# What area do you feel you need to improve in the most?



## saycheese76 (Dec 17, 2008)

I recently switched from MF b&w to digital.  Now the weather/light has been crap since I got my new camera, but I haven't gotten into a creative "groove" yet.  I know I'll eventually get it sorted as long as I keep at it, so I just need to shift away from the tripod, spot meter, zone system mentality and start enjoying the aspects of photography that I am unfamiliar with.   What facet of the craft have you identified as the next step in your progression as a photographer?
Jason


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## Joves (Dec 17, 2008)

The only area I need to improve in is motivation. I think it has been all the hours I have worked at my real job and, the fact the weather has turned to crap. I may hit up the Grand Canyon and see if I can find some Big Horn sheep to shoot. Or maybe Antelope Canyon with all the snow we have.


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## saycheese76 (Dec 17, 2008)

Joves said:


> The only area I need to improve in is motivation. I think it has been all the hours I have worked at my real job and, the fact the weather has turned to crap. I may hit up the Grand Canyon and see if I can find some Big Horn sheep to shoot. Or maybe Antelope Canyon with all the snow we have.


I've seen a bunch of MTB photos in AZ.  You have some stunning terrain there.  In the PNW, wintertime is tough as well.  Even if it's not raining, everything is blah/washed out.  Hope you get out there and shoot!


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## Lyncca (Dec 17, 2008)

I could probably use improvements on everything.  I'm a work in progress


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## Iron Flatline (Dec 17, 2008)

Processing.


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## kundalini (Dec 17, 2008)

I need to break out the tripod more often, have been considering to go ahead and pull the trigger on a Sekonic light meter, pick up and read a book by Ansel.  

I want to work on and understand lighting more.  I have two speedlights and will pick up another soon enough.  I have all these ideas running around in my heads for people shots, but alas...... no peoples.


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## mrodgers (Dec 17, 2008)

I have a Fuji S5700 superzoom, bought for Christmas last year.  I could definitely improve on the equipment end.  Not going to happen for a very long time though.


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## Saddlebreds4me (Dec 17, 2008)

I would also put myself in the "everything" category - but I get frustrated because I know I have the camera to stop the action I need but sometimes I can't do it 100% - (I don't want 98%, I want 100%)  I will play with shutter speed and everything but there are times when I can't get the horses in motion to be crystal clear.  

And it bugs the hell out of me.  So I just keep trying and trying.


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## eyeye (Dec 17, 2008)

I would say everywhere, but the real technical stuff (anything with a number) is my biggest weakness.


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## saycheese76 (Dec 17, 2008)

> I need to break out the tripod more often, have been considering to go ahead and pull the trigger on a Sekonic light meter, pick up and read a book by Ansel.


kundalini, it looks like we need to switch spots!


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## plentygood (Dec 18, 2008)

Motivation to actually get out and shoot.


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## hankejp (Dec 18, 2008)

I am goign to be buying a SB-600 soon, so I will definately have to work on the lighting.  I also want to get into more portrait type pictures, so that's another thing to work on.  Oh...there's so much to work on and not enough time or good weather for it.


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## Overread (Dec 18, 2008)

I will say everything as well (only been doing this a year )
but at the top of my list is learning to look at the whole frame and not just the middle - way too many of my shots are ruind because I have cut of tails or legs or wings. Till I get that sorted I can't progess with composition and any technical advance is not going to be used to the best effect.


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## JerryPH (Dec 18, 2008)

Saddlebreds4me said:


> - but I get frustrated because I know I have the camera to stop the action I need but sometimes I can't do it 100% - (I don't want 98%, I want 100%)  I will play with shutter speed and everything but there are times when I can't get the horses in motion to be crystal clear.
> 
> And it bugs the hell out of me.  So I just keep trying and trying.



Don't get frustrated.  Freezing action is not difficult, and if you are challenged by it, it is becuase your understanding of the basics are not firmly in place... and the good news is that they are easy to get down.  Also, please don't think that even the most consummate of photographers can shoot perfect pictures 100% of the time.

Photography comes with patience and practice.  Have fun! 

For me... all the technical stuff is a walk in the park, it always has been.  I can reverse engineer a picture and come darn close to knowing how it was lit and by what.  However, my weakest areas are composition and directing the model(s) to do do what I want, so in that sense, I lack vision and experience.  It is improving a lot, though as I am fortunate enough to have access to a group with some very talented people and I am starting to rack up the experience needed.


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## mrodgers (Dec 18, 2008)

Overread said:


> but at the top of my list is learning to look at the whole frame and not just the middle - way too many of my shots are ruind because I have cut of tails or legs or wings.


That is so frustrating, isn't it?  I don't have a problem now with cutting stuff off, I'm fine getting my subject on the frame.  My problem is paying attention to the background.  We did a little "photoshoot" with the kids outside for Christmas photos.  My wife and I were looking at them on the computer and while she is going all nuts about how much she loves them, I'm staring at the clothsline pole that is miraculously growing out of my daughter's head, EVERY shot.

I pointed out the pole to my wife and from that point on, every photo we brought up on the display, she was, "there's that pole..."

We did another shoot later on and that time, my wife kept asking every couple of seconds, "anything growing out of their heads?"  LOL


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## Overread (Dec 18, 2008)

hehe yah background come after legs and tails  - since I tend to stick to wildlife rather than people background are not so much of a problem for me - at least I don't fret about them as much since I can't control my subject. The only time I do take notice is in zoos and the like where I try to avoid bars in the background.


