The artistic eye

If you want to see loads of photographs taken by people like you and taken serioulsy by others then try http://www.photosig.com/go/photos. You post and they will offer a critique but you can only post if you too critique. It's fun. Lots of dross but some real gems too and so busy that blink and you miss 20 shots.

There's also http://www.onexposure.net/?photos=latest-additions but I went off it as they seem to prefer highly processed and in my view over sharpened images but the quality is more consistently higher.

But taking photographs is the key. I came across a small grave yesterday and I spent 15 minutes and 12 shots trying to get it right - very simple thing, broken wooden cross, hand written dedication on card plus some plastic flowers. With film I couldn't have afforded to do that but digital just buy more cards!

Mike

I didn't know anything past 'Family Snaps' until I joined a Camera Club - then I saw such things as you are discussing (in the 1950's - but a rusty chain is still good subject in 2008 )

I was reading this thread, formulating a response, and Chris had written it for me

Ken

Just like to say this is a brilliant thread and wholeheartedly agree with the comments and ideas about looking harder to see things. There is far too much discussion on "gear" on web fora, it's highly refreshing to see people discussing how you "see" pictures, rather than the pixel peeping so often seen elsewhere.

I have a good friend who often says "there's nothing to take pictures of" and when I suggest things pretty much along the lines of things that have already been said above, a light bulb goes on (briefly). He, and his wife, have rarely been exposed to anything beyond family snapshots and landscapes lacking a point of interest, so he has difficulty seeing the potential of what is all around. I'll take a picture and show him, and he'll say "I'd have never thought of that".

In order to learn what can be done, you have to look at the work of others, take on board the comments and ideas of others, When you look at books and magazines, don't just look at the "product", look at the photos, think about how they've been done. Take inspiration, say "I'll have a go at something like that".

Super thread, keep it up.

Duncan

And of course this neatly gets us back to the value of the weekly competition. What I find really fascinating is the way I think I can see an obvious winner and the judge chooses something quite different and it's clear others broadly agree.

Mike