How Do You Become A Good Photographer?

68lbs

68lbs

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Sounds a dumbass question, and maybe it is, I'm sure you'll let me know! ;) You know the basics - you can get the shot in focus, expose it correctly, you know about composition, foreground, leading lines, etc. You can spot what looks like a nice photograph when you see it, and you can see ways in which small details would improve a shot. Hell! You can even produce an ok shot sometimes.

But how do you become a good photographer?

Why, if you (well ok, I'll be honest, I mean ME) know these things, do you churn out a pile of digital manure 99.9% of the time.

This place is great and in 6 months I feel I've moved on from producing flat coloured, wonky horizoned, unsharp, blown sky shots. I seemed to take a massive leap forward the minute I came on here and the obvious was pointed out to me. But how do you move onto the next step. And what or where is that step...?

Education? Practice and experience? Buried somewhere dark? If we could answer that, then we'd all be great?

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

PS: I seem to have a lot of questions in my life. I'm sure there's something deep and psychological going on, but i'll be buggered if I know the answer.
 
:agree:

I am in the same boat. My knowledge and understanding has shot up since joining here, and my photos are a bit better than they were.

But, most of the time I seem to produce manure in high volumes.

Cool thread 68lbs, I'll be watching this one carefully! :thumbs:
 
I would suggest the next step is to look at others images, not just photographs, paintings, art. take a long look at nature around you, see how different light/seasons change the perception and form of everyday items and views.

But to be really successful i think you need to have an idea of what you want to show, and that really means having an 'artistic bent'

Just my opinion!
 
To improve on where your at, the answer is good glass and practice.

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
To improve on where your at, the answer is good glass and practice.
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So I can blame my equipment?

Is there not some saying about a poor craftsman and all that?

:thinking:
 
realspeed said:
To improve on where your at, the answer is good glass and practice.

Realspeed
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I personally don't think either of those are really pertinent although they will help.

i know many artists that take great photographs with limited photographic technical knowledge or decent equipment. I have seen great images that were shot on compacts and cheap Russian SLRs.

Its more about the photographers 'eye'.

having good technique will help you achieve the image you want, but you have to be able to see the image in your mind in the first place.

Better equipment is not necessarily the answer!
 
Great question Lee!

No smart answer from me I'm afraid - I never consider myself a technical photographer at all - either at the camera or the pp end and I often think if I were more knowledgable at both ends it'd make a huge difference to the quality of my work.

I think I can 'see' things (not dead people but potential images :)) and since taking up this lark as an all consuming hobby I rarely look at anything without an 'image' in mind.

But how to convert that image in the head and eye to the one on screen or paper is the secret I guess.

I too shall read this thread with interest!
 
Practice, constructive criticism and being in the right place at the right time.

EDIT Should add the process above never ever stops
 
Thats a good question, and i'm not sure that there is a correct answer
everyones perception is different, and i'm sure everyone is critical of their own work.

i would say however, its not down to the kit you have got, i've seen some cracking photos taken on a nokia mobile phone !!
 
Maybe you are making the mistake of getting too hung up about being "good". The beauty of digital is that you can take lots of "crap" photos and it doesn't cost you anything if you just decide to delete them.

I look at some of the stuff on here and despair of ever getting to that standard - then reality kicks in and I realise that it doesn't really matter.........because I am having a thoroughly good time just enjoying taking photos.

To me, a good photo is one I like, one that will give me good memories in the future (I've taken hundreds of "ordinary" snaps of my granddaughter and I love them all), and if other people think they're good as well - then that's a bonus.

Of course, this is easy for me to say because I have no intention of trying to make a living from photography - I'm just having a good time.

Only my opinion of course - sorry if I've rambled a bit!

:D
 
"How Do You Become A Good Photographer?"

I'll tell you when I get there.........
 
