Becoming a Good Photographer...

[flubby]

... impossible without critiques...?

Maybe I'm not a great photographer, but I strech a lot my camera's ability. I can barely control the focus on it!

Still I wonder... how good am I? People that are not into photography like them, but I wonder wheter other photographers like them. Can you tell me? Please be honest about it. I want to improve my picture taking.

If I'm simply annoying, please tell so also...

I just uploaded some of my pictures into my gallery. Please take your time to see them.

Any suggestions and critiques are more then welcome

[flubby]

Huh... that's not very helpful... but anyways...

[IcarusFree]

Flubby I've seen your gallery and comment on one or two pictures. I am an amateur photographer on a continuous learning process of photography as an art. Just as you, I want to become a better photographer.

As you mention, critiques is one of the best ways to improve one's eye and technique. I help us to understand how other people perceive our results and how well "aligned" for lack of a better word, our personal vision is with the overall opinion of the people.

However. it is not the only way. When one is beginning, there is much to learn and most of the time the first pictures are not as attractive as we would want. A consequence of that is that most of our pictures are not as striking as to get 100s of views or a high numbers of comments. For instance, about 98% of all the pictures I have posted here have no comments at all.

I have found that for us, amateurs, another tool for learning an improving is to study and read. Look for books on prhotography and art. Look for pictures of famous photographers. Try to abstract the common elements that make them striking. Go to museums, look at other people's work. The firts and most important thing we nee to learbn is to have and eye for powerful composition. That comes with practice and self-study... then as we improve some of our pictures will draw attention and we will receive comments that will mean two things: that's a good picture and there is room to improve.

So.. don't be dicouraged or disappointed if your picts do not attract too many comments. Keep going... study, read. There is a good series of articles on fine art photography being posted at the luminous landscape. They are written by Alain Briot. You may find them useful

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/co...ots_view.shtml

Get a few magazines... read, see the pictures, analyze each photo. Try to replicate them and to build your own style around what your learn...

[flubby]

Thanks. I feel more normal right now.

Aside from trying to do what others did, I'm always trying to take pictures that nobody would ever thought of. That's hard. Sometimes I start taking pictures of the most weird and unusual things. I find it a good exercise... But often I don't get the result I'm trying to achieve...