Top 10 things I've learned!

[mmeyer]

I'm coming up on my 1st full year of photography and I've been thinking about the things I've learned (mostly from the fine folks here). Here's a list of the top 10. Feel free to add to the list. It could be a lot of fun.

• 10. It's not the number of pictures you take but the quality of pictures.
• 9. It's not the camera that makes the picture but the person behind the camera.
• 8. Other photogs are great people with the willingness to help others ALOT!
• 7. Fighting with a cheap lens will hurt worse than spending the money on a good lens.
• 6. Light is THE most important element in a photograph of any kind. Without light, a great composition or subject will be just another snapshot.
• 5. Flash photography is much more difficult than it looks.
• 4. You cannot make a great image out of a junk image just because you shot it in Raw. There is no better way than making a good photograph in the field, rather than depending on PP the make it a good photograph. PP can make a good photo great but nothing can make bad photo good.
• 3. Looking at others work is a great way to improve your own photography.
• 2. The best way to improve is to shoot all the time. Shoot anything, even if it may not be interesting at the time. Shoot in all kinds of light conditions.
• 1. No matter how many times I test it, my camera WILL NOT change my ISO settings back to where I want them when I turn the camera on in different light. Doh!!!

I don't consider myself a photographer yet but I know that I have improved in the last year. I know that I will never stop learning as I go through life pursuing my new passion and I do mean passion. I love this hobby and I hope that it shows in my work. Thanks for all of your help and I hope that I can return the favor at some time in the future.

[Steve Foss]

Great thoughts there, Mike. Here's to your second year of fun and reward!

[MT Net]

A fun idea. Here are some of the things I have learned from messing around with my camera.

10. A cheap tripod is what it is, cheap junk. You get what you pay for.

9. Preview photos to get rid of the blinkey parts in the photo.

8. shooting in manual mode isn't that scarey.

7. The delete button is there for a reason. Every photo does not need to be saved and archived.

6. Fill in flash is a great option. I rarely use flash.

5. Details; focus in on details rather than loosing the photo in the big picture.

4. The ISO button is there for a reason; I need to use it more than I do.

3. Photography can be work. A subject may need to be postponed until better conditions warrant the photo to be taken.

2. Composed in the right way, ordinary objects can become good photographs.

1. There are way too many features in Photoshop I will never use.

[mmeyer]

Thanks Steve.

Great list MT, keep 'em coming everyone.

[Jim Almquist]

Quote:

1. No matter how many times I test it, my camera WILL NOT change my ISO settings back to where I want them when I turn the camera on in different light.

Mike I found out the hard way when I had 5 turkeys out in front of the house and had just a minute to get the shot and my camera which is usually in AV mode but I was playing around in manual mode the night before so I just picked up the camera and started shooting and did not notice till I uploaded the photos what kind of blunder I had made but I was able to make them look decent in Photoshop

[MARINERMAGNUM]

I'll just list my #1 to save time.

On a Canon,set the "shoot without CF card" menu to "NO!!"

Don't ask.

[Dbl]

I'll just list my #1 to save time.

On a Canon,set the "shoot without CF card" menu to "NO!!"

Don't ask.

LOL, and I won't ask!

[mmeyer]

Ouch, that had to hurt MM!!! I better double check that.