I'm ina dilema ,canya help?

EireRoadUser

I want to get a lense for my birthday ,but
I haven't been taken great shots at all,to be honest I barely use my camera at the moment.
Do I buy the wide angle and hope everything falls into place or do I just get out and use what I have????
I tried going out last weekend and found myself climbing hills trying to get shots.
I haven't bought anything for a few months .
Since I've been back on boards ,I've learned quite a bit about the necessities when out in the field and the requirements for good shots.
A good honest reply would be great.

Fenster

Well most of what I do is out and about in the fields, hills and forests around Galway and truth be told the best way to learn what to do is to take lots of photos and experiment with everything!

Experiment with how you shoot, the settings you import with and within Photoshop/The Gimp.

As I read your post, you bought all that gear, took photos and didn't get "ohmygoshwow!" photos. I think buying more gear wouldn't help at all. You'll just get bitter at all the money you poured into it and quit in disgust (if only smokers would do that). Experiement. I'm poor and only have one lens with my camera, but believe me when I say I do what I can to get the most out of it!

joolsveer

I would agree with Fenster. You should go out and take photos with the equipment you have and not hope that the next gadget you buy will turn you into Henri Cartier-Bresson. I tend to be prolific in my photo taking - if I'm out for a couple of hours I will generally take up to 200 photos. It's a bit of a pain afterwards going through them but sometimes I'm in the mood for it. I think in photography it can be a hard task to arrive at an image that you are 100% happy with. You just need to plug away and seek advice from other photographers who may be in a position to help with techniques etc. so you eventually end up with that "great shot".

EireRoadUser

Cheers Lads ,points taken and welcomed.
I thought I was the only one when it came to me not being happy with a lot of shots.Sometimes I will only get one that I am happy with.

I'll get to work with what I have so,as you say no point in adding petrol to the fire if it's burning a hole in my pocket.

I work hard for the money I earn ,I'm not an earl of money-stoke or anything.
Thanks again

Fajitas!

Hmmmm... Maybe, instead of the money you'd spend on a new lens, how about a basic course in photography? It might get your mind thinking!

Other than that - You have a Canon, what's to say you don't but an old analogue Canon from the Camera Exchange, and play around with film for a bit - All your other lenses would fit etc!

As for taking photos that you don't feel get 'that reaction', don't worry, we all take those. Millions of them! But we learn from them, like, oh a tiny bit of a slower shutter speed, maybe a more open aperture etc!

Anywho...I'm not the soberest...I'll stop now!

Valentia

Agree with everything everyone has said. I find with digital and how immediate looking at the pics is that it clouds the old judgement. I have looked back on stuff taken yonks ago that I thought was crap but not having looked at them for ages they are not half bad.

I'd say the best thing to do is go mad with what you have. Forget about rules...experiment. Hold the camera down low, up high etrc. Try what seems weird and then see how they come out. It's amazing how letting the inhibitions go improves the results and also shows you how you can develop your own style. There really aren't too many rules. What makes a photograph, or any piece of art, unique is your own interpretation of it. That's why we find it hard to appreciate what we do as interesting. Time changes perspectives, especially of your own work.

I hope that makes some sense. Have had a nice few pints too