1 thing i learned

[bnk1953]

One thing I learned from this experience - the people that send in for contests are so way over my capabilites, etc. that I know I won't have to bother working on exact dimensions etc anymore - I'm going back to lurking.

[imported_admin]

Wait a minute! That's just crazy talk!

Don't go back to lurking -- the whole purpose of this site and the forums is to learn and grow and expand your skills, all with the help and support of Elements users all over the world. Each person has so much to contribute. And all of us have things to learn.

So keep on shooting, keep on posting, keep on asking questions and drawing inspiration from your peers.

There will be other challenges. And more opportunities to share your work.

So don't give up!

[kerriann85]

Now don't get discouraged! I feel the same way when I look at betterphoto.com and see all the photos submitted there. I enter the contest anyway....just because I can!!

Keep lurking, but join in too. It's a great way to learn. Look at what you like and decide why. Learn about the rule of thirds, sometimes that can help in composition, it's helped me see things a little differently. (i can dig up a link if you'd like.) And keep shooting!

:D

[DanielleL]

bnk1953,

I didn't have a pic that I felt was worthy enough for the challenge but I had one that I really liked. I'm glad I submitted it and proud even thought mine wasn't a 'winner'.

We all win here. Maybe not a prize but I'm a newbie. I look at the other pics and see all the possibilities for me as I strive to improve.


Danielle

[Wendy]

Bruce,

No way do you get to go back to being a lurker ... once you start then there is simply no way back :lol: :lol:

You entered a good image ... it was a difficult shot and you have some good effects with the light. One thing I have found out about both using Elements and taking photographs ... the more you do it the better you get.

I am no photographer, why I got a camera to take images so that I could use them in Elements ... now how sad is that :( and I looked at everyone elses images and thought Wow I wish I could do that.

However, whenever there is a competition I enter anyway. Its fun ... we are all friends and it helps me improve.

So please carry on entering ... :) :) if you don't then we will all miss you :cry: :cry:

Wendy

[GaryK]

Don't just lurkand don't get discouraged.
We have all had, and asked newbie questions. Everybody was a novice at anything they try, at one time. Seeing what other people are doing just proves it can be done.
The people here are great, probably one of the best bunch of people you will find anywhere. So keep plugging away and keep asking questions. You can only get better.

Gary.

[Kathy]

Kerriann,

Would you please post the link about "thirds"? I'd love to learn about composition ...... I am usually a "just shoot and see what I get person" ... but I would love to learn about composing before taking the shot. Maybe then I might get more shots that I like ..... instead of the "pure luck factor".

Thank you,
Kathy

[Wendy]

Kathy,

Take a look at this link:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/learnmore/composition.mspx

Wendy

[kerriann85]

Thanks for that link Wendy, I can't for the life of me find the site I was looking for. Here's another pretty informative place tho.
http://www.morguefile.com/ver3/classroom.php?lesson=1

[Pauline]

First off, if you don't try, you will never succeed!! When I first started on this list, only a few short months ago, I knew NOTHING! The challenges looked intimidating. Everyone was so much better than me.......they all knew so much more, BUT I've been learning so much and playing around and the one thing that I always remember is that 13 years ago, I didn't know how to paint! The painting books looked so hard. "I'll never be able to do that." Well I can pick up some of those older books now and laugh........."why did I think this was difficult??" I have grown and learned and never let it discourage me that there were people out there that were much better than I was. I was like a sponge and sucked it in. One famous painting teacher told me that she still takes lessons from others. No matter how much you know.......there will always be tons that you don't know! Take the challenge and join the rest of us. Some are better at one particular challenge than they are at others. We all have our weak spots. Eventually when you get more confidence, you will notice yourself improving and there will be someone below you on the ladder.

Also in this particular challenge.....it was "what you considered you best shot". Everyone has different tastes. What one person likes, another might not. In my eyes, I love my Golden Retriever and any picture of him is great. A cat lover would prefer a cat picture. Others prefer landscapes. You will never learn by lurking!! Join in. This group is the best I've seen and no one is judgemental. We all do the best we can and strive to get better!!

[Kathy]

Wendy and Kerriann,

Thank you both very much for the wonderful links!

Now I have some studying to do ..... which is great ..... because it is way too hot outside to do much of anything here ..... 30 degrees Celsius , steamy and rising.

Just a thought ..... maybe it would be helpful to rookies like me to have links like these posted under something like "Composition" or "Taking Better Photos" in the Helpful Links Forum.

Thanks again,
Kathy

[Wendy]

Kathy,

That is a great idea ...

I will add a link there


Wendy

[Kathy]

bnk1953,

I am a novice at this photography stuff also, but I highly recommend taking a look at the links that Wendy and Kerriann posted on photo basics. They certainly changed my approach to taking pictures ...... previously, shoot and hope for the best ..... now I have a better idea how to TRY to get what I would like to photograph. In fact, I went out this afternoon in the heat and tried some of the things I had read. What a difference from the pictures I had been taking the day before and not achieving what I really wanted. They say practice makes perfect , but now armed with some basic knowledge so kindly provided by Wendy and Kerriann ...... I am having even more fun! :)

Kathy

[lindajay]

Kerriann, I have, over the past few years, read several articles -- even a couple books -- about photo composition, but the one you posted was especially interesting to me. I can't wait to get out and try some of those new angles and approaches. I'll bookmark this one. Thanks so much for sharing.

--Linda

[Patricia Heere]

I agree that is a really good one.

I bookmarked it too.

Pat

[kerriann85]

Glad you guys liked that link. No idea where I stumbled across it. Sometime I'd love to go through each lesson and do each assignment. Maybe this fall when the family all gets back to school. (at least I'll add that to the LIST of things to do)

[Wendy]

Kerri,

All these years I have used Morguefile for images and I didn't know that the lessons were there ...

I have made a note of it too ... so thanks for the link :)

Wendy

[GaryK]

Kerri

Great link. Looks like there is loads of information, with lots of things to try.

Gary.

[drummermom]

To the original poster....

Don't give up after one! I learned SO much from just taking the risk once, and even more from seeing the winning entries.

I really liked my photo, and in another context with some refinement it would've been worthy of consideration, but had I not submitted it I wouldn't have had a baseline to measure against.

Here are just a few things I learned:

1) When you think you've cropped enough, crop some more.

2) Pay attention to how the photo looks both large AND small

3) Less is more

4) There are some really amazing photographers out there who, by sharing their work, are giving me ideas, inspiration, and motivation to try again.

Don't go back to lurking....join in and try again! Besides, judging this type of contest is entirely subjective...there are some preliminary objective standards you can apply, but at the end of the day, it's what appeals to the folks judging the contest.

Personally, I'd have chosen the winning entry, too. It is an amazing, beautifully composed photo that conveys such a wonderful mood and presence. It is really exceptional!