# I suck at photography.



## nerwin

I need to let some steam out. 

I'm going to admit it, I suck at photography, I am not that good despite what some people might say. I'm tired of friends and family saying I'm that good at photography when in reality I am a crap photographer who doesn't even know what he's doing half the time.  

Sure...I _might _get an okay shot every now and then but that can happen to anyone who owns a camera even if they don't know anything about photography. 

To make matters worse, I'll look at other photographers work who only been shooting for a year or two absolutely blow my photos out of the water and make them look like snapshots compared to theirs. Almost tempts me to click format on my hard drives and just give it up. 

But I love photography too much to just give it up like that. I want to get better at it. But I don't know where to begin. 

Now that everyone knows I suck at photography, what should be the first step to get better? Should I start a project? What kind of a project?! I don't know what to do. 

Winter is right around the corner and I hate snow and the cold so I'm going to be stuck inside 90% of the time. What can I do inside during winter that could help me get better at photography?


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## Braineack

welcome to the club.


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## KenC

You said you love it too much to give it up, so don't let yourself.  Everyone goes through this a few times early on, but you will improve.  The only people who don't improve are the ones who don't even realize they need to and the ones who don't care enough and just give up.

Re the winter, try to get out anyway and see what you can do.  I lived in Chicago for a while and went out on 15 deg days and I was more than a little bit older than you at the time (layers man, layers).  There is also a lot you can do indoors - macro work, portraits (doesn't have to be people - pets, or even inanimate objects lit as you would a portrait), window light (still lifes on window sills are pretty common).


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## SquarePeg

First off, just took a quick peek through your Flickr and you don't suck at photography.  I like your stuff but the car shots and the cat shots really stand out IMO.  Are those the things that your passionate about?  I get what you are saying about getting better as I am at a similar stage in my photos.  Maybe a project over the winter is a good idea for you.   I recently decided that I'm going to convince all my relatives to pose for me and I'm going to do a family portrait book.  It's a big endeavor as I have 12 aunts and uncles and 27 first cousins most of whom have several children.  Going to have to learn portraits which I am a novice at.  Going to have to learn to light which is new for me.  And then there's the whole pp of portraits which I kind of suck at at this point...


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## astroNikon

What you should do is a project.

Pick a subject, then work on that subject by traveling and improving at that subject.
For instance, churches.  Churches can be grande or small, or really old.  Learn perspective in the shots, not only outside but inside.   Many have some very intricate details, large and small alike.

Learn not to take "snapshots" .. don't think like a vacationer.  Don't take the normal "shots" that vacationers take.  Think outside of the box per say.

So pick a subject instead of just anything.  And then plan out where/what to travel or to photograph.  Use this to improve a particular skill.  You'll find you'll improve much quicker if you focus on one particular thing.   And what you learn and improve at will help other areas too.


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## nerwin

SquarePeg said:


> First off, just took a quick peek through your Flickr and you don't suck at photography.  I like your stuff but the car shots and the cat shots really stand out IMO.  Are those the things that your passionate about?  I get what you are saying about getting better as I am at a similar stage in my photos.  Maybe a project over the winter is a good idea for you.   I recently decided that I'm going to convince all my relatives to pose for me and I'm going to do a family portrait book.  It's a big endeavor as I have 12 aunts and uncles and 27 first cousins most of whom have several children.  Going to have to learn portraits which I am a novice at.  Going to have to learn to light which is new for me.  And then there's the whole pp of portraits which I kind of suck at at this point...



I have so many photo queued up to upload and share because I'm afraid what people will think so I'm really slow at sharing them. I never use to think think this way until I started having my photos critiqued and having people destroy my photos which makes me feel awful and that I'm no good. A lot of photographers say C&C is required to get better at photography but is it okay to not accept C&C?  Does it make me look like I don't care about photography? It's driving me nuts.


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## spiralout462

Go to the tropics in the Winter! !  Instant inspiration.


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## nerwin

astroNikon said:


> What you should do is a project.
> 
> Pick a subject, then work on that subject by traveling and improving at that subject.
> For instance, churches.  Churches can be grande or small, or really old.  Learn perspective in the shots, not only outside but inside.   Many have some very intricate details, large and small alike.
> 
> Learn not to take "snapshots" .. don't think like a vacationer.  Don't take the normal "shots" that vacationers take.  Think outside of the box per say.
> 
> So pick a subject instead of just anything.  And then plan out where/what to travel or to photograph.  Use this to improve a particular skill.  You'll find you'll improve much quicker if you focus on one particular thing.   And what you learn and improve at will help other areas too.



That's what everyone says..travel...travel. I wish I could. Maybe someday I will be able to, but not today. I have to rely on other people to go places so it makes it very difficult to just travel around. Unfortunately, my crappy life gets in the way and prevents me from doing these things.


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## nerwin

spiralout462 said:


> Go to the tropics in the Winter! !  Instant inspiration.



Pay for all the expenses and I will, oh wait. I'm not allowed on planes. Bummer. Lol.


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## limr

nerwin said:


> spiralout462 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Go to the tropics in the Winter! !  Instant inspiration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pay for all the expenses and I will, oh wait. I'm not allowed on planes. Bummer. Lol.
Click to expand...


Boats exist.


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## pixmedic

dont sweat it man...
I suck at photography too and we got paid pretty decent money to do it for over a decade. 

for indoor suggestions, try portrait work (real portraits...you know, with backdrops and lights and stuff) or macro work. (one of these days im going to pick  up another macro lens and dabble a bit)
alternatively, you can do what I did and just start photographing your ferrets. if you dont have any ferrets, there is simply no hope for you.


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## nerwin

pixmedic said:


> dont sweat it man...
> I suck at photography too and we got paid pretty decent money to do it for over a decade.
> 
> for indoor suggestions, try portrait work (real portraits...you know, with backdrops and lights and stuff) or macro work. (one of these days im going to pick  up another macro lens and dabble a bit)
> alternatively, you can do what I did and just start photographing your ferrets. if you dont have any ferrets, there is simply no hope for you.



Yeah...I've been debating picking up a macro and a speedlight again. Biggest mistake was selling them...but I did what I had to do to pay for some things.


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## robbins.photo

nerwin said:


> Now that everyone knows I suck at photography, what should be the first step to get better? Should I start a project? What kind of a project?! I don't know what to do.



Ok, honestly?

Stop buying gear.  Forget about having the latest and greatest of this or this lens being a moderate hair sharper than that one, etc.

Take the gear you have and go shoot with it.  Push it to it's absolute limits.  When you think your shot isn't what it should be, don't look at the gear.  Look at your settings and your methodology and be sure that your getting the absolute most out of the gear you already have, don't just fall back on the idea that the gear is what's limiting you and that a new lens or a new body will take you to the next level.  It won't.

As Peg mentions, the best stuff to shoot is stuff that you love.  Start there.  If cars are a passion, shoot cars to start with and stick with it.  Look at magazines, the internet, etc - see the kind of shots you want to take and ask yourself, ok, how did they do that.  Then experiment and find for yourself what works best.

Read as much as you can about composition, lighting, etc, etc... and put those ideas to practical use.  Then go shoot some more.


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## pixmedic

nerwin said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> 
> dont sweat it man...
> I suck at photography too and we got paid pretty decent money to do it for over a decade.
> 
> for indoor suggestions, try portrait work (real portraits...you know, with backdrops and lights and stuff) or macro work. (one of these days im going to pick  up another macro lens and dabble a bit)
> alternatively, you can do what I did and just start photographing your ferrets. if you dont have any ferrets, there is simply no hope for you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah...I've been debating picking up a macro and a speedlight again. Biggest mistake was selling them...but I did what I had to do to pay for some things.
Click to expand...


absolutely know the feeling. 
the flashes/triggers were the only nikon gear we kept aside from the light stands and brollys. 
thankfully flashes are pretty cheap. our yongnuo 568EX's are barely over $100 now...new.


