What's the most important thing you've had to learn about photography?

[swmdrayfan]

For me, the toughest thing to remember is photography is not a sprint--it's about taking the time to set up, compose, and execute a shot. It's about the thought processes needed to produce quality work, and employing what I've learned from others such as those of you who've taken the time to help me. As a shooter of baseball primarily, speed is probably the most important aspect, as you need to be quick sometimes, and don't have a lot of time to set up a shot. But since I've started shooting nature, landscapes, architecture, etc., I've had to learn a whole new set of criteria. Exposure, composition, and statement are all very important aspects of course, but my major hurdle is learning to slow down.

How about everyone else?

[Sebastian]

The single most important thing? That's tough. I guess it would be the realization that including less of a scene can sometimes communicate much more.

[ken1953]

My "most" important lesson...Don't forget to take the lens cap off. I don't know how many shots I've missed because I was used to using my Kodak that didn't have a lens cap. Now, my most important thing is to check my settings. I get in such a hurry at times that I start shooting and realize that the last time I shot it was nighttime and now I'm shooting in full daylight (or vice versa). Needless to say, I'm glad I use digital...no wasted film only missed opportunities.
Ken

[walterick]

Good question.

The "slow down and take your time" lesson was a good one for me too, especially in nature and landscapes.

Also, "Be courageous." Having the courage to go up to people and ask to take their photo, and being in charge when shooting portraits, these are lessons I have learned and am still learning.

[Loupey]

That's a good point about speed and slowing down. Shooting sports and shooting nature/landscape/architecture are about as far apart on the photographic spectrum as one could get, I suppose.

You're right. Slowing down to "see" is the key. I must look like a pathetic sloth when I shoot because sometimes I'll have a continuous stream of "photographers" stepping up next to me, shooting, and leaving before I can even get a shot off. The most recent example was when I was shooting the flowers that I recently posted in the Critique Forum. To get some of those angles, I was literally flat on my back shooting sideways. This was in a busy park and many people didn't know that there was a worthy scene until they saw me lying there. Still, they just walked up to it and shot.

[walterick]

sometimes I'll have a continuous stream of "photographers" stepping up next to me, shooting, and leaving before I can even get a shot off.

How many times have you found "the view" with no one anywhere near. Then as soon as you start shooting with your big camera, they all come a runnin!

Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd. Or, a camera on a tripod ;)

- sorry for the hijack! -

[Loupey]

How many times have you found "the view" with no one anywhere near. Then as soon as you start shooting with your big camera, they all come a runnin!

Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd. Or, a camera on a tripod ;)
-

So true (don't know which).

Same thing happens when I fish. The fun part after they all come is to move a little, set back up, and see if they all come as well!

[swmdrayfan]

How many times have you found "the view" with no one anywhere near. Then as soon as you start shooting with your big camera, they all come a runnin!

Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd. Or, a camera on a tripod ;)

- sorry for the hijack! -

I'm getting that to some degree at the ballpark....."Who ya shooting for?" "You with the paper?" "Are you the team photographer?" People flock to the long lenses. Now that I'm starting to do other types of photography, I'm starting to spend a little more time in the prone position or kneeling. I wonder what the neighbors are thinking?
John

[another view]

Slowing down can help a lot - my take on that would be to take the time to think about what you really want from the shot. Then figure out how you're going to meter to get that result, use the focal length you need, all that stuff. Then wait for the light...

I also agree that less is almost always more, too.

[Loupey]

Nice thing about shooting nature, specifically macro/close-up, is that it almost forces you to slow down. If you look long enough and close enough, there is practically no square yard of Earth that doesn't have something interesting to shoot.

Just doing it all the time make you look a little weird looking down like that :blush2:

Most people like the nature pictures they like because 1) they haven't seen it all that often, or 2) they haven't seen it in the way you presented it. These points practically dictate that you do precisely that - slow down, look for alternatives.

