What helped you grow the most?

[kdemas]

For me it started with my Dad, an excellent photographer (hobby) who taught me the basics at a very young age. Classes in school filled in some blanks in my younger years.

Fast forward a few short decades and things really took off for me. Why? I got laid off. I had traveled to Paris regularly in the mid-2000's and my love of photography was rekindled. When my employer went belly up in 2009, and things looked bleak with the economy, my avenue opened up for photography growth.

For 4 years a good majority of my time was spent walking the streets of San Francisco, camera in hand. I learned to calm my mind, not seek out images but be open to situations (a little HCB thrown in there). Time was my friend, I could be, and was, an observer of the world.

Shooting, reviewing, learning... a cycle that repeated itself nearly every day. Techniques became natural, adjustments and on-the-fly spontaneity flowed.

So, for me, my photographic foundation was an early childhood education complemented with a mid-life crisis turned opportunity. Everyone has their story. That's mine.

 

[peterm1]

For me it was going digital and discovering post processing. It opened up an entire universe that was hitherto closed to me. It is then I got mre serious and more creative with my photography. Simple as that.

 

[uhoh7]

Good threads never die 🙂

Art class in 7th grade had a darkroom, cameras and a nice teacher. That was late 60s. 100s of wedding movies taught me to frame. Sony made a small good camera which could shoot any lens, Nex-5, and RFF taught me all about the glass. Then came A7 and M9 and refined lens selection. Lots of shooting.

 

[Ronald M]

Being Loaned a Leica and comparing the images with what I got using a Pentax and Takumar and Super Tach lenses.

They were reasonably sharp, but missing something I can not describe. My wife could pick out the Leica shots and she knows nothing about photography.

 

[Hsg]

I'm under no illusion that I have 'grown'. In fact I was 'better' when I didn't knew much and shot at everything. Now with too much knowing my photography has lost its enthusiasm and I have become too picky.

 

[John E Earley]

As of today, I will say that printing my "best" photos has really helped. It's easier to see them for what they are, both good and bad.

 

[sara]

I picked 'working on a project' because with that I had to really concentrate and then talk to tutors about what I was doing, and why I was shooting this, and what I was trying to portray.

I guess it's all a bit of mix of classes and constant shooting;.

 

[JChrome]

Being Loaned a Leica and comparing the images with what I got using a Pentax and Takumar and Super Tach lenses.



They were reasonably sharp, but missing something I can not describe. My wife could pick out the Leica shots and she knows nothing about photography.

Can getting new equipment make one grow? I'm being pedantic here but I'm really interested in this question.

Of course you can get into large format and learn about movements and Scheimpflug etc. which will make your understanding of lenses and photographic principles grow.

But if you trade your Pentax K1000 for a Leica, I don't see it as you growing (or learning) really that much. The photos can be subtly different but what about that transaction made you different or better?


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