What have you learnt since taking up photography?

AndyWest

AndyWest

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This post is because i have been doing this for about a year so....

For me it's that the images people produce are purely subjective. For example I can produce an image that I feel is one of my better efforts, I post it on this forum and get loads of great feedback and critique but on another forum or Flickr I get diddly squat, and visa verse. I find this quite odd.

Also I have learnt to produce images for me and no one else, if they like it great but don't get the hump if people don't.

How about you?
 
I've learnt it can be a dear hobby. I bought a new 400D with a 17-85 IS lens a couple of years ago, but since then bought a V.good used 40D. The 400D is unsellable, so the the wife has claimed it, now if I buy a 5D I'll not get into the spare bedroom for camera bits which again have no resell value. Canon have bought out the 550D, it getting as bad as computers.
But compared to going down the pub, I'm probably still in profit over the long haul.
 
AndyWest said:
For me it's that the images people produce are purely subjective. For example I can produce an image that I feel is one of my better efforts, I post it on this forum and get loads of great feedback and critique but on another forum or Flickr I get diddly squat, and visa verse. I find this quite odd.
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Ditto. There's a couple of images I posted to Flickr which are part of my 365 project, which I think are pretty shoddy, and loads of people liked them.

I have learnt that doing a 365 project (taking a photo a day for those who don't know) is extremely beneficial in ways I didn't think possible. I have only been doing it for just over 2 months and I can already see how much I have improved, and how much more knowledgeable I am now, not just with actually taking photos, but with the editing part too.
 
Photography and images are personal, as you say it's what you like that matters (unless your earning a penny from it :) ). In the two weeks on this forum and since picking up my camera I've already picked up a load of information which is quite scary in itself, add on to that the knowledge of how little I actually know it's quite amusnig to think how much there is to learn out there and all the challenges ahead...

Roll on Sunny days as I'm a lazy sod and if it's cold and overcast I don't want to go out, please let it be sunny tomorrow :)
 
Hmm agree with the comments about your own tastes being difference to everyone else!

Main thing I've discovered is that love of photography plus love of small, heavy pieces of electronics = expensive.

On a more creative note, I'm amazed at how easy it is to see what is wrong and right when look at my own, and other people's shots......yet when I've my eye to the viewfinder all that goes out the window and I end up cursing myself when I get home :(

Patience!
 
OptimusBri said:
I have learnt that doing a 365 project (taking a photo a day for those who don't know) is extremely beneficial in ways I didn't think possible. I have only been doing it for just over 2 months and I can already see how much I have improved, and how much more knowledgeable I am now, not just with actually taking photos, but with the editing part too.
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:agree:

Over the last year and a half with my 450D I've become a perfectionist in my photography and in every other aspect of my life. I'm not sure if thats good or bad! :shrug::lol:
 
I only took this up early October last year with a 500d and kit lens. I didn't think I'd ever buy a lens for it, now look where I am. :lol:

At the moment though, I have a great understanding of using the camera - more than I thought I'd ever learn. Although I have actually only done a few shoots with the camera which is kinda disappointing.

Hopefully over the next few months I can begin to get out there with everything - I'm kinda in a rut at the moment... :(
 
I've learned that a lot of people miss out by not taking photos.

I have so many great photos of my kids (that I enjoy now and always will).

I just can't understand why so many parents only take photos with a camera phone.
 
Like OptimusBri, I started a 365 this year and through doing that I am learning a lot about my camera, strobe photography and editing. As for images, it can be very subjective, I uploaded a photo on flickr thinking it's nothing special but it made it to Explore.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shkarim/">Flickr</a>
 
At the risk of getting too deep, by far the most significant thing I have been learning over the last year or so is to look at things differently......... to look at light and how it effects what I am seeing........ to look at shapes, textures, composition and what would make a good image.

I am continually looking round me while outside, making judgements about what would make a good or an interesting image.

In essence, I have learned to open my eyes
 
I've learned to notice 400 times more on my travels (car and on foot) :)
 
To trust no-one, they all lie to you and cannot be trusted ... :suspect:


Basically to take pictures i like but to listen to comments and
if i agree i'll try that next time, if i dont i'll carry on as i was...


Oh, and that i really enjoy taking photographs of beautiful women ... :lol:



.
 
to love the light, to rape my overdraft and that I can actually be a creative person

oh and that I dislike my life choices to date
 
i've learn that no matter what equipment you buy it will never compensate for a lack of talent :)
 
* It's an expensive (and addictive) hobby
* Some people assume you took a great photo because you have a great camera
* There's a hell of a lot to learn!
* People look at you weird because your camera isn't a 'regular' camera (point and shoot) - they will assume your a terrorist / perv etc...
* It's something I really enjoy :D

Dave.
 
I've learnt to never leave the house without a spare battery and memory card:D
 
Light and how amazing morning light can be, so worth the lack of sleep.

