!st winter shoot for me thought this one was nice comments

 

<p >My dear Javier,</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Apologies if I have offended you.</p>

<p >You are a Pentax forum famous identity. I thought the call out was reasonable and that you would take it as a compliment. In the time you have posted on photonet your pictures have improved to the point where some of them are outstanding examples of street photography. Your slide shows on youtube are great with some images that are on a par with other famous street photographers. And yes I have watched all of your recent slide shows. The handshake thing was a reference to your delight in shooting film with old cameras. It is a pity my reference to you was not understood. There was certainly no attack intended.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Relax and be well.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >John</p>

<p><strong><em>What the...?!</em> </strong> Jordan asks for--and gets--free critique and advice from experienced photographers: chaos ensues.</p>

<p>Most puzzling statement:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"No one around here really wants to help you advance, its like you are taking their job or something."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It seems to me you've gotten a lot to work with here, Jordan. I can imagine it'll take some time-- and a lot of experimentation--to sort out this deluge of feed-back but, yeah, ultimately, becoming a better photographer is something you're going to have to do "on your own."</p>

<p>John, Apology accepted and I apologize for taking it wrong.<br>

Javier</p>

<p>didn't mean to cause any UFC bouts, just trying to position myself. And what I mean is that it has been 1 year since I picked up my first camera that I can say I truly shot on a consistant basis, and I post and I post and get some good feedback but the majority is negative. I have people always saying read, read, read, I am one who can read but it takes me forever to comprehend, now show me or say here it is 1,2,3 then I get it. I am one that can see it and do it, that is why I have not picked up a manual because if I did I would never get to shoot due to reading the same thing over and over and over, so when I post a pic I look to build off the positive and then if it is to soft I would try to explain my method and then be corrected i.e. I shot the pic at f2.8 why is everything soft. and lets say its a picture of a boat in the harbor, I would expect some one to say that picture is well composed but if you wanted the entire harbor in focus then shoot a f8 or f9. Now in doing this you might have to decrease shutter speed also along with blah blah blah. thats what I look for. I know its there I know what I have to do but when I get on to doing something my mind moves at 100 miles an hour. I have my won business and have had partners in the past and they would always get mad due to when we would set down to do monthly bills, revenue, etc I would set the in my head and do the math and get answers quicker than they could using calculators, never under stood it but it hurts me in things like this because every little thing matters and I usually end up forgetting 1 or 2 things that should have been done. I am a short in order type person, do this this and this and it will help get you to this. sorry if this upsets anyone, I was on Nikon when I started and when looking for a new DSLR and one reason I liked this forum is the people that are on here, they were helpful in helping me pick a new camera. anyways sorry to cause such headaches for people. </p><div></div>

<p>now when I saved this as a jpeg it brightened everything up, it did not look like this when I saved it, colors and tones were richer, contrast was better, why is this when you save as a jpeg, when saved as a PSD it does not do it</p>

<p>Jordan,<br /> <br /> I appreciate your followup comments. Here are my thoughts.<br /> <br /> No need to apologize for causing any hissy fits here. You haven't. Any slightly bothersome words were offered by other people in what I feel was a spirit of goodwill, and they had little to do with your images or your words.<br /> <br /> It may be smart for you to totally re-think your expectations about the amount and type of feedback you expect on this site and others like it. Dave Hollander’s comments just above are right on the money.<br /> <br /> None of the comments about your shots here have been negative--truly negative feedback would say “this shot sucks,” and leave it at that. All the comments about your shots in this thread have been either constructive or outright positive. If you want to hear only flowery compliments, I suggest you post on Flickr--it’s a regular sugarfest there--every time I leave a Flickr site I end up with two cavities in my mouth. But like cotton candy, one gets an empty feeling a short time after filling up, and you deny yourself what you really need.<br /> <br /> The comments you’ve received are constructive--this part of your image should be better and here’s why. This is a gift. None of us are paid to spend time writing anything for your benefit. Let’s say it takes about 7 minutes to read this whole thread, multiply that by a factor of ten to approximate the amount of time people have given you. I’ve been active in online critique forums for many years, and I’ve rarely seen as many helpful words from so many people as you have received. In most forums by now, one or two posters would have turned sarcastic or just nasty on you. <br /> <br /> Additionally many of the comments go way beyond the image fix to the reality of you needing to improve your basic skills. You may not want to hear this, but it’s true. We’ve been there; you’ve used a camera for a year.<br /> <br /> You’ve posted how reading is not the best learning method for you, and I’ve tried to respect that. But realize, this is a forum and words are our primary ways to communicate details--especially details about pictures. You are the one who requested feedback and for the fee, this thread is the most respectful feedback you are going to get. Do you think you are owed anything more?<br /> <br /> Finally, could you please indulge my own curiosity here: are you using your real name?<br /> <br /> ME</p>

