Soldato
I assume it's not a photography course you're doing in uni..
Fashion shoot
- Thread starter 86JR
- Start date
I assume it's not a photography course you're doing in uni..
Soldato
Even so, the kid needs lighting to practice with, and it shouldn't take him too long to work out what the buttons on his camera do.
I would agree with you, if it wasn't for the fact that he's had several threads in this forum over a matter of months or longer, that show no signs of wanting to slow down and learn basic technique or the controls of his camera ( I think he's changed it 2 or 3 times ??).
Caporegime
Its not the images thats my concern, everyone is like this at the start, no one is Joey L from day one. What concerns me is how he is trying to argue his way out of a corner and refusing the accept that these are not as good as he think they are.
Its not just take a good picture you got to learn, you also need to learn how to self crit. That can be hard but it is not hard to know the technical side - sharpness, exposure, composition.
Its not just take a good picture you got to learn, you also need to learn how to self crit. That can be hard but it is not hard to know the technical side - sharpness, exposure, composition.
Soldato
Oh ok, I see Lol!
@ Op
Make your self spend a whole day learning what each button does on your camera, read you manual, test your self by trying to change the desired settings as fast as you can until they become second nature, like white balance, manual focus points etc.
Then spend some time learning and how ISO effects light sensitivity of your camera and therefore changing this setting affect both Ambient light exposure and flash exposure.
Play with your shutter speed and learn that it only affects ambient light, exposure. Learn how to use it to blur the action or freeze the action.
Finally make sure you FULLY understand how the aperture works.
How it affects both ambient and flash exposure, and how it affects depth of field.
Later on you can learn how focal lengths and camera to subject distance that can be to affect the depth of field or make images look more or less distorted.
Once you have mastered that then you need to understand your lighting, don't even bother with TTL until you are extremely comfortable setting your exposure setting manually on both the camera and flash.
Once you understand the above there is allot more for you to learn, but at this stage you have enough knowledge to begin being creative and be able to produce work that is described as pretty good instead of poor.
Soldato
That's actually perfectly understandable, from his perspective these images are really good, but I think even he would acknowledge that other peoples work is allot stronger, and that's all he needs.
When he begins to improve it will be easier for him to self crit, because he will actually know what could be improved, and when he does improve he will look back at his old work in embarrassment like we all did.
It would also help the Op if he looks at others work and tries to crit them, it will no doubt hurt his ego for a while, but it will help him spot flaws with his own work...
A module. Tbh its a wierd teaching environment, the lecturer showed us some portfolios in her lecture of these models, (most of them were cK shots, or other famous adverts) then told us to come back with 6 images along the same lines. We havent been taught how to use the studio, and when asked all lecturers are unavailable. They just scrapped the darkroom too as i was planning on learning that, but one of the lectures is about film photography.
I understand as a student your supposed to learn on your own, but having a studio and 2k of elinchrom lights then not showing you how to use them and demanding professional shots seems a bit slacking to me. Plus the media tech were hesitant to even let us use the studio!
Oh ok, I see Lol!
@ Op
Make your self spend a whole day learning what each button does on your camera, read you manual, test your self by trying to change the desired settings as fast as you can until they become second nature, like white balance, manual focus points etc.
Then spend some time learning and how ISO effects light sensitivity of your camera and therefore changing this setting affect both Ambient light exposure and flash exposure.
Play with your shutter speed and learn that it only affects ambient light, exposure. Learn how to use it to blur the action or freeze the action.
Finally make sure you FULLY understand how the aperture works.
How it affects both ambient and flash exposure, and how it affects depth of field.
Later on you can learn how focal lengths and camera to subject distance that can be to affect the depth of field or make images look more or less distorted.
Once you have mastered that then you need to understand your lighting, don't even bother with TTL until you are extremely comfortable setting your exposure setting manually on both the camera and flash.
Once you understand the above there is allot more for you to learn, but at this stage you have enough knowledge to begin being creative and be able to produce work that is described as pretty good instead of poor.
I have been learning it a lot recently, using the excellent book that poss3ss3d recommended "understanding exposure". But where it says to use AP or SP I use manual, advice given to me repeatedly on here (but then i was told off on here for using manual, so it seems i cannot win). On the other hand a photographer on another forum only shoots in Program mode which i have been told is quite useless, and his shots are pretty damn good ( http://www.itzkirbphotography.com/gallery2/main.php )
Soldato
No folks in here are right you should only be using manual settings.
The instances you would use AP mode are very rare and certainly not in a studio setup.
The instances you would use AP mode are very rare and certainly not in a studio setup.
It depends entirely on the situation!
If you're in a studio with controlled lighting where there are no outside influences then use manual.
