How much has your photography changed?

lemo said:
This means that I am not looking for objects that are perhaps so interesting that they are worth photographing. On my walks on the mountain, in the city, in the village or in the countryside, I look for scenes that just need to be framed properly. It could simply be a shadow pattern, coloured areas, geometric shapes, etc.
It's mainly scenes that otherwise don't seem photogenic at all to most viewers or that only become interesting through framing.

In the beginning, for example, I photographed sights such as churches, castles, monuments etc. when I was travelling, as most people do.

The other day I was in Milan for the first time and, for example, the Duomo is not in any of my photos, although I have walked past it very often.

Probably these photos are very boring for most people and they were for me at some time too, but the attraction of photography for me is finding these scenes.


Graz
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Gotcha. Ta. (y)
 
Interesting post guys, ive found what im photographing changes based on any new lens I buy. After buying some cheap tubes got into macro as a trial. Quite amazing what you find, as all these years just been taking street / lamdscape
 
lemo said:
This means that I am not looking for objects that are perhaps so interesting that they are worth photographing. On my walks on the mountain, in the city, in the village or in the countryside, I look for scenes that just need to be framed properly. It could simply be a shadow pattern, coloured areas, geometric shapes, etc.
It's mainly scenes that otherwise don't seem photogenic at all to most viewers or that only become interesting through framing.

In the beginning, for example, I photographed sights such as churches, castles, monuments etc. when I was travelling, as most people do.

The other day I was in Milan for the first time and, for example, the Duomo is not in any of my photos, although I have walked past it very often.

Probably these photos are very boring for most people and they were for me at some time too, but the attraction of photography for me is finding these scenes.


Graz
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The difference between looking and seeing...
 
For many years I spent most of my photographic time shooting landscapes, buildings, wildlife. I avoided people like the plague and would wait ages for all the passers by to pass by the scene I was trying to shoot. I used to joke that "mountains never complain that you haven't caught a flattering likeness." Now I earn a reasonable amount of money photographing people. But for my own plasure, I still turn towards my favourite subjects.
 
I'd like to think I'm better at photography than I was many years ago. Well.....it wouldn't be difficult, when I look at some of my earlier efforts I'm just embarrassed. But the general standard of photography now is in many ways far higher than it was in the heyday of film. Even the "masters" of photography then produced results that can be achieved so much more quickly and easily these days. This is probably partly due to the arrival of digital where anyone can just point a camera at something, press the shutter and get a decent result. But the quality and features available in affordable camera bodies and lenses is astonishing compared to what was available "back in the day". This allows photographers to tackle subjects that would previously have been possible to achieve with only the most sophisticated and expensive equipment.

My photography has always been an extension of my other interests. In many ways it's not the photography as such that fascinates me. So as my interests have changed and developed so has the subject matter of my photography. I've never been at ease photographing people and that certainly hasn't changed - although these days I could probably do a pretty good impression of someone who knows what they're doing.
 
jerry12953 said:
My photography has always been an extension of my other interests. In many ways it's not the photography as such that fascinates me. So as my interests have changed and developed so has the subject matter of my photography.
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(y)
 
Oh, that's interesting and I hope I'm not too late :D When I first started I wanted to do portraits and family shoots and it was just a hobby to me (in fact it still is). I mostly took pictures of friends and family and did basic editing in simple programs like Photodiva or Picsart (worked for small children who loved stickers and glitter all over the photo) but then Covid hit and I switched to landscapes while taking long walks and having nothing to do. It never really worked for me and I got back to photographing people the very minute I could. I still do family shoots and occasional shootings for my friends and people who contact me on Fb, it's fun and I love the whole interaction that happens during the shooting. I enjoy doing it and developing my editing skills by learning various Photoworks tricks but I wouldn't want it to be my only source of income though, photography is more of a fun thing to me.
 
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Interesting thread.

I am sort of at some form of crossroads/indecision at the moment.

Quite a few years ago I was photographing speedway at Newport Speedway, now sadly closed. Seemed to lose interest in photography at that time.

