# Your breakthroughs in photography?



## Remi M. (Jan 3, 2007)

I'm curious as to what your breakthroughs in photography have been.  I think progressing in photography is not very gradual.  I think it's doing allot of the same until you learn something new that seems to change everything and brings you to a new level.  Honestly, I want to learn from everybody here to become better my self.

Here are some of mine:

Depth of field - or - Wow so thats what changing to "A" on the camera does.

Composition - rule of thirds, keeping clutter out of the viewfinder, diagonal lines......

Composition #2 - Having fun breaking every "rule"

Photoshop - And eventually being able to see what the image will look like after photoshop, before pressing the shutter button.

HDR - and how NOT to make it look cartoonish

Panoramas -  and learning to do them with the camera in the portrait position.  (so simple, I couldn't believe I didn't try before)

Shutter speeds - learning at what shutter speed with a lens mm size will get motion blur or not (lens diameter x 1.6 = minimum shutter speed for DSLR's)

Weather -  or learning to love fog, rain, snow....


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## CMan (Jan 3, 2007)

1. Composition
When I transitioned from a snapshop "photographer" to someone who actually focuses on the picture instead of taking 500 pictures and hoping for a good one.

2. Photoshop
When I learned how to effectively post process images to make them better.

3. Settings
When I learned how to adjust the settings (aperture, shutter speed, exposure, etc.) myself to make the most of my images. I went from using auto mode all the time to the point now; where I *never* use auto mode.

4. RAW
This is a recent one; it was when I realised that RAW really is better, and offers a lot more control over the image.


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## astrostu (Jan 3, 2007)

My recent ones (last month, really) would be going to almost exclusively RAW and learning how to use Adobe's Camera RAW software, figuring out how to photograph waterfalls, learning about aperture and depth of field, and learning how to process IR shots.

The biggest one that I still need to work on is composition and NOT centering everything.  It's very difficult for me to remember that if I'm trying to be artistic I SHOULD NOT center everything.


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## markc (Jan 3, 2007)

My first was reading Bryan Peterson's _Learning to See Creatively_. It really did teach me to see the world differently, and not just when I was looking through the lens. My photography really improved after that.

Then there was this shot, which is from Christmas some years back. I was mainly doing landscapes at the time, but was taking some snapshots of the family while we were all gathered at my brother's for a few days. At some point, my on-camera flash broke. I knew enough that I needed a fast lens to be able to get anything after that, but luckily I had bought an 85mm/f1.8 a little earlier. I slapped it on, opened it up, and really like the result. I was so surprised! I've been shooting shallow DOF and available light ever since.

The next was taking the class "Snapshot to Series" from Bruno Chalifour. He was the first to really expose me to the work of the masters and starting me on the process of reading photographs. (Did you know that some photographers will quote other photographers as writers do?) I went through quite a few of the monographs in the library after that. I also learned how to work in a thought-out series as opposed to simple hunting for shots one at a time.

The latest was a class called "Finding Your Style" by Kurtis Kracke. It's a really simple concept: your style is just the choices you consistently make, but it helped me to better define what I was doing and what I was going for. I was better able to consciously decide, rather than leaving things to chance.

There are a bunch of others, like my first sale and such, and I've gone through many stages with my digital editing skills, but those are the big ones for me.


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## darich (Jan 4, 2007)

My biggest breakthrough was figuring what the f number was and why there were different numbers!!
I really only figured that out about 3-4 years ago when i got my first DSLR - a Canon Digital Rebel. I could see instant results and what change each variable made to my images.
I learned a lot more and a lot more quickly when i went DSLR. Before that i had film SLRs and a digital compact.


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## abraxas (Jan 4, 2007)

Since last August I've had quite a few "breakthroughs." In fact I have had to slow down a bit a let some of this sink in.

The main one is putting the camera in manual mode and accepting responsibility for photos that suck.

No clear sky (or little of it) compositions.

Small aperture for max depth of field.

Long shutter speeds & civil twilight (all the up to dark).