Think I agree with crusher to some extent.
I take pictures for me, and because I enjoy doing it.
If someone else likes them too, then that's a bonus.
Am I a good photographer? Dunno, but I think I've improved over the last year, and I'm still having fun. Good enough for me :)
 
Im in the same boat I think.

I think I need to get more practice just out by myself as Im only finding I take my camera with me when I already plan to go places/holiday.
 
get out of your comfort zone. if you always shoot landscapes, shoot people, if you only shoot at day take some night shots. switch things around. when you go back to what you like shooting you should have slightly different view.

also try things like shooting in just B&W or just use a prime to make you move around more and think about your shot.

And look at your bad pictures dont just bin them. whats wrong with them, why are they bad. its to easy to press delete.

also think about your PP. I have rescued what seemed like a bad shot by trying some creative pp on them. dosnt always work but again you will learn from working on it.

one last thing is dont always listen to what people say. sometimes everyone seems to want a picture to fit into a set of rules but it dosnt always have to.


Oh and im still not a good photographer but I do manage to get the occasional nice picture.
 
crusher said:
Maybe you are making the mistake of getting too hung up about being "good"... I am having a thoroughly good time just enjoying taking photos... a good photo is one I like
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Don't get me wrong, I have fun taking pics. But I am not taking them for me. I was there, I know what I saw, and I have those memories. The buzz for me is showing someone else, to hear their thoughts. To hopefully get them to smile, cry, say "wow", scream, etc.

The ultimate 'thing' for me would to be good enough to have an exhibition. Even just a small local one. Reach that sort of standard, and I'd smile so wide my head would split open!
 
I too wish I knew the answer to this but I have noticed something within me since "turning digital".
Because it doesn't cost anything to take a shot any more, I take more "shots to nothing" just in case it works. As a result, I am not looking through the viewfinder with the same care that I used to in film days searching for what doesn't work.
So I suppose my advice is to be more critical about what you see through the viewfinder.
 
practice practice and more practice i would say.

then followed by a decent setup
 
I started photography pretty late in the day, and am hoping to become "good enough", at least, to try and make some money out of this. I've looked at photos I started taking and looked at more recent photos and I can definitely see improvement. I think it's just a matter of getting out there, taking photos and pushing yourself. I do read a ridiculous amount of literature on photography in the hope some of it might rub off and go some way into turning me into a good photographer. Time will only tell!
 
I'm certainly not a good photographer but I enjoy trying to be and to me thats whats important.
Read some books look at other peoples photos try to see why you think they are good and try to copy what they've done. This websites great for ideas go to the library and get a few books - not just techy photo ones but art as well!
Most importantly practice and enjoy yourself!
 
For me I'd say its practice, and plenty of it. I have not long been into photography, but I think my ability to take a good photograph has improved and I still have the same camera as when I started with the same kit lens, so its nice for me to compare my pictures over the 7 months knowing its not down to newer/more expensive equipment.
 
POAH said:
get someone else to take the photos for you
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Not really helpful or constructive....:thumbsdown:


I guess it all take time, practice and the want to get better all the time. Thats something I have and certain 68lbs has otherwise he wouldn't have asked this question.

All I can say thank goodness for the TP community, its like having a personal tutor at times!

I think I need to get out and get more up on here for C & C next.
 
Rob.7wood said:
Not really helpful or constructive....:thumbsdown:


I guess it all take time, practice and the want to get better all the time. Thats something I have and certain 68lbs has otherwise he wouldn't have asked this question.

All I can say thank goodness for the TP community, its like having a personal tutor at times!

I think I need to get out and get more up on here for C & C next.
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it is quite valid. what do you think happens when big famous photographers take shots. they have assistants that set up the lights, set up the subject and then they come in and click a buttong lol

the only way to get good at something is to research, practice and learn from your mistakes
 
Practice, practice, practice ...

For me, my biggest leap was realising that I had begun looking more at the light in a scene than the object, person, landscape, whatever. Seeing the light so to speak, my best images are always the one's where I'm drawn to the light in the first instance, then creating a photo out of whatever is in it / waiting for something to happen.

