When I was a beginner!
Discussion
Ive been going through my old photos and I remembered my shots from my month in Thailand.
I took all these with my first ever camera (a sony cybershot) a month or so after I got it, and started exploring photography. The AF was dreadfully slow and I didnt understand what any of the features did (I remember struggling with low light because I didnt even know what ISO meant!) and being amazed by the image quality (it was only a 5mp from a tiny sensor. Looking at the originals now they seem quite bad!)
Im on hols again in 2 weeks in South Africa...despite the 1dsII and all the lenses and filters, part of me thinks the photos probably wont be any better!
Here they are btw: www.flickr.com/photos/mattwatkinson/sets/72157594184557325/show/
Matt
I took all these with my first ever camera (a sony cybershot) a month or so after I got it, and started exploring photography. The AF was dreadfully slow and I didnt understand what any of the features did (I remember struggling with low light because I didnt even know what ISO meant!) and being amazed by the image quality (it was only a 5mp from a tiny sensor. Looking at the originals now they seem quite bad!)
Im on hols again in 2 weeks in South Africa...despite the 1dsII and all the lenses and filters, part of me thinks the photos probably wont be any better!
Here they are btw: www.flickr.com/photos/mattwatkinson/sets/72157594184557325/show/
Matt
When I compare these to my holiday snaps when I was first getting into photography... well, I wont say anything else about those.
Just goes to show you had an eye for this lark from the beginning, I'd say these are better than anything I've taken in the last 2 1/2 years, seems no matter how much money I throw at kit it doesn't make me any good
Just goes to show you had an eye for this lark from the beginning, I'd say these are better than anything I've taken in the last 2 1/2 years, seems no matter how much money I throw at kit it doesn't make me any good
_dobbo_ said:
When I compare these to my holiday snaps when I was first getting into photography... well, I wont say anything else about those.
Just goes to show you had an eye for this lark from the beginning, I'd say these are better than anything I've taken in the last 2 1/2 years, seems no matter how much money I throw at kit it doesn't make me any good
Just goes to show you had an eye for this lark from the beginning, I'd say these are better than anything I've taken in the last 2 1/2 years, seems no matter how much money I throw at kit it doesn't make me any good
I was just thinking the same
bananagravy said:
These are cool!! Some of my old stuff is frankly embarassing, nowhere near this level.
Looking back on them has been a good experience... I reckon everyone should look at their early photos to see how and how much they think they've improved. My observations about myself:
My appreciation of more diverse genres of photography has definately improved. I love loads of stuff that before I would have passed off as junk.
I think I have matured compositionally a bit. Looking back on them a lot of the photos were closer to snaps than photos, and hopefully I will get better shots on hols in SA this year.
When I started I put a lot down to not having the right tools to get the photos I wanted. I've realised that this was pretty much bad workman syndrome and hence my apathy towards a lot of the technical threads posted here. To me everything stems from having the right "vision"...only when this is right (or its your profession and you have to fulfil client requirements for image quality etc) does your equipment matter. As dobbo said... doesnt really matter how much you spend. Ive sunk close to 15k i reckon, and all thats meant is that I can make some (a small number) shots I see in my minds eye a reality which i couldnt previously.
I've got stale and uninspired by going through the motions working for magazines and dealing with the politics and bullshit of a broken inbred industry. My eyes were far more alive when I was just following my nose instead of going: front 3/4, rig shot, interior, details etc. constantly under time pressure. Its seriously damaged my passion for photography and cars, and the results and images were getting progressively worse instead of better which is why I have quit working as an editorial professional now. My last piece is out in Car this month. I remember badbeachbuggy mentioning how different it is when you do it for work. Fortunately he had the sense to quit before he started resenting it. I really want to do some personal car projects, and expand my horizons to shooting other subjects now. Im quite excited about it.
Matt
My appreciation of more diverse genres of photography has definately improved. I love loads of stuff that before I would have passed off as junk.
I think I have matured compositionally a bit. Looking back on them a lot of the photos were closer to snaps than photos, and hopefully I will get better shots on hols in SA this year.
When I started I put a lot down to not having the right tools to get the photos I wanted. I've realised that this was pretty much bad workman syndrome and hence my apathy towards a lot of the technical threads posted here. To me everything stems from having the right "vision"...only when this is right (or its your profession and you have to fulfil client requirements for image quality etc) does your equipment matter. As dobbo said... doesnt really matter how much you spend. Ive sunk close to 15k i reckon, and all thats meant is that I can make some (a small number) shots I see in my minds eye a reality which i couldnt previously.
I've got stale and uninspired by going through the motions working for magazines and dealing with the politics and bullshit of a broken inbred industry. My eyes were far more alive when I was just following my nose instead of going: front 3/4, rig shot, interior, details etc. constantly under time pressure. Its seriously damaged my passion for photography and cars, and the results and images were getting progressively worse instead of better which is why I have quit working as an editorial professional now. My last piece is out in Car this month. I remember badbeachbuggy mentioning how different it is when you do it for work. Fortunately he had the sense to quit before he started resenting it. I really want to do some personal car projects, and expand my horizons to shooting other subjects now. Im quite excited about it.
Matt
bananagravy said:
Looking back on them has been a good experience... I reckon everyone should look at their early photos to see how and how much they think they've improved. My observations about myself:
My appreciation of more diverse genres of photography has definately improved. I love loads of stuff that before I would have passed off as junk.
I think I have matured compositionally a bit. Looking back on them a lot of the photos were closer to snaps than photos, and hopefully I will get better shots on hols in SA this year.
