what is your greatest weakness as a photogrpaher?

[Spearhead]

<i>I've lost almost all interest in photography for its own sake. I find it very hard, nearly impossible, to just go out and shoot random stuff anymore. If there's something else I'm interested in, I greatly enjoy applying what I know to photograph it</i><P>

 

I don't think this is a bad thing, it may even be a maturing process in the way you approach photography. There are far too many photographs (you know, the sunsets, the flowers, the colorful store display) that are taken, often quite well, but convey nothing. Far better to photograph what you care about, especially if you care about it passionately, than to photograph whatever for whatever's sake.

[spanky]

I'm still having trouble with focusing. First it was the Bettie screen that didn't sit quite right in my RZ (my Mamiya guy told me these screens for some reason have this problem). So back in goes the factory screen and now everything is sharp except for those few shots that I have to shoot fast and my focus sometimes is off a little.

 

I also need more time but then again don't we all. I'm always running behind with my developing and printing. There's only so much time that I can get into school to print. I keep rolls I'm printing from in a seperate binder labeled W.I.P. This binder just keeps getting more and more rolls in it that I doubt I'll ever really catch up.

[bobatkins]

Finding stuff. Boxes of negatives and slides, mostly "cataloged" by memory (Hmm..I think it's in on one of those green boxes...), CDs, DVDs and hard drives with images that are getting harder and harder to find.

 

And, of course, spending too much time here and not enough actually taking pictures. Without regular practice, your skills decline.

[whinterberger]

I find it hard to leave things out. Hard to find the essence of a shot , to simplify it.... Less is more ... less is more ... less is more ... hare ... hare ... ( No offence intended ).

[Wayne Melia]

Oh God this is so intimidating Guilty of most ALL the sins mentioned above, (can't even decide which is worse). Hopefully, step by step, this can proceed from an exercise in self-flagellation, to an exercise in improvement.<br>Thank you Ellis for posting this thread which may help us focus on specifics to improve.<br>Thanks also to the comment by Jeff (Jeff Spirer , May 19, 2007; 12:30 a.m) to add perspective to the discussion.<br>If I had to isolate my own it would probably be that I spend too long between shooting sessions. (I believe there was a quote from Annie L. that "I have to shoot at least a roll a day to keep my eye in").<br>I don't. I often find that once I have been shooting for some time, that I start seeing better.

[younes]

Reading this thread is like reading the medical dictionary..`"if you read it, you have it syndrome". The more I read it, the more appalled I got about my own photography. On the other hand, it's comforting for beginners like me to see that even established photographers still struggle some of those same issues (sorry, a bit selfish here, but hey, can't be perfect :-D).

[geoff_foale]

Failure to get horizons level. A lot of my photography is from moving boats - but I am getting better by taking that fraction of a second extra to think about it.

 

Chief problem is a weakness of the wallet which causes an over reliance on secondhand and budget priced equipment. I was born poor - and I still have most of it.

[sketch_tbhotmail.com]

I find I don't make the effort to go to places that I'd really like to photograph due to the price of gas or the time of day. It also takes me a while after I get to where I'm going before I start to really think about compositions...

[petewelsh]

Marc Todd... I have trouble focusing too but i am down to 2 bottles a day now :))

[tklim]

I seem to be unable to concentrate on a concrete topic or even range of topics... I shoot too many different subjects to become really good at one.

 

Interesting!... As regards my transition to digital, I could honestly post the same observations Mr. Conrad Hoffman posted here.

[petewelsh]

Ryan Try paying UK prices for fuel .. At around $8 a gallon it works out harder for us guys .. :)

[steve_levine]

My inability to compete in my field with the current flood of competition. My marketing strategy was working fine untill '03 or so. It was then the calls, and bookings tapered off.

 

 

Now it seems the only way to find jobs is to shoot price. And if I have to do that, I'm wasting my time and talent. My solution is to change fields. I will still book the occasional wedding, but meanwhile I have found something many times more lucrative and rewarding than shooting weddings.

[nancy s.]

So, Steve, that means you will be paying me the money you owe me?

 

..and I thought all those "I want to hire you to photographer wedding in California, Price is not object" letters were from Nigeria.....

 

Seriously, the greatest weakness in my photography has been to not believe in myself. Doing that one simple thing has opened up more doors that any other single thing I could improve on.

[Alan Johnson]

I do landscape photography. What is this "Dawn"?

[jautey]

Everything that happens after I press the shutter. Not because I'm not good at it, but becuase I find it so Mind numbingly boring that I am too easily distracted.

[mike_stemberg]

Getting 'out there' (wherever) in the first place....

[gman]

I don't always use a tripod...when it is needed!

[Ed_Ingold]

Focusing my attention on gear and technique instead of the next most important thing, whatever that is |-)