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## Gary A.

1) Shoot;
2) Shoot again; and
3) At the end of the day when you think you're done, shoot some more.

Just follow those three easy steps and you will improve.  There is other things you can do, I.e. Find a mentor to kick your butt is extremely useful.  By recognizing that there is room for improvement, by being hard on yourself, by being able to self-critique your images is extremely useful and necessary for improvement. The delete button is the best tool you can use to court improvement.

Some people improve with baby steps, incrementally a little bit at a time. Others improve in leaps, but those leaps don't happen very often.  Those leaps photogs keeps banging at the wall with no real improvement, then bam ... one day they find the door and all of a suddenly, without rhyme or reason, they're at the next level.

Photography is a of things, one of which is craft.  Like any craft, one will/should get better over time as you build up your skills through experience.

As for the winter, get a macro and some lights and discover the small things around the house and experiment with a tabletop studio.

Good Luck and Good Shooting,
Gary


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## astroNikon

You don't have to "travel" far to do something.

I know you live in Vermont.
So you live in the "old" part of the US where finding older designed buildings, such as churches are more common than other areas of the US.

Around SE Detroit I went around and took pics of churches, inside and out.  Excluding the old ones in Detroit which you are not allowed to go in or around (ie, no trespassing).  I did a 50 mile radius for a bit when I did some churches years past.   nice buildings,  some really old single room churches too.  Large/gigantic churches.  Quite a contrast in it all.  Don't limit yourself without researching online what is around you.

I found this little, old church just 2 miles away.



THM-98 by Steve Sklar, on Flickr


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## Designer

nerwin said:


> I want to get better at it. But I don't know where to begin.


There are so many facets of photography that to be good at all types requires superhuman time, effort, and artistic inspiration to develop all the skills needed.

My suggestion is to just pick one that you like i.e.; portraiture, landscape, macro, or whatever, and concentrate on that one type.  Read everything you can, practice a lot, learn to throw out all your bad ones, and keep going.


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## astroNikon

robbins.photo said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Now that everyone knows I suck at photography, what should be the first step to get better? Should I start a project? What kind of a project?! I don't know what to do.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, honestly?
> 
> Stop buying gear.  Forget about having the latest and greatest of this or this lens being a moderate hair sharper than that one, etc.
> 
> Take the gear you have and go shoot with it.  Push it to it's absolute limits.  When you think your shot isn't what it should be, don't look at the gear.  Look at your settings and your methodology and be sure that your getting the absolute most out of the gear you already have, don't just fall back on the idea that the gear is what's limiting you and that a new lens or a new body will take you to the next level.  It won't.
> 
> As Peg mentions, the best stuff to shoot is stuff that you love.  Start there.  If cars are a passion, shoot cars to start with and stick with it.  Look at magazines, the internet, etc - see the kind of shots you want to take and ask yourself, ok, how did they do that.  Then experiment and find for yourself what works best.
> 
> Read as much as you can about composition, lighting, etc, etc... and put those ideas to practical use.  Then go shoot some more.
Click to expand...

I agree.
Stop buying new gear.


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## nerwin

robbins.photo said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Now that everyone knows I suck at photography, what should be the first step to get better? Should I start a project? What kind of a project?! I don't know what to do.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, honestly?
> 
> Stop buying gear.  Forget about having the latest and greatest of this or this lens being a moderate hair sharper than that one, etc.
> 
> Take the gear you have and go shoot with it.  Push it to it's absolute limits.  When you think your shot isn't what it should be, don't look at the gear.  Look at your settings and your methodology and be sure that your getting the absolute most out of the gear you already have, don't just fall back on the idea that the gear is what's limiting you and that a new lens or a new body will take you to the next level.  It won't.
> 
> As Peg mentions, the best stuff to shoot is stuff that you love.  Start there.  If cars are a passion, shoot cars to start with and stick with it.  Look at magazines, the internet, etc - see the kind of shots you want to take and ask yourself, ok, how did they do that.  Then experiment and find for yourself what works best.
> 
> Read as much as you can about composition, lighting, etc, etc... and put those ideas to practical use.  Then go shoot some more.
Click to expand...


I agree with what you're saying, but I also think its important to be comfortable with your gear and I think that's why I'm often selling and buying gear because I guess I'm looking for something and I don't know what it is. 

Settings are the tough part, I've been trying to shoot in manual mode with auto ISO but I don't know how many times already I have missed moments because I can't change the settings fast enough and then I start freaking out and angry and then the moment is gone.

I really don't understand how people can do this so fast. I have a learning disability (laugh if you want) so it makes it hard for me to compute these things fast. lol.


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## Gary A.

Shoot with one lens.  Learn that lens so you can see/frame images at that focal length without looking through a viewfinder. Use a single camera until you can adjust everything just by feel, without having to move your eye from the viewfinder.  Know your equipment so that the adjustments are made semi-automatically ... So that the adjustments required to capture your mental image of the subject are performed automatically/semiautomatically in the background allowing you to concentrate on the image in the viewfinder.

Every time you bring the camera up to your eye, shoot for the exceptional image.  Photography is all about capturing that exceptional image.


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## astroNikon

nerwin said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Now that everyone knows I suck at photography, what should be the first step to get better? Should I start a project? What kind of a project?! I don't know what to do.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, honestly?
> 
> Stop buying gear.  Forget about having the latest and greatest of this or this lens being a moderate hair sharper than that one, etc.
> 
> Take the gear you have and go shoot with it.  Push it to it's absolute limits.  When you think your shot isn't what it should be, don't look at the gear.  Look at your settings and your methodology and be sure that your getting the absolute most out of the gear you already have, don't just fall back on the idea that the gear is what's limiting you and that a new lens or a new body will take you to the next level.  It won't.
> 
> As Peg mentions, the best stuff to shoot is stuff that you love.  Start there.  If cars are a passion, shoot cars to start with and stick with it.  Look at magazines, the internet, etc - see the kind of shots you want to take and ask yourself, ok, how did they do that.  Then experiment and find for yourself what works best.
> 
> Read as much as you can about composition, lighting, etc, etc... and put those ideas to practical use.  Then go shoot some more.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I agree with what you're saying, but I also think its important to be comfortable with your gear and I think that's why I'm often selling and buying gear because I guess I'm looking for something and I don't know what it is.
> 
> Settings are the tough part, I've been trying to shoot in manual mode with auto ISO but I don't know how many times already I have missed moments because I can't change the settings fast enough and then I start freaking out and angry and then the moment is gone.
> 
> I really don't understand how people can do this so fast. I have a learning disability (laugh if you want) so it makes it hard for me to compute these things fast. lol.
Click to expand...


In MANUAL with Auto ISO you have to think of 2 things as you approach a subject
1 - what Depth of Field do you want.
You may not know enough about DOF and it's calculations.  ONCE you start playing with it using a measuring tape and inanimate objects it becomes much easier.
I approach a situation and already know what aperture I want.

2 - Shutter speed.  This is simply choosing a fast enough shutter speed to stop motion.  Or longer exposures.  This is experience too.  Start writing down what works and doesn't work for what you are doing.

You may add lighting to this as it may affect it too, but hopefully the Auto ISO will help compensate.

and hand holding may have an impact.  You may not be able to hand hold for longer shutter speeds.  This requires practice and technique.


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## astroNikon

To double what Gary says, I learned all the features of my camera.
I know where the buttons are without looking (ie, keep eye on viewfinder).
Not knowing what button to press and having to look takes time.  Practice makes perfect.

I also learned a lot just using my 24/2.8 in echoing what Gary said.


