getting better?

Judging from my output, last autumn and winter I have gotten better as a photographer: I 'discovered' a new subject/style (social documentary/street photography) and I just made a lot of pictures.

Since then I'm in a steady decline. I'm in what I call exaggeratedly eine künstlerische Krise (an artistical crisis). On a number of evenings I deleted ALL the images I made during the day: none of them were good enough.

Why that decline? I think simply because I photograph a lot less. Still I wonder whether this is the only reason.
 
(...) I have learned accept there is no difference between merely very good, good, mediocre, or bad photos. They all fall into the same category of "nice try" or "learning experience".

You sure have set a very high standard for yourself. I admire that.
 
Not so sure if I'm getting better. I hope so. Always trying for something better but the finish line, the goal is moving and I'm not so sure if I'll reach it someday. But I'll try...
robert
 
I'm impressed you still manage to take photos of anyone in the Tokyo heat :eek:

Up for a beer sometime on the weekend of the 27th and 28th? :)

If I am not visiting Nagoya yes but I promised to visit Nagoya ... the last word on this is up to my boss (the one at university, not at home ... :eek:) :D

When are you back ??
 
I don't think I have improved much over the last year. My photos are still rather mediocre most of the time. But during this time, I think I have made a definite shift in my mindset from being a gear head who liked to buy and sell gear, click the shutter, burn some film, and maybe get a good shot from time to time, to wanting to take better photos, making an effort to learn about composition, and studying the work of good photographers. And also *gasp* thinking much less about the gear. Maybe my photos will improve over the coming year :)

... I am waiting to see the photos from your trip to Europe !! Different surrounding, limited gear and not the usual gear-heads around :)D) -> I think there will be some stunning shots !!
 
I don't know if my photos are much better they were before but my mindset around all things photography has changed quite a lot. Instead of just snapping photos around me and hoping one or two per roll would be a keeper I'm slowly beginning to see in my mind images that I *want* to create. Maybe that is improvement, maybe not. Time will tell.
 
I think my photos have increased a ton over the past year. Absolutely. However, more important to me is that I enjoy it more and have learned to relax and take in stride bad photos and photos I like. In the past I always wanted to get better over night... now I realize and enjoy the idea of this being a life long journey. I am nowhere near the level of the photos I have seen posted on RFF but I am still in the early learning stages and I am ok with that. Things I have done over the year/year and half:

- Read a ton of books on seeing, exposure, vision, composure, lightroom 3
- Really worked at taking my camera with me as much as possible and take photos and more photos... not rapid fire like in the past but deliberate photos.
- Bought an M8 - Moving away from a DSLR style camera REALLY helped me and made it all more fun.
- Focused on using 1 lens. After I bought the M8 I didnt have enough money for more than one lens so used the 1 lens for most of this year. Even now I have 2nd lens (for a trip to Yosemite) I really still want to use just one lens
- Relaxed and had fun with the whole process from visualizing a book idea... to capturing the photo... to Lightroom work flow... to printing and posting online. All good fun stuff IMO.

Looking forward to the Fall I cant wait... Yosemite trip, Sydney again, India and China. Should be awesome.
 
I am somewhat getting better: more confidence in handling the camera, focusing, finding the right exposure (except when backlight is involved... :/ ). I also think I started to develop my own style: choosing favourite subjects, what must be in the picture and what should not be, moving between people (I like street photography), etc.

Next steps: improve the use of lights and shadows in my pictures. Improve developing and printing skills. Eventually create a portfolio.
 
I've been disappointed so far this year, and I'm just scanning my Greek stuff now and that looks a bit mediocre too ... perhaps I've taken all the good photos in past years and I just have dross to look forward to now
 
perhaps I've taken all the good photos in past years and I just have dross to look forward to now

Jeeze Stewart, boo hoo. At least you've had a period where everything wasn't dross (unlike my world). My photos put the 'D' in dross. Or dull.
 
I've only been doing this for three years or so, and have improved in a technical/craft sense, but some of my personal favourites were taken early on when I didn't know a damn thing. They are all in colour- which is a shame because I spend 99% of my time doing b&w! I have learned that just the act of getting out of the chair is the best thing to do. A cliche for sure, but generally worth repeating ad nauseum. Also, don't try too hard; let it come. I guess I have improved that way...
 
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