Let's Talk Photography! :)

[dayofhope]

So... I'm thinking about becoming some kind of wildlife photographer when I'm older. (Wouldn't that be the coolest job everrrr?!) Of course, I have no idea yet if that'll work. But do you guys think I have any talent? Please, be ruthless. I know there's a TON of people who would like to be a photographer, and a lot of complaints about people now-a-days thinking that having a camera means they're a photographer. I don't consider myself one at all, but I'd like to know if there's any hope. If there isn't any, PLEASE say so. Of course my friends + fam say I'm talented, but they're a bit biased. But you're not, so please let me know what you really think. Any tips are appreciated, too. Again, if you don't think there's any chance, say so. No matter what it'll be a hobby for me, I'm just curious if there's any other hope, or if they're anything special or just average lol. Also , sorry that it's only plant and animal pictures, I do others, but internet safety... haha.











Just click to enlarge.

Note: Under the flower in the fourth picture, two ants are chilling. XD

Also, post your pictures! (Doesn't matter if they're great or not) I'd love to see them. I might post more later. But yeah, "let's talk photography!" (not just mine, your's too!!) :thumbsup:

 

[caiti]

I like photography too. I have an old Minolta that I use. My digital camera died but I never used it for photography. I took a couple classes, but it's just an occasional hobby for me. It would be an awesome job, though.

As for a critique--I honestly don't know what I'd be looking for. I love all your pictures, especially the ones with the insects but also I love the subjects you shoot so as for technical skill, I really wouldn't know how other people judge that. Art things are things I can't really say anything about because I either like it aesthetically or not and I don't have any good reasons either way.

I do notice all of them are focused on things in the foreground. Maybe play with subjects in different depth of fields and see what you like. So, coming from a non-professional, average person, I think your pictures are really good.

 

[Spoof]

I love photography and usually have a camera when I travel, but am by no means a professional. Worked with quite a few though and they love to say art is in the eye of the beholder and it is their job to make you feel and experience what they are capturing.

I think there is hope for you, passion is what drives really good photographers.

I recommend studying the laws of photography - the first you are missing and it may just be an inexperience at cropping, but it is called the rule of thirds. Your target should take up and exist in 1/3 of the photo. The second is that you are working against the light in all but the dog's eye photo. When you get really good you can make a silk purse out of a cruddy lighting photo - but to start out learn how to use the light and it's angles.

Like any normal skill, the more you do it the better you get. Even Ronda has gotten better (ssshhhh!) by just taking hundreds of photos of chins. During any given event I'll take 50-1000, when I visit Ronda or do a live animal shoot it's closer to 1500. A good photographer will roll over the internal camera picture counter a couple of times a year.

So... practice, practice!

Also, the use of a program to tile them for you is very helpful at training your eye. For example, with this shot of a flower I've taken 50 pics, narrowed it down to the ones you see in the first attachment, then back up and see which one draws my eye. Then I crop it until I feel that I've captured and expressed why I was drawn to the shot in the first place.

Live animals are a different story. With both chins and horses you just snap snap away and hope you get something good. Take a pic like number three - indoors, terrible lighting, dusty, chins wiggling all over, reflective colors (certain strains of ebony, violet and Blue Diamond are shiny & reflective) two people and only four hands. What a party!

Anyhow, I do like the eye in the photo. The first eye crop does not follow the rule of thirds. Last photo does.

Go practice! Your dog is lovely and I can't wait to see some eye shots working with the light. )

 

[Dragonflye]

I like taking photos, but am not good at it. I think a good digital photo is part luck, part processing and of course a good amount of skill and technical knowledge.

If photography is what you love, then go for it! Take courses, join clubs, read, and practice, practice, practice. I am enjoying the photos you posted- good compositions and focus.

I say go for it- life is short, follow your dreams.

Here are a few of my better photos:

 

[Mandy]

Sounds like it would be a cool job. (=
Ever heard of deviantart.com?
Lots of art and photography on there. If you join and post there as well as get to know people..you could probably find some helpful tips on picture taking.

I do mainly horse photos.. but here are just a few of my favorites so far..

 

[Stackie]

I love photography...I took a few classes in college. Here are a few of my B&W photos that were entered into the art show. These were film.

My best advice is: If whatever college you go to offers a photography class, take it. You learn a lot of theory, learn to develop your own film and appreciate it, then learn how to work with digital. My professor was great and teaching things and really gave me a different perspective and an idea of what to look for in what makes a great picture.

 

[Stackie]

Then just some of my random shots.

If you can't tell, I like nature photography.

 

[Annieo]

Very pretty everyone!!

 

[addictedtochins]

Great pictures everyone!

 

[Ronda]

Even Ronda has gotten better (ssshhhh!) by just taking hundreds of photos of chins.