:geek:
 
I have learnt that the time I spend with my camera on my own, without anyone to answer to, my mobile switched off, not a care in the world and just me and the countryside is absolute heaven, along with learning to have patience and the understanding of wildlife. ;)
 
Without doubt the the thing I have learnt is how utterly rubbish the British weather is for 90% of the time. It seems 6.5 days a week have been cloudy for the last 3 years! Also how poor the BBC weather forecast is for the week ahead on Countryfile! (they are lucky to get it rightish for the next two days!) :bang:
 
What have I learnt, you can spend a lot of money, and probably spend more time than is good for you staring at computer screens, fixing shots and reading forums :lol:
 
nigpd said:
At the risk of getting too deep, by far the most significant thing I have been learning over the last year or so is to look at things differently......... to look at light and how it effects what I am seeing........ to look at shapes, textures, composition and what would make a good image.

I am continually looking round me while outside, making judgements about what would make a good or an interesting image.

In essence, I have learned to open my eyes
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Yep, I do this also. Everywhere i look i see photo opportunities! :D
 
Briony said:
I have learnt that the time I spend with my camera on my own, without anyone to answer to, my mobile switched off, not a care in the world and just me and the countryside is absolute heaven
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:agree: 110% (But mine also includes my dog!)
 
i started out with my bridge camera and took pictures. over the year i used this camera i started to find limitations with it. i have just bought a 500D twin lens bundle and immediately saw basic benefits. now a group of us at work have started weekly challenges and posting the results. already im looking differently at what im taking pictures of whether it be using reflections or tongue in cheek captions. Never had more fun with a camera and loads to learn. but ultimately i have learned that its better to spend more on a camera and learn to use the multitude of functions than buy a more basic cheaper camera with easy functions and get bored with the results !
 
A couple of days ago I went back to the beginning of my flickr stream and ran it in reverse. I think I went through about 100 pictures before I saw one that I actually liked - and it wasn't familiarity either, I couldn't remember taking a lot of them until I saw them again.

The thing that was interesting to me about this was that those first few hundred pics that went on had far more views and far more comments than the shots I put on now - and yet I far, far prefer the stuff I've been doing for the last year or so.
 
1. You never know where your photographic adventure will take you, go with the flow and see what happens.

2. Potentially a massively expensive hobby BUT decent kit will retain it's value and it's less of a "money pit" than a lot of other hobbies. Choose wisely...

3. Not all forums are as friendly or as well moderated as TP, count your blessings!

Carl
 
be satisfied with what you can do with existing equipment before going upmarket
be sure why you are taking photographs
be yourself and take what you think is good
 
That it doesn't need to be a great photo to get published - it just needs to be good enough.
That picture editors will always pick the worst image of any set sent to them.
That familiarity and confidence in the kit you do have is more important than having the most expensive kit and not being able to use it properly.
That getting the photograph now and worrying about the consequences later is always better than worrying about the consequences now (and not taking the photograph) and wishing later that you had. The only photographic nightmares I have are about the ones I missed.
That I never charge enough for my photos.
That there are two kinds of photograph when it comes to looking at other photographers' work (assuming I'm interested in the genre): the "I wish I'd taken that" and the "I could do better than that"...
 
1- Its expensive
2- Im never happy with shots i take :(
3- I constantly want to spend money i dont have on equipment
4- cheap quick fixes dont last
5- I am progressively getting better with composition/exposure as i have noticed i dont have to do as much editing to make pics look slightly good.
6- Theres alot of amazing photographers out there.
 
Ive learned to look at things different and when Im out and about tend to see things and think that would look good done like this etc.
Ive learned that being able to drive is very helpful in photography and to take your camera whenever possible when your out or you'll end up kicking yourself missing an opportunity.
 
im new to photopgraphy and im still learning every time i take my camera out.

1 - patience is the key, take my time when taking shots and take several of each subject.

2 - Keep an open mind, i have found myself constantly looking for subjects to shoot wherever i am.

3 - im never happy with anything photo's, i suppose this is a learning curve.
 
As has been said above I have learned to look at things differently...potential images to be captured are everywhere. Its a hard habit to break!

I've also learned that there are few things more enjoyable (to me at least!) than wandering round a city with a camera, a good lens and a good friend or two :)

:D
 
1) Don't ever expect people to like what you shoot

2) Don't think that you have to do what everyone else is doing

3) Use your kit to its maximum; don't rely on it to fix things
 
artyman said:
What have I learnt, you can spend a lot of money, and probably spend more time than is good for you staring at computer screens, fixing shots and reading forums :lol:
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LOL....drives my Mrs mad

wrx_dazza said:
I've learned to notice 400 times more on my travels (car and on foot) :)
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:agree: I always thought of myself as quite observant until I took up photography
 
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