Am I Gifted?

[Adel99]

Scootermcq, it's the first time I hear of these stages. I found a high resolution copy of the image… very interesting illustration. Thank you so much; as always, you are very nice and encouraging.

SwissJon, Thank you very much for such a well-stated explanation. I can get those little details between lines, as well as those honest feelings you put in your advices. So, I would like to thank you for that.

Photography is technical, but it's also art.

I believe this is the main point I failed to clarify. I do not think artistically. This is clearest when browsing the Critique sections: a more experienced member always shocks me by their comments on the artistic side, which then becomes very obvious, but I was not going to notice it. Does taking courses help on this? I am really planning to focus on photography courses, since I have not taken any. Thank you again.

Aboiement, thank you.

Adel,

Edit: the other comments were posted while I was writing this one. Thanks for everyone who replied.

[Adel99]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

Everyone sucks when they start out. If you are making the same mistakes over and over, you'll have to analyze your shots and figure out what the mistakes are and how to correct them. If you want outside input, submit some images for critiques. Even reading critiques of other peoples images will help you to analyze why an image works or why it doesn't. Don't just snap away without thinking, hoping to get lucky. Think about each shot. What do you want to convey in it and what settings\composition are best suited to that?

Thank you, really thank you for this. You are right, I should think more carefully about my shots.

[Krusty79]

Originally Posted by Adel99

Thank you, really thank you for this. You are right, I should think more carefully about my shots.

You're welcome. One more thing - it seems like a lot of newbies usually shoot from eye level. I would encourage you to shoot from different perspectives, or at least see how it looks in your viewfinder. Many of my shots are taken a foot or two off the ground. Don't just say, "that's cool, I want to shoot that" and start snapping. Think about the best angle/composition/setting before you shoot.

[brianxlt]

As stated photography is technical and art. Almost any one can take a technically correct image with the right education (how to use the camera, light settings what not) as for the art side of photography I guess you can learn (be taught) some aspects of it, using depth of field, Bouquet even lighting effects, but for the most part the artsy part of photography is something you have or not. A technically correct image of a flower although some would say is art others would say it is nothing more than a very nice picture of a flower. Now the same image with a play on lighting, shadows added elements in the image add the artsy side of it.
If you can take an image of something (say a car) in a way that hasn't been done before or with a bit of different perspective than the average picture taker that is something you are born with.

[Adel99]

Krusty79, I promise I'll take this into consideration. This has been very nice from you, thank you.

brianxlt, you added to the thread a valuable remark, which I highly appreciate. Thank you for participating.

[SwissJon]

You can't learn to be artistic. But you can learn to free yourself from the things that are preventing you from being artistic. One of those things is your own self-consciousness. Stop taking photos to be "as good as someone else" and learn to take photographs to be "as good as i can be". This is what I mean about learning to put yourself into your photographs. You need to learn about yourself. Learn about who you are and learn what you are looking for in photography, learn what kind of things interest you, and struggle to make a niche for yourself..

This is an ongoing process, and if you learn to enjoy it, it really doesn't matter how "good" you are.. Spending some time with yourself, learning to see beyond the camera.. Learning to look at your subject in a way that allows you to put something into your box that pleases you.. That's all part of the journey..

It really is as simple, and as complicated as that. Some people can free the artist inside them easily, others struggle, but so long as you're happy doing what you're doing, and so long as you're always learning, does it really matter where on the learning curve you currently are? There will always be people ahead of you, and people behind you.. Don't worry about it, just be happy.

[Adel99]

SwissJon, what can I say? You are so wise, experienced and clear about what you want to convey.

I understood what you said and hope to put it into practice. Thank you, I now know that it is better for me to personalize my work, and it is necessary for me to enjoy what I do as I learn.

[Tzetsin]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

You can't learn to be artistic. But you can learn to free yourself from the things that are preventing you from being artistic. One of those things is your own self-consciousness. Stop taking photos to be "as good as someone else" and learn to take photographs to be "as good as i can be". This is what I mean about learning to put yourself into your photographs. You need to learn about yourself. Learn about who you are and learn what you are looking for in photography, learn what kind of things interest you, and struggle to make a niche for yourself..

This is an ongoing process, and if you learn to enjoy it, it really doesn't matter how "good" you are.. Spending some time with yourself, learning to see beyond the camera.. Learning to look at your subject in a way that allows you to put something into your box that pleases you.. That's all part of the journey..

It really is as simple, and as complicated as that. Some people can free the artist inside them easily, others struggle, but so long as you're happy doing what you're doing, and so long as you're always learning, does it really matter where on the learning curve you currently are? There will always be people ahead of you, and people behind you.. Don't worry about it, just be happy.

+1

I'll add though that taking an "art" class (not a photography class) and learning things like complementing colors, abstractions and textures (and a lot more) will help you recognize artistic photo opportunities when you come across them. Sure, they'll likely try and teach you painting, drawing an who knows what else, but its not the medium that is important, but the content. So it wont matter if your drawing it, painting it, sculpting it or writing about it, when you can recognize the "artistic" then you can use your chosen field to express it.

I also want to note that not all photography has anything at all to do with "art". Photo journalists eek out a living every day taking "snapshots" of everyday life, and selling them to those who consume these things. Commercial photography is absolutely mired in the "technical". A product shot must be "technically" perfect, not artistic. So writing yourself off as a "photographer" because you aren't "artistic" is like saying you will no longer speak, because you cannot sing.

[Adel99]

Thank you so much, Tzetsin, and sorry for the late reply.