HDR and pushing color to just before it gets cartoony (I go over too much though).

Without getting gooshy about it, finding this forum has been sort of a breakthrough with seeing a 24/7 display of all levels of work, and some encouragement and advise here-n-there in my otherwise very private little world. 

I'm starting to shoot RAW, and think that this will replace HDR, or at least make it better.


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## The_Traveler (Jan 4, 2007)

Realizing that there are some kinds of pictures that I just don't want to take.  I leave my camera home, or in the bag, and concentrate on enjoting the moment.


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## (Ghastly) Krueger (Jan 4, 2007)

Last year I realized that either I or my camera suck.
This year I'll try to find out which.


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## The_Traveler (Jan 4, 2007)

(Ghastly) Krueger said:


> Last year I realized that either I or my camera suck.
> This year I'll try to find out which.



Tell us what kind of camera you have and maybe we can all help you with that decision.


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## BoblyBill (Jan 4, 2007)

Mine was when I was taking pictures every once in a while I was able to get down to a F3.5 but I could never figure out why that most of the time it was a set f5.6. I finaly was able to figure it out when I zoomed out and found out the at 28mm I could shoot f3.5 but at 300mm (or 80mm on my other lense) I could only go down to a f5.6.


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## (Ghastly) Krueger (Jan 4, 2007)

The_Traveler said:


> Tell us what kind of camera you have and maybe we can all help you with that decision.


 
Konica Minolta Dimage Xg

I just realized we could _both_ suck...


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## GoM (Jan 4, 2007)

Taking a closer look. Everyone starts off photographing wide-angle or zoomed shots, but mostly focused on something 'whole'...a fire hydrant in front of a building, etc. What I've been trying to do lately is..not neccessarily macro, but definately focus on the little things at my feet, on the wall beside me, etc. Which has opened up an entirely new world.


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 4, 2007)

I don't know that I've had any photographic "A-ha!" moments this year, though my Photoshop skills are progressing nicely.

More to the point, over the last three years I have renewed my commitment to photography which had lapsed over the last 20 years. My wife has always pushed me to photograph more, as she knew that without a means of expressing myself creatively, I end up unhappy. It is also an extremely healthy hobby.

I've had to accept (again) that not every hobby or fascination can be shared amongst spouses. But I'm lucky to be in a great relationship, and my wife allows me to go out shooting, sometimes even for more than an afternoon. I wish she would come with me, use her own camera, start her own photoblog, make inappropriate offers in return for a Leica M8, etc etc etc but it's just not her thing.

She does like the pics I take, although I'm constantly told that taking pictures is meaningless if I'm not willing to print them occasionally. One of the traps of digital is that the rotating screensaver is all the daylight some of my images get to see once they've been processed. The best get featured on my blog, or one of the many photo memes. 

My breakthrough this year was the realization that this community fills a hole in my life, and has become an important part of my photography.

...and next year I'm learning to use the flash, dagnabit!


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## rmh159 (Jan 4, 2007)

Iron Flatline said:


> ... although I'm constantly told that taking pictures is meaningless if I'm not willing to print them occasionally. One of the traps of digital is that the rotating screensaver is all the daylight some of my images get to see once they've been processed...


 
I'm in the same boat.  I take some decent photos from time to time but I kick myself when I realize they just sit on the PC.  My goal within the next few months will be to make a photo album of my better pics around 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 and start collecting them that way, leaving the albums around the living room, in book shelves, etc.  Just something that visitors might pick up and browse through, a convo starter, etc.

I'm a strong believer in the best way to view a shot is in a print.


Also in keeping with the topic my most recent breakthrough was realizing HOW much the pic quality can change with the different apertures.  I'm also going to tackle the flash next (or maybe the flash will tackle me... we'll see).  :camera:


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## markc (Jan 4, 2007)

I think framing and hanging your work can help you develop as a photographer. When I keep looking at the same prints all the time, I tend to keep thinking of ways to improve them. At the very least, it sinks in that I've taken them. Otherwise the process can feel incomplete. It doesn't cost too much to get a few frames to rotate your images through.


