Have I wasted over $10000 ?

[MartinL]

I saw that. I even started a reply (I was disagreeing). Then I thought the tone was unfriendly and deleted it.

Well, that's my loss. I can usually tell the diff between disagreement and unfriendly.

I saw an interview with HCB. Apparently he *could* do raise camera, click, lower camera. And get a well composed shot.

IMO, this is key. Every aspect of HCB's photography speaks not only to what he saw, but what he excluded from the frame and what he deleted from his portfolio. Until something better comes along, I'll stick with (and try to understand) "decisive moment."

Photography is one medium. Critique is another. The two inform each other, but critique (or more mildly, "comments") without analysis, explanation, theory, grasping for ideas, etc., isn't much more than praise or insult.
Martin

 

[aizan]

I often just don't find anything worth taking a picture of.

if you really think that, maybe you picked the wrong hobby!

 

[akptc]

The only thing I wonder somtimes is if it would have been more fun to spend whatever
I spent (say around US 10k) on a single body and two lenses

Amen to that. If only someone had told me at the beginning to get an M7, 2-3 top lenses, and a G2 kit, I would have spent less time gear-hopping and more time shooting. No, really.

I say let's form a Commitee of Wise Men to inform newbies like me of this fact the moment they join RFF.

 

[pachuco]

Have you wasted over $10000?

Consider that you could have spent that money on women, drugs and alcohol.

Hmmmm.

Now that sounds like a good time!
Wait..... do you mean those are bad things!?! :bang:

 

[MartinL]

I often just don't find anything worth taking a picture of.

if you really think that, maybe you picked the wrong hobby!

I'm rarely without a camera on my shoulder or a few feet away. And I also often don't see what's "worth" photographing. And for that very reason, photography is the right hobby. It's all about learning to see and having a record of what you've seen.
Martin

 

[Ororaro]

Blah, 10 000$ is nothing, really. If you'd have 10K in your hands right now, you'd realize it's only about 3 months of living and paying the bills.

 

[colinh]

I often just don't find anything worth taking a picture of.

if you really think that, maybe you picked the wrong hobby!

It's a mood thing. If everything I see looks hideous - I don't usually take a picture of it. Unlike this one, where I was so fed up that I did:

This hurts me.

colin

 

[colinh]

Amen to that. If only someone had told me at the beginning to get an M7, 2-3 top lenses, and a G2 kit, I would have spent less time gear-hopping and more time shooting. No, really.

I say let's form a Commitee of Wise Men to inform newbies like me of this fact the moment they join RFF.

Hah. Well what about this thread?

Poor guy, I tried to get him to buy the MP, but everyone else kept coming up with sensible advice, and in the end it was too much for him...


colin

 

[jdos2]

I've decided to quit worrying so much about gear, and instead spend the money on travel to those interesting destinations that would yield compelling pictures outside the normal realm of my experience.

And much like the "three frogs are sitting on a long- one decides to jump off: how many are left? Three!" frogs, perhaps I'll get that travel thing going. As soon as I get that Summilux 35mm ASPH, Noctilux, &c...



Desire isn't linear. As long as I'm hurting nobody else by buying hobby stuff, I'm doin' okay (and by that: as long as I'm not defaulting to get lenses, preventing someone else from eating: like that)

My Ham Radio (full of filters) cost the same as my M8. There are other expensive hobbies.

 

[RML]

So, after nearly a year of not bothering to scan anything, I get all interested in a particular idea, something I personally have never tried before, shoot 60 pictures in 2 hrs, develop, scan, create my first gallery here, and mention it in a thread.

And then, [sniff], I get ONE comment that the images are blurred, out of focus and have weird angles.

All true of course, but some of them were interesting (I thought)

Well, what you think is IMO the most important part.

However, when you set up a gallery of your experimental work you can not assume others will automatically understand what you're trying to find out. You must explain it, and force people to read that explanation (or else still suffer crappy comments). Listen to the comments (if applicable). Listen to advice, critique, comments, arguments, etc. They may give you a better grasp of how your experiments are viewed by an audience. Then, if you care, you can work with that new notion. It may not be what you want to do, as it can lead away from your initial feelings and thoughts about that experimental work. But it can also lead in new directions that you might never have thought up.

IMO a gallery here on RFF isn't the best place to showcase new work. Deviantart or Flickr are better places for that, I think. Or show them in your surroundings. My wife doesn't like much of what I shoot but when she does, somehow I get the idea I've hit onto something. Maybe gold, or fool's gold, but at least something.

 

[mac_wt]

And then, [sniff], I get ONE comment that the images are blurred, out of focus and have weird angles.

