Improving your photography

[das]

I found two pieces of advice incredibly useful:

1. Fill the frame with your subject.
2. Forsee the photograph you want to take and make it happen.

 

[Bob Michaels]

The first step is being able to honestly assess your images. What works and what does not. ......

I find it helpful to honestly ask yourself "Why does this photo exist? Why did you not edit it out? What were you trying to say or do with this photo? How well did you succeed at meeting your objective?" That is never easy but productive.

No problem if what you want to do is display the wonderful boken of the Omygoshicon lens. No problem if what you want to do is just have a pretty picture to hang on the wall or show your friends. No problem if what you want to do is convey information to others about a specific culture or event. But you have to know what and why before you can determine if you succeeded.

 

[Damaso]

I think this is very true. What I find with most of my students is that they lack the ability to think critically about images in general and their own images in particular. As an instructor that really is the starting point for improvement...

I find it helpful to honestly ask yourself "Why does this photo exist? Why did you not edit it out? What were you trying to say or do with this photo? How well did you succeed at meeting your objective?" That is never easy but productive.

.... But you have to know what and why before you can determine if you succeeded.

 

[Estona]

Your tips inspire me, tell me are you making black and white photo? It seems to me interesting this direction of professional photography.

 

[charjohncarter]

Here is one from Brooks Atkinson:

'The virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking-and looking.'