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## Gary A.

There is no perfect lens and camera.  You grow into comfort by usage.  Too much equipment deletes and fragments the learning curve for any particular piece of equipment.


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## robbins.photo

nerwin said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Now that everyone knows I suck at photography, what should be the first step to get better? Should I start a project? What kind of a project?! I don't know what to do.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, honestly?
> 
> Stop buying gear.  Forget about having the latest and greatest of this or this lens being a moderate hair sharper than that one, etc.
> 
> Take the gear you have and go shoot with it.  Push it to it's absolute limits.  When you think your shot isn't what it should be, don't look at the gear.  Look at your settings and your methodology and be sure that your getting the absolute most out of the gear you already have, don't just fall back on the idea that the gear is what's limiting you and that a new lens or a new body will take you to the next level.  It won't.
> 
> As Peg mentions, the best stuff to shoot is stuff that you love.  Start there.  If cars are a passion, shoot cars to start with and stick with it.  Look at magazines, the internet, etc - see the kind of shots you want to take and ask yourself, ok, how did they do that.  Then experiment and find for yourself what works best.
> 
> Read as much as you can about composition, lighting, etc, etc... and put those ideas to practical use.  Then go shoot some more.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I agree with what you're saying, but I also think its important to be comfortable with your gear and I think that's why I'm often selling and buying gear because I guess I'm looking for something and I don't know what it is.
> 
> Settings are the tough part, I've been trying to shoot in manual mode with auto ISO but I don't know how many times already I have missed moments because I can't change the settings fast enough and then I start freaking out and angry and then the moment is gone.
> 
> I really don't understand how people can do this so fast. I have a learning disability (laugh if you want) so it makes it hard for me to compute these things fast. lol.
Click to expand...


First, I would never laugh about a learning disability.  My older brother has one, so I know first hand how incredibly difficult it is for him to process some kinds of information and the sort of effect that's had on his life.  

Ok, so manual mode - you've tried it.. and, it's not working for you.  I shoot a lot in manual mode with auto iso, however when I do I generally preset the camera to optimize it for my shooting conditions.  If I have time I can adjust for optimum, if not I can still get the shot.

So for example, if I'm at the zoo and I'm shooting indoors with a 70-200mm 2.8, I'll dial in F4 for an aperture and say 160 for a shutter speed.  I know from experience that this will let me get a usable shot if I have to just grab the camera and fire.  When I'm outside in good lighting I'll up my shutter speed and maybe stop down my aperture to 5.6, again it will let me get a usable shot even if I don't have time to adjust settings.

If I have the time, then I'll adjust.  If not I can still capture the moment.  That works for me.  It may not work for you, and you know what, that's fine.  It doesn't make you any less a photographer if you use auto modes because you find that's what works best for you.  What matters is you get the shot.  The rest is all BS.

The trick is to find what works for you and what you shoot.  That might be shutter priority, or aperture priority, or full auto, or P mode.. who knows.  Doesn't matter.  Try them all and see what works best for your style and you as an individual.


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## nerwin

astroNikon said:


> To double what Gary says, I learned all the features of my camera.
> I know where the buttons are without looking (ie, keep eye on viewfinder).
> Not knowing what button to press and having to look takes time.  Practice makes perfect.
> 
> I also learned a lot just using my 50/1.8 in echoing what Gary said.



I know where my buttons and I know what each of them do. That isn't the problem, the problem is getting my idea out of my head, I'm just slow.


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## pixmedic

Sometimes we just hit a roadblock. Maybe you should take a step back and stop caring about photography for a little while and see if something catches  your attention.
You might be trying too hard.

sometimes, when im focusing too hard on trying to figure out what to do with a patient, the answer comes when i step back for a few seconds and look at the whole picture instead of concentrating on that one thing i got stuck on.


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## nerwin

pixmedic said:


> Sometimes we just hit a roadblock. Maybe you should take a step back and stop caring about photography for a little while and see if something catches  your attention.
> You might be trying too hard.



I don't think I could do that, not with my depression. Photography is really the only thing that I have that prevents my mind from thinking about bad stuff. So keeping my mind active about photography and photography related things is actually helping me (even when I say I suck at photography) to deal with my depression. It's just my way of dealing with it, you know?


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## jcdeboever

Lot's of people have lots of opinions. Lord knows I get frustrated but it is not about the quality of the picture for me. It's more about what I see the image can be (per-visualization), getting it in the camera, and into post to complete the visualization. I would say the majority of the time, it's not in the camera correctly. I can usually get the image I want from a ten year old D70s or a Canon SX60HS. I absolutely love the simplicity of a Holga, Pentax K1000, or a Nikon F so when I get frustrated, I am on those. They remind me of what I am really doing, visualizing my art. Most of the images I post are not necessarily things I love or will be shooting in a year from now. They are exercises in learning and if people like them, that is a bonus that makes me feel good. If they don't, I try and learn from their critique by seeing if it lines up with my visualization.  Sometimes the truth hurts but often times there is growth there. So I guess I suck too and it is more fun than frustrating. I think photography is a lot like golf and my handicap is proof of that.


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## PersistentNomad

Okay, there are a lot of things I want to add to this thread since coaching artists has been my job for over six years now. And you aren't trying to be just a photographer, you are trying to be an artist.

1. When I was in my last year of my painting BFA, I had one of these moments. I emailed a former instructor, whose opinion I valued highly, and expressed my feelings: "What the hell am I doing? My work will never make an impact, my work is meaningless, I don't have enough technical skill, yadda yadda yadda." His response: "Every worthwhile artist experiences this regularly in their life. This is how they grow and improve. If you don't feel this way, then *that *is when your work is meaningless and without impact. Technical skill only comes with time and the repeated process of pushing yourself to grow."

2. 





nerwin said:


> Settings are the tough part, I've been trying to shoot in manual mode with auto ISO but I don't know how many times already I have missed moments because I can't change the settings fast enough and then I start freaking out and angry and then the moment is gone.


When I was struggling, my best friend who was a much better photog than me suggested that I lay off manual for a while, and shoot only in aperture priority or shutter priority until I had totally internalized knowing them inside and out and changing them on the fly. She said pick the one you are already better at than the other, get really good at using it, and don't move to the other until then. Once the two are mastered, then you are ready for manual. It really helped me out, so maybe it will help you too.

3. A lot of people on here are talking about gear. And they're right, the gear doesn't make the photographer. But, with that said, there are always going to be certain things you are drawn to in others' photos that can't be achieved without the right gear or editing software. So, take all considerations about good photos and gear being (un)related with some salt.

4. Definitely a project will help you master some things, and depending on the project this is where you can get the most out of manual mode. Choose something that makes you think critically about it. Think about what you want to say with your photos, the mood you want to set within them and, most importantly, what skill you want to improve for doing it. Mastering challenging lighting situation? Use churches. Capturing fast subjects? Basketball is an indoor winter sport. Telling a story? Use a still life to do that. One of my favorite projects was creating portraits of people using the objects that were precious to them or significant to me about them. I did a who series of self portraits using my various pairs of shoes and items from my fossil and mineral collection, with a few other things in between. I didn't need a macro lens to do it and get the detail, either.

But as others have said, you don't suck at photography and if you want to get better, you have to click that shutter a lot.


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## nerwin

Thanks everyone for all your help, I really do appreciate it. 

I guess one of the best things I can do is just keep pressing that shutter button, try new things and not to overthink it and just take my time. 

I know a few mentioned I should focus on one subject, but I like photographing everything...that's what makes it so difficult. What is exactly wrong with photographing all sorts of subjects?


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## astroNikon

try different perspectives.
try not to take a photo at the same angle that everyone else would take.


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## nerwin

astroNikon said:


> try different perspectives.
> try not to take a photo at the same angle that everyone else would take.



