Are you photographers self-taught?

[scotthayes]

I'm still at the early stages of learning.

Thank god for digital, I'd have wasted a fortune by now on films.

But every day it seems to be getting better.

 

[chrono1081]

Not sure if this was posted but http://www.fredmiranda.com is a great place to learn about photography. A lot of very talented people on that forum. (Just DONT ASK if Canon or Nikon is better on that board!!!! )

I myself was self taught and I shoot with a Canon 5D (I LOVE IT) and have plenty of lenses (these will be your downfall in life cause youll always want more.) And always remember, lighting is your key in photography, without good light you wont have a good photo.

 

[seany916]

And always remember, lighting is your key in photography, without good light you wont have a good photo.

Event photographers would argue that you almost never have good light and the REAL key lies in fast lenses and using a speedlight!

 

[Digital Skunk]

Event photographers would argue that you almost never have good light and the REAL key lies in fast lenses and using a speedlight!

Really, the key lies in the knowledge of fast lenses and speedlights, and how to use them in various environments. The biggest problem with young photogs is that they (not anyone here) assume that if I have the gear, I am ready to shoot anything (yes I thought this way many years ago) and I am just as good as the next photog.... or worse yet.... the only reason this photog is any good is because he has expensive gear.

Those guys and gals I want to kill.

The key lies in KNOWLEDGE.... whether it be experience or experience and guidance.

 

[zephyrnoid]

Combination of both for me. My first lessons I was 6 or 7. My Grandfather was a photographer and he taught me darkroom and camera skills. I lost interest from 7 - 16 and took it up again at 16. I read EVERY damn book and magazine there was in those days some that would have bored my peers to tears (technical stuff) . Time Life Books, etc etc. Then I took it in College as a Major and started working as an assistant to a commercial photographer after college. Rest is work as they say. Never stop learning really

 

[Randor]

Self-taught and trained.

Recommendations:

1. Get an account on Flickr.com (yes, it is spelled "flickr.com" rather than "flicker.com") They have literally millions of pictures there contributed by every type of photographer you can imagine. Search for pictures that are like the ones you enjoy taking (i.e. landscapes, flowers, portraits, architecture, sports etc.) Sift through them until you see some that make you go "WOW! Look at that!" Then try and figure out how they took the picture, and go out and try and duplicate it.

2. Either take a night school course, or get someone to teach you the basics of how shutter and aperature interrelate, and how they affect depth of field, motion etc. Don't get bent out of shape trying to memorize all the numbers etc., just try and get your head around the concepts of what they do.

3. Composition is the key to a good photograph. Learn the "Rule of Thirds" and look for it in all types of photographs and graphic art. After awhile it becomes second nature. It doesn't matter how great the lighting is, or specatular the subject might be, if the picture is not composed properly or is not quite straight, the eye will notice it subliminally and it will seem "just not quite right."

4. Find someone beaming with enthusiasm about photography. See if you can tag along on one of their shoots. Watch everything they do. Pick their brains. Have them critique your pictures and maybe even re-crop them for you explaining why they would change it.

5. I think the best way to improve your eye is by watching a professional make what seems to you as being a slight adjustment, but to them makes a vast improvement on the picture. Those are the adjustments that demonstrate how my eye is not quite as well tuned as is the person's who is teaching me. Kind of like playing a piano that is just not quite in tune. To the beginner it sounds just fine, but to the professional the piano sounds just aweful.

6. Take several variations of the same picture of your subject. Move the camera back a bit and zoom in, move closer and zoom out. Move the camera a little higher or lower. Try changing that mysterious aperature setting and see if the background stays more or less in focus. Try different shutter speeds and see if you can freeze motion solid without underexposing the picture. When you look at them later, certain pictures will look better than others, and you'll find a commonality among the ones that look good. Find out what that is, and remember it. Look for it in professional photographs (i.e. magazines, movies, posters etc.)

Holy cow, I sure rambled. Sorry. Hope it helps.

 

[soms]

Not sure if this was posted but http://www.fredmiranda.com is a great place to learn about photography. A lot of very talented people on that forum. (Just DONT ASK if Canon or Nikon is better on that board!!!! )

I myself was self taught and I shoot with a Canon 5D (I LOVE IT) and have plenty of lenses (these will be your downfall in life cause youll always want more.) And always remember, lighting is your key in photography, without good light you wont have a good photo.

Yea I visit that website too, its pretty good.

I'm primarily self-taught, I've taken a few classes, although at a much later date, and I've had some help along the way from my dad (ex-pro photog and photography shop owner).
Best advice is to take your camera wherever you go and find what works best in what situations.

 

[princealfie]

Really, the key lies in the knowledge of fast lenses and speedlights, and how to use them in various environments. The biggest problem with young photogs is that they (not anyone here) assume that if I have the gear, I am ready to shoot anything (yes I thought this way many years ago) and I am just as good as the next photog.... or worse yet.... the only reason this photog is any good is because he has expensive gear.

Those guys and gals I want to kill.

The key lies in KNOWLEDGE.... whether it be experience or experience and guidance.

I disagree with that honestly... sometimes too much thought can kill a good pictures honestly.

Spontaneous is the way of the walk.

Every photog is self-taught, even with the aid of a famous instructor. You can take all the classes from Ralph Gibson but that doesn't mean that you become him either.

Be yourself. It's America, so do whatever you want.

 

[roisin and mac]

self taught here too books and asking people and looking at pictures etc played a part too, but not a big one as I didn't get much opportunity to do that. Mainly a case of shank's pony-ing it with the camera and shooting, shooting, shooting, then shooting some more when you're done. a cheap hobby photography isn't

I'm not sure whether anyone has said this, but the best advice I ever got for learning was to get a fully manual 35mm filmm SLR with a fixed focal lens and shoot rolls. This works great because it is totally self-sufficient, especially if you use a 50mm lens (the focal length nearest to what the human eye sees without adjustment, so has minimal distortion; a.k.a. the standard lens)--you can take it pretty much anywhere. And the all-manual thing will certainly make you get away from the exposure, and most importantly will help you stop sweating the exposure stuff and whether you're exactly right. You'll learn to wing it in other words. It'll also show you photography as in the chemical process of the ight reacting with the chemicals. Digital's great for seing what you just shot, but if fully manual mode on most digital SLRs is anything like on my Canon 3000N film SLR, I wouldn't recommend it as a learning tool as it's really fiddly and not intuitive.