When I started I put a lot down to not having the right tools to get the photos I wanted. I've realised that this was pretty much bad workman syndrome and hence my apathy towards a lot of the technical threads posted here. To me everything stems from having the right "vision"...only when this is right (or its your profession and you have to fulfil client requirements for image quality etc) does your equipment matter. As dobbo said... doesnt really matter how much you spend. Ive sunk close to 15k i reckon, and all thats meant is that I can make some (a small number) shots I see in my minds eye a reality which i couldnt previously.
I've got stale and uninspired by going through the motions working for magazines and dealing with the politics and bullshit of a broken inbred industry. My eyes were far more alive when I was just following my nose instead of going: front 3/4, rig shot, interior, details etc. constantly under time pressure. Its seriously damaged my passion for photography and cars, and the results and images were getting progressively worse instead of better which is why I have quit working as an editorial professional now. My last piece is out in Car this month. I remember badbeachbuggy mentioning how different it is when you do it for work. Fortunately he had the sense to quit before he started resenting it. I really want to do some personal car projects, and expand my horizons to shooting other subjects now. Im quite excited about it.
Matt
My appreciation of more diverse genres of photography has definately improved. I love loads of stuff that before I would have passed off as junk.
I think I have matured compositionally a bit. Looking back on them a lot of the photos were closer to snaps than photos, and hopefully I will get better shots on hols in SA this year.
When I started I put a lot down to not having the right tools to get the photos I wanted. I've realised that this was pretty much bad workman syndrome and hence my apathy towards a lot of the technical threads posted here. To me everything stems from having the right "vision"...only when this is right (or its your profession and you have to fulfil client requirements for image quality etc) does your equipment matter. As dobbo said... doesnt really matter how much you spend. Ive sunk close to 15k i reckon, and all thats meant is that I can make some (a small number) shots I see in my minds eye a reality which i couldnt previously.
I've got stale and uninspired by going through the motions working for magazines and dealing with the politics and bullshit of a broken inbred industry. My eyes were far more alive when I was just following my nose instead of going: front 3/4, rig shot, interior, details etc. constantly under time pressure. Its seriously damaged my passion for photography and cars, and the results and images were getting progressively worse instead of better which is why I have quit working as an editorial professional now. My last piece is out in Car this month. I remember badbeachbuggy mentioning how different it is when you do it for work. Fortunately he had the sense to quit before he started resenting it. I really want to do some personal car projects, and expand my horizons to shooting other subjects now. Im quite excited about it.
Matt
Very interesting insite Matt, although I'd picked up on some of this from speaking to you in the past. This is the kind of thing that has put me off trying to get involved with magazines as bread and butter - I'm pretty happy currently to have exciting projects to work on which allow much more creative freedom than editorial and I've very concious of not wanting to fall out of love with what is still eseentially a hobby for me. Besides there such a hunger and demand for quality images of all kinds that chasing magazines is a very narrow market IMHO (although I'm sure its supremely rewarding shooting Zonda's in Italy on expenses there's definately a downside).
Fascinating post Matt, I know I've said it before but what you have described is exactly what I experienced when I spent 5 or 6 years as a jobbing house music DJ - not that I really achieved relative levels of success compared to you. It ended with me hating the industry in particular and music in general, something that I find very depressing.
I still get offers of work now nearly 3 years on but I'm only just starting to enjoy listening to music again. That being said I'll never go back. I guess getting out now might well be a great move for you.
What you described here and my own experiences with DJing are precisely why I have no intention of submitting my photography to micro-stock sites, as is currently de-rigeur on the forum.
I look forward to seeing where you go next with your photography!
I still get offers of work now nearly 3 years on but I'm only just starting to enjoy listening to music again. That being said I'll never go back. I guess getting out now might well be a great move for you.
What you described here and my own experiences with DJing are precisely why I have no intention of submitting my photography to micro-stock sites, as is currently de-rigeur on the forum.
I look forward to seeing where you go next with your photography!
Edited by _dobbo_ on Monday 3rd July 13:33
Very interesting Matt
I haven't quite pulled out all together yet as I had commited to a few more bits and pieces but you're so right. Like you photography is my creative outlet (and Ben with his DJing) and to compromise that with other peoples interpretation is fustrating. In the recent feature I had published they totally changed the composition of all the photos with cropping/rotation and I wasn't really pleased to see my name against them. I'd much rather shoot what I want, when I want and how I want. I have to spend all day at work meeting other peoples requirements without doing it outside.
I haven't quite pulled out all together yet as I had commited to a few more bits and pieces but you're so right. Like you photography is my creative outlet (and Ben with his DJing) and to compromise that with other peoples interpretation is fustrating. In the recent feature I had published they totally changed the composition of all the photos with cropping/rotation and I wasn't really pleased to see my name against them. I'd much rather shoot what I want, when I want and how I want. I have to spend all day at work meeting other peoples requirements without doing it outside.
bananagravy said:
maybe if you had to do more than take a photo of someones lunch with shallow DOF and some fill flashed people snogging you would have a more valuable opinion....
grow up...
i hardly use fill flash at all
got some vacanices here, want to give it a go?
Edited by dcw@pr on Monday 3rd July 16:53
dcw@pr said:
bananagravy said:
maybe if you had to do more than take a photo of someones lunch with shallow DOF and some fill flashed people snogging you would have a more valuable opinion....
grow up...
i hardly use fill flash at all
got some vacanices here, want to give it a go?
Edited by dcw@pr on Monday 3rd July 16:53
Haha... by the time i'd composed my first shot they'd be on their honeymoon.
Matt
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