An approach to improving skills while 'making someones day'.

[tank_nz]

I’m new to photography (very new) – but its something I’m getting a huge amount of enjoyment out of.

From reading this site – I learnt the importance of taking my camera with me everywhere. It’s great – I’m capturing a ton of memories and my photography and post production is getting better (although its still rubbish – its better than where I started).

I was talking to a friend and he commented he works so much harder on his pics if they are for someone else than if he is photographing for himself.

So I decided to try something. I took the camera to our local beach (we walk there most days), and its full of people walking their dogs. Most people stop and chat while the dogs play together and its generally a nice social place to be.

I have started taking the camera and getting shots of peoples dogs. When I’m finished I say to the person we are chatting with – if I have some nice pics – would you like me to email them to you?

People are unanimously positive about it.

I go home, select the best images of the ones I have taken and touch them up. Knowing that someone is going to be the recipient of the pics – I find myself putting in more effort than I do for ‘my own’ work.

The result – its awesome. I’m finding that my photography skills are improving far faster, and that I’m gaining confidence. I also find that I’m looking for opportunities to take pics. But there is a real positive 'kick' from the occasions that someone takes the time to email me back – its so easy to under estimate just how much enjoyment people can get from receiving the photos and how much they appreciate it.

I have attached some from over the weekend (and yes - I know I chopped off the feet in one ggrrrrrrr) - but the lady I emailed them to was so happy to receive them.


Note: This works in many situations - but there are situations where it wont - so please if you decide to use this approach - remember there are things that shouldn't ever be photographed - Nobody is going to appreciate photographs being taken of their children etc.

[Nathan deGargoyle]

Great idea Tank. How about a slight variant. You send them a 750x500 to look at/keep for free and an offer to send a print for NZ$xxx?

[Chip]

Great idea, and good for you for doing it. My sense is that after you become known and accepted in that community, those folks will be comfortable with you and will ask you to make photos of more varied subjects.