Re: How can I improve my shoots?


"Atheist Chaplain" <abused@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"whisky-dave" <whisky-dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Atheist Chaplain" <abused@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Chris Malcolm" <cam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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I, like you also found Flickr to be useful in improving my meager
photographic skills,

How does flickr improve your skills I though it was just a place to show
photos.


because as some have said, there are people who will help by pointing out
ways to improve your shots, self assessment generally doesn't work all
that often.

The thing is I've never thought of flickr as a place to improve my photos.
I was a memeber of a photographic club where pictures were judged
by someone that was meant to know more about photgraphy than those
entering their pictures to be judged.
I had one picture that was entered in to the at the North London exibition
of
pictoral photography, I didn't learn a thing from that, no one commented
on the picture.
I wasn;t aware peolpe expected such things from flickr, I always assumed the
comment
were only meant to be "nice *** how old is he" and those sort of comments
rather than, well you cleary shoudn;t have used a P&S but used a 50MP DSLR
if yuo reallt want the best picture of your cat.
I dount there's many pictures taken that could be better taken by someone
else.
As an example
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiskydave/3494607458/

Yes I know I should have cleared up, the backgrounds a little distracting.
I cut the top of the computer off, I should have waited until he turned
around.
it could have been framed better, the wires look a bit untidy.




but my point still remains (however you try justify yours) flickr had a
cadre of arselickers, and they grow in number every day, that's why I
left and went to Smugmug,

I didn;t want some of my more private photos diplayed on flickr so
I set up my own website.
I use flickr to display photos in a similar way some use exibition halls.


Funnily enough Smugmug allows you to set up private folders, and again
anyone can set up a photo web site but how is that going to help improve
your skills, or are you already "Ansel Adams" in your own mind :-)

Well I'd set up a site and ask for specified critasiscim rather than saying
my ***
looks a bit scriffy, I'd state that I'd like comments of improving my
photography
rather than the choice of cat or computer.
For me and those I know flickr is like a photo album you get out when
friends come over
rather than a portfolio you take to an employer for a job interview.




if I post a mediocre photo,
Why would you want to,


because sometimes you don't know its mediocre unless you show it to
others, honest criticism is one of the fastest ways to learn what other
people like and where you might have gone wrong.

I agree with that and if I want that I prefer to ask people that know about
that sort of thing.
If you look at flickr it's about sharing photos between friends/family.


not have some self serving praise junkie try and blow smoke up my arse.
If they see something good in it then why does that worry you.

It doesn't, but there are some who will put a positive comment expecting
you to return the favour, even though you suspect its not exactly the
greatest shot.

But some like things I don't and vica versa, I put a picture of a squirrel
on flickr, because it was fun to take, there I was walking along
on my way to work and there it was on a wall, so I just got my camera out of
my pocket
and shot a couple of pictures. I wasn;t aim to take the best picture ever of
a squirrel.
I know perhaps the backgroud couple have been more out of focus and the Sq.
a bit sharper, I should have perhaps lowered the ISO.
I wasn;t really interesed in hearing how bad it is compared to a pro in a
with £1000s worth of equipment and how they'd done it better.
Even if I did have a DSLR I wouldn;t carry it to work every day in my inside
pocket.
If I really wanted this to be seen as the best possible picture of a
squirrel ever taken
I would expect some pretty harsh criticism but I'm not really interested in
that.
But maybe I do know what you mean when I see all though blurry pictures
of a couples new born baby, I might be thinking that's an ugly brat, I'm
glad
it's a bit oput of focus and tehy really shouldnt; have taken it with snot
falling from it's nose.




I don;t see much of any talent in Picassos paintings and I wouldn't piss
on them
if they were on fire, but some seem to think they are great and actually
worth more

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but honest peer praise is worth more
Which is why I find it amusing that some of the impressionist painters have
been
so praised for paintings the way they captured the light etc... but now we
find it's because
they had blurred vision due to poor eye sight rather than an imaginative
skill.


than the picture of the tennis player scratching her arse.


At east when someone takes the time to comment in
Smugmug I get told if its a good photo and why, I also get told if it
sucks, and why.
Well that's because you are after self satisfaction, your primary reason
for posting
is to find out what people think of your photos.

Exactly, I like to know what people honestly think and if there is some
way to make it a better shot.

I might consider joining such a thing if/when I have that sort of thing in
mind,
but for me flickr isn't for that.
If someone says my cat picture is great I don't see that as a tecnical
compliment
but do see it as a compliment for captuing the picture of my cat as he was
at the time
rather than polishiong him up for some cat show.




My primary reason for showing photos is so that other people might get
some
pleasure in viewing them.

Exactly, but what's the point if you think your posting the next ceiling
of the Sistine Chapel yet everyone else thinks it belongs in the cistern.

I'm not trying to sell them, although offers may be accepted.


The end for me was when I posted a particularly lifeless photo as an
experiment and was told by the praise junkies how wonderful it was,

So, I'm sure the Spice girls or any number of boy bands are told what
wonder singers they are or how talented they are, do I care,

you obviously care enough to comment :-)

well when I'm told a band is classed as better if they sell more, then I'm
sure that
upsets proper musicians. Same must go for pictures too.


I'd personally would have compared the Times to a tabliod.
if I want to see good photographs of sporting events I wouldn't buy the
Times

I have not encountered any of the groups where there was any such rule
as you have to praise every (insert X number) for every shot you
uploaded so I bow to your obvious experience there,

There's no groups where you have to praise anyone, what there are is
groups were
you have to comment on one and post one and other variations.
It's a comment and post not a paraise and post.
Maybe you have a reading comprehension issue or is it a visual
comprehension issue ;-)

I didnt bring that up in the first place, it was Chris Malcolm that
mentioned those types of groups, see my comprehension is fine thanks,
though my eyesight is not improving with age so there might just be
something in that.

I guess it comes to us all, but at least with IS out shaking hands are less
of an issue.
Which is another interesting point if a photographer has shaky hands then
his photos
are likely to be blurry unless he uses a 'good' camera with a good IS.
system,
but how does that reflect on the photgrapher is he better or just better
equiped.



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