A photography question...

[back alley]

at the risk of sounding somewhat arrogant, i believe that i have some talent.
i have a few pics that people seem to really like.
i have been paid for a few pics and have had commissions for pics based on people seeing my stuff on the walls of friends etc.
i seem to be able to take a pretty good portrait (when i had my studio) of families and especially kids. i used to shoot weddings and never had a complaint.

i used to think i needed the latest bit of gear to be a good photographer and to keep the playing field level.
the idea of shooting with the gear i now have was once laughable to me. quaint...

i don't believe that i need to travel to find that great shot.
i do believe that if you're gonna do nudes that beautiful people really help that along🙂.

i certainly have enough equipment to take a good photo.
i am pretty comfortable on the street and rarely hesitate to shoot out of fear or concern.
while i'm older now, i'm still pretty big and i have a friendly face...😉

i have few responsibilites, a dog but no plants and a fair amount of free time.
i'm poor but i'm also debt free.

what holds me back?
i'm lazy.

joe

 

[FrankS]

if you're gonna do nudes that beautiful people really help that along.

Truer words were never spoken.

 

[sf]

what limits my photography?

what limits my photography?

Money. Time. And the guts to take the picture.

Money for film is my biggest issue. Right now, I am flush with cash for gear, etc because i sold some stuff. The rest of the year, I have so little that I will go out and take maybe three pictures on a shooting outing (with my 35mm). I bought a digital a year ago because I thought it would allow me to save money on film. It did, of course, but when I went out to take pictures for sale, I always used film, and now I just look at the D70 (which I am selling) as a really really expensive point 'n' shoot. Of course they are capable cameras, but no one can say that In 8x10 or 11x14 direct from a RAW file is going to stand up against a print from 35mm, or 120, or 4x5. SO now, I am going back to being poor and shooting sparingly. That darned D70 would let me go out and take literally thousands of pictures every day. And none of them are on my site because none of them are clean enough (all around nice) for framing.

Time is an issue because I only have time to go out on the weekends if I want to do landscapes or daytime phtography. I could go out at night and do street stuff or whatever, but I am simply too tired to make the treck from rural middle of nowhere to the city. On the weekends, I try to set one day aside for photography and one day for sitting still.

Guts to take the picture. That is a major issue in some cases. Like when I see something really perfect - like a particularly pretty girl doing something beautiful, or some kids playing in a park - and I chicken out because of my environment or because someone is watching me with those accusing eyes. One special case is Carnation Farms in Washingon State. I like to go there and shoot their land because it is really specacular all year round, but they have security guards that have chased me down twice and even tried to get film from me. WHo knows why. I have been naughty and made a break for it on all occasions. Guts. I wish I had more, but those guys at Carnation (now Nestle) really help me build more.

 

[Sean Reid]

Money, time, talent and (the worse factor) often too obsessed with getting it perfetly right. Since perfection doesn't exist, and if it does than it's probably boring as hell, I keep trying the same thing over and over again without ever getting it right. That is, until somehow somewhere I see the light (read an article, see an example, learn something new about composition like from the rawworkflow website that Sean Reid mentioned a few times).

I am so glad to hear that you followed up with that and read those articles. Ben's column is probably the most valuable free resource on the web right now for serious photographers and yet so many people don't even read it.

Good on ya, as they say in Ireland.

Sean

 

[Jarvis]

Although a beautiful nude is hmmm a beautiful nud, it is easy to place a beautiful nude picture wise, the thing is optimally placing a not so beautifull nude and make the picture look worthwhile ... hmmm and to tell you the truth I'mnot really waiting for that either ....

And talent ... with photography becoming such a widespread common good sort of thing lots of people have have talent, just browse through the pics on this site, lots of them I can drool over and go to bed wishing that the next morning I would wake up and have the "zing" that would allow me to make pictures like that, even if they were shot rangefinder cameras hehehehehe ... Not that I have a thing against rangefinders (well hmm) anyway although a rangefinder site I like the pictures here and I must say this is by far, and then really by far the most friendliest community in the history of the www. So rangefinder photography must lead to something .... anyway to get back on topic just go for it, browse through some of the NY Chelsea and village galleries and see what these people have that you don't (and it surely isn't talent) figure this out, acquire it and just do it ..... Perhaps the ability to describe your photo in not less than 25.000 words and be able to drink gallons of crappy cheap wine .... whatever it takes if you want it you can get it ....
And with respect to this the Stones song "You can't allways get what you want" doesn't count in this context, the guy that sang (forgot his name now) actually wanted a slightly smaller mouth, and wrote a song about it .... ....