Coming from a macro guy . Sports, I can't say too much about that.

[Axle]

camera are the best credibilty prop ever.
always carry a camera with you
when in doubt, run it full manual

[PlantedTao]

The most important thing so far ->
Photography is two parts - taking a picture and post-processing that information into a print.

I'm truly blown away by photographers who have mastered the art of the darkroom. Trying to do my own prints and make them successful has been a very humbling experience. I have a lot to learn.

Oh, and starting off with a manual camera and having to learn the darkroom is the best route to take for a beginner.

[Loupey]

How many times have you found "the view" with no one anywhere near. Then as soon as you start shooting with your big camera, they all come a runnin!

Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd. Or, a camera on a tripod ;)

- sorry for the hijack! -

An idea just hit me. If I can get an assistant to set up my now unused medium format on a tripod away from me, it could be used as a diversion to lure people away.

Oh, wait! You are..still....using......one of .........those

[Old Timer]

Early on as a photographer it was that film was the cheapest thing about photography and if you didn't push that shutter release you would never get a good picture. Shoot and a lot and learn from your mistakes. That had to be the most important thing I learned early on.

[Ronnoco]

Let's see: Always expect the unexpected, and never assume. I went out to videotape a Ukranian dance expecting about ten dancers on a stage, only to find 150 using one huge amount of space. Never go up in a small plane with a pilot who almost dumps you out with your equipment and then can't find the airport to return to. Don't change lenses too close to the edge of a canyon. Avoid those "on camera types " who become exhibitionists when you shoot them for live television. (i.e. split skirt up to the waist) Avoid those who never follow instructions. One administrator lost a microphone in her underwear while on live television and kept trying to find it. Be careful when you are in extreme close-up range of wild animals. Avoid thin ice when you are shooting huge icicles under a bridge in -40 degrees fahrenheit.

So, I have learned a lot in photography and television work, and it has certainely never been boring or dull.

Ronnoco

[Dezereelynn]

the hardest thing for me is the technical side of photography. Im a very visual person naturally and never been technical about anything so its very hard for me sometimes. The other thing is definetly the slowing down, i have been know to try and zip through somethings, so last semester when i was taking a view camera class i had to definetly slooooowww doooowwwwnn. I struggle alot at it but its worth it to keep plugging away.

[Trevor Ash]

Nice equipment is not a requirement

[adina]

Thick skin is a plus.

[photophorous]

Early on as a photographer it was that film was the cheapest thing about photography and if you didn't push that shutter release you would never get a good picture. Shoot and a lot and learn from your mistakes. That had to be the most important thing I learned early on.

I have to agree with Old Timer. The hardest thing for me, early on, was to accept the fact that you have to take a lot of pictures, and that a lot of them were going to be terrible. But that was okay, because I would learn from it.

Paul

[darkman]

The toughest thing I learned about phtography was that I'm not the best editor of my own pictures.

Mike

[Sebastian]

That's REALLY good one Mike...

[PhotoGirl]

A few things I've learned (and in a way I'm still learning!!)
a) go out there and take pictures: you'll learn thru your experiences and even though it's hard to find the time, make the time and you'll be glad you did.
b) always bring LOTS of film: if you are using film, of course. you don't want to wishing you had at least one frame left to have taken that great shot.
c) ignore stares: in public places some people look at you when you're snapping away, don't let that discourage you, you know what you are doing.

[LeeIs]

The most important thing for me was when I realized I was cluttering my shots. Since then I consciously try to simplify things and shoot less complex subjects. I am somewhat of a minimalist in my design field and I realized one day that I wasn't that in my photography. I've always knew and believed that less is more in design and since my realization I tried to carry that to my photography.

[2kids2shoot]

How about not taking a shot when your gut tells you it's not going to work?

I get enough disappointments with shots I think are good when I take them only to find trees growing from heads, for instance, without taking a shot because I "should" even though I can already see something wrong. Those never magically get better.