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## terri (Jan 4, 2007)

This thread reads strangely to me, because so many of you seem to equate learning PS with breaking through with photography. I just don't think in digital terms, so it's funny to me. 

I do enjoy working with my negatives in different ways, though. Which I suppose is similar to "post-processing". Most of my breakthroughs have been hands-on printmaking: spending more time in the darkroom to get my prints made well is definitely at the top. 

Also:

-experimenting more with toning and dual/split toning of my prints, for aesthetic as well as archival reasons;

-experimenting with graded papers in the darkroom and how they can affect my ideas of contrast;

-experimenting with split-grade development. A very exciting technique with variable contrast papers. I've only played with a few prints in this manner, but will definitely explore this until I've mastered it.

-shooting MF almost exclusively and loving that bigger negative. 

And I've resolved to continue to take classes and learn even more in 2007 - the monster is never satisfied, it seems!  My poor pocketbook!


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## Alex_B (Jan 4, 2007)

still waiting for my breakthroughs ...

well, felt like a breakthrough when some of my images were published in a US magazine. but nothing since 

cannot blame it on my equipment, that is good enough, so it must be me who is the problem


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## abraxas (Jan 4, 2007)

terri said:


> ...
> 
> Also:
> 
> ...



I believe you are right about equating post processing.  I couldn't afford to try the cool stuff with film as a kid 35 years ago. I've always loved to take photos but couldn't get past the photomat stage.  I resolved to snapshots, but really good ones (IMO) for years.  

15 years ago, my brother gave me a minolta 35mm with some lenses. This worked out for a year or two, but then again, never past the handing the canisters out and waiting for prints. 10 years ago I bought an epson digital and developed a real estate/internet photo business- but the low resolution kept my work from getting into print.  A few years ago, I got a nikon 990 for 360d shots, but the resolution wasn't there yet for the bigger stuff.  A d70 2 years later and a d80 a few months ago. With the cs2, I'm having a lot of fun with the post-processing and can try the things my budget wouldn't allow before. 

So the big breakthrough, which led to the others was the higher res digital slrs. Now back to the camera to see how much I can get done before I drop it in the computer.


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## Remi M. (Jan 4, 2007)

Markc:  I wish I could take courses like that here in Vancouver.  It's too bad all I can find here is courses that teach the technical aspect of photography.


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## markc (Jan 5, 2007)

Yeah, I feel pretty lucky about that. It was a local community darkroom too, so it wasn't expensive. One of the benefits of living in Rochester, home of Kodak.


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## RMThompson (Jan 5, 2007)

My biggest breakthrough came from a phone call when a girl on the other end said she wanted to pay me to take pictures. It opened a lightbulb in my head, and dispeled myths about being a photographer. I used to think that photographers got paid for having 10,000 dollars worth of equipment, but I realize now that we get paid for taking pictures someone wants to look at. Some people want a Macro of an anthill, and some just want a great picture of their kids.


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## castrol (Jan 5, 2007)

RMThompson said:


> My biggest breakthrough came from a phone call when a girl on the other end said she wanted to pay me to take pictures. It opened a lightbulb in my head, and dispeled myths about being a photographer. I used to think that photographers got paid for having 10,000 dollars worth of equipment, but I realize now that we get paid for taking pictures someone wants to look at. Some people want a Macro of an anthill, and some just want a great picture of their kids.


 

I'm with you on that one. That happened to me 3 times in '06. I am looking
forward to more of that this year. The more people see the shots I have 
taken of the other people, the more people want some shots themselves.

I am cheap too, so that might be some of the incentive.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 5, 2007)

My biggest breakthroughs have been these realizations:

1)  Buying a more expensive camera won't make my photos better.

2)  Photography (and art) culture is filled with lots of worthless and misleading anecdotes.  Pros don't always shoot slides, and the phrase "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." is complete bullsheet.  Most accomplished artists also teach at some point in their career, if not during most of it.  