That's what I've been trying to do lately.

I usually go for quick 2-3 mile afternoon hikes as part of my exercise program and earlier this week I decided to bring along my DSLR with the 16-35 which was actually quite comfortable carrying with the peak design slide strap. Didn't have any fatigue.

He's a couple shots I took, I know..they are a bit cliche. Haha.


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## KenC

nerwin said:


> I like photographing everything...that's what makes it so difficult. What is exactly wrong with photographing all sorts of subjects?



Nothing, you should explore a lot of things, but it's also very worthwhile to spend some time pursuing something that particularly interests you.  Working to get the most out of one kind of photo can teach you a lot.


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## nerwin

KenC said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like photographing everything...that's what makes it so difficult. What is exactly wrong with photographing all sorts of subjects?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing, you should explore a lot of things, but it's also very worthwhile to spend some time pursuing something that particularly interests you.  Working to get the most out of one kind of photo can teach you a lot.
Click to expand...


A lot of subjects interests me though haha.


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## smoke665

PersistentNomad said:


> "Every worthwhile artist experiences this regularly in their life. This is how they grow and improve. If you don't feel this way, then *that *is when your work is meaningless and without impact. Technical skill only comes with time and the repeated process of pushing yourself to grow."



Smart instructor!!!


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## vintagesnaps

So what's wrong with those?? Just take it a step further... with the first one, next time you pass there take some shots with different apertures and try it with a little more depth of field; take the shot from a slightly different vantage point, scrunch down a little; think about what's in the frame when you're framing the shot, how much of the scene do you want in your picture?

I was thinking like Jason, maybe stop trying so hard and try another hobby too, so you can take breaks from the camera and feel refreshed when you come back to it. Or maybe even another photography related hobby... try shooting with a pinhole cap or camera, or whatever... the most fun cameras I've used are my Pop 9 film camera and my Lego digital. Or try an alternate process, try doing some sun prints or something.

And maybe try to find some resources for people with learning disabilities on how to use the camera. Surely there are other people out there with a similar diagnosis who do photography and you could share experiences and what people have found that works for them.


----------



## nerwin

vintagesnaps said:


> So what's wrong with those?? Just take it a step further... with the first one, next time you pass there take some shots with different apertures and try it with a little more depth of field; take the shot from a slightly different vantage point, scrunch down a little; think about what's in the frame when you're framing the shot, how much of the scene do you want in your picture?
> 
> I was thinking like Jason, maybe stop trying so hard and try another hobby too, so you can take breaks from the camera and feel refreshed when you come back to it. Or maybe even another photography related hobby... try shooting with a pinhole cap or camera, or whatever... the most fun cameras I've used are my Pop 9 film camera and my Lego digital. Or try an alternate process, try doing some sun prints or something.
> 
> And maybe try to find some resources for people with learning disabilities on how to use the camera. Surely there are other people out there with a similar diagnosis who do photography and you could share experiences and what people have found that works for them.



I have several different shots I took of all sorts of angles and DOF, these were just the one that appealed to me the most. 

I've really been thinking about getting one of those new Fuji Instax cameras, but I thought they were mainly for hipsters so I've kind of passed on it. lol

Just because I have a learning disability, doesn't mean I don't know how to use a camera.


----------



## nzmacro

nerwin said:


> astroNikon said:
> 
> 
> 
> try different perspectives.
> try not to take a photo at the same angle that everyone else would take.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's what I've been trying to do lately.
> 
> I usually go for quick 2-3 mile afternoon hikes as part of my exercise program and earlier this week I decided to bring along my DSLR with the 16-35 which was actually quite comfortable carrying with the peak design slide strap. Didn't have any fatigue.
> 
> He's a couple shots I took, I know..they are a bit cliche. Haha.
> 
> View attachment 127641
> 
> View attachment 127642
Click to expand...


Ha 

I find it kind of funny in a way. With those two shots, there is nothing wrong from my point of view. The thing is, I couldn't take them for a start. I don't own the lenses for one thing (anything shorter than 300mm is ultra wide angle for me) and my mind just doesn't think like that. I just don't see things like that and doubt I could take shots like that with the way my mind works. However, still love seeing images like that just the same. Same as seeing architecture, some street shots, landscapes, etc, etc.  

So we are all different ....... thank goodness, so be grateful for the way you do see. Sometimes I wish I could take shots like that, but not to sweat too much about it. 

All the best and yep, keep shooting. Never stop.

Danny.


----------



## The_Traveler

When you look at those other person's photos, what about them is better?
What are they doing that you can't do?



Gary A. said:


> 1) Shoot;
> 2) Shoot again; and
> 3) At the end of the day when you think you're done, shoot some more.
> 
> Photography is a  lot (?) of things, *one of which is craft. * Like any craft, one will/should get better over time as you build up your skills through experience.



Craft is meaningless if you don't understand where your work is falling short in your own estimation.
I looked at your Flickr photostream, and without comparing you to anyone else, your exposure and sharpness and use of DOF is fine, so as far as the very basic craft is concerned, you're good.
Where I think you really fall down is composition and some emotional involvement in the subject.
IMO, your images are emotionally flat, they are just pictures of what was in the frame.
The subjects are just _there_.

Except, every once in a while, a really great image pops out.
Like this one.





You obviously had to see that, and think there was something beautiful about that scene and you captured it.
Too many others are just, meh, it's here and I should take a picture.
What is it about this shot that is so great?

There is that beautiful misty mysterious morning and then that little patch of snow just sets the scene and tells the viewer so much about the shot.
Too many others, you see something interesting but don't take the time to figure out what is really new and interesting to show the viewer.
Yes, that is a red car, nice paint job but what is really interesting is that the car is transformed in the reflection. All the rest of the stuff is extra. We've seen a million old cars with great paint jobs. What is there about this that makes it stand out.
Crappy photography is easy. See something and snap the picture, the camera does 95% of the work.

What's hard is making some new and interesting out of the mundane and capturing that.
And Gary is totally right, no lens or camera will do the work.


----------



## robbins.photo

nerwin said:


> I've really been thinking about getting one of those new Fuji Instax cameras, but I thought they were mainly for hipsters so I've kind of passed on it. lol
> 
> Just because I have a learning disability, doesn't mean I don't know how to use a camera.



Ok, so this is pretty much where I'm at - I see you posting a lot about buying this new camera or that new lens, etc.  My recommendation is you stop that, completely.. at least for now.

I realize their is a certain amount of wow factor to new gear.. but I think you'd be much better off focusing on the gear you currently have and learning it inside and out first.  If you buy another camera, well then you have to learn it... then you get tired of it and sell it and buy something else, so you keep taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back.

So if you want my honest recommendation - forget about the camera, and work on just photography.  Work on getting the shots you want with the gear you have.  You've got some extremely capable gear already.  Use it and learn it inside and out before you get anything else.

Just my 2 cents worth of course.


----------



## The_Traveler

Look at Peter Turnley's work, particularly this essay.  Moments of the Human Condition

He works until the image is right and every one of these is wonderful.
And the craft is there but it is invisible because the emotional impact of teh content is so great.


----------



## nerwin

robbins.photo said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've really been thinking about getting one of those new Fuji Instax cameras, but I thought they were mainly for hipsters so I've kind of passed on it. lol
> 
> Just because I have a learning disability, doesn't mean I don't know how to use a camera.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, so this is pretty much where I'm at - I see you posting a lot about buying this new camera or that new lens, etc.  My recommendation is you stop that, completely.. at least for now.
> 
> I realize their is a certain amount of wow factor to new gear.. but I think you'd be much better off focusing on the gear you currently have and learning it inside and out first.  If you buy another camera, well then you have to learn it... then you get tired of it and sell it and buy something else, so you keep taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back.
> 
> So if you want my honest recommendation - forget about the camera, and work on just photography.  Work on getting the shots you want with the gear you have.  You've got some extremely capable gear already.  Use it and learn it inside and out before you get anything else.
> 
> Just my 2 cents worth of course.
Click to expand...