<blockquote>

<p>now when I saved this as a jpeg it brightened everything up, it did not look like this when I saved it, colors and tones were richer, contrast was better, why is this when you save as a jpeg, when saved as a PSD it does not do it</p>

</blockquote>

<p>What tools are you using to save the jpeg? In Photoshop are you using Save for Web or are you doing a straight save as. Is your monitor calibrated with a hardware tool?</p>

<p>The image example you posted above was saved to the AdobeRGB colorspace--a mistake for the web. Use SRGB, but calibrate and profile your monitor. These are elements of a whole color management approach to post processing. It get complicated fast. I suggest searching for online videos about color management.</p>

<p>ME</p>

<p>Jordan,<br>

No wonder you are frustrated. You are a <strong><em>kinesthetic learner</em></strong>. You will never learn much from us no matter what we do or say. You don't learn from books at all. You have to touch it, feel it and do it in order to learn. Learning games were probably your thing. You totally came to the wrong place (sorry to say). You are posing questions in a medium that doesn't work for you at all and then we answer back in what amounts to a book form. Your eyes probably glaze over after a few sentances. You need a mentor, instructor or a camera club in order to ask questions and exchange ideas.<br>

Is there a community college or adult education center near you or in a nearby town? Check with the photo stores and ask if there is a camera club. Do you have a local fair that shows photography exhibits? If so, contact the fairgrounds and ask them about the camera club. Lastly, check the local library. Also, ask the photo store if they conduct seminars (many do).<br>

By the way, no shame in this. A LOT of people are kinesthetic learners...some more than others. It's just one of several learning styles.<br>

Good Luck,<br>

Mel</p>

 

<p>Jordan,<br>

You may be smarter in math than others ... <em>"I would set the [answer] in my head and do the math and get answers quicker than they could using calculators, never under stood it..."</em> Your mind understands the larger patterns in the mathematical info and you know math well enough to demonstrate what you see. It's a gift.<br>

<em>but it hurts me in things like this because every little thing matters and I usually end up forgetting 1 or 2 things that should have been done.</em><br>

Atul Gawande, a brilliant surgeon and writer, has written a book called "the Checklist". He has found that checklists solve the problem that you have just stated, in everything from surgery to putting up large skyscraper buildings, anything where there is too much info to keep track of, all at once, at high speed. A few months ago, I wrote down an acronym WAIFSS on a card that I carry. Since I have no memory :-), I also spelled it out for myself:<br>

W- white balance<br>

A - aperture<br>

I - ISO<br>

F - f-stop<br>

S - shutter speed<br>

S - shooting mode</p>

<p>In the days of manual cameras and film, your ISO was set by the film, you set the aperture on the lens (which made it intuitive - how wide open is your eye ), shutter speed was set by a separate knob. This all became automatic and as Mel said, kinaesthetiic and actually proprioceptive, meaning that you remembered the feel of the aperture ring on the lens and turning it, you could see f-stops on the ring; the feel of the shutter speed dial and how far it should turn and you could see the speeds above and below.<br>

Now it's all menus and you have to keep it all in your head, plus white balance and what the modes do, etc, etc, etc. Thus, a checklist, so you don't forget.<br>

Scott Kelby has a series of three paperback books called The Digital Photography Book 1, 2 and 3. He give recipes for many different kinds of shots including portraits, 1 recipe per page and the pages are not full size. Each page includes a picture of the result or the setup. Book 1 includes portraits, indoors and outdoors. By the way, in Book 2, he mentions a checklist for camera settings that he uses and why (because he forgot to reset for the pictures he was taking) - you'll make your own, for portraits - Hmm, that sounds like a good idea - for me.<br>

Forget about me banging my head on the keyboard (sorry about that). I (we?) assumed you were taking your portraits in a certain way and I was wrong. One shouldn't assume.<br>