 

[StuartR]

I would say personality, consistency, transcendent talent and circumstance. I think a few of my pictures are very good. Most are fine, and a lot more are poor. Personality wise, I am rather shy and extremely conscious of others feelings (to an extent that goes way beyond how they probably feel in reality), so I don't generally take pictures of people unless I have permission. Since I am living alone in a city away from most of my friends and family, this means I don't get too many interesting people shots out here. It also means that I occasionally miss shots that I know would be good but don't take because it might embarass the subject, make them feel weird or what have you. It also means that I shoot a lot of landscapes and architectural shots, when I really think my forte is people in their environments. In any case, I think my photography will improve once I get over my own trepidations. Overall, I think I have a good eye, but I don't have world-class talent or anything.

Finally, I would love to really master post-processing. I would love to be able to turn out images on the technical level (and artistic for that matter) of people like Rich Silvferberg or Ian Kennedy.

 

[Peter]

I definitely need more time! My rather tight working schedule make me lose many photo-opportunity. There are so many good shots that I have missed while at work or going about my routine!

 

[DougK]

Well, I have the gear, no question about that. I'd like to think I've at least a smidgeon of talent to work with and I have the desire. I'm even groping my way towards a style of my own, I think.

What I'd really like is the financial independence to pursue photography for its own sake without having to worry about making a living from the photos I make or carving time out from my regular job. I don't want to be forced to shoot what sells and I hate resenting my regular job because it takes too much time away from what I'd rather be doing.

I just want to shoot what I see and share it.

 

[fishric]

I the best photographic accessory for the pictures I like is a good pair of shoes and the willingness to use them. Also the kit I've owned longest I can use almost instinctively. (I think it's called muscle memory).
My greatest impediment is my wife who will stroll through the scene as I'm about to shoot, see below. She is getting better, but now I'm finding her camera phone creeping into the bottom of my shots.
Recently we watched the local Mayday festivities. Leading the parade, walking backwards, was the 'offical Photographer' . He carried a huge camera bag, had two cameras hung around his neck with anti-tank weapons attached, all over an ankle lengh black leather coat, on a fairly warm day. I think he provided his own impediment.
Back to work,
R.Fisher.

 

[cp_ste.croix]

I guess I should answer my own question too...

Well. I've been told that I have some talent, though I'm not sure it is kept sharp or is being developed due to my infrequent shooting schedule. I have very little cash and lots of debts, but I'm not sure it's the main impediment to my photography...

Like Solares, I too find that I am more comfortable shooting when I am travelling. It is actually what I see as a part of my vacation, exercising my creativity and artistic muscles. I regret that this pattern of 'creativity as a vacation from everyday reality' has developed and am working to overcome it. I still can't seem to get any decent people shots here at home though...

The main thing which gets in the way of doing that though, is what I view as the solitary nature of photography. When I am travelling, I have no social obligations and no one (other than my partner) vying for my time. At home I have commitments to work, sports, family and friends, none of whom are really that interested in walking around with me taking pictures. I find that for me to be even remotely successful in photography, I have to take my time and atune my eye to see photographically; a fact that doesn't lead to very many chance shots taken while in the middle of something else (though I have started carrying a camera everywhere in order to combat this). When I do have time, laziness and inertia often overcome me or I realize that my budget for film and processing is non-existent for that week. I have also spent several years conditioning myself that my 'me' time is spent in the gym (something I still love and won't give up), so personel time (read 'selfish time') is at a premium.