3)  The label "professional" means that the photographer is getting paid to photograph or paid for their photographs, and nothing else.  It is not necessarily an indication of superior skill or ability.  The label "amateur" means the photographer is doing photography because they enjoy it, and doesn't necessarily indicate a lack of skill.  Some of the worst photographers I've ever met do it for a career.  Some of the best have never earned a dime from their photographs.

4)  Talent is convenient, but hard work will go farther.  Of course, talent plus hard work is a great combo.

5)  It's okay to make bad photos.  In fact, it may be necessary to make many bad photos on the way to a good one.

6)  Technique and technical quality is very important to photographers, but for most other folks in the world content trumps all.

7)  I'm not betraying my love for film just because I'm falling for digital.  There is room in my heart for both.


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## The_Traveler (Jan 5, 2007)

ksmattfish said:


> 5)  It's okay to make bad photos.  In fact, it may be necessary to make many bad photos on the way to a good one.



Well, then I've got a ton of good photos in my future because I've got 20 tons 
of bad ones in my past.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 5, 2007)

The_Traveler said:


> Well, then I've got a ton of good photos in my future because I've got 20 tons
> of bad ones in my past.



1 to 20 is a pretty decent ratio of good to bad, IMHO.


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## GoM (Jan 5, 2007)

Alright, I'm not gonna lie, kind of had this thread idea rolling around in my head for awhile.

I can safely say that my first 'breakthrough' came with getting my DSLR-ish camera. It's a fixed-lens, basically glorified p&s, but it's the best in its sub-$500 price range in my opinion. Before that, I knew I had a bit of an eye, just going from the number of times I'd see the way a building was lit or something like that and realize it looked...sweet. I had a p&s piece of dog's ass (sub-$100 anyone?) before that, which got me into it. But once I got my Finepix, even though the manual options are limited in range, everything is there...aperture, shutter speed, ISO ratings, everything. Having read up what each thing meant in theory was good enough, but just going out and shooting allowed me to figure out *how* to make the shot look at least in the same time zone as what I wanted it to look.

Second major breakthrough, I'd say, came with going out and shooting with, around or near people. That sounds the same as my 'first' one, but initially, I'd hide away my camera between shots, whip it out and then tuck it away right after I shot a frame, as I felt very self-conscious with it. Once I managed to approach a couple strangers to see if they minded my taking their snap, shot alot more in more public spaces and whatnot...it got my thinking past the theory stage into the practice stage, that all I have to do now, instead of looking for a particular shot in a convenient location, I could let the shot come to me, per se, and take it in confidence wherever it was and however I looked.

Third breakthrough was over the course of the past week. Going from looking up and out when I walk around and let the shot 'come to me', to looking up, out, down and below when I walk around. Not neccessarily to the extent of macro, but definately in the sense that...where before, most of my shots would be of buildings, etc...while they still are generally urban shots (as I do in fact live in 2 rather large cities ), they won't neccessarily encapsulate a whole building unless I want it to.

I dunno, this is far too long a response, but I think it's worth it for every photographer to kind of take a step back and realize where they changed their approach or whatnot. My next little planned-breakthrough has to do with a mentioned-elsewhere mini-studio of a box with the sides cut out, dealing with arranged, organized and 'set up' shots for the first time, even if it is of small objects.

I guess I can boil my entire progression through the last 6 months from when I got the Finepix down to a constantly changing, in a very slow way, way of how I view everything around me, whether I have the camera or not. My perspectives have changed in terms of noticing the little things, the close up things..and frankly, if I don't have my camera with me, whatever I see and whatever I'm doing, I'll have part of my mind focusing on what the best angle, etc would be for a particular...whatever. For instance, last night I went for a walk in the park with some friends late at night, and there were several lamposts (lit, of course) and a little gazebo bandstand, silhouetted from behind by several lamps, with trees all around. Stuff like that...I dunno.

From here? Who knows.


