this sort of stuff. They'd never get it

 

[Ab$olut]

I think my first one was understanding how apature and shutter speed works I think it took me atleast a week to understand also a recent one is how to use the histogram has really helped my images no end and that was off someone on here.

 

[Chicagophotoshop]

this is a great thread. I read many great posts and I only made it through the first page.

 

[abraxas]

Break-through update!

RAW- Goodbye .JPG!

 

[DocFrankenstein]

Using a tripod

Experimenting with a handheld meter

Using a monolight

reading books and not forums.

 

[Chicagophotoshop]

joining this forum.

 

[chakalakasp]

Actually, for me, it was kind of gradual. I started shooting for serious back in '99. I sucked pretty bad for the first couple of years, and gradually improved as I shot more and more. Buying an EOS-3 in 2001 really got me going, but for the most part, up until 2003 or so, I'd only have a couple of keepers per roll of 36. Getting an enlarger and developing equipment helped me understand exposure quite a bit. I got my first digital body in 2005. Something clicked somewhere in 2006. I have no idea what, but suddenly I was looking at the stuff coming out of my camera and wondering how the hell I did that. I think purchasing an ultrawide (the 10-22) for up-close tornado/storm photography might have had something to do with it; I love symmetrical photos with lots of leading lines, and that's pretty much what rectilinear ultrawides are known for.

I think the biggest thing to good photography is having a good eye. If you have a good eye and you're new to the technical skills, eventually your skills will improve and you'll be able to more consistantly translate your vision to print.