Reply To: I know I am. Shame on me!

[IHF]

You are not a fauxtog.  You aren’t in business selling your photography.  You are an amateur trying to develop.  There is absolutely no shame in that at all. 🙂

With that said, don’t ever blame the equipment.  Yes, you most likely will  want a more versital camera to work with, but until then, your camera is completely capable to capture light, and therefore it’s capable of creating compelling interesting images, if the person behind it is capable.

Right now, I’m not seeing much.  Your point of view is very awkward.  Try getting at the same level as your subject, don’t be afraid to move, crouch, and use your feet to get what you need in the frame.  When shooting silhouettes make sure the foreground is interesting, simple, and easy to recognize and identify.  Put lots of thought into your composition before you click.  Right now it feels like you are thinking “ooooh pretty flower!”  Click!  Instead,  look at that flower, and think “how can I capture this flower in a way no one has seen it before, but me.  Try shooting up from a bugs point of view, or get up close, etc.

Also, try shooting during the magic hours, when the light plays with us and flatters any subject, and makes wonderful long shadows, instead of shooting after  the sun is setting, or at 2:00 in the afternoon.  Photography is all about light.

 

Google “rule of thirds”

Understand the exposure triangle

Dont be afraid to move around and shoot from a different angle/point of view than we see when just walking around.  Seek and find photographs/photographers that you admire, and ask yourself why?  What is it about the image/images that works?  And then find out.  Study study study