I heard that and guess what - I still don't like taking pictures!!!

 

[dayofhope]

@caiti: these were all taken with a digital camera. It's dead now, I need to start looking for a new camera lol. I've never had a non-digital, but I /might/ be able to get one.. maybe lol. By focus on the foreground, do you mean to blur the background? I'm just asking because I thought the 3rd and 4th background were blurred.?

I recommend studying the laws of photography - the first you are missing and it may just be an inexperience at cropping, but it is called the rule of thirds. Your target should take up and exist in 1/3 of the photo. The second is that you are working against the light in all but the dog's eye photo.
---I've done a little bit with rule of thirds (I need to research more on it, obviously). The only thing I learned was to put what was supposed to be eye-catching where the lines meet. Never heard about the subject taking up 1/3 of the photo.. hmm , guess I need to learn more

Thanks so much for the feedback. I'll post a few more of mine. Sorry if they still have the same problems as the other ones, I haven't taken any new ones with your advice. Stackie, I have a bleeding heart flower too.. they're my favorite flower <3 the bee picture isn't that great, but I like how the colors are all similar.. I just wish that piece of grass wasn't there in the flower lol

Spoof- the flower turned out really nice! and your chins are cute
Dragonflye- your kitty is beautiful. I'm not sure what the middle picture is, but it's pretty neat!
Mandy- I might join deviantart your horse is cute, I have a buckskin
Stackie- I'll definitely see about the college class. Probably not as a major but ya. I really like your 4th B&W pic, it's very tranquil

Again, thanks for the feedback! Keep posting your photos, they're great so far! :useless:
I'll probably post more later.~~

 

[caiti]

@caiti: these were all taken with a digital camera. It's dead now, I need to start looking for a new camera lol. I've never had a non-digital, but I /might/ be able to get one.. maybe lol. By focus on the foreground, do you mean to blur the background? I'm just asking because I thought the 3rd and 4th background were blurred.?

I mean your subject is always in front of you--you do close ups. Not that that's bad at all, I'm just saying if you take different styles of pictures you can see what looks good to you and it usually helps me to try different things. I found some old pictures from my photo days. And because I'm a crazy cat lady, most are of cats.

1) I must have taken this when I was about 12. I have no idea what the blurs are, but I always thought they looked cool.

3) Everyone thinks my cat is trying to kill me in this picture but she's just mid-chew on a plant.

 

[dayofhope]

I mean your subject is always in front of you--you do close ups. Not that that's bad at all, I'm just saying if you take different styles of pictures you can see what looks good to you and it usually helps me to try different things.

Ohh, okay, I see what you mean. I actually do non close ups too, it's just close up are usually safer for like online stuff. I'll try to find some non close ups to show.

Hahah, it does look like your cat is about to kill you. I've never seen a cat that's white with a tiny black like that, it almost looks like really high eyebrows lol. The tree picture is my favorite, nice contrast between black and white.

 

[cintistatern2005]

What types/brand of cameras do you all recommend or use? I am looking to buy a new one!!

 

[Kassilik]

I love photography too, I'm not great at it and I don't have the greatest camera but I still enjoy it. I like your pictures, especially the dragonfly one. I don't really have much advice to give other than what's already been said, but here's some of my pictures.

 

[dayofhope]

What types/brand of cameras do you all recommend or use? I am looking to buy a new one!!

I second this! I need a new one, mine is broken. :L

Kassilik- the teddy bear picture is my favorite And the lace one is neat , too ~~

 

[mishellyshel]

i think whenever you have passion about something, you are going to succeed.

i agree with Stack, if you get to college and they have courses defintiely take them.

the key to being a good photographer is having a good camera that you know how to use and having a good eye for the unusual. the best thing about digital is you can just keep taking picture after picture and keep all the good ones!

 

[Stackie]

I love any Canon DSLR. I used a Canon Rebel in college.

 

[dayofhope]

I'm definitely keeping my good ones. I just found an old camera lying around, so now I have one again. (thank goodness!) It's not the best one ever, only like 6megapixels, but it'll do for now. I might be able to get one for my birthday in a few months, we'll see.

I've heard good things about Canon DSLR, and Rebels. I haven't really researched anything out yet about what camera would be best for me, but prolly will be soon.~~ Thanks for the suggestion.

Anyway, there will prolly be new picts up soon, with the new camera! Keep posting yours too!

 

[Spoof]

Glad to hear you found another camera!

Here's a range of unedited photos from 2003 until last winter. Cameras were; Canon digital Elf (2003, crushed by my horse in 2007) & Fujifilm finepix (2007).

I'm usually on a horse taking these so have never carried a large camera. I think that anyone can take great shots, even with a little old point and shoot. )