Khaos
Oct-07-2006, 11:56 PM
It's coming up on 2 years since I purchased my first dslr. Looking back on the shots I took at that time, I realize how green I was. I still am, but it's more of a faded shade as opposed to bright, brilliant, blinding kind I was then. I made a list of what I know now, that I didn't then. This list will surely grow as the years go by. One is always learning in this fulfilling and amazing craft known as photography. For fun, maybe you, a fellow dgrinner, can also list what you learned.
What I've Learned
1. Manual is always better than auto.
2. If possible, alway use a tripod, even on a bright sunny day.
3. It's digital, you didn't load a certain speed film, you set the ISO. Check the damn ISO before creating an overexposed shot and not realizing it until you are done shooting for the day.
4. RAW is better.
5. LAB color in post processing will give you much better results.
6. Don't waste a ton of time in post trying to fix a bad shot becuase you missed what could of been a great photograph. Learn what you did wrong and don't make the mistake again.
7. Never stop reading and trying to learn. You will always find something good from another photographer.
8. Take your time and plan your shots. Just because your card can hold 200+ shots doesn't mean you should see that as a challenge.
9. Learn the technical first.
10. Learn how to look at things with composition in mind. Anyone can take a picture. Not everyone can make it look interesting and engage the viewer.
11. Learn what your camera and your lenses can do.
12. Read the manual. Read the manual again. Every couple of months, read the manual some more.
13. No matter what camera you own and how many lenses you own, you will always want something else.
14. That something else will not make you a better photographer.
15. Learning how to shoot a scene for black and white will make you a better photographer.
16. You can never have a long enough, nor a wide enough lens.
17. Pixel peeping will hinder your creativity.
18. You will forget a lot of what you learned at the most inopportune of times.
What I've Learned
1. Manual is always better than auto.
2. If possible, alway use a tripod, even on a bright sunny day.
3. It's digital, you didn't load a certain speed film, you set the ISO. Check the damn ISO before creating an overexposed shot and not realizing it until you are done shooting for the day.
4. RAW is better.
5. LAB color in post processing will give you much better results.
6. Don't waste a ton of time in post trying to fix a bad shot becuase you missed what could of been a great photograph. Learn what you did wrong and don't make the mistake again.
7. Never stop reading and trying to learn. You will always find something good from another photographer.
8. Take your time and plan your shots. Just because your card can hold 200+ shots doesn't mean you should see that as a challenge.
9. Learn the technical first.
10. Learn how to look at things with composition in mind. Anyone can take a picture. Not everyone can make it look interesting and engage the viewer.
11. Learn what your camera and your lenses can do.
12. Read the manual. Read the manual again. Every couple of months, read the manual some more.
13. No matter what camera you own and how many lenses you own, you will always want something else.
14. That something else will not make you a better photographer.
15. Learning how to shoot a scene for black and white will make you a better photographer.
16. You can never have a long enough, nor a wide enough lens.
17. Pixel peeping will hinder your creativity.
18. You will forget a lot of what you learned at the most inopportune of times.