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## boclcown (Jan 5, 2007)

For me it kindof goes in cycles. I'll have a period of horrible shots - bad lighting, bad color, etc. I'll blame the camera, then myself, than reach the conclusion that I am not meant for photography. Then I'll grab a single shot that is good. I can't say any of my pics are great, but I do beleive some of them are good. It just takes that one good shot to revive my spirit (until my next string of horrible pictures). 

Although it's tied to my first cocnlusion, I realized that not 100% of my pictures will be good. Well, not 50% or even 20%. After a trip to new york with over 400 shots taken, I found around 12 keepers. But looking back at those 12, I realized that this is how every photographer functions (I think?) more or less.


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## Jeremy Z (Jan 6, 2007)

Personally, I picked up the technical basics while I was young, probably 11. Compositional basics took another 10 years, as I wasn't serious about it.

Now I can recognize good and bad photos, and even make a good one from time to time.

But my breakthrough is being able to take candids and "snapshots" after developing a keen eye for composition. Sometimes, you just have to throw it out the window and take snapshots. Sometimes, that's what the situation calls for, and if you can't lighten up and enjoy the finer things in life, what is the point. (ex. it's nice to go to a party without feeling like you need to "cover it")

That's the beauty of photography. I can make it into an art when I want to. But even when I don't feel like it, it is useful. Capturing memories, illustrating things for online fora & ebay, making a retracable map when I'm taking apart something complex. At work, I take technical photos for parts of my reports.  I take the best ones in the company.  It's silly, but I'm proud of it.  People notice that my pix are clear, sharp, & concise.

It is quite a useful hobby, even if you're not any good at composition. ^_^


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 9, 2007)

I only had one breakthrough all the rest has been linear progression.  It was the day my first mentor told me I wasn't going to ever be a great artist.

  If I wanted to do anything with photography I needed to stop thinking of it as an art and think of it as a business.

"Art is art. Business is business.  Most of the time they are mutually exclusive.  Unless you plan to open a gallery to sell other people's work, you need to start thinking about a photography business.   You might also consider a real job."

Sounds harsh coming from a woman you have breakfast with, doesn't it?  Nothing like having you illusions shattered by someone you think you love. 

 My only consolation is she never made much money selling her painting either.  She probably should have taken her own advice.  She was cute enough to be a sketch artist walking around the mall.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 9, 2007)

Doing art with the intention of making money or be famous is almost always a losing proposition.  Do it because your heart and mind demand you do it, and fork what anyone else thinks.  Picasso wasn't the greatest artist ever, he's just one of the best we've ever heard of.  Thousands of creative geniuses have come and gone with no notice.  Creativity is part of being human.  Art is part of life.  The reward should be in the work itself, not in celebrity.



			
				Manuel Alvarez Bravo said:
			
		

> "The word 'art' is very slippery. It really has no importance in relation to one's work. I work for the pleasure, for the pleasure of the work, and everything else is a matter for the critics."


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 9, 2007)

Oh i agree you can do most any photograph with the intention to bring all the artist tools with you, but what you shoot is where the Hack part is.

I have not now nor did I ever have any illusions that I was or would ever be a great artist but I was reasonably competent at it.  I never had a dissatisfied customer but then I never won any awards either.  I was and still am, I hope, a nice blue collar photographer.  

I shoot things for my own entertainment now and still am positive that I am no artist.  So making money isn't the judge of success in this business.  I have no idea where it is though.  Maybe you are a success, if something you did is still hanging on someone else's wall 25 years after you shot it.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 9, 2007)

mysteryscribe said:


> Maybe you are a success, if something you did is still hanging on someone else's wall 25 years after you shot it.



If you are shooting for your own entertainment, you are a success if you are entertained.


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 9, 2007)

In that case i am a miserable failure yet again, since I come here to be entertained as well lol.....

I never considered whether I was a success or not. I don't know if a blue collar worker needs that kind of thing. 

I fed my family, put my kid through school, and taught her husband a skill. I suppose that makes me a personal success. At the very least it keeps me from feeling a total failure anyway. 