I really need to pickup a flash though, I was getting good at using speedlights then I sold it because an unrelated problem. I still have stands for them and what not lol.


----------



## Gary A.

nerwin said:


> Thanks everyone for all your help, I really do appreciate it.
> 
> I guess one of the best things I can do is just keep pressing that shutter button, try new things and not to overthink it and just take my time.
> 
> I know a few mentioned I should focus on one subject, but I like photographing everything...that's what makes it so difficult. What is exactly wrong with photographing all sorts of subjects?


Nothing at all. 

But if in post you see something you want to shoot in a different way, often it is hard to recreate that scene.  I walk the dog about three miles every day, through the same parks and about the same time.  I always have a camera with me.  I always look for something to shoot.  If in post I see something I think I can improve ... the next day I can easily be back at the same spot. Sometime I'll take a long lens, other times a macro but mostly I take a 50mm on a FF or a 32mm on a crop. I work at creativity, angles and lighting. Focusing my eyes to see something interesting that 99% of the people won't see and walk on by.

For starters try walking around your neighborhood. A PAD thing. You're lucky to have seasons with radically changing environment. I'm stuck with much of the same all year round. Besides, the daily stroll couldn't hurt.


----------



## nerwin

Gary A. said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks everyone for all your help, I really do appreciate it.
> 
> I guess one of the best things I can do is just keep pressing that shutter button, try new things and not to overthink it and just take my time.
> 
> I know a few mentioned I should focus on one subject, but I like photographing everything...that's what makes it so difficult. What is exactly wrong with photographing all sorts of subjects?
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing at all.
> 
> But if in post you see something you want to shoot in a different way, often it is hard to recreate that scene.  I walk the dog about three miles every day, through the same parks and about the same time.  I always have a camera with me.  I always look for something to shoot.  If in post I see something I think I can improve ... the next day I can easily be back at the same spot. Sometime I'll take a long lens, other times a macro but mostly I take a 50mm on a FF or a 32mm on a crop. I work at creativity, angles and lighting. Focusing my eyes to see something interesting that 99% of the people won't see and walk on by.
> 
> For starters try walking around your neighborhood. A PAD thing. You're lucky to have seasons with radically changing environment. I'm stuck with much of the same all year round. Besides, the daily stroll couldn't hurt.
Click to expand...


I should bring my camera on my afternoon hike, but I do it mainly for exercise so photography isn't really in my mind at that moment and for some reason, I always have a fear that someone is going to tell to stop taking photos or something. I'm just a paranoid person, always have been lol.


----------



## PersistentNomad

The reason you learn more when you're focusing on a specific genre or subject is because there are similarities to how you shoot the subject and the differences between shots you think are mediocre and shots you think are great are more pronounced. So, shooting everything is fine, but having a dedicated body of work where you're trying to learn something is where you can actually learn something. This is true of all artists, everywhere, not just photogs.


----------



## nerwin

The_Traveler said:


> When you look at those other person's photos, what about them is better?
> What are they doing that you can't do?
> 
> 
> 
> Gary A. said:
> 
> 
> 
> 1) Shoot;
> 2) Shoot again; and
> 3) At the end of the day when you think you're done, shoot some more.
> 
> Photography is a  lot (?) of things, *one of which is craft. * Like any craft, one will/should get better over time as you build up your skills through experience.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Craft is meaningless if you don't understand where your work is falling short in your own estimation.
> I looked at your Flickr photostream, and without comparing you to anyone else, your exposure and sharpness and use of DOF is fine, so as far as the very basic craft is concerned, you're good.
> Where I think you really fall down is composition and some emotional involvement in the subject.
> IMO, your images are emotionally flat, they are just pictures of what was in the frame.
> The subjects are just _there_.
> 
> Except, every once in a while, a really great image pops out.
> Like this one.
> 
> View attachment 127644
> 
> You obviously had to see that, and think there was something beautiful about that scene and you captured it.
> Too many others are just, meh, it's here and I should take a picture.
> What is it about this shot that is so great?
> 
> There is that beautiful misty mysterious morning and then that little patch of snow just sets the scene and tells the viewer so much about the shot.
> Too many others, you see something interesting but don't take the time to figure out what is really new and interesting to show the viewer.
> Yes, that is a red car, nice paint job but what is really interesting is that the car is transformed in the reflection. All the rest of the stuff is extra. We've seen a million old cars with great paint jobs. What is there about this that makes it stand out.
> Crappy photography is easy. See something and snap the picture, the camera does 95% of the work.
> 
> What's hard is making some new and interesting out of the mundane and capturing that.
> And Gary is totally right, no lens or camera will do the work.
> 
> View attachment 127645
Click to expand...


I didn't even see this point, that picture I took of the misty winter morning, I have no idea what I was thinking when I took it. In post, I almost deleted because I thought it was a crap shot but I decided to roll with it and put it on Flickr which I guess people ended up liking, though I never liked it. 

It seems like the photos I hate the most, people seem to love. I don't understand it.

You said something about emotion and the truth is, I as a person have little to no emotion and maybe that's why. I don't know.


----------



## The_Traveler

nerwin said:


> View attachment 127644
> It seems like the photos I hate the most, people seem to love. I don't understand it.



I'm not a psychiatrist and this isn't the place for it but you have to do some real work - and you're not.
It's not the taking of pictures as a physical act that is important, what is important is looking for things you see as interesting and want to record, then composing the picture around that. Then look at the image and try to see if it actually shows what you think.

OK. Dandelion in snow.
Is snow grey? Are dandelions dull?
Dull flower in grey snow? Is that the point of the picture?





Isn't the snow actually white, not brilliant on a dull day, but whiter because that's the impression you want to give. This is snow and the flower is bright - and it needs to be sharpened so it doesn't look dull and OOF.

Those people who are making better photos are actually working at it because they're doing what you aren't; which is looking at every picture and making it be the best it can.






Downy Woodpecker, sharp but it's sitting in the middle of all that space.  Everything in the picture is in portrait mode, why is teh photo in landscape?

Geez, Louise.  You aren't looking and thinking about your pictures.
Maybe you won't be the best photographer in the world but at least work at it.
Figure out how each picture could look better - and try some things.


----------



## nzmacro

nerwin said:


> It seems like the photos I hate the most, people seem to love. I don't understand it.



kind of funny you should say that. I went through this a few years ago, well decades anyway and a well known bird shooter said to me .....

*"Maybe you are a better clicker than you are a picker"*

So now days I try and pick carefully what I post up.

Danny.


----------



## CherylL

Lots of good advice on this thread.  Every now and again I think I will just format all my drives too.  When I am gone will the kids want all the video and photos? I think we all hit a slump.  I looked at your Flickr account and you have some wonderful images.  One with the cat that had light/shadow stripes stands out to me.  Seeing the light and the shadows.



nerwin said:


> Settings are the tough part, I've been trying to shoot in manual mode with auto ISO but I don't know how many times already I have missed moments because I can't change the settings fast enough and then I start freaking out and angry and then the moment is gone.



I am all thumbs at times trying to change all of the settings.  What I started doing was set the aperture first and then set the ISO high enough to give me plenty of room on the shutter speed to change on the fly.  Most of the time I am only changing the shutter speed.  If I am trying to get photos of the grandkids or dogs I set the aperture and ISO high enough so I can keep the shutter at 200 minimum and max can be a lot higher.  It all depends on the light.  I try not to go too high on the ISO.  If indoors maybe 640.   I also take lots of photos indoors just for practice and format the card.  The photos never make it to the computer.


