How do I get better?

[michael_barnes5]

<p>I'm a hobbyist, but I love portraits. I'm not an artist by profession and I am outside the art scene. I feel that I can not go very far without guidance....maybe I should submit some photos in the critique section? Or just keep shooting?<br /><br />Haha sorry, I feel like I am having an art crisis. I feel lost because I only receive positive feedback from my family and friends but they are of course my family and friends.</p>

[rick_m.]

<p>You are well on your way just with the attitude you have. </p>

<p>Definately submit your photos for critique. Only pay attention to the critiques which fall into two categories.</p>

<p>1. Those that tell you not just that they like your photo but why they do.</p>

<p>2. Those that tell you that they do not like the photo and specifically how to make it better.</p>

<p>When you look at the portraits on this site and elsewhere really spend time looking at the photo and figuring out how the photographer did it.</p>

<p>Go to strobist if you haven't already and learn everything you can about flash. It is a priceless education. </p>

<p>Take seminars and workshops on portrait.</p>

<p>Find a portrait photographer who you admire and apprentice yourself to her for a time. </p>

<p>If your camera is capable of shooting in black and white do a ton of portraits that way. You will learn tons about light.</p>

<p>Have fun and don't stress. You have all the time in the world. </p>

[danny_low]

<p>The best thing I ever did to improve my photography was to join a photography workshop put on by an instructor at my local community college. Getting good feedback from a good teacher does wonders to improve your photography. I was lucky in that the workshop instructor was first rate.</p>

<p>So I would check your local adult high school classes, community college classes and even the local universities. Some of them may have workshop classes for photographers like the one I took. If you are willing to spend the big bucks, many professional photographers hold workshops. They advertise in the photo magazines such as Popular Photography.</p>

<p>Danny Low</p>

 

[colin carron]

<p>Be your own severest critic. Learn to look critically at your work and ask yourself how you could have improved on it, have you communicated what you wanted to say etc etc.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>All of the above, and more.<br>

Study - workshops, but also books and online courses. Read about creative photography and composition (theories), about techniques. You'll get new ideas and inspiration from reading these things;<br>

Give Critiques - Watch a lot of photos of others, and put into words why you like or dislike them. Writing a critique is not only sharing your opinion, but it is also a great way to rationally put into words what works and does not work for you - and that alone can already give ideas, inspiration or give new insights, plus make you more aware next time you shoot;<br>

Experiment - try things you didn't try before, also break out of the portraits and go shoot landscapes, street or something like it. Just try, not so much for getting great results from the start but to get a feel for different styles and approaches.</p>

<p>Plus .... accept that sometimes development will seem to stop, and the fun becomes less and there is no inspiration for anything novel. The learning curve isn't a straight line up. Just keep on shooting, also accept not every day is a great day. It'll come back, and you'll have grown.</p>

[ted_raper1]

<p>Pretty much the same way you get better at anything....take advantage of available learning opportunities (such as the huge talent pool here on P Net, probably the best you'll find), practice, work with other experienced photographers in the genre you choose. I have been shooting for 50 years, but I learn new things all the time; gear may evolve and get more sophisticated, but the core principles of good photography haven't changed. The best thing I ever did was study studio art - design, composition, etc. So when I pick up my camera(s), these things come naturally to me and all I have to do is concentrate on the subject. So just practice, join a photography club (a really good one with serious photographers), and use creative feedback as a learning tool, and above all enjoy yourself. </p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>At a self-study level, I find it very useful to deconstruct images I like to determine its making and comparing it to something similar I might try. Lately I've been studying these:<br>

<a href="http://calvin-klein26.tumblr.com/archive">http://calvin-klein26.tumblr.com/archive</a></p>

[goldbergbarry]

<p>Great advice so far! In addition, one of my favorite books that I recommend you is <br>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0817439390/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0817439390&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwp3manageme-20">Understanding Exposure</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwp3manageme-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0817439390" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" />, by Bryan Peterson. It is a must read.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Portrait lighting is a specialized field, and it is really helpful if you can find a local camera club where people are doing portrait work and can mentor you. Most of these groups have competitions and presentations on this sort of thing.</p>

<p>Many local colleges have short courses on portraiture.<br /> Finally, you can find hints, tutorials, and instructions both on line and in any number of books (many in your local library, since digital doesn't make a lot of difference in this regard). e.g, http://www.photo.net/learn/portraits/ </p>

[jcuknz]

<p>I am suprised that nobody until JDM has mentioned camera clubs ... though I might be biased as I happened to join and have my work critiqued by national and international recognised photographers.<br>

There is also a funny characteristic of PN that if you say what you like and dislike of other's photos you apparently are more likely to get crits of your own postings.</p>

[michael_barnes5]

<p>Thanks for the many advice, suggestions, and personal messages. I now feel that I know what steps that need to be taken and the plethora of resources out there. I attended a club once but I left becaus the community was not for me...it was mostly landscape orientated (Berkeley Camera Club) and I can perhaps find one that is more fitting. I'm unsure about pro workshops but a community college course perhaps to hone and learn the technical aspects behind photography. <br /><br />It is just that i've mostly been shooting and sometimes even machine gunning through photoshoots. I've liked the results but that doesn't mean that I can't do better. I don't know what better is. I need a community, an actual person, to point out my weaknesses--those that I can't identify. May I ask, is the critique section here usually very slow? I submitted one but no response...I'm wondering if there are other forums that are more active in this regard? I do realize that this alone is not enough and so I am examining images more carefully (which I do often) and reading about the photographers that I admire to understand their work. <br /><br />I do have some specific technical questions but I will address that in a more appropriate forum.<br /><br />Thanks for all the advice so far!</p>