Or the flip side of that is learning how to create lighting in the way you want it.
 
I agree with all the above and would add the five P's... Perfect Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance! Think about what you want to achieve and plan in detail how you want to attain it. If you shot glamour and you had Kate Moss turning up you'd spend ages beforehand working out what lighting, what angles and what poses, every detail. Same should be true everytime we get the camera out, whether for landscapes or whatever.

I really ought to go and put some of what I've just said into practice...
 
POAH said:
it is quite valid. what do you think happens when big famous photographers take shots. they have assistants that set up the lights, set up the subject and then they come in and click a buttong lol

the only way to get good at something is to research, practice and learn from your mistakes
Click to expand...

Whilst I agree with your last comment about research etc and learning I'm afraid that the earlier comment about professionals having aids doesn't help us noobs who are trying to improve.

Pippy, I think your spot on, and the keyt is not to rush and expect miracles.
Why is it that the 6 P's creep in everywhere?! :lol:
 
How do you define a good photographer. Looking at the photos submitted on here I think we're all good photographers!!!

Yeah, everyone takes some rubbish photos, but they are the ones that get canned, if you show people your good photos they will think you're good, if you only show people your rejects they will think you're a bad photographer...
 
For me it is going along to local exhibitions and see what the quality of the work is like as well as getting more ideas from them.

Since I got back into photography and joined here I am seeing photo oportunities everywhere, when I am having a break at work I look around and work out (or try to) the settings I would need to capture the moment.
 
Rob.7wood said:
I'm afraid that the earlier comment about professionals having aids doesn't help us noobs who are trying to improve.
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I'd recommend wearing protection during sex and not sharing needles.
 
Either you have it or you don't

You can learn a lot. you can have expensive equipment, you can go on courses you can have 1to1 tutoring.. you can read the books look at what the best achieve and practice practice practice...doing all or any of the above will improve your photography.

But i dont believe the OP was asking how to improve , he was asking how to become a good photographer and I believe you either have a knack for it or you dont, you cant train or buy the knack. I repeat! yes you can imprve and become better, but...
 
For most of us it's practice, looking at the work of others, and perhaps trying to do that most difficult of all things - be original.

Truly great photographers probably have a finger laid on their brow at birth and it's just deemed from the start that it will be thus. It's probably true of great musicians, artists, and supremely talented people in any field. You can strive to improve, but talent is what you either have or haven't got - you can't acquire it.

Taking David Bailey as an example, I'm not sure whether he'll be a recognized 'great' in the fullness of time, but I remember him being interviewed on TV when he was very young and just coming to notice. I kid you not, it was embarrassing to watch the guy trying to string three words together. 'Two short planks' doesn't begin to describe it.

Put him behind a camera though, and he just saw things in a different way altogether to everyone else, and controversial as he was, enough people liked what he was doing to make him a household name in rapid time.

The main thing is to enjoy it. If someone else likes what you do - well that's cool too.
 
whitey said:
practice practice and more practice i would say.
/QUOTE]

:agree:

I think you have taken one of the most important steps to better photography, you joined the TP forum :)

I have learn a huge amount on here and not just the technical stuff, but the way I look at a photo. I also agree with CT you either have an eye for it or you don't, personally I don't :lol:
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teddyt72 said:
I thought this was an army saying... Either way it makes sense.

Great thread though, love it.
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So to put this in context and save you having to search back (realised the comment is a bit out of context)... I though the below was an army thing before being a sales line... (quote from Pippy Neville)

Perfect Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance!

Either way it's a great question, I'm far, far from being a "good photographer" (IMHO) but it's gotta be mainly practice, constant learning with bit of help from decent equipment, glass etc. Although we all know great shots can be made with basic kit so although the frivilous me wants to say you can't get great shots without "L" glass, it's not true, it just helps!!

Eddie.
 
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