man, i suck at this!

This sounds serious Joe. Ask yourself why you take pictures. If its for fun, and it turns out not to be, why keep on doing it? A hiatus will get you thinking, and if it doesn´t, well you are over it.
 
For some reason, I keep tricking myself into believing that my photography can and will improve :eek: . I think thats why many of us participate in this hobby so heavily: we love the challenge. That said, I will not always be happy with what I am doing at the present. But in the long run, I can see how I enjoy the "journey", not the results.
 
thinking in square format has got me going in a fresh direction.
by the way, if i post a banal photo, please tell me it is banal - unless the point of the photo is banality itself ... ;)
 
Bob Michaels said:
I am definitely with Fred here. I did not take a single photo between mid August and Sept 11th. I was out and about a lot, had my camera with me all the time, but there was just nothing that I wanted to photograph. So I did nothing. And it did not bother me one bit.

I once was at that point where I felt obliged to shoot. No more. I certainly could not do one of those "picture a week" things. I have gotten over all those feelings about "responsibility to the art" or need to continue to work.

It's all about me now.
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+1 Bob!:cool:
 
Hey, Joe,

Where you going with that gun in your hand? .... er, I mean camera?:p

Never heard much about what it is that YOU enjoy the most, Joe. What is the most fun for you?

Whatever it is, I reckon you can find your way back if you just do THAT for awhile. You might even make THAT a part of your photography if you haven't already done so in depth.:angel:
 
Taking time out to 'take stock' of where you are photographically, in life in general, or think about nothing, is so important. I firmly believe in letting go, caring less and letting things drop. Ideas and thoughts that work for you to take things forwards will jump up in your face when you are ready. You can't force it. Let go and don't be afraid. You will lose nothing and gain everything.
 
back alley said:
lots of posts, lots of advice...

i'm not sure how to respond...too many posts and ideas to answer individually.

i'm in a funk, that must be clear. i have not stopped shooting and i am way too old to take a long break.
i'm not fishing for anything. yesterday, i was fed up with my stuff and myself. i looked at my images and saw some pretty pictures and some very mediocre street stuff.
i am only interested in shooting the urban landscape, city scenes with people in them so changing my focus really wont work for me.
i look at other's work all the time...here, at flickr and just searching the net...lots of great images out there and i would like to add to them.
of late, i am coming to terms with trying to see myself as an artist with a camera, a photographer. something i would never have had the nerve to say out loud before.
yes, it's my hobby, but also my passion and obsession...my way of creating art and expressing myself without words.
i practice as much as i can, i shoot regularly and i have my favourite subjects which i return to in the hopes of seeing better images each time out.

i think most of you can relate, which is the main reason i went public instead of whining at home to myself.
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Joe,

I think you need to commit to a long-term project.

IMHO, having a "homework" to be done makes you progress much better than trying to fish the exquisite once-in-a-lifetime shot.
 
Quit whining!
If you are not trying to sell your photo, just be happy that you like it yourself.

If it is attention that you want, get on the cast of Jersey Shore....
 
BMacW said:
Quit whining!
If you are not trying to sell your photo, just be happy that you like it yourself.

If it is attention that you want, get on the cast of Jersey Shore....
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Okay, maybe what I said is a bit too harsh. But seriously! You have more photos posted on your flickrs than most Magnum photographers' have published in their entire career. (yes I did bother to go through many of your photos)

I don't even like eating vegetables let alone looking at carrots, pumpkins, egg plants... More of the same thing just make all your work 'seem' less special/good/compelling. More of the same thing that everybody else is posting makes it even less so.

Do i really want to scroll through pages after pages of random snap shots of people in the farmer's market??

Do I have to comment on the carrots and the red peppers if I just commented on the corns and the apples?

If everyone was shooting the moon and half dome at Yosemite, the Ansel Adams' shot wouldn't be any special.

It's just the down side of the internet and digital camera :bang:
 
BMacW said:
Okay, maybe what I said is a bit too harsh. But seriously! You have more photos posted on your flickrs than most Magnum photographers' have published in their entire career. (yes I did bother to go through many of your photos)

I don't even like eating vegetables let alone looking at carrots, pumpkins, egg plants... More of the same thing just make all your work 'seem' less special/good/compelling. More of the same thing that everybody else is posting makes it even less so.

Do i really want to scroll through pages after pages of random snap shots of people in the farmer's market??

Do I have to comment on the carrots and the red peppers if I just commented on the corns and the apples?

If everyone was shooting the moon and half dome at Yosemite, the Ansel Adams' shot wouldn't be any special.

It's just the down side of the internet and digital camera :bang:
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i'm the 'official' photographer of the local farmer's market. they need shots of people, produce and products. i put them on my flickr site and then transfer them to the farmer's market site.
my blog has less veges on it.
 
Gabriel M.A. said:
" ... Vivian Maier, anyone? who, btw, I'm pretty sure got ignored by all the photosavants during her lifetime."
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hmmm, maybe. And I may be whacked, but it seems she rather ignored them, being quite content and fulfilled with her own work that she needed no one else's approval. She was so content with just the act of photographing, she didn't even bother processing boxes and boxes of rolls. And those she did process, she apparently showed to no one. They were just for her enjoyment - period.

We've a lot to learn from Miss Vivian.
 
Come on Joe!

Come on Joe!

filmfan said:
Boy are we sour...
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Jesse-em Pete's, Joe, We ALL have "gifts" to share. Your moderation on this site and others is a testament to that. I don't show my work because i can't seem to get the"ABC's" of posting , ,, ,,, no matter. Yours look better than my work anyway. Look up a little article in the 9/27/11 St. Pete. Times (pg.7a) "Sights from the blind". We don't have it so bad and don't worry. NOBODY is beatin' a path to my door to pay me for my creative efforts. Guess I'll just have to have fun.
 
back alley said:
some days i just want to sell all my gear and watch tv or walk the dog...anything but take another lousy picture.

i can't remember the last time any of my posted pics (here at rff) got a comment!
even a 'what crap' would be better than being ignored.

but even taking you all out of the equation...i don't even like my stuff anymore.

think i'll go take a cold shower...
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Why do we subject ourselves to some artificial standard of goodness in measuring our art? Isn't art a totally personal pursuit? And, what makes one style better than another? Okay I'll admit that certain styles are more widely accepted and admired and a certain technical expertise is necessary in photography. But, please stop beating yourself up. This photography hobby is difficult enough without that! Have a wonderful day and keep exposing film!

Tom
 
gho said:
Exercise 1. ;)
1. Take a sujet that interests you.
2. Take your best possible shot.
3. If you are not satisfied goto 2.
4. Do not buy more gear.
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I recently purged my Flickr photostream, and starting all over. Probably the best thing I've read in my 7 years of photography.
 
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