----------



## AKUK

We've all been there bud. We also tend to the harshest critics of our work. It's easy to look at other people's portfolios and compare it to our own and be like "FML". People like my work. I've won awards and numerous competitions, been published in multiple magazines, even had a couple of my images go somewhat "viral" over the past couple of years. I still look at my stuff and compare it to my favourite photographers and think "FML", why do I even bother?

But like you, I love photography. I love the creative aspect of it or capturing that candid moment that would forever be lost. I got thrust out of my comfort zone a few weeks back, begrudgingly shooting a karate class for someone and doing the portraits too.  Sports photography holds absolutely zero interest for me. The location had cluttered backgrounds no matter where you looked and the lighting sucked too. While the portraits were ok, the action shots and the group shots I hated. It knocked my confidence somewhat too.

This made me realize that it's better to focus upon what you enjoy and get creative with that, rather than shooting everything and anything just because you're asked or feel compelled because you're a photographer or do photography. When the fun get sucked out of it, it extinguishes your passion. When you're out of your comfort zone, the resulting images probably will suck because you get flustered and your mind goes blank. Things happen too quickly, outside of your control and you literally feel like you have no idea what you're doing. Almost like you are a total noob holding a DSLR for the first time. I screwed up by leaving my settings unchanged from the posed portraits in the makeshift studio I had created at the venue. I forgot to change them when doing the action shots, because I was running around like a thing possessed and sweating like a pig in a butcher's shop to boot.

For some people, being out of their comfort zone works for them. They enjoy the challenge and that's great. For others, it's just a stressful situation that often results in a negative experience. So ultimately it depends upon the individual. If like me you are the latter, stick to what you enjoy or what you are good at and push yourself to continually raise the bar on your work (attention to detail, envisaging a shot before you even take it, or having a concept that you want to create), so that you don't stagnate and get bored of what you do. If something else inspires you then pursue that too. 

I primarily do portraiture but, I also really enjoy wildlife photography as well. This keeps things interesting for me. On the odd occasion I do product photos but I find them a chore and hard to be inspired. Wedding photography and sports you can keep. I don't like the pressure involved with it. I enjoy the creative control and I suppose wildlife photography is the challenge of unpredictability. However, if I miss a shot it's no big whoop. I haven't ruined someone's day and I'm under no stress. If I come away with a nice shot, then it's a bonus. If I don't, it's not the end of the world.

My advice to you would be to figure out what you enjoy most, then identify areas where you feel you could improve upon it. After that you just need a game plan on how you're going to achieve it.


----------



## nerwin

Thanks guys, but I think the best thing to do is just give up. I'm never going to be that good or smart like you guys. I just can't do it. Photography is the only thing I have, I don't have anything else I like. If I give this up, I'm done with life.


----------



## AKUK

I understand how you feel, as I've been there myself. Like you I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was in my early 20s. I'm 39 in a few days. I lost 10 years of my life through agoraphobia, as a result of PTSD and other health related issues. My world got incredibly small until I never left my house save for a few occasions, for a decade. I'd have panic attacks for no reason. I could wake up and have one. Thankfully I'm much better now, largely as a result of pro-biotics, believe it or not!

Like you I find photography a release and a way to make life more bearable. I also found that when I lost the enjoyment, through pressure either externally or me getting frustrated, that it really was detrimental to the passion of it. Finding it again is key and identifying what sucks the enjoyment out of photography for you. I go out quite often to nature parks to do wildlife photography. 7/10 times I don't even get the camera out of the bag. End up walking around for miles without seeing a damn thing. Still, it's nice to get out and walk in the fresh air and sunshine. When I do get the camera out, it's usually for something worthwhile. 

Personally, I think you're putting to much expectation and pressure upon yourself to perform or hold yourself up to someone else's standards. Not everyone can paint like Rembrandt, Constable or Michaelangelo. That doesn't mean they shouldn't paint. The same is true of photography. Paint for you, because you enjoy it. Not to be Rembrandt.


----------



## EIngerson

nerwin said:


> Thanks guys, but I think the best thing to do is just give up. I'm never going to be that good or smart like you guys. I just can't do it. Photography is the only thing I have, I don't have anything else I like. If I give this up, I'm done with life.




Nothings worth talking like that. There's plenty out there. You just have to allow yourself to see it. 

You sound like your on the brink of a troubled decision brother. No temporary problem is worth the permanent solution. Find an outlet and don't quit.


----------



## nerwin

Life has been really tough for me this year and I seriously don't know if I can make it through another year like this. 

Life makes me scared. Growing up went by so fast...


----------



## Gary A.

nerwin said:


> Gary A. said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks everyone for all your help, I really do appreciate it.
> 
> I guess one of the best things I can do is just keep pressing that shutter button, try new things and not to overthink it and just take my time.
> 
> I know a few mentioned I should focus on one subject, but I like photographing everything...that's what makes it so difficult. What is exactly wrong with photographing all sorts of subjects?
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing at all.
> 
> But if in post you see something you want to shoot in a different way, often it is hard to recreate that scene.  I walk the dog about three miles every day, through the same parks and about the same time.  I always have a camera with me.  I always look for something to shoot.  If in post I see something I think I can improve ... the next day I can easily be back at the same spot. Sometime I'll take a long lens, other times a macro but mostly I take a 50mm on a FF or a 32mm on a crop. I work at creativity, angles and lighting. Focusing my eyes to see something interesting that 99% of the people won't see and walk on by.
> 
> For starters try walking around your neighborhood. A PAD thing. You're lucky to have seasons with radically changing environment. I'm stuck with much of the same all year round. Besides, the daily stroll couldn't hurt.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I should bring my camera on my afternoon hike, but I do it mainly for exercise so photography isn't really in my mind at that moment and for some reason, I always have a fear that someone is going to tell to stop taking photos or something. I'm just a paranoid person, always have been lol.
Click to expand...

Yes, multi-task.  You will be surprised how toting a camera sharpens your vision.  You'll see a lot more with a camera than without.  You may have to walk longer to compensate for the stops.  Don't worry about others ... Which is easier said than done ... I suspect you already walk/hike with a camera (cell phone) ... Next time take something a bit larger.


----------



## chuasam

Why shoot at manual if that's hampering you? Use any mode. Go out there and shoot.


----------



## Gary A.

nerwin said:


> Life has been really tough for me this year and I seriously don't know if I can make it through another year like this.
> 
> Life makes me scared. Growing up went by so fast...


We all get roughed up by life, remember that you're not alone.  That doesn't make life any easier, but there is solice in knowing we're all in this race together.  For now, until you get over the rough patch, take it one day at a time, one step at a time, one photo at a time.  After awhile you'll be miles down the road and with a new portfolio to show for all those one step, one day and one photo times.


----------



## nzmacro

nerwin said:


> Life has been really tough for me this year and I seriously don't know if I can make it through another year like this.
> 
> Life makes me scared. Growing up went by so fast...



Any children's hospitals near you. If there is, take a walk through the wards and take a good look, then have a chat to some of the parents. Just when we think we have it hard .....

Danny.


----------



## nerwin

Gary A. said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Life has been really tough for me this year and I seriously don't know if I can make it through another year like this.
> 
> Life makes me scared. Growing up went by so fast...
> 
> 
> 
> We all get roughed up by life, remember that you're not alone.  That doesn't make life any easier, but there is solice in knowing we're all in this race together.  For now, until you get over the rough patch, take it one day at a time, one step at a time, one photo at a time.  After awhile you'll be miles down the road and with a new portfolio to show for all those one step, one day and one photo times.
Click to expand...