Read with your camera in your hand and something to shoot at to see the results immediately.<br>

I hope this helps<br>

PS - I just added 2 more items to my checklist - focus point and meter mode - screws up my acronym a little but we sacrifice for our art, right?<br>

W- white balance<br>

A - aperture<br>

I - ISO<br>

F - f-stop<br>

F- focus point - center, off side, locked?<br>

S - shutter speed<br>

S - shooting mode<br>

+ Meter mode - multi-area, center-weighted, spot<br>

You wonder why you forget? How could you not?</p>

<p>Howard, that's a good point. Usually I make acronyms when something I need to remember something. The bad part is that my acronyms are usually funny, and I forget what I needed to remember. Like the lines on a staff....<br>

E- Every<br>

G-Good<br>

B-Boy<br>

D-Deserves<br>

F-Fudge</p>

<p>Which worked perfectly through out child hood (even using FACE for spaces....)until college when I had to learn a C-clef for viola too... It greatly complicated things...<br>

F-Fudge<br>

A-For...wait that's an A....<br>

C-can't remember who gets the fudge.... what...<br>

E-Every<br>

G-Good God I can't remember this...<br>

It got to the point where even today I can't remember what it was and I just now had to draw a picture of a staff and count down...which is slightly embarrassing considering that I was a Music Education major....(you can see why I changed my major....)<br>

In any case...</p>

<p>Jordan, it's a great method to remember things if you stick to it. WYSIWYG....hopefully...</p>

<p>I ran across this video from the late Dean Collins who was one of the main instructors at Brooks Institute here in CA. This is circa 1998 and the first 3 minutes are very appropriate. Take a look.<br>

<a href="

<p>Mel</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Good reference, Mel! From the film era too, where digital computer use was just getting going. What he says is still very true. I'd say for Jordan now, and for quite some time to come, how to deal with existing light will be primary, rather than getting into lighting equipment setups.</p>

<p>Jordan, I do try to keep ideas to the point. For one thing, you HAVE made good progress. You ARE producing very good images. "One to leave you with" is a very fine photo. Someone can always nitpick, but I wouldn't change anything.</p>

<p>Secondly, you have learned some things just in this thread. Such as a few ways light meters can be fooled- how and why. And how to deal with such, as with the scene in your shot.</p>

<p>But all the good advice here is just for reference. You cannot expect yourself to perfectly remember each and every point given, as you are engaged in your shooting. Hell, the best of us will sometimes slip and forget to apply what we already know well.... ooops! But then we usually do know what went wrong. Don't forget- the best of us have throw-aways.</p>

<p>The reference for you here is to refer back to, over and over again, as you gain more EXPERIENCE and understanding of what is going on. EXERCISING a shooting principle over and over is what will make it stick with you. It will come with use over time, stay more solidly with you, and will eventually become old hat. You will look at a scene and know about what to expect from the lighting. You will know when it's a good idea to employ spot metering to take light readings. And when to employ spot auto focus, in order to choose where your point of focus will be. You'll know when it's best to employ Manual mode, and when Program mode is perfectly ok. You'll know when employing fill flash, even outdoors in daylight, will be of benefit for the outcome.</p>

<p>And of course, there's aperture use, shutter speed, on and on... gaining skill by doing a lot, over time.</p>

<p>Let me tell you, that you HAVE made progress, and let me also tell you- a year is nothing. It is through all your ooopses, that you will gain understanding, will hone your ability to put this reference information to use, and will become quick to recognize the pitfalls you may be confronting.</p>

<p>When you ask a question about post process of a RAW file, you'll get answers addressing this, with all the complexities that come with this subject. As others have said, I think you should put that aside for now and concentrate on using the tools within your camera. Shooting JPEGs is a lot like shooting slide film. Not very forgiving. Not much latitude for post process fixes, although you can do some to a degree. Exposure has to be accurate, etc. For the time being, just shoot JPEGs, learn the effects of lighting that you will encounter, and how to deal with a VARIETY of subjects, and a VARIETY of situations, and just have fun.</p>

<p>Not every shot will be expected to be memorable. You'll have plenty of throw-aways, but so what. You will become more and more familiar with how to deal with various situations, and will be getting more and more keepers. Relax and enjoy.</p>