That probably is the difference between the artist mind set, and the Blue color hack. I don't need the awards or the acclaim because I never felt that was a goal. To me photography was a job, one that allowed me a lot of freedom and self expression. However, it was still just a job. I don't think anyone else will ever understand that. I don't fault the people who strive to be great artists, I just didn't. I do resent them thinking that they have a monopoly on the craft. They don't at all. There is room in the tent for the cab driver just trying to make an extra buck as well.

For every Edward Weston there was a hundred Clyde Simmons.

Mostly I had fun with photography, something that is vastly under rated.

Im going to shut up now since I have hijacked yet another conversation.


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## markc (Jan 9, 2007)

mysteryscribe said:


> That probably is the difference between the artist mind set, and the Blue color hack. I don't need the awards or the acclaim because I never felt that was a goal.


I don't think that's the artist mindset. That's something yet again. I see the artistic way as wanting to express oneself.

I personally think that no one else has the right to determine what path a person should go down. That's their own decission to make.

I don't know if it was a breakthrough or not, but my own decission affected my photography. I decided that I could make money much more easily as a programmer. I left the weight of needing to generate income on my computer skills so that I could march to my own drummer when it came to photography. It suited me more as a art or hobby, since I wasn't very good at delivering the business side of things. Money wasn't enough incentive to pick up the camera for me when I had easier ways.


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 9, 2007)

Careful I have a bad heart... when you and I agree on anything it is a shock.  There were no computers and I was just out of the service.  I could work in a cotton mill, or be a photographer.  Mine was the easier choice.

Photography as a hobby or a profession makes no difference there is room in the craft for us all.  I try very hard not to use my yard stick to measure anyone else's motives or work.  I try to be objective and I think most of us here do as well.  It is best that we don't always agree if we did nobody would bother to come here we would all be the same person.

My business skills suck eggs by the way or I might have taken the business more seriously.


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## castrol (Jan 9, 2007)

This doesn't really have anything to do with anything, but I just thought I 
would say...mysteryscribe, I really enjoy reading your posts. Just felt like
throwing that out there.


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 9, 2007)

Thanks and the check for that comment is in the mail.


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## castrol (Jan 9, 2007)

mysteryscribe said:


> Thanks and the check for that comment is in the mail.


 
Standard fee applies. As long as you rememebered.


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 9, 2007)

I'm not so much worried about the standard fee as that bad check surcharge.


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## neea (Jan 10, 2007)

I dont know if I've had any MAJOR breakthroughs but I have realized alot of things.

I argue with myself daily about whether or not to get a digital camera.
Yes learning would be quicker. The instant results would be nice.
But eventually I want to have my own dark room (if they still exist by then). Something about watching your picture slowly appear before you. I dont know... seems satisfying.

I usually try not to conform to the latest trends and find it very hard to try and stick with what I believe, which is that digital could never amount to film in terms of quality (this is where everyone throws their argumentative comments in).

I think I've also realized that I should probably learn how to operate the camera I have now. It was a Christmas present and I often feel bad that I dont use it nearly as much as I should be. I'd feel like a trader to myself and my family if I baught a digital and this one collected dust. I know that 10 years from now I'd regret it.

Another major problem I have which will definatley be a breakthrough when I've realized the truth... My close friends and family love my photography (not a surprise) and I ask myself everyday 'Is it that good or are they just biased'.
Especially my boyfriends mom. The comments she's made... I'd pay big bucks to hear strangers say 

Those are my personal realizations. I've got lots of technical ones as well of course. Shutter speed, aperature. All of which I'm still slowly learning.


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 10, 2007)

The last post made me realize something.  Everyone here deals with different sets of logic to come to their own conclusions.  A lot of us have been kicking about this craft so long we forget what it was like to be making decisions without what *WE* think are the facts.  The struggle must be so much harder when you are coming into this all new and confused about the technical and mystified by the artistry.  (God I like that sentence)   

It's so much easier when you are old and can just ignore the new and cling to what you know.  I know a lot of old guys have jumped into digital with all their heart and soul.  (Sold out to the evil pixies I say)  Some of us just take enough of the new stuff to keep the old stuff in competition.

