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10/13/2005 02:18:05 AM · #1 |
Hi,
If you see my (few)photos so far, I'm sure you'll find many flaws. Some that I am aware of are
1) I dont know much about composition
2) I've never been able to get lighting right.
3) I've not gotten much digital editing experience.
I guess these skills are scarcely learnt out of books, but I like a methodical approach and would like some book recommendations.
I would consider myself an advanced amateur(As in, I know most of the scientific details) If only that were all it took!! :(
( I only own Ansel Adams - The Camera) |
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10/14/2005 09:35:21 AM · #2 |
Come on people, help this man (and me at the same time).
I see many beautyful photographs here on DPC but dunno
how to make one myself. Same as manurao, I have a composition
problems (but not expecting you to bother writing tut on it).
I'm more woried about light exposure. Specialy when my shot involves
sky or big bad shadows (casted by buildings and so on).
Here is one question I just can't figure on my own :
How the hell do you photograph a person siting on a park bench
smoking a cigare (just a stupid example) and not being noticed.
Whenever I wana take a shot of people, they see me and start acting
strange, ruining the point of my photo.
Help us out please. |
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10/14/2005 09:44:03 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by manurao:
Hi,
If you see my (few)photos so far, I'm sure you'll find many flaws. Some that I am aware of are
1) I dont know much about composition
2) I've never been able to get lighting right.
3) I've not gotten much digital editing experience.
I guess these skills are scarcely learnt out of books, but I like a methodical approach and would like some book recommendations.
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I don't know a lot, but I have found it to be a really enlightening exercise to go through a challenge and vote/comment on every entry, taking time to identify for yourself what it is you like or dislike about each shot and why you like it or dislike it. The natural extension to this is trying to work out for yourself what you might do to improve the picture.
I know absolutely nothing about lighting.
As for editing experience, there's nothing as good as getting it first hand. Just spend a few evenings playing around and see what you can make of some of your shots. Even if you don't feel that you've created any show-stoppers, you will have gained useful working experience of each of the tools and where they might be located. A word of warning, though: make a copy of any files you are going to play with first off - if you foul up and save your edits, you will not have lost your originals.
There are numerous tutorials on the web and plenty of good books. I should really buy some myself. I'm sure that people around here have some excellent recommendations for you.
Good luck and happy playing.
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10/14/2005 09:54:33 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by skate4ganja:
How the hell do you photograph a person siting on a park bench
smoking a cigare (just a stupid example) and not being noticed.
Whenever I wana take a shot of people, they see me and start acting
strange, ruining the point of my photo.
Help us out please. |
What works for me is time. When people first notice you with a camera, they react: get up and leave or start playing up to it. After a while, they grow bored if they haven't left and go back to doing what they were doing. There's your chance.
So, the answer is patience.
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10/14/2005 09:57:04 AM · #5 |
You've entered 7 challenges and you've scored in the top half of the field 5 out of 7 times. I'd say you're well on your way toward learning what you want to know. There are very few of us on this site who would say we know all about composition and lighting. We're all still learning.
I'd recommend 4 things:
1) Study past challenges carefully. Look at the top 10 photos, and then look at 10 near the middle of the pack. What is the difference? How much is photoshopping and how much is simply brilliant composition? Learn from the masters.
B. Start commenting on other people's photos. Don't worry about being an expert critic, just get used to articulating what you do and don't like about a picture. Be respectful but be specific. The more you comment, the more closely you'll be forcing yourself to pay attention to the details that will help you improve.
III - Learn the basics of photoshop (or whatever you use). Make sure you know how to adjust the color balance using curves or levels. Make sure you know the basics of hue and saturation, and a little USM. Don't go crazy. There are some cool tutorial threads here that you can read or participate in.
Finally: Keep shooting. Enter challenges. Take your lumps. Learn from them. But make sure you're shooting pics that you like, don't just try to satisfy the voters - you'll be miserable if you do.
-J |
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10/14/2005 09:58:52 AM · #6 |
I'm not sure you have such bad composition or lighting techniques, but you're pictures so far have lacked that certain "something" to make them great instead of good. I have the same problem. Don't worry, most of yours have placed over five, which is a good sign already.
You've shown some good creativity in your shots in triangle and affluence, just keep doing what you're doing, just make every one better than you thought you could do before. That's all anyone can ask, right?
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