Returned in the last two / three years, found wildlife and birds in flight to be of interest to me.

However, since reviewing my photos, I find I am just replicating countless images of similar shots.

Seriously thinking about what I can add and say about the images I take. I just don't want to continue to add to the same type of images ad nauseam.

Have invested quite heavily in a Nikon 500mm f5.6 lens, but, in all honesty, not enjoying it.
 
Denis99 said:
I am sort of at some form of crossroads/indecision at the moment.
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You seem to have half-analysed your problem, but what to do about it?

A choice is to give up or continue ...

Do you look at photographs taken by others a lot? Have you seen stuff that stimulates you? I'm not suggesting that you should copy anything, but maybe you need to loosen up & cultivate a sense of adventure. If it's not for money, then it's meant to be fun ...
 
Denis99 said:
However, since reviewing my photos, I find I am just replicating countless images of similar shots.

Seriously thinking about what I can add and say about the images I take. I just don't want to continue to add to the same type of images ad nauseam.
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That's not a problem for some people who seem happy to take what is essentially the same photograph over and over and over and... Some even revel in that. :LOL:

Anyone who isn't in that camp always hits the wall you have come across.

Setting out to produce a cohesive body of work is a good way to get out of a rut. Finding a subject that interests you, rather than thinking about photographs, helps find a way through the wall.

Another alternative is to get rid of the lens you use most and use different angles of view as that forces you to look for new subjects or at old subjects in new ways. I've got rid of a couple of lenses which I really liked but were restricting either my choice of subject or the way I was photographing things and it has revitalised my photography in both cases.
 
Thanks Ed

Yes, I was thinking of just not raking the 500mm lens with me when I go out.

The issue is , as you stated, taking the same type of image over and over. I have come to realise that it’s a bit pointless.

Not to mention the birds in flight at around 10 frames a second, reviewing and culling…..

I do like the macro side of wildlife though, if the little critters stay still long enough, plus I don’t have loads of images to go through.

Just might try a month of a different approach.
 
Really, it's all about the light ....

Light gives texture and form; shadows can contain mystery. Light & shade can almost become subjects in their own right.

This is true even if you are photographing 'things'. And can be something to explore.
 
I started in the early 70's with a 'ZENIT - E' and being on a tight budget I was very careful about taking that shot, I would literally spend hours checking rechecking, trying different angles, lighting etc before finally committing and pushing that button. A 36 exposure film had to last a month so mostly it was static objects like bikes and cars and the odd family member. Now I consider myself lucky enough to own a whole bunch of very good gear and with the advent of the digital age I can and do shot just about anything that catches my eye. BIF being one of my favourite challenges, how things have changed - I can now rattle of 36 exposures without a thought , just to get that 1 shot ..... !
 
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The main change for me is more planning to get the images I need.

When I started I read the manual, a book my uncle gave me and later lots of YouTube videos.

A long time later I took a year’s course and finally things started to click.

So now when I take pictures I always have an idea of the shot list I’m looking for and a plan for how I’m going to get them.
 
getting more interested in video work now ,not forsaking my DSLR cameras that is
 
My first photography (60+ years ago) was done with a box camera - fixed focus and exposure. I would compose, then shoot. A couple of years later I got an adjustable camera - from then to today I meter, focus, compose, and shoot. Big change.
 
When I first started shooting weddings back in 2000 I would give the couples around 75-100 photographs. Now I average around 1000. People always say " digital cameras make our job easy" Yes it does but boy is there a lot more work involved. From the time spent at a wedding to the editing involve to the marketing you now have to do from social media to SEO.
 
saltireblue said:
My pf was very eclectic when I started, and, I guess, until about 3 years ago. Then I subconsciously made the move to only b&w. It was not a conscious move, and now I delibertely go out looking for subjects that will look good in b&w. About the only time I do colour any more is when I shoot live gigs.
(The colour images on my flickr pages are all old, from before the 'migration')
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B&W Leica for you then? :D
 
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