I'm always constantly worrying about tomorrow, I can't get it out of head. I don't know how many times I've almost signed my life away to the military but I can't even do that because of medical reasons. I'm just a failure lol.


----------



## nerwin

nzmacro said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Life has been really tough for me this year and I seriously don't know if I can make it through another year like this.
> 
> Life makes me scared. Growing up went by so fast...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any children's hospitals near you. If there is, take a walk through the wards and take a good look, then have a chat to some of the parents. Just when we think we have it hard .....
> 
> Danny.
Click to expand...


I completely understand, I could have it far far worse. But I don't think its fair to say to everyone who is having a hard time that they could have it worse, I think we all know that.


----------



## PersistentNomad

nerwin said:


> It seems like the photos I hate the most, people seem to love. I don't understand it.


Another kernel of truth from the art world: more often than not, artists have no idea which works they create are the best. They have their favorites, which are usually their favorites for reasons totally separate from them being amazing technically and they are blinded by those reasons from being objective. And everyone else looks at the other works that the artist hates and they think those ones are the amazing ones. I had one artist actually start putting together portfolios that didn't include any of their favorite pieces. They started getting in shows and selling work. 

It also sounds like you are struggling with more than just "Am I a good enough photographer?" I hope you are opening up to the other people in your life about how you are feeling and getting support from them. As someone else already said, this isn't really the place for therapy, but I think we're all being pretty clear that if you love it that much and it's the only thing you feel you have, there is absolutely no reason to quit. This would be true if you were taking crappy, blurry, underexposed and uninspired pictures of toe fungus. If you really love it and it's your anchor for this world, keep clicking the shutter and to hell with if they are amazing photos or not. If you genuinely want to get better, then there's no other way to do it than to keep clicking. Nobody gets to be an amazing photographer overnight, and yes, it's a fact of life that some people pick things up quicker than others. That doesn't mean you should give up just because someone is advancing further than you in a shorter timeline.


----------



## thereyougo!

I think your depression is directing too much of your thoughts.  Making you put your photography on a pedestal in the sense of importance as a means to smash your morale.

My best friend is 40, stunningly beautiful, fairly recently divorced with a  chronically ill but sweet and very smart daughter.  Because she is pretty, and has low self esteem, her efforts via dating websites have been largely unsuccessful and she has dated all the wrong kind of people.  I had dinner with her the day before she went for a date.  Because I have known her longer than I have known my wife (I have known her for 16 years) she gives what I say quite a lot of credence which means I have to choose what I say carefully.

I told her not to invest hope in the date.  She looked at me quizzically.  I told her to just go on the date, have fun, don't think about the future beyond that date.  Enjoy it for what it is, but not to go into it hoping for him to be 'the one'.  Depression is an evil master, I told her.  It will take hope and use it as a weapon against you.

Stop feeding the master, and it will take less of a part of your life.  Shoot for fun.  Don't think about it.  You don't even have to download them on to your computer.  Get into enjoying shooting and stop using the results being the knife that depression twists.  Explore life with and without your camera.  If you're not finding it fun explore something else for a while.  Stop feeding the monster inside your head that says that because your photography is important to you that you *HAVE *to excel at it *NOW.*

You don't need to be a world-beater in order to enjoy doing something, but you can get really good at things you allow yourself to enjoy.  Right now, you're not allowing yourself to enjoy photography.  Look at the things other than results that make you enjoy it.

Good Luck, and keep on keeping on...


----------



## Peeb

pixmedic said:


> dont sweat it man...
> I suck at photography too and we got paid pretty decent money to do it for over a decade.
> 
> for indoor suggestions, try portrait work (real portraits...you know, with backdrops and lights and stuff) or macro work. (one of these days im going to pick  up another macro lens and dabble a bit)
> alternatively, you can do what I did and just start photographing your ferrets. if you dont have any ferrets, there is simply no hope for you.


Pix gave me a TTL flash for my Nikon that included a box that had been chewed by one of his ferrets.  I'm pretty sure a bit of that saliva was transferred to the flash, which made all the difference in my photography.  Ferret saliva- there is your solution.

*EDIT*:  OK, I've finished reading all the posts (to date) and it appears that you need advice from a forum other than a photo forum.  As to your PHOTO comments- I've been familiar with your work for the 12+ months that I've been a member of this forum and you seem to be a very fine photographer, so I'm not sure what more I can say about that.


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## Luke345678

Just went through your flickr. You're wrong, sir. You DO NOT suck.

We all have room to improve and it happens every time we shoot. Keep doing you, man!


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## BananaRepublic

nerwin said:


> I need to let some steam out.
> 
> I'm going to admit it, I suck at photography, I am not that good despite what some people might say. I'm tired of friends and family saying I'm that good at photography when in reality I am a crap photographer who doesn't even know what he's doing half the time.
> 
> Sure...I _might _get an okay shot every now and then but that can happen to anyone who owns a camera even if they don't know anything about photography.
> 
> To make matters worse, I'll look at other photographers work who only been shooting for a year or two absolutely blow my photos out of the water and make them look like snapshots compared to theirs. Almost tempts me to click format on my hard drives and just give it up.
> 
> But I love photography too much to just give it up like that. I want to get better at it. But I don't know where to begin.
> 
> Now that everyone knows I suck at photography, what should be the first step to get better? Should I start a project? What kind of a project?! I don't know what to do.
> 
> Winter is right around the corner and I hate snow and the cold so I'm going to be stuck inside 90% of the time. What can I do inside during winter that could help me get better at photography?



At least you admitted it, we've known for years


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## The Barbarian

You're doing it exactly right, I think.   To become good, you need to do the photographs you like, and be relentlessly critical of yourself, and how well you manage to do it the way you like.  

I cringe when I see what I was doing a few years ago.   What I'm getting isn't always what everyone else likes, but I'm doing what pleases me, and getting better at that.   If you happen to engage someone else, who sees what you were trying to say, so much the better.   But that shouldn't be your reason for doing it, unless you want to make money at it.

Edit: Looked at your Flickr stuff.   You don't suck, not at all.   Not all of it engages me, but that doesn't mean anything.   There's nothing whatever to be ashamed of there.


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## JohnFranklin

Mr. Nerwin.  You have many good photographs on your flicker blogger album.  I liked a great many of them, especially the feline shots.  Do not be so hard on yourself.  Although this forum is infested with faux photographers who preach morals and discuss equipment minutia ad nauseum instead of spending time in the field snapping pictures, there are several of us here who enjoy photography for photography's sake.  No matter if I'm using the latest gadgetry or a pinhole, I can enjoy myself just as well by the mere act of taking a picture.  Once you realize this, your mind will be at ease.


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## photo1x1.com

You sure don't suck. You have a certain style in your images that is hard to describe, but it is good.
 One thing a good photographer has to learn is picking only the best images to showcase yor work. If you only picked the best 10 images of your flicker account and made them public, many people would just say wow! Having so many images just distracts from the great ones, especially if the number of different motives is somewhat limited.

I think as soon as a photographer is totally happy with his images, he will stop creating great images. It's the feeling to suck, that gives you the drive to create new awesome pictures .

If I were you, I'd try to get out of my comfort zone and experiment a lot. Use a cheap styroform board instead of a flash to lighten up shadows. That will help you see where the light is comming from. Photograph more people, other animals. Use brighter settings to give your images a different mood. And enjoy the process!!!


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## petrochemist

chuasam said:


> Why shoot at manual if that's hampering you? Use any mode. Go out there and shoot.


Exactly!
There are a few times when manual mode comes into it's own, but most of the time it just slows you down. If that slowing means you're missing shots rather than just thinking about them longer, it's not the mode to be using.
I tend to stick to Av most of the time as DOF is important for most photos. If I want a fast shutter speed its usually a case of opening the aperture to give the minimum DOF I can accept. There are relatively few times where I want a specific speed (Photographing propellers is one) Tv comes into it's own for those (at airshows I use AV for jets & Tv for props allowing a single control to instant switch between settings). At night when the cameras meter doesn't work so well I tend to use manual as I want to control both settings.