For instance, I can remember a time when touch up was so difficult that nobody even thought about doing it, unless the mistake was drastic.  Now even I want to scan negatives so that I can edit them on the computer.  I have traded my oil tints for a computer program, so i might still do things that I aways did, but in a sometimes drastically different way.  No more painting out scratches on a print.  Now it is paint them out of the digital file.

The truth is (In my opinion for those of you who want waivers)  that the techy stuff isn't really all that different.  I mean the light still does what light always did.  The light sensitive material is a different composition but it still makes the recording.  Some things have changed for the better and some for the worse (again in my opinion).  But we can still look back and appreciate what came before I hope without ignoring what is here now.  

I like a lot about digital imaging.  I don't like a lot about you young whipper snappers.  Then when did us old guys ever want to make room for you kids.  In my opinion of course.  I can still remember the 35mm vs mf fights.

So whatever decision you come to it will be the right one because the craft of photography is all about being lonely.  What's that you ask?  When you put that camera to you eye there is no one else in the world who can help you.  When you trip that shutter you have made you own decisions nobody else  did it, just you.  When you sit at your enlarger or computer and crop it, when you  choose which areas to emphisize.  It is all on you.  So you live or die by (overly dramatic here) the choices you make.  At least in the craft you do.  If you had a reason for the choices you made then you should defend them, if they were random you should learn from them, if you are past that, then you say.  They are what they are. no more no less.

So make your choices but remember tomorrow you can undo it all and buy a Nikon dslr.  (spit)

end of editorial


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## neea (Jan 10, 2007)

mysteryscribe, I often envy you (and your entire generation) for a number of reasons.
But regarding photography: Sure there were ways of editing photographs but it probably took more of your time and dedication.
Now a days, in this digital world, everyone's a 'photographer'. Almost everyone has some sorta of webpage with all their pictures. Advertising is telling the masses that if they buy this new hip camera they can have 'professional quality photos' (photos.. as in printed final results. it says nothing about subject or having a good eye for things that look good).
And with photo editing programs easy to buy and operate everyone thinks they can do it.

I remember reading a book about the history of photography. It seemed so pure back in the day when you needed to hire someone to take a family portrait.
Majority of people still need to hire mechanics to fix their cars. What happens to mechanics if every tom, dick and hairy can fix their own.

Just my opinion


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## Alex_B (Jan 10, 2007)

neea.
true that these days almost everyone has some sort of digital camera. but most people do just very mediocre snapshots with them.

so the number of people taking photographs has risen maybe from 0.01 percent of the population to maybe 70%. but the number of people taking good photographs has risen only to maybe 0.5 % or even much less... at least that is my personal experience and what i see every day. That is a huge increase, but nothing threatening in total numbers.

so there will always be a market for good photography.

BTW, there are many people who can sort of fix their cars, still many of them they hire mechanics because they either don't have the time, or becasue they want it to be done better than they can.


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## neea (Jan 10, 2007)

alex b.
I wasnt saying I felt 'threatened' or whatever by everyone with a digital camera.
I know theres still a market for good photographers.
And yes many people do sort of fix their cars. However, being a girl.. I know lots of girls and most of them cant check their oil never mind change it or a tire... or a thermostat or a fuel filter (my bfs been rebuilding engines most of his life so I've learned alot about cars since meeting him).

Maybe I'm just too traditional but I've always liked the way things 'were'.
Why fix it if it aint broke?

Perhaps 10-20 years from now I'll be one of the last developing my own pictures. And I imagine it will be extremley satisfying.


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 11, 2007)

* Perhaps 10-20 years from now I'll be one of the last developing my own pictures. And I imagine it will be extremley satisfying.   	Yesterday 06:07 PM

*even if you have to learn to make your own film first.  Cool thinking kiddo...


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## GoM (Jan 11, 2007)

Mmm...does it count if you feel like you're either on the verge of another breakthrough, or coming to the end of the intermission of two parts to a drawn-out one?


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## mysteryscribe (Jan 11, 2007)

since its not a contest sure it counts.


