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Question: Should I give up photography!?
I mean, I love photography, but i'm a perfectionist!. I take my camera everywhere and I could probably take photos of everything as I can find meaning in everything, so I have a hard time deciding what to shoot and it's also hard to decide when I should enjoy an experience instead of trying to take a picture of it!. It sort of feels like a dependancy!. also, when it comes to editing the photos, i'm never happy!. I always feel I could make the photos look a little better and just keep editing them over and over!. Any help, please!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Yes, if your going out you need to decide (before you set out) if you want to enjoy the experience for itself, or for taking photos!. This applies both if you are with company or on your own!. I'll admit it's not easy!.!. I have the same problem so I can relate!.!.
Editing is about how you express your vision of how you want a photo to look!. I wouldn't get too hung up about it!. If you are happy with how it looks that is what matters!. After all it will most likely look different on another persons uncalibrated monitor anyway!. Now I've probably given you something else to worry about! I'll shut up now :-)Www@QuestionHome@Com
You say you take pictures of everything!. Well do those pictures mean something!. If the photos have no meaning, then there is no point in editing them, or even yet photographing the subject!.
There is nothing wrong with taking a photo of everything you see, but make sure what you shoot has a meaning!. At times, you may just have to leave the camera at home!. It really doesn't do any good to get all stressed out about the photos you shoot!. You need to put the camera down and live your life like you did before the camera came into your hand!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
No!.
First learn the basics well and learn how light works - that will definitely cut out your work from others!.
Second, when editing use a product like Camera Raw (free with PS3) which offers undo-able / non destructive editing!.
Third get your colour management sorted in terms of calibration and profiling and knowing how to use a profiled workflow, it will save you a lot of time and effort to know you can rely on your system!.
Four, find a mentor who can give you some direct pointers - asking someone with more experience is always useful!.
It sounds like you have one style of working - there's nothing wrong with that!. Mozart bashed his stuff straight out, Beethoven went back again and again to refine his work!.!.!. whose work was better!? Your guess is as good as mine!
Try this for lots of free tutorials:
http://www!.image-nut!.comWww@QuestionHome@Com
You need to have a better workflow and take bigger risks!. I understand you can find meaning in everything, but break it down to the basics!. What is my subject!? That tree!. Take a picture of the tree!. The way you take it can give different impressions, but at least you have a process for what you're doing!.
Try posting your photos up on flickr and having people rate them!. They'll give you feedback and you'll get a grasp on what edits or pictures you are taking are better than others!. You'll fall into it!. Don't worry!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
it sounds to me that you have taken a hobby and turned it into a job!.!.!. that's no fun because you cant enjoy certain things that you go do because you are more worried about capturing it in a picture!. try this, next time you go somewhere and you're expecting to have fun!.!.!.!. leave your camera at home!. if you do this then you know you are going to have fun!. then the next time take your camera and limit yourself to taking 5 pictures then go put your camera up for the night!. you cant depend on your camera to tell the whole story, you have to be able to enjoy the experience as well!. good luck!.!.!. i think all us photographers get into these situations!.!.!. i have just started leaving my camera at home!.!.!.!.!. :)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Sounds like you need to try lomography!. In case you didn't know, its a style of photography whose central law is not thinking and just having fun with taking pictures!. Every so often I feel myself getting too bogged down with the technical aspects of photography, so I use my Holga lomography camera to relax while still taking pictures!. The lomographic
society's website www!.lomography!.com should explain it further, as well as help you find a lomography camera you like!. Www@QuestionHome@Com