When did you 'get it'?

[Joezilla]

Alright, I am at my wits end. I have been an 'amateur' photographer for some time. I use amateur loosely because I classify that as I like making images, and I bought a good SLR to help me do so. Yet for all the years of reading, practicing, studying, and basically spending money I dont have, I still take what I consider 'snapshots'. I am not happy with this. I can do better. I know I can, I am just missing something.

Go back and look at the results from the Red, white, and blue II contest for a moment. I will wait...

...


Ok, two images were mine. The opening stained glass shot was taken by me, and the 76mm cannon on my ship with the 'battle ensign' is also mine, which I believe ranked 4th or 5th. Not bad, not bad at all. But did you see the shots of the marbles? Those were 'wow!' inspiring and I think I voted them either 9 or 10.

So enough of the rambling, and on with the discussion topic. At what point did your pictures go from everyday snapshots to "wow!" shots. Did it just happen, or is it something you can put your finger on? Can you describe what makes the shot spectacular, or do you feel it? At this point in my amateur photograper life I feel like I am forcing my images far too much. I know the Great photographers take hundreds of images a day and usually keep 2 or 3 at best. But they also know what causes those 2 or 3 keepers, and I think I am missing that.

So for one, am I making any sense, and two can anyone help a frustrated photographer break thru?!?

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Joe

[Dave]

Amateurs enjoy their hobby, professionals get paid for their hobby ....

"Another new amateur in the making"

Watching the official photographer "at work" during my sons wedding was interesting, he worked really hard not just for the posed shots but for all the "snapshots" too. I can't wait to see the results of his labors.

[Scott]

I can't speak from a photography standpoint, but from other artwork.. everything I do always looks like shit to me. I constantly see different things I can improve or change. I constantly learn new methods and think to myself "Damn, I wish i knew that when I did this piece."

In short, there still has never been a point where I feel my work is "professional" because I ALWAYS see flaws. There simply came a point where I didn't argue with others any longer about my work. They liked it so I took it at their word. There are very very very few pieces I can look back on and say to myself "That's good work."

And for me, the difference between amateur and professional is being able to do it at the drop of a hat at any time. Amateurs need to "feel like" creating something. professional can create something even if they aren't in the mood to do so. Money always comes later.

[jimt]

Jo, i'm not much of a photographer, but i am an artist..believe it or not, the "marbles" were shot with a 2mp camera..i experiment a lot with macros using small objects, colored mylar under and over lighting ..try backlit and under lit, flash partially covered and even flashlights..outside shots are better in the evening for richer colors..lighting is everything in photography..take your snapshots and make them more interesting like the shot below..Jim

[Newby]

You know JZ, I don't know if you'll ever get away from that "wow" factor. I'm starting to shoot more and more on a pro level and I still see shots all the time that make me go wow. I guess the first time I thought I had made the WOW factor was when the photgrapher I work for came up to me and said "that is an amazing shot", but then he showed me his and all the happy vibes went out of the water becuae his absolutely rocked.

So I guess each time you take a step up in photography (amateur, semi-pro, or pro) you'll always find that the next level has a new wow factor.

So do get dicouraged and keep shooting. Like Scott said pros make the best of it now matter what moos there in. I went out and did a portrait shoot the other day and I didn't even want to go, but once I got there I decided to cut loose with some new flash techniques that I was working on and the shots came out great.

So keep shooting, shoot even if you don't want to. Look for opportunites to go photograph peopele, places, and other things that spark your intrest. I was in your spot not too long ago and now I get to travel and shoot with pro photogs 3 months out of the year, and I love ever minute of it.

As for shooting in mass and only keeping a few, that couldn't be farther from the truth. The guy I work for has a 90%+ keeper rate, and I'm hovering around 85% and we shoot 2000 to 6000 shots in a day.

So to drive the point home CHIN UP AND KEEP SHOOTING

[Happy]

Don't let the frustration keep you from enjoying taking photographs. I may wear the rose-colored glasses too often but I feel every shot has its own 'wow' factor. Some may see it - some may not.

When I saw your entry 'Flag at Sea' I did say wow. There were goosebumps. It is a fabulous documentary shot. It gave a glimpse of life at sea. There are so many unspoken words within that photograph. I saw pride.

Some good advise I've read was "Shoot, shoot, shoot!" and "Persevere". It may sound obvious but it seems to be advice that works. The best advice I could offer is take the photographs to please yourself not others and most of the time everything will fall into place. Don't forget to have fun.

[Scott]

Joe from a contest standpoint, you may do a great deal better if you upload images no bigger than 1000pixel wide. I noticed your flag entry was over 3000 pixels in width. There's a great deal of compression that occurs when you take a 3000 pixel image and reduce it to 500 pixels.

[Joezilla]

[QUOTE=Scott]Joe from a contest standpoint, you may do a great deal better if you upload images no bigger than 1000pixel wide. I noticed your flag entry was over 3000 pixels in width. There's a great deal of compression that occurs when you take a 3000 pixel image and reduce it to 500 pixels.[/QUOTE]

Yeah that was my bad. I was still out to sea and had to prep it with little to no time to send. At home I am much more disciplined.

Thank you for all the encouragement. I may have been a tad misleading. I dont want to be a professional...yet. I still have 8 years in the Navy before I can retire, and lets face it. This is the best way for someone like me to get out and take photos. I was in Denmark and Germany last month, and I am writing this off the coast of Columbia. I definitely do not have trouble finding things to shoot. And when I do retire, my plan is to sit on the beach somewhere (hopefully Charleston, SC) and sell poster sized shots to tourists of the ocean. Sunrise, sunset, storms. Whatever. Just enough to fund the habit.

What I am referring to is when you see a picture and it makes you stop and look again. Say you go to a friends house and see ain image on the wall that makes you stop and ask "where was this taken?". To me, that is the "wow" I am, striving for. I just want to grab you attention, if only for the moment. Right now my shots are more like the slide shows your neighbors force you to sit thru.

And yes, I am my worst critic. But that is how we improve, right? If I ever said that is the best shot I will ever take, then why would I want to take more? So yes, I complain. But I have taken some memorable shots, but they were luck and nothing more. Perhaps that is why they stand out. I did not spend hours trekking over land and sea, setting everything up, or tweaking that last setting. I just shot, and it came out better than expected.

Perhaps I should take my own advice and simply...shoot.