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## Mad_Gnome (Jan 11, 2007)

I've been around cameras and photography nearly my entire life. I remember even from my earliest years seeing my mother carrying her Minolta XD-11 and taking photographs of everything she could. When I was very young, I even received a camera as a birthday gift: a shiny, new Kodak Tele-Instamatic 110.

I left that camera behind a long time ago, and drifted away from phtography as a craft for several years, but I became interested in it again a few years ago when I inherited a Minolta X-700 and a bagful of lenses. At the same time, my mother purchased a brand-spanking-new Canon Powershot G5. The Powershot G5 was the source of my first revelation: that I was capable of capturing images that fascinated people.

When that first image captured people's attention, I wanted to understand how it was created: the mechanics of it. I've always been technically minded, and my parents always told me I should be an engineer. With that background, I tackled the mystery of exposure like a math problem. I started playing with Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO to see how they affected images. Learning how to make the camera capture an image the way I _wanted_ it to was a HUGE breakthrough.

The next breakthrough was when the first person was willing to pay me to take photographs for them. The idea that someone was willing to pay me - rather than an established professional - seemed ludicrous at the time. It seems even more ludicrous now, when I realistically assess the skill level I was at at the time. That happened to me twice more last year, and I did three times as many TFCD shoots. This year is looking even better, with three paid gigs lined up in the next two weeks. Not bad for a kid who grew up in the slums.

My most recent realization is that if I truly desire to become a professional, and make my living off of my photography, I will absolutely need to learn post-processing skills. This has nothing to do with my photography, simply the demands of the industry. If you don't know how to manipulate a raw image (camera RAW or film negative) you will be passed over in favor of those who can.

And in response to neea, I have held this credo true for some time: "Anyone can pick up a digital point & shoot camera and call themselves a photographer, but to _consistently_ compose compelling images takes a great deal more." It's sort of like the difference between cleaning a gun and playing Russian Roulette. Only without the whole risk of death thing.


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## neea (Jan 12, 2007)

mysteryscribe said:


> Cool thinking kiddo...



Thank you very much!!! 

*Mad_Gnome:*
And in response to neea, I have held this credo true for some time: "Anyone can pick up a digital point & shoot camera and call themselves a photographer, but to _consistently_ compose compelling images takes a great deal more."

Very true.

I sure like this topic. This is exactly why I come to this forum. I could never talk to my friends or family about this sort of stuff. They'd never get it


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## Ab$olut (Jan 27, 2007)

I think my first one was understanding how apature and shutter speed works I think it took me atleast a week to understand also a recent one is how to use the histogram has really helped my images no end and that was off someone on here.


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## Chicagophotoshop (Jan 27, 2007)

this is a great thread.  I read many great posts and I only made it through the first page.


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## abraxas (Jan 29, 2007)

Break-through update!

RAW- Goodbye .JPG!


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## DocFrankenstein (Jan 29, 2007)

Using a tripod

Experimenting with a handheld meter

Using a monolight

reading books and not forums.


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## Chicagophotoshop (Feb 1, 2007)

joining this forum.


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## chakalakasp (Feb 3, 2007)

Actually, for me, it was kind of gradual. I started shooting for serious back in '99. I sucked pretty bad for the first couple of years, and gradually improved as I shot more and more. Buying an EOS-3 in 2001 really got me going, but for the most part, up until 2003 or so, I'd only have a couple of keepers per roll of 36. Getting an enlarger and developing equipment helped me understand exposure quite a bit. I got my first digital body in 2005. Something clicked somewhere in 2006. I have no idea what, but suddenly I was looking at the stuff coming out of my camera and wondering how the hell I did that. I think purchasing an ultrawide (the 10-22) for up-close tornado/storm photography might have had something to do with it; I love symmetrical photos with lots of leading lines, and that's pretty much what rectilinear ultrawides are known for. 

I think the biggest thing to good photography is having a good eye. If you have a good eye and you're new to the technical skills, eventually your skills will improve and you'll be able to more consistantly translate your vision to print.


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