So, am I doing Ok for a beginner?

[simoncookerussell]

Well, you guys told me to enter into competitions, tried one, result was pretty good.

Pic in the comp.

 

cheers.

[dont.care]

So, I’m curious–Did you do so well because you wanted to prove a point? if so, I think this forum worked for you.

I absolutely love that shot btw. very well done..

[IHF]

(Clapping). Well done Simon!!  Wooooooooo whoooooooooo!  You absolutely made my day :). I’d like to think I had some sort of hand in it?  If not don’t tell me to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine, just let me have this, even if it’s undeserved lol

[cameraclicker]

Awesome!  Congratulations, Simon!  A very worthy entry, I love it too.

[iliketag]

What a beautiful shot! Very worthy of the recognition! The shadow makes it so bold and dramatic, you did an excellent job!

[simoncookerussell]

Prove a point, no, I only thought about this forum after, I havnt been here or thought about here in a long time.

I just thought  you like to know. I did feel quite chuffed about it.

I entered the comp because I had a lot if faith in that picture, and I wanted to know if my kind photography was up to par, the way I captured and edited that pic is how I like flower photogeaphy.

And coming from Karl Taylor especially, was even better, simply if I ever was a pro, his kind of work I be into, and of course, thanks to Serge Ramelli for his brilliant LR 4-5 tutorials.

And yes IHF, you guys did put a little fire in my belly, you can own that 😉

This pic got me my first picture in Explore on Flikr

[simoncookerussell]

And my first attempt at  human photography lol (I don’t like people to much )

[iliketag]

I took a look at your flickr earlier and saw the image of the little girl. You captured a really beautiful moment as far as her expression (she just looks so darn excited and it’s super cute!) and the scenery is something I’m pretty jealous of. It’s a great shot!
I know you like the over-saturated look, but her eyes do look a little overdone in this one. Maybe muting them slightly would help a pinch. I’m not saying give her dead eyes, but not quite as fake-blue looking. If that makes any sense.

[simoncookerussell]

Its funny that, her eyes in this pic are what most people like.

I’ll tell you one thing now, I make my photos look the way I like them to look, if anyone that is not me wants it changed, it won’t happen.

I make photos for myself first and formost, everyone else is not relevant.  That is the one big thing I learnt from this site, don’t listen to others, listen to your own gut when it comes to your own expression.  I’m not trying to be negative to your comment, just being real to myself, it’s not your photographic style, it’s mine.

I’ve been given credit by two well known photographers that I highly admire and two that their style is what I inspire too,  and I listen to them simply because I’ve seen their work and I know what they are truely capable of. There words of encouragement or critisizm are headed too. Not that they criticized my work, but simply let me know that what I was doing was perfect. What is perfect? What works for those that it works for. I hate the Beatles, but it works for many, many others.

No offence is intended here, but I’ll keep my style to myself, saturated or not.

And do bear in mind, that photo was taken with zero preparation, natural lighting and the 6 pics I got from that time all took one minute from conception to heading home.  If I actually planned to shot and spent some time getting the Exposuer even better……………

[iliketag]

Well, now I regret saying anything…
Even if you meant no offense, it came off a little hostile.

[simoncookerussell]

Hostile, possibly, but if you go by what everyone else here in the past has said in the negative about my photos and then you watch that video of the competition results, and the comments made to other photographers that my flower picture was  the level you have to be at to win, and given that that photo was produced in my overly critesized style,  how do you possibly think I may react to any further critisim from this site?

 

Dont take that personally, just use some reason and think about what I just said.

If I indeed took the previous advice I got here and applied it to that flower photo, I’d be one of the 100’s of flower shots that didn’t make the final.

if I’m ever going to succeed as a photographer, it’s going to be with photos I can love myself, and trust me, I’d never ever release publicly, photos that are featured by Fauxtogs on this site. I may have made some irky ones in the past, but that was all down to learning PP, I assure you if I ever become pro, I won’t be singled out on here.

[simoncookerussell]

And please, Im not trying to sound arrogant or anything as such, just proving a point ive known all a long that my own opinion in my work is all I need, and it will be accepted by others or not. If I conform to what others think it should be like, it’s lost is originality.

There are indeed, obviously bad photos, like a girl photoshopped on a helicopter tail, and then theres  photos that are trying to be great images, not just pictures, and for that, there are no rules.

[IHF]

Well, the fire in your belly works for me.  Your compositions are working by far better.  I really like your explore feature.  It’s my favorite out of your newer shots.  It even beats your winner.  I see a difference in your shots.  You may feel like your style of shooting hasn’t changed, but I see it. One of your older flower shots wouldn’t have done as well I’m afraid.  Remember I had no issue with saturation, or subject matter and only talked about POV, light with emphasis on composition). You are shooting with even more intent now, and it shows.  Bask in the glory of it, (it feels wonderful, and is well deserved) but don’t let it stop you from pushing yourself.  Seek critique again when you’re ready (you’ll know because you’ll feel stuck, uncertain and sucky), by all means it does not need to happen here if you aren’t comfortable with it.  When you do finally decide it’s time again, read that article I linked for you again, and mentally prepare yourself for it, and remember, even the buttheads can have valid points, AND they took their time to look at your photographs and talk with you about them.  Thank them for it, even if you found them to be about as helpful as a fart in a mitten. They might not be a butthead after all, if you learn how to listen to them, and read between the lines.  I often go back and re readmy critiques months, and even years later, and draw from them.  If they are given in person, I make notes.  No as amateurs, we don’t shoot for others, but we want to share what we create, and make as many people as possible see/feel.  Photographers aren’t jerks, we just expect and want a lot from each other, and from ourselves.    Keep going Simon, I like what you see

[simoncookerussell]

Thanks IHF, but what you are seeing in my better compositions is me now not photographing for Instagram. Most of my older pics were ok in composition, bit making the pic work in a 1×1 ratio killed them a bit.

My Instagram profile is gone now, so I compose pics now how I originally saw them 😉

the explore photo is an old, re post processed Instagram pic.

this is the second explore pic-

[iliketag]

I’m not saying your style is bad, and high saturation can work for a number of subjects very well. You have said yourself that people are not your favorites and it could be just because they’re not as strong a subject for high contrast coloring.

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