ironhorse
Joe DuPont
This is a great article by Ibarionex Perello
http://thecandidframe.blogspot.com/2012/08/this-is-why-your-picture-suck.html
http://thecandidframe.blogspot.com/2012/08/this-is-why-your-picture-suck.html
Why Your Pictures Suck
- Thread starter ironhorse
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hausen
Well-known
Very cool. Thanks for posting.
TXForester
Well-known
The best part is the "lipstick on a pig" comment.
mdarnton
Well-known
Thanks for the link. I've been looking for photo sites that talk sense.
Exdsc
Well-known
The main reason your photos suck could be that you don't know what a good photograph should look like.
You only know its a good photograph when you see it, so, the best strategy for photography is, shoot as much as you can and hope for the best. If you're going out there with photos in your head to capture, well, good luck, because you're not going to find them.
In other words, the first point of the article which says don't be lazy is the only valid one. the rest are nonsense, I mean most photos suck because their photographer does not know how to use photoshop, not because of too much photoshop.
You only know its a good photograph when you see it, so, the best strategy for photography is, shoot as much as you can and hope for the best. If you're going out there with photos in your head to capture, well, good luck, because you're not going to find them.
In other words, the first point of the article which says don't be lazy is the only valid one. the rest are nonsense, I mean most photos suck because their photographer does not know how to use photoshop, not because of too much photoshop.
MISH
Well-known
"never ask a camera collector if you can see his photographs" Brooks Jensen
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Arg. The truth hurts. Speaking for myself only, of course.
randolph45
Well-known
Check my tag line
Check my tag line
No problem here I said it all in my tag line at the bottom.
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Check my tag line
No problem here I said it all in my tag line at the bottom.
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🙂
68degrees
Well-known
I rest my case.
Boris Stupak
Well-known
I would not read anything by a writer who says that something "sucks", unless it was pornography or a plumbing manual.
aizan
Veteran
blah. he sort of gets at it with the editing bit, but he should be much clearer. the biggest reason why most people suck at taking photos is that they don't know much about the issues, narrative structures, conventions, and techniques behind the various genres of photography. this is the sort of thing they teach in introductory writing courses, but when was the last time you read about any of this in a photography book, magazine, or website?
icebear
Veteran
w/o the pictures that he is critizising just reading the text the reference to what he's talking is missing. Of course a lot of valid points that can hit the nail for many of us.
The most brutal is maybe quote [....but it's hard to see anything in your final result that warrants even the battery being charged.]
The most brutal is maybe quote [....but it's hard to see anything in your final result that warrants even the battery being charged.]
louisb
Well-known
I don't disagree with you and by the way I would add they have never invested time in understanding photographic technique.
This has been brought home to me time and again going to photographic exhibitions where it is obvious the photographer actually understands exposure and how to achieve it.
Incidentally, I am not saying I am any better than most people which is why a large majority of my photographs suck and it frustrates me.
LouisB
jsrockit
Moderator
I think they key point here is that you have to put time and effort into actually making photos (and looking at great work by others) if you want to become good at it. There is nothing wrong with sucking (you can still have fun and suck at the same time) and there is nothing wrong with liking equipment, but if you want to make good photos, you have to go out there and put in the time and effort. To me, the article is kind of stating the obvious.
Exdsc
Well-known
The biggest flaw with this article is the notion that by humiliating people one can make them see their flaws and push them to be better at whatever they do. In actuality, the more people are humiliated the more they enclose in their own inner circle of like-minded people and refuse to change... Since the dawn of photography forums, the gear lover or collector has been constantly picked upon and made to feel bad, did it work? Not really.
thegman
Veteran
I think this is quite right, the carrot tends to work better than the stick, but the stick is more fun to use in this case.
But I think the reason most of us suck at taking photos is that we just don't care enough to try hard. If we're very honest, most of us are camera guys before photo guys. If there was no choice in cameras, and the state issued a plain black plastic camera for taking photos, how many of us would still be enthusiastic photographers? Or would we just do a different hobby?
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
I have no idea what the "issues, narrative structures, conventions, and techniques behind the various genres of photography" is supposed to mean. Sorry, but this smacks of "the academy" to me -- an arresting image is an arresting image. That's part of the reason photography is so popular -- anyone can go out and take a good picture.
Exdsc
Well-known
I don't know when this idea took root but its not true. It could just be that most people are photo guys but they've turned into camera guys because they feel incapable of being a photo guy. One cannot be a photographer without confidence in one's ability to be a photographer.
A photo guy's approach to gear is, how can I use gear to achieve a certain end, a gear guy's approach is, if only I have that body to go with that lens I'll be a happy person. The photo guy is after photos, the gear guy is after happiness.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
That's a pretty cliched piece of writing IMO ... but I'm sure it will get him some attention! 🙂
thegman
Veteran
I should have clarified that statement, I did not mean 'us' as in 'everyone' I meant, 'us' as in people on this site and other camera forums. I think you've only got to look at how much camera talk there is here, and how much talk about photography. I don't mean it as a good or a bad thing, there is nothing wrong with being interested in cameras as a hobby.
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