If you're in a situation where lighting can change in very quickly then use Av or Tv modes.
From your replies here (and in past topics) you seem rather keen to blame outside factors for your poor work. It's kinda to be expected when you start, you have a shinier more expensive camera than everyone else and think you produce great work with it. But sooner or later you run out of things to blame.
If you knew *why* you use Aperture Priority mode, or *why* you use Manual mode, it wouldn't matter who told you what, you would use what you thought was best for the given situation. Crappy teachers are unfortunate sure, but if I'd relied on teachers to teach me Photoshop I'd still be wondering what layers masks are and why are they so god damn important.
No-one learnt everything in a classroom, or waiting for others to tell them what to do. It's a self initiated process. You need to get yourself out there and learn what your camera does, and when to use it's many features (Or that just because it has a feature doesn't always mean you have to use it at all!). When you understand these fundamentals you'll be able to look at stupid sentences like "Always use M mode" and say "Don't be so daft".
Perhaps taking a little break from here would do you good. It sounds like you recieve as much bad advice as good advice, or at least interpret it wrong half the time. Just go and do it to make photos. Don't get too hung up on the gear or even the technical aspects. A photo doesn't need to be tack sharp, perfectly exposed and follow the rule of thirds to trigger an emotional response. You should take photos because you enjoy it, not so you can get kudos from a load of people you'll never meet on a forum.
This is all starting to get a little deep so I'll leave it there. You'll improve, no rush
Soldato
I completely agree with you Raymond. Being able to critique your own work, and take feedback from others without getting defensive is an extremely important part of the learning process.
Soldato
it seems to me that the lecturer has given the task to you with out detailed instruction to get you thinking and to learn from experience what works and what doesnt. I think when you all return your work it will be reviewed and examples explained. Its the process of doing it thats important no so much the result at this stage.AFAIK this forum is a well of knowledge and advice that will give you a real advantage on your course.
Think Raymond said what I was trying to say in a slightly nicer sugar coated way then I did.
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 9,302
Its for those reasons I have no longer replied in this thread. Its just constant tossed back at you for giving out pro tips and gentle advise.
Anyone in this thread could produce work along these standards several years back. I used to think a bounced flash picture of my Volkswagon keyring was a portfolio worthy shot.. or a picture of a leaf that the light made it look like metalic. I remember raving out how good it was to a photography teacher. Now I understand the face he pulled.
Taking in advise/cric and applying it is "The" only way to learn quickly.
Associate
**Supports Thread Responders**
Associate
Threads like this can get quite frustrating.
Remember, OP, you should be able to make a good photograph with *any* camera - just have a look at the photo sites that concentrate on mobile phone photos. These are taken with the crappiest kit around, yet often show brilliant photos.
Why?
Because these people are completely simplifying and using basic kit forces you to focus on the one thing that really matters - composition.
It's really easy to get carried away with kit - I sympathise as I *love* the tech element.
Here's an idea - go out with just a prime (a 50mm is ideal) and give yourself a project - architecture for example. Visit a church or local place of interest and just use the single prime lens. You'll find that this helps to concentrate the mind.
Remember, OP, you should be able to make a good photograph with *any* camera - just have a look at the photo sites that concentrate on mobile phone photos. These are taken with the crappiest kit around, yet often show brilliant photos.
Why?
Because these people are completely simplifying and using basic kit forces you to focus on the one thing that really matters - composition.
It's really easy to get carried away with kit - I sympathise as I *love* the tech element.
Here's an idea - go out with just a prime (a 50mm is ideal) and give yourself a project - architecture for example. Visit a church or local place of interest and just use the single prime lens. You'll find that this helps to concentrate the mind.
Last edited:
Some edits
For fun:
For portfolio
Only critisim of the photo's I can give as I am only new to photography myself and have a lot to learn is.....
They look obviousely cut and pasted and therefore a little bit amaturish if I were you I would have a look at learning how to blend the photo's into the background more subtley with PS.
Man of Honour
It depends in some ways where the lecturer is coming from, if they're from an artistic background and used to teaching students of art degree level then it would make a lot of sense. You don't want to be saying to people 'do x' at that level, you're giving them a box to work in and forcing them to be creative within it. Which isn't a bad thing at all...if you're teaching an art degree. I appreciate that may not help you of course but I would say that a degree level course isn't the place to be learning which mode to shoot in, it should be about ideas and the intellectual side. Do you know what makes great promo shots great for instance?
I'd also say the darkroom bit is a real shame, I think it'd do you a lot of good to spend some time shooting film with a fully manual camera. I've just put another couple of rolls of velvia through my FM2 (autumn colours + velvia 50 =
) and it makes you slow down and choose your shots much more carefully when you're paying about £25 for 36 shots between film and processing.