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## Fox Paw (Dec 18, 2008)

Composition, composition and composition.


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## craig (Dec 18, 2008)

Marketing.

Love & Bass


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## slickhare (Dec 20, 2008)

plentygood said:


> Motivation to actually get out and shoot.



Same here, don't know why. I love photo but I get lazy.


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## Chiller (Dec 20, 2008)

Processing and photoshop.  I know my images can be better, but I can guarantee, Im doing something that there is a better way of doing.


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## ksmattfish (Dec 20, 2008)

I would like to get a nice ink jet printer and start learning how to do that.

I want to learn more about business and marketing.  

I've always been fashion challenged.  I'd like to learn more about how to make people look good.  I'd like to be able to do a better job helping people choose outfits, make-up, hair, etc...  I've learned a lot about basic posing, but I wish I was better at identifying and solving "problems" with a person's looks (particularly related to weight, as everyone is concerned with that).  I sometimes miss things like a pose that makes someone's arm look fat, etc...


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## Eldrich (Dec 20, 2008)

I gotta ween myself off of doing anything 'automatically' and become more adept at setting everything intentionally. (I'm pretty new to DSLR)


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## rufus5150 (Dec 20, 2008)

My biggest area for improvement is consistency both in the shooting and the post processing. Getting a series of images together in the same colorspace sometimes is just a pain in the rear (I routinely shoot with multiple sources of disparate light). I can churn out a series that's close, but unless I have absolute control over the light, I'm constantly fighting white balance issues.


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## TwoRails (Dec 20, 2008)

Being a snapshot shooter (or would that be a 'point-n-shooter'?) for so long, I'm in the "I need to improve on everything" category.  Heck, although I've been "editing" pics for years, I'm very weak in that subject, too, as most of what I do is so basic it's rediculous (crop, resize and "auto enhancing;" very little more.)


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## Saddlebreds4me (Dec 23, 2008)

JerryPH said:


> Don't get frustrated.  Freezing action is not difficult, and if you are challenged by it, it is becuase your understanding of the basics are not firmly in place... and the good news is that they are easy to get down.  Also, please don't think that even the most consummate of photographers can shoot perfect pictures 100% of the time.
> 
> Photography comes with patience and practice.  Have fun!
> 
> For me... all the technical stuff is a walk in the park, it always has been.  I can reverse engineer a picture and come darn close to knowing how it was lit and by what.  However, my weakest areas are composition and directing the model(s) to do do what I want, so in that sense, I lack vision and experience.  It is improving a lot, though as I am fortunate enough to have access to a group with some very talented people and I am starting to rack up the experience needed.



Hi Jerry,

My apologies, I didn't see this until just now.

Thanks for the feedback - and I agree with you 100% - which is why I am sort of starting over and getting back to basics with Nikon school in January.

I've learned pieces of information here and there and figured some out on my own - I just hope that the instructor is really good.


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## Fox Paw (Dec 23, 2008)

TwoRails, I would have said all those things a year ago.  I'm still not very good but I've learned A LOT in a year.  I suspect that you will, too.


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## MissMia (Dec 23, 2008)

Place me in the "everything" group! I've learned so much in my first year but I have so much more to learn. I'll get there someday.


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## RockDawg (Dec 23, 2008)

Artistic/creative vision - I know there are many things I pass by and ignore or never even consider shooting that many members here would've taken awesome shots of.  I've never been a very artistic/creative person which probably makes it seem stupid for me to have taken up photography, but I really do enjoy it.  Especially when you get that one shot that makes you say "Yah, that's sweet!".  Hopefully with perserverance my artistic/creative vision will develop (pun intended.  )


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## TwoRails (Dec 24, 2008)

Fox Paw said:


> TwoRails, I would have said all those things a year ago.  I'm still not very good but I've learned A LOT in a year.  I suspect that you will, too.


Thanks for the encouragement, Fox Paw  -- Finding TPF, and all the great people here, has been a good eye-opener for me.  Quite humbling, too.  There is so much to learn and TPF is a fantastic place to do so!


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## Fox Paw (Dec 24, 2008)

Yeah, I steal some of my best ideas here.


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## sabbath999 (Dec 24, 2008)

Buoyancy.

When doing underwater shots in surge around a reef, keeping properly buoyant so that you can A) first and foremost not damage the reef by bumping it, B) keep from injuring yourself or your dive buddy and C) getting the shot is tricky, especially with current and surge.

Working on it...


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## abraxas (Dec 24, 2008)

I deleted my previous reply, but thinking about it in Sabbath's context, staying out longer. Some of the locations I shoot are 150-200+ miles away, and I like doing the sunrise/sunset thing.  Not the sort of thing that's really worth doing in a day or even over one night. Two nights are better, but 3-5 nights out would really make it worth the trouble.


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## GeorgeUK (Dec 26, 2008)

Lighting + working with flash.

(Which is rather helpful., as I've just received a Speedlite 430 EX II for Christmas!!).  :thumbup::mrgreen:


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## JerryPH (Dec 26, 2008)

GeorgeUK said:


> Lighting + working with flash.
> 
> (Which is rather helpful., as I've just received a Speedlite 430 EX II for Christmas!!).  :thumbup::mrgreen:



(Psssst... Strobist look for Lighting 101 and 102!   )


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## GeorgeUK (Dec 26, 2008)

JerryPH said:


> (Psssst... Strobist look for Lighting 101 and 102!  )


 
Thanks for the linky. I've actually been reading it for the last month or so prior to getting my flash in preparation!


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