A little ketchup goes a long way…
2014 was a good year. I got to know many wonderful bloggers. While struggling to find out what photographing really meant to me, I was encouraged by and learned from many of you. Thank you!
I have gathered and reread the comments I had received from you and I am amazed at your wisdom words. Now I would like to share them with you and I hope you’ll like them as much as I do.
(There is no particular order for the list… I am too lazy to put them in any order.)
Otto von Münchow
You should follow your own way. If you shoot “soft” street photos, then don’t worry about others shooting bold and strong images. Just keep doing what you do and be honest with yourself.
I think you shouldn’t worry about what happens if you do this or if you do that. If it sounds interesting to learn more about Photoshop for instance, I would just go for it (although I would actually recommend starting with Lightroom, which has a much less steep learning curve and is more intuitive to use). And if you end up always wanting to Photoshop your images, so what? If that’s what you want, that’s fine – and it’s called developing you photographic voice – something you can’t plan beforehand anyway. As long as you are honest to yourself; whatever you do is going to be fine.
treerabold
I thinks it’s important that we be open to what others say and keep practicing!!
Each photo tells its own story. Maybe some of us aren’t meant to be professional level photographers but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a story to tell through our photographs. Our stories and our photos are unique to us. No one else can tell the story we have in our heart and no one else can see exactly what we see.
I think sharing our hearts and creativity with others is so much more important. Each time we share a creative piece of writing or creative photo we put a little piece of ourselves out into the world!!
Mark Kertesz Photography
In my opinion you are good enough when you are proud of what you have taken. When some emotions are stirred from your photograph you have done your job but it’s all about you. Should others along the way like it that’s great but in my humble opinion no validation is needed just do it because you love it and that will shine through.
Amy
To me, a great photo should give viewers a room to image, related to, or tell a story.
Paul’s Pictures
Once we stop comparing our work with others then we move forward. We then stop trying to match ourselves to the expectations and standards of others (an impossibility as we will never be satisfied) and begin creating real art.
I think you should follow your own vision.
Lignum Draco
It’s important to find your own style.
I’m glad you’ve found your passion. Now you know where your heart is, the rest will flow.
There’s so much to read (from Internet) that’s free. But remember practice and experimentation is what is truly important.
Steve
Comparisons will always make you feel smaller than you really are. If all birds sang the same song, it would be boring 🙂
Mother Hen
You are free to be who you are and capture what interests you.. Isn’t it wonderful to realize that.
I love diversity and so it is hard for me to nail it down. Our world offers so much of everything.
firstandfabulous
Be inspire by other people’s talents, not discouraged that I’m not as good. Sounds so simple but I always got discouraged that I wasn’t as good. I decided to take a new outlook and be inspired rather than to withdraw.
Elizabeth
we all have our own style and view of the world, these make us what we are, it’s good to learn few techniques with others, but the important is to find our own qualities and enjoy it.
Evenretep
I do it for me, I do it for the art, for the pleasure of an image, the colour of nature, I still do some studio work, but just for friends and family, I no longer have to be at someone’s beck and call, just being me.
You take photographs how you feel, leave the rules, philosophy and everything to those who want to use them, those to make money from photography and those who have a very long pole up their backside.
carol1945
Each of us is unique and each of our photographs whether they are “good” or “bad” are expressions of our own individuality.
jpeggytaylor
Even the smallest things in nature can be so beautiful – we can find new and beautiful things around us every day 🙂
Woolly Muses
Photography should be all about enjoying what we are shooting and endeavoring to improve our own techniques and skills to the degree we want. As for post processing….I think I read on another blog that if it takes longer than two minutes the photo was not good enough in the first place. Personally I think that is a fairly good yardstick to go by.
HHC Blog 