Ah well, it is really nice to see that others have simmilar problems with their photography...


chris

 

[wblanchard]

I suffer from Anxiety/Panic and have whats called Agoraphobia "Fear of wide open spaces." There are some days I cannot muster the strength to walk out my front door. Sometimes I can make it halfway to a store and start to panic and drive all the way home.

My camera has been good therapy for me. It gets me outside a little bit longer each day. I would love to go and shoot everyday and post for you guys, but until i'm better in the head...you get a little glimpse of my world once a month. 🙁

 

[back alley]

one word of advice...if you have the film shoot it. don't wory about processing it right away.

i have years worth of film still waiting for processing (ask bj). it will wait.

you can't go back for the shot but you can always process when the money does show up.

joe

 

[back alley]

I suffer from Anxiety/Panic and have whats called Agoraphobia "Fear of wide open spaces." There are some days I cannot muster the strength to walk out my front door. Sometimes I can make it halfway to a store and start to panic and drive all the way home.

My camera has been good therapy for me. It gets me outside a little bit longer each day. I would love to go and shoot everyday and post for you guys, but until i'm better in the head...you get a little glimpse of my world once a month. 🙁

shoot around your home. pick a room and shoot the whole roll in there.

a thought...
joe

 

[cp_ste.croix]

one word of advice...if you have the film shoot it. don't wory about processing it right away.

i have years worth of film still waiting for processing (ask bj). it will wait.

you can't go back for the shot but you can always process when the money does show up.

joe

great advice...i've read in a few places that winnogrand had thousands of unprocessed rolls after his death. it's just not been something i've thought of before i guess...how do you know is your technique is getting better or not though? 🙂



and wblanchard, i thought i might say thanks for your candid response, i wish you well, your gallery so far is awesome, continued success!

 

[kiev4a]

My biggest problem is time. I have a lot interests beside photography -- family -- working in the yard, computers, and, oh yeah, a job.

Many years ago I was a full-time news and part-time commercial photographer. It got old fairly quickly -- again too many other interests.

Off the track a little: In my job I deal with quite a few professional photographers and professional writers. The photographers, as a group, are more difficult to work with than the writers because they tend to be more one-dimensional -- they eat, sleep and breath photography and don't seem to have many other interests -- plus they tend to have terribly big egos. If you tell a writer that a paragraph needs to be altered or deleted and give them good reasons, they usually are willing to work with you. If you suggest to a photographer that a photo should be cropped or sized differently or that another photo might work better, he or she is likely to take it as a personal insult to themselves, their ancestors and their pets.

 

[back alley]

chris,
if you have a modicum of talent (and i believe most of here do), the act of shooting will provide for improvement.
practice makes perfect sort of thing.

and it's kinda fun to grab a roll every now & then and process it.
i have all my medium format marked as to subject but the 35 is all unmarked in a huge plastic bag, somehwere around here...someplace...

joe

 

[cp_ste.croix]

.
If you suggest to a photographer that a photo should be cropped or sized differently or that another photo might work better, he or she is likely to take it as a personal insult to themselves, their ancestors and their pets.

i wonder if that has something to do with the medium...writing is a process driven art with changes easily made (and expected) along the way, whereas photography feels far more final as soon as the shutter clicks.

 

[jlw]

Hmm, the way I photograph doesn't seem to fit into this discussion.

What real life throws up in front of me is almost always weirder and more interesting than anything I could think up (I admit I'm not a very imaginative guy) so I guess I don't go out to photograph with the idea of capturing a picture I 'envisioned in my head.' It's more about trying to react to what I see.

The problem I have with this approach is that when I look at the pictures I got, I invariably hate every one of them. They never compare well to the picture I wish I'd gotten or hoped I'd get.

I can't really evaluate them until that burden of expectations has worn off, and I can just look at what's really in the picture. Usually that wearing-off takes about a year, sometimes more.


So, I guess I'd say my main impediment to photography is the long delay between the original impulse and the final evaluation. Does that make any sense?

 

[cp_ste.croix]

you know what Joe, you have inspired me to get a bulk loader and some cartridges and shoot without worrying about developing right away...though, like using a 30 year old camera, this might be another eccentricity to explain to the people i know. 🙂

 

[back alley]

they get used to it.

😉joe