Somehow, with ‘slow’ subjects (like landscapes) I’m always rushing,
Hey, Plate Tectonics is a thing.... 🤣
Light, however can be extremely transient. I was setting up to take some shots of branches and berries (Winterberry?) encased in ice. As I was setting up the tripod, the sun came out and lit everything up like diamonds.
"OH! This is gonna be so cool!"
I finish getting set up and the sun went away.
"No problem. I'll wait..."
I turned around a looked and the sky was completely overcast, for as far as I could see, in every direction.
<SIGH>
Yeah, then with awesome light I’m rushing to get those awesome sunrays, but in the rush i forget to finetune my composition. 😓
Ah well, that’s how we keep learning, by also seeing our mistakes that evening in Lightroom.
Yeah, then with awesome light I’m rushing to get those awesome sunrays, but in the rush i forget to finetune my composition. 😓
I spent an hour or so taking practice shots of daffodils, in my front yard. I was playing with focus points and depth of field. The flowers weren't going anywhere, I didn't have to be anywhere and they were just experiments.
Somehow, I didn't notice the giant daffodil leaf right across the bottom third...in every damned shot. 😡
Ah well, that’s how we keep learning, by also seeing our mistakes that evening in Lightroom.
The Hindsight feature in Capture One works flawlessly too.
Probably the things I have to keep reminding myself of involve taking more photos and looking for more opportunities.
Some of you have mentioned it already - going out with a plan for a specific photo or specific composition is great. You take your time and get the shot. But how about alternative compositions of that shot and others can be important - particularly a combination of both vertical and horizontal images. While its possible to crop and get a vertical out of a horizontal image, it's better to look for both types of compositions in the same general area. It may involve changing lenses, finding different foregrounds or backgrounds, and walking closer or further from the main subject.
The other opportunity for improvement is shooting to tell a story. Sometimes it takes multiple visits to develop enough strong images to really tell a story well, but the idea is to bring in photos of a subject and accompanying subject matter and supporting images to tell a good story. Even if it's simply for personal use, it creates a plan that helps you to look for additional subject matter.
Here is an example of supporting images that might go with a story about bird conservation of red knots at Cape May.
Eric Bowles
www.bowlesimages.com
I think one of my weaknesses is that sometimes I get into the same style of composition for familiar subjects, and that I forget to experiment! Which reminds me, I should experiment more...
I am guilty of that, as well - even though the change from film to digital was freeing for me because I could experiment without weighing how much it was going to cost me to take a shot that wasn't going to work.
My main weakness is that I love to play with softwares, and it can take me hours just to correct one thing exactly to my taste... with no warranty it will match the taste of anybody else ;)...
The killing of the images that didn't work is what gets me down. A lot of time I end up with zero images after starting with hundreds. That forces me to question my ability to improve. 🙄
I'm reminded of one of the few honest workmen I met long ago, who remarked, "I have all the best tools, just lack the will and the ability to use them."
Sorry to say I think my main photographic weakness is me.
it can take me hours just to correct one thing exactly to my taste...
....and you come back to it later and go "....what the hell was I thinking?" 🤣
A lot of time I end up with zero images after starting with hundreds. That forces me to question my ability to improve. 🙄
I bought a new computer and switched over to new software a while ago and decided it was a good time to clean house. I was pretty ruthless.
From about 1500 images that initially survived being culled when I took them, I ended up with about 75 that survived the digital bloodbath of the transition.
But I look at it this way - it doesn't cost me anything to take the ones that didn't "work", like it did back in film days and if it were easy and you got winners every time you hit the shutter button, would it be any fun? And a day in the woods taking lame photos....is still a day in the woods.
I also still have a lot of my old photos on a computer at work and use them to practice my editing. I've learned a fair bit taking photos I thought were crap and trying to "save" them.
I'm reminded of one of the few honest workmen I met long ago, who remarked, "I have all the best tools, just lack the will and the ability to use them."
Sorry to say I think my main photographic weakness is me.
I have been a toolmaker for 44 years. I still make some of the same stupid mistakes I made when I started...but now I don't make them as often and know how to fix them - or at least kick dirt over them.
I think the same holds true for my photography. I'll let you know in another 40 years or so... 😉
@bo-gussname .... and I wait some more; the sun comes out, the temperature rises a fraction and the ice melts :)
@ericbowles good point about images to fill out a story. I am not good at that.