Wow, I never thought my comment would cause all this. I do admire you for putting your camera in the face of all these people. That is very brave and something I wouldn't dare most of the time. It yielded some photos and elements of photos that even I like (as I pointed out in my comment).

But I really think that you should practice a lot more. I am certain that more practice will further improve the quality of your images. I certainly hadn't the intention to discourage you.

As for 10.000 USD worth of equipment... I know the theory that it's not the camera but the photographer who matters. I'm not very good at putting this theory in practice myself. The last few weeks I've forced myself to only use my Leica IIIc and Summitar, but I keep thinking: "if I had a tele I could take that photo" or "for this I would need a wide angle lens" and I spend way to much time browsing Ebay :bang: .

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[steamer]

10 grand? what the hell, if you got the bucks to spend and it makes you happy, no on can say it was not well spent.
Hmmmm as for lack of comments views on your photos, I find if I post something good on RFF it gets noticed and if it's crap most members follow a policy of "if you can't say something nice ..."

AS for flickr that's a whole nother story, to get noticed there you have to post your stuff to all kinds of groups and there are many different special interests. On flickr my shots of food taken with a cheap digicam and my wedding snaps get lots of hits--go figure.

If you like the weird angles and a blurred look you might think about checking out a holga or something like that, you could find yourself on the receiving end of more happy accidents anyway. Keep shooting with whatever and refine your composition. Finally remember what you paid for this advice because that is about what it's worth.

 

[Kent]

It's not a matter of wasting money, I guess, it's a matter of a great number of photos, so users cannot comment on each one.
I have never seen your gallery until now. And I can tell you, I like your shots a lot, mainly because most of them are somewhat unconventional. I think that's great.

 

[colinh]

Wow, I never thought my comment would cause all this.

I absolutely never meant to criticise your comment. It was more the lack of any other comments. So your's was actually the best comment

I do admire you for putting your camera in the face of all these people. That is very brave and something I wouldn't dare most of the time.

Actually it wasn't brave at all. The whole thing started when I realised that I was doing this anyway, and no one seemed to care.

But I really think that you should practice a lot more. I am certain that more practice will further improve the quality of your images. I certainly hadn't the intention to discourage you.

I agree wholeheartedly. One doesn't need Leica stuff to get image quality like that.

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear in any of my posts.


@kent: It didn't exist until a day or two ago

@steamer, magus et al.: I know one can't look at all the galleries, and that commenting can take a lot of effort. I therefore really appreciate all the comments.

I realise that, technically, hardly any of the shots are "good". I will try to improve on this.

The thread started with the *idea* of shooting close up, without being noticed as such. As a tip to those of you who thought there was anything risky in the endeavour, read the first post, and choose a busy/touristy place. You will be invisible.

colin

 

[sepiareverb]

hmmm you're onto a better idea frank....

Yes Frank's idea has been rattling around in my head since yesterday as well...

 

[Didier]

Making good photographs is a long way. So many factors are there, to mention chosing the right point of view, moment and angle, correct framing and exposure, correct postproduction (no matter if digital or film), correct web presentation, and more.

The price of the equipment is the least relevant factor. If you're honest, did you expect better pictures because you have such an expensive equipment? Then you're on the wrong way. Making good pictures is an eternal learning process, hard work, and a good camera with good lenses is helpful but it's not the main thing. Some of my best pictures for instance were taken with a Bessa L ($99, often callled "best LTM backcap ever"), Canon Powershot S3is ($350) or a Rollei XF35 ($25). Nevertheless I prefer the M6 and R-D1 because they're the more versatile tools.

Didier

 

[venchka]

As many have said, Do it for YOU!

Once in awhile, someone will look at one of your photos and say something that makes it all worthwhile.

Comments I have heard about my work:
"Look at this man. It's like a portrait."
"Those are nice. They could be postcards."
My all-time favorite:
"You sure do have a good camera!"

Keep shooting.

 

[Spider67]

One thing about the price of the equipment:
The first Cameras I got were very cheap and also very unreliable.....I've lost loads of memories.
Then I got a Zenith and I got amazed that you could get Pictures 97% of the time you relaesed the shutter.....Maybe that's the reason why I pitied the young American fellow who showed me his Holga and said with excitement:"That's my first real (meaning manual) Camera!"

Keep posting your pics I liked them!

Photo Comments:
"Nothing could go wrong, with a model like her!"

Camera comments:
"well that thing looks antediluvian for me!" (Meaning a Bessa R)

 

[JNewell]

As many have said, Do it for YOU!

My all-time favorite:
"You sure do have a good camera!"

Got something similar recently: "You must have a good lens."

Uh, yuh. My eye, my timing, my judgment...oh well...