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## Andrew_Smith

Nicholas, I really love your work. I browsed through your Flickr page and I enjoyed it. Seriously, keep up the hard work!

And PS: I love your desk setup.


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## chuasam

I won't mince words. I actually like your stuff.


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## pgriz

You've had enough comments to let you know that your stuff is OK, maybe even good.  Do you need to do a sales job on yourself to believe it?  Maybe.  Are you trying to impress someone?  If so, why?  Nothing wrong with trying to impress people - the trick in my mind, is to decide who is worth impressing, and who is not.  And once you have your target audience, WHY is it important to YOU to impress them?  Once you figure that out, you can then decide what to do and how to do it.  Me, I like to challenge myself and come up with an image that may have started in some corner of my mind.  Usually, I totally suck the first few (or thousand) times I try.  Pftttt.  No biggie.  I try to see what the issue is - is it technical or it is just not that exciting?  If technical, there are many ways to improve the technical side.  If it's perceptual or conceptual, then doing something different (painting, drawing, writing, singing, dancing, whatever) that kinda intersects with my "block" sometimes opens up a new door of perception.   Sometimes it comes together, and I get there, more or less.  Often I don't.  That's fine.  I don't base my value on those "achievements". 

One thing that helps me, especially with perception, is talking to my wife who is an artist and an instructor.  She comes at stuff very intuitively.  I tend to be analytic.  When we discuss stuff, whether it's photography, or her art, or something we see at an exhibition, we come at it from different points of view.  She often lets me see an aspect that I was blind to before, not by pointing it out to me, but by asking me about what I feel or what I think I perceive.  If you're stuck on something, find someone to talk about what you hope to achieve or do.   They may be able to get your mind focused on a new vantage point.  Because ultimately, it's all in your head.  It's your perception, it's your thoughts about whether something was worth the effort, or not.  And you are the only one who has access to those perceptions and to your mind.  You actively influence what your see or "see", and how you think about it.  So, do you suck?  Sure, if that's what you want to think.  But probably not.

Oh, and one other question - how old are you?  That may have something to do with your angst.


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## astrayasagiri

I am a shitty noob photog, but I love taking pic of people and reality. 
Their smiles, tears, and emotions.


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## DScience

Just try and have fun.


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## OGsPhotography

We all suck its why were here.


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## pgriz

OGsPhotography said:


> We all suck its why were here.



Well,  there are some here who are very, very good.  I get inspired by them.


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## jsecordphoto

All the great photographers I know sucked at one point. But instead of complaining online they just worked on improving their craft. Try shooting more and posting less


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## PropilotBW

yea....buddy, you don't suck.  
I am right there with you, though.  I just had some people ask me to take some photos for them, which absolutely freaks me out that people want to pay me for my shots.


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## Vtec44

I looked at your Flickr @nerwin and you suck at photography!  hahaha j/k 

Most of your pictures are nice but they don't stand out.  There's nothing striking, and they're random stuff.  This is where specialist vs generalist comes in.  I'd say pick a theme, a style, and be really good at it.  Try shooting something over and over again, but each time improve and refine it.


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## Fred von den Berg

Your photos tell me that your equipment works and you have a fair idea how to use it, but they don't really say anything more than that. When I look at (most of) the photos presented here by _Philmar_ or _The_Traveler_, for instance, they show me something which holds my attention - not always because nobody gets *the essence of a scene* every time, but very often. Take a look at their stuff and you'll be sure to see what I mean. Of course, there are others here who put in great photos, but the two I've mentioned are a good point of departure to compare your own efforts with.


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## nerwin

Vtec44 said:


> I looked at your Flickr @nerwin and you suck at photography!  hahaha j/k
> 
> Most of your pictures are nice but they don't stand out.  There's nothing striking, and they're random stuff.  This is where specialist vs generalist comes in.  I'd say pick a theme, a style, and be really good at it.  Try shooting something over and over again, but each time improve and refine it.



I don't like limiting myself to one theme. I like to shoot a lot of different stuff. Maybe its wrong, but I don't care. I like doing it.

So I should just restrict myself to only shoot one subject and make all my photos on Flickr look exactly the same? That would be boring to me. I like having a variety of things, but that's me.


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## The_Traveler

nerwin said:


> I don't like limiting myself to one theme. I like to shoot a lot of different stuff. Maybe its wrong, but I don't care. I like doing it.
> 
> So I should just restrict myself to only shoot one subject and make all my photos on Flickr look exactly the same? That would be boring to me. I like having a variety of things, but that's me.



Your pictures won't be great because you are content to snap a lot of things and hope that chance will allow a few to look good.
Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds an acorn.
You've resigned yourself to be a snapper, a dilettante because you don't want to work at it.
OK, you've got a lot of company, slack off and depend on the camera to do 99% of the work, just don't whine about.
No one deserves to be good, they earn it.


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## PersistentNomad

nerwin said:


> So I should just restrict myself to only shoot one subject and make all my photos on Flickr look exactly the same? That would be boring to me.


Except that the won't if you are doing the exercise of finding ways to make new compelling images and compositions of the same subject. But, this is also why artists tend to do a few different bodies of work in a rotating or tidal way. With me, I often switch focuses between birds and flowers, and that's reflected in my posts. Periodically I get on a still life kick. When I am feeling bored, I return to another subject and make that my focus until I feel I'm not moving forward, then I rotate back to a subject to focus on.


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## limr

nerwin said:


> I've really been thinking about getting one of those new Fuji Instax cameras, but I thought they were mainly for hipsters so I've kind of passed on it. lol



Really? You're going to let imaginary social peer pressure prevent you from trying a tool that might help you? Is it a rule that you MUST be a hipster if you try an Instax? And that it's better to stick to the hipster-mocking crowd than to break out of your comfort zone and try something new?

I know that sounds harsh and it's not meant in a sarcastic or negative way, but if your comment was for real - that you really are dismissing the idea of something you want because of a fear of being associated with the dreaded hipsters - then I think the first thing you need to do is to not care what the hell anyone else thinks and instead, do what you need or want to do for yourself.

There is a lot of great advice on this thread, and I agree with most of it, including the idea that new gear by itself isn't going to pull you out of a slump. I will point out, however, that this might be true simply because all that new gear is, essentially, a repeat of what you already have or know how to use. Sure, a lens with a longer/wider focal length than you're used to, or a set of shiny new filters might help for a few days, but ultimately, you're left with the same problem because you basically are shooting the same way, just with newer toys.

But if you try switching to something that is completely different from what you're used to - that will force you to shoot in a totally different way - it might help shake you out of your slump, or teach you to shoot in a different way that can help you with your regular gear, or give you ideas for other things to shoot. For example, the limitations of the Instax might force you to find subjects that you otherwise would have overlooked because the camera might not handle your normal subjects very well. To maximize the strengths of the equipment and film, you might have to experiment and search more consciously, and getting into that habit of thinking through your shots more deliberately could transfer back to when you're shooting with your DSLR.

It doesn't have to be an Instax, of course, and this comment is not prompted by a need to defend the format. I am only putting this out there because your comment was presented in an off-hand way, but I think there might be some truth to it. Go ahead and dismiss the advice that you truly can't take advantage of for various valid reasons, but for heaven's sake, don't let the fear of being called a hipster stop you.  Fake rules about who is and isn't allowed to shoot certain kinds of cameras, I'm sorry, is NOT a valid reason.


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## pixmedic

i think this thread has run its course.
closed at OP's request.


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