Learning to do things differently?

Partly maybe cos I mainly shoot landscapes and cityscapes I have most often relied on my tripod and stop the lens down and shoot at base ISO and got into the habit even at summer 12PM at times even overseas for that matter. Myself as an amateur, so I have been thinking what a pro would do. I could maybe use tripod or the slower approach when I set out to shoot specific items like a personal project or assignment but other times I can shoot it quickly and move on and enjoy the non photography aspects more as well. Sometimes I go somewhere and apart from the photography I felt I didn't get so much that travel experience.

 

Some pro's say; they just get the job done to the intended audience and with dust spotting I have heard they say if the output isn't large they may do so at great magnifications.

 

Over time with the virus, I have been looking at my older travel photos from 2004 and posting them online. Despite the well dated camera they were fine to that audience. Even for myself it's not like I am printing posters often, I think I've printed 1x A0 size in my life. It was also for a work colleague with my NIkon D70 6MP and it seemed to went down well.

 

 

Views? Cheers.

. . . Myself as an amateur, so I have been thinking what a pro would do. . . .

 

A professional photographer would (should) be outcome focussed and in addressing the needs of the client adapt his/her approach to suit the required outcomes: that requires flexibility.

 

That said, I expect that nearly all professional photographers are even more flexible today, than previously: I know many who are taking any job and all jobs on offer, mostly all without their normal shooting genre. One excellent (also successful) Landscape and Travel Photojournalist colleague is shooting stills on movie sets - doing so pays the bills.

 

Might be different in other places the world over, but here, it's pretty tight and pro work has only slim pickings, even for the best.

 

WW

Occasionally I get obsessed with the IQ. Like if it is low light with a group shot of friends or even if it was a cultural festival happening outside, such as a dance or performance. I try to get it when they are not moving as much so I can reduce the ISO a bit more stop the lens down hahah. At the end of it, the clients (my family and friends) wouldn't even know the difference.

Pros and Amateurs are different in their goals. The Pros need to earn a living that is how to make the most money with the least effort. If he has to sweat so be it, it's a job but if he doesn't why would he? The amateurs pay to do the hobby. The goals is to have fun. If taking time doing photography give you fun so do it. If you think it takes away your fun on trip so don't do it. You can take a trip without doing any photography and I think it's fine. Don't do what is not fun. You're are the amateur. Fun is your goal. You're paying to have it.

70-80%

...and I've been happy with 4%!

Photography and, in my case, audio recording and videography involves a continual learning process. In the past year, my business took a strong tilt toward live streaming with multiple cameras. As always, you must be aware of what the customer wants, and pay attention to the quality of your work. With more equipment than before, you must also strive toward efficiency from load-in to strike, as well as during the event itself. Every situation is different, and you must deal with availability of power, and often difficult access to the internet. Hey! If there weren't any problems, there wouldn't be any solutions.

In my experience, not obsessing is the way to go.

Me, too. People are obsessed with obsessing. Photographers seem particularly prone to this, some not ever realizing it doesn’t have to be.

I would second that amateurs spend way too much time obsessing about equipment and infinitesimal "quality" gains. Equipment obsessions and pixel peeping taken to extremes are displacement activities from actually taking photographs.

I would second that amateurs spend way too much time obsessing about equipment and infinitesimal "quality" gains. Equipment obsessions and pixel peeping taken to extremes are displacement activities from actually taking photographs.

That's OK to me that they do if that bring them fun. Fun is all that counts for an amateur.

That's OK to me that they do if that bring them fun. Fun is all that counts for an amateur.

Sitting at a bar drinking night after night can seem like fun, too, until the realization comes that it’s a bad habit and you’re an alcoholic. Fun is, by no means, all that counts … unless you’re a hedonist.

I wasn't talking about fun, I was talking about photography which is not quite the same thing. Does pixel peeping seriously count as fun?

Amateur doing photography for fun. So it's the fun that counts.

Amateur doing photography for fun. So it's the fun that counts.

Did you read the OP? Raymond is an amateur who’s at least considering how pros photograph. He, unless I missed it, didn’t mention fun. I know many amateur photographers and artists who would recoil at the superficial notion that it’s all about fun. For many amateurs, it’s about passion, challenge, self expression, documenting the world, and sometimes it’s not fun at all, when it gets serious, when it’s a bit dangerous, or when it brings up or causes emotions that aren’t necessarily easy to deal with.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying amateur photography isn’t fun. I’m saying that, often, a lot more than the fun is at play and counts. The expressive part, the passionate part, the serious part can also be fun, but it all counts and sometimes the fun is the least important part, if there’s any at all.

I have fun when I can get out and capture something that I find interesting or unique. I like to try new perspectives from the inspiration I get at PN. Then I thoroughly enjoy post processing when I can learn new tricks. I'm an amateur and I always have fun.

OP, sounds like you got regrets for working too hard and not enjoying yourself on trips. If you are lucky and produce masterpieces with little effort and can enjoy the trips...great. But that is not me. If the trip is about shooting, that is how my time is consumed. It is work and not really enjoyable. But no one says you have to enjoy yourself or work to a certain degree unless you are being paid. And with me I'm not even being paid, it is just work I put on myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can tell you one thing OP. I'm the best in the world with 180 circular fisheye street photography and infrared flash candid photography. With 180 fisheye people usually shoot it as an afterthought. If you want to produce museum quality work with the 180 you must shoot it as your first, foremost and only thought. You decide how hard or easy you want to work OP.

 

Good luck figuring it out!

Edited July 29, 2021 by invisibleflash