[joe_willmore]

<p>First, the fact that you're having a crisis of confidence, that you think you need to get better is GREAT! You don't get better by accident. Or just by repetition. It has to start with deciding "I want to get better at X."<br>

So how do you get better?<br>

1. Look at how you learn. For me it's books. For others it's workshops or even classes. For others it's video. For other's is apprenticeship. Look at your learning style and tap in to it. I must have 45-55 books on photographic instruction of various types (from composition to lighting to posing to style to landscapes to macro). And I also talk to friends, watch a lot of video, read web blogs (not much for workshops--not my thing). The point is: look at how you learn and then tap in to resources that provide that learning style.<br>

2. Give yourself assignments. It isn't enough just to shoot a lot. "Genius" research has shown that regardless of the field, it's not enough just to practice (the 10,000 hours research) but that it needs to be directed practice. Next week, decide you're going to shoot "S" curves in nature. Then the next week, you're going to shoot candid portraits emphasizing DoF. Then the next week just B&W or silhouette or low key or whatever. Choose something narrow and targeted and WORK on it. And then evaluate and identify lessons learned. And then move on to something else.<br>

3. Yes, shoot a lot (though this alone is not sufficient). And get critiques of the work. Whether it's a peer, an apprenticeship, a critique forum, a local art or photographer's group/society/club.</p>

[dan_south]

<p>1. Take a class.</p>

<p>2. Look for books and online tutorials that describe how to do what you want to do.</p>

<p>3. Make an honest assessment of strengths and weaknesses and come up with a program to work on improving both of them.</p>

<p>4. Shoot a lot. Try new things and new approaches. Note what works and what doesn't, what you like and what you don't, and work to improve your photos continually.</p>

<p>5. Look at photos that you like and try to determine how they were crafted.</p>

 

[Wouter Willemse]

<blockquote>

<p>May I ask, is the critique section here usually very slow? I submitted one but no response...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It is quite normal, yes. The critique forum itself does not really create quick responses. Time-consuming, but the best tactic is giving (insightful, useful) critiques, and people will revert to your photos and return the favour. It's a bit a long-term investment into building connections with others whose opinion you value, and who have things to share that you can learn from.</p>

[Bill C]

<p>Hi, I just took a look at the photos you've posted, which all seem of a certain style.</p>

<p>I would suggest, more than anything, to study the light. The one thing I wish someone had told me, when I started photography, is how much the human eye minimizes the effect of light. Meaning that when you see, with your eye, a very subtle lighting effect on your subject, this effect will be much stronger in the photograph.</p>

<p>Once you are ready to take photos, I think it's most important to make a personal connection with your subject. I have the sense that is missing in your photos; I can't get any sense of the models' feelings.</p>

<p>Best wishes on your photography. ps, I am also a huge fan of Penn, Avedon, and somewhat Beaton.</p>

[dave_wilson1]

I was very lucky to have been in a circle of photographers who all had different strengths, so I learned from each of them. The one portrait guy was very particular and could be very insulting, I learned SO much from him. Portraits are very personal,

finding a class that suits your style is important. Study the work of different people giving workshops for someone that

strikes a nerve with you, who you feel has an identity that you like. Of course you could always find a good basic local

class at a night school and study the portrait basics. Be very wary of hard, fast rules, and someone that tells you there is

only this way or that. There is every way. Become a regular looker of things like Harpers and Vogue and NY Times

Fashion and Style Magazine which comes ut on some weekends. Again, like already mentioned study the lighting, mood,

posing, HANDS, light in the eyes. Everything matters. Happy trails!

[robert_k1]

<p>You are one step ahead by quitting those camera clubs. In addition to the many advices given already, I will add a few more.</p>

<p>- Attend gallery receptions and street craft shows, etc. Note not only the images but also the themes, presentations, etc. (more on this below) Strike up conversations with the photographers about their work and yours. That may lead to friendship and/or mentorship.</p>

<p>- Shoot with a theme in mind, or several. A project is only as good as its theme. Photography is a visual communication. Ask yourself what are your images trying to convey to the viewers, and work towards that objective in content as well as in technique and style. Just like if you are speaking with them, or writing to them. If you don't have anything worthy to convey, technique and style will only carry you so far. Themes are not all about beauty.</p>

<p>http://americanpoverty.org/photoessay/</p>

<p>- Begin exhibiting your work, even if they are not ready for MOMA yet. See my comments and personal experience here:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/learn/art-photo-galleries/three-tips-for-selling-showing-your-photos-in-a-gallery/</p>

<p>- To alleviate your "art crisis", read this fine book:</p>

<p>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042JSQLU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1/180-0232798-6932105?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=0EYQSWKJH1P9PG24QAHV&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_i=0961454733</p>

[Norma Desmond]

<p>Many ways. One way is to go to museums and galleries and look at other arts and mediums besides photos. Look carefully at paintings, listen to and read about musicians, watch good films and even entertaining movies. Study some of the great portraitists, from Rembrandt to Renoir. Critique yourself by assuming there is something you can improve on every photo you make, not because it's currently wrong but because your vision is developing. Push yourself and appreciate yourself at the same time.</p>