................ Except for the occasional bird or deer, I simply cannot take a picture that is worth a crap.
When is it time to quit?...............
Tim: my 2 cents is a variance with most here but that's no problem for me. I can only tell you what worked for me when I was in your situation.
First, do you have a general idea what is wrong with your photography? That is a tough one as most don't. Is is just when you look at all your work, do you conclude there is simply little of merit there?
I concluded in the late 80's there was little of significance that I had accomplished since I began seriously photographing in the mid 70's. I had to admit that in 15 years that I had become technically quite proficient, was a pretty good darkroom printer, had established that I could consistently do well in local camera club contests. But when I stepped back and critically analyzed my results, I had to conclude there was just not much of real value there. I disposed of all my gear and did only family happy snaps almost 20 years.
Then around 2000, several things came together that set me off photographing seriously again and satisfied with my results.
First of all, I became interested in my own local culture which led to photographing it in order to document what was disappearing and to spread that knowledge to others. I finally accepted what some had been telling me that you must create a cohesive body of work. I realized that one must love what they are photographing more than the act of photographing it. Almost 20 years later, I am still working on that basic theme although the locations have shifted geographically.
Secondly, I began to constantly have a goal in mind. Both with individual photographs and with photo series in general. Based on input from a bit of mentor, a newspaper writer and not a photographer, I began asking myself why a photo existed, what was I trying to accomplish, and how well did I accomplish my goal. I began to develop satisfaction with my work.
I also concluded that there was little I could learn from other photographers. I am satisfied with my technical skills. Their critique would only lead me to photograph to satisfy other photographers and not the overall population. I am fortunate to have a few excellent photographers as friends. But when we get together, we don't discuss photos or photography. Instead it is culture, communications, travel, life experiences.
It was beneficial for me to begin publicly exhibiting. While the initial venues were very pedestrian, I learned the differences between what the public and other photographers considered important. It became apparent that the public wanted emotion, impact, and information with very little emphasis on the technical as contrasted to photographers who were primarily interested in the technical aspects.
Tim: I am not sure what you are looking for in your photography that you think is missing. Just have a goal. No problem if your goal is to happily wander around looking to occasionally find something unique that will made an interesting stand alone photo. Just have a reasonable expectation and evaluate your results accordingly. Do be cautious of proposed simple solutions to a complex problem.
