I am 13 years old-
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2,090 Posts
First of all I want to welcome you and also congratulate you. When I was 13 years old the last thing I was thinking about was what I wanted to do when I was older. I commend you on that. You took these photos so actually you are already a photographer
I like your images by the way. I think they show some real creative thought and abilities. I especially like the last one on the bicycle. That, I think, is one of the most important qualities of a true artist. They have to have a good eye and be able to see things differently and then express or show us what they see through their art.
I assume you mean you want to do it professionally and for your living? It's very wise and most beneficial for you to realize what it is you want to do at such an early age. Personally, I went my entire life doing one thing only to discover at this late stage in life how much I really love photography. For me now it is destined to remain a hobby and I always wonder how things might have been different if I had made different decisions. You however, being so young, have the opportunity to take that dream and turn it into your reality. I am sure some real, professional photographers can give you a lot of insight into the actual profession and what it takes to succeed there. All I can offer is really what I would say to anyone wanting to go into any field. Go to school. Study, study, study. Learn as much on photography as you possibly can starting with the basics...composition, exposure, light, those sorts of topics. Join other forums of people with the same passion and desire to learn and improve. Most importantly, just start shooting pictures and don't ever stop. Practice intelligently by taking notes of what you did, what you tried, how you took a particular picture. Learn what minor changes in exposure does to your image so you will know what to do when you want that particular effect. And did I say practice, practice, practice? That is the key. Just do what you are doing now and keep taking pictures. Learn from your mistakes and from your successes. Ask for advice and feedback. Read books and magazines and forums and just become a sponge absorbing every single shred of information you possibly can. Then take that knowledge and go do it. I am a firm believer in the old saying that if you want something bad enough you can make it happen. Once again, welcome to the forum and keep shooting.
James
I like your images by the way. I think they show some real creative thought and abilities. I especially like the last one on the bicycle. That, I think, is one of the most important qualities of a true artist. They have to have a good eye and be able to see things differently and then express or show us what they see through their art. I assume you mean you want to do it professionally and for your living? It's very wise and most beneficial for you to realize what it is you want to do at such an early age. Personally, I went my entire life doing one thing only to discover at this late stage in life how much I really love photography. For me now it is destined to remain a hobby and I always wonder how things might have been different if I had made different decisions. You however, being so young, have the opportunity to take that dream and turn it into your reality. I am sure some real, professional photographers can give you a lot of insight into the actual profession and what it takes to succeed there. All I can offer is really what I would say to anyone wanting to go into any field. Go to school. Study, study, study. Learn as much on photography as you possibly can starting with the basics...composition, exposure, light, those sorts of topics. Join other forums of people with the same passion and desire to learn and improve. Most importantly, just start shooting pictures and don't ever stop. Practice intelligently by taking notes of what you did, what you tried, how you took a particular picture. Learn what minor changes in exposure does to your image so you will know what to do when you want that particular effect. And did I say practice, practice, practice? That is the key. Just do what you are doing now and keep taking pictures. Learn from your mistakes and from your successes. Ask for advice and feedback. Read books and magazines and forums and just become a sponge absorbing every single shred of information you possibly can. Then take that knowledge and go do it. I am a firm believer in the old saying that if you want something bad enough you can make it happen. Once again, welcome to the forum and keep shooting.
James
Joined
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7,992 Posts
Wow! I was browsing "recent posts" and stumbled upon this thread. Dixie Lee, I am so proud of you in so many ways.
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Coming to this forum for feedback shows the true depth of your committment and passion for your work. Never surrender and keep being "you" Sweetie. You can't fail! Remember that. Show them some of your DOF work and some of the countryside work you have done. Don't hold back at all. There are some incredible photographers and artist on this forum and I know they will do everything in their power to help you learn even more. There's a reason I gave you "Daddy's camera". Trust in yourself and you will set the world on fire! I love you Toot, Dad
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1,173 Posts
I agree with GatorNutz. Education is the key to fulfilling your dreams. I also did not realize what I wanted to be until way too late in life. I especially like your last shot but it kind of scares me to think you were not watching where you were going. I think that a good picture will set a mood or give the viewer a certain feeling. I look at that picture and get a little anxious because I want to know what is coming up. Keep up the good work and WELCOME to the board. I am looking forward to seeing more of your shots.
John
PS not that is matters but what kind of camera were these taken with?
John
PS not that is matters but what kind of camera were these taken with?
Joined
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12,285 Posts
I like the bicycle one the best. If you enjoy photography you have a very good chance of becoming one. My brother-in-law took some classes at U of H on photography. He later worked as a stringer for UPI. He then worked for a newspaper in Kansas and then in LA. He is now a director of photography for a major newspaper. Education is the key. Unfortunately the new cameras has automatic features. You probably should get one that allows manual adjustment. Good luck. Finding something you enjoy is half the battle.
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4,870 Posts
The last photo looks like it would be a really cool album/CD cover. Dont know why, just makes me think and usually music is a great foarm of expression of thought. Soul searching i suppose.
Keep up the great work!
Keep up the great work!
Joined
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3,771 Posts
hi there Dixie Lee, nice to see you post in here again! looks like you're all set up to have some great fun with that camera and what a start! i too very much like the bike shot. it's unique. i've never seen that before. hope your dad doesn't tell you off for riding without holding onto the handle bars! lol oh... hopefully you also have a neck strap for your camera too!
okay you want some critique... let's see if i can give you something to look at.
image #1 - i like it very much. you haven't got your main subject centered and that means there's a little more interest in the photo. i have two suggestions for improvement... a) there is a little bit of blurring. when taking the shot, try to click the shutter button as you breathe slowly outward. that might help to keep your camera still. b) if the sun was behind a larger branch or tree, would the effect look better or worse? that might be something you can try, just to see the difference.
image #2 - a slight blurring here too... i'm not sure if post processing using a sharpening adjustment would help. maybe you could try it and see. i love the name of the tree. it makes my muse start dancing and my fingertips itch to write. in fact, i think the slight blur actually enhances the feeling of the 'spirit' tree.
image #3 - very sharp and clear image of the STOP sign. to improve, i would think about trying to get the whole of the sign in the image, a little bit is missing from the top. and i would try to make sure it was straight as it is close to the edges of the photo. i like the background of the tree... looks like a neat place to picnic!
image #4 - i love black and white and i love this image. to improve hmm... let me think... maybe if you stepped back a little bit you would have the whole tree in the photo? and in an image with solid straight lines it is especially important to make sure the horizontal lines are straight. these are only very slightly higher at the right side of the image. (does your camera have a 'grid' that you can turn on? i sometimes have mine turned on and it can help when i'm taking photos of subjects with lots of straight lines, eg buildings, or the sea horizon etc.)
image #5 - hmm only thing i can think of to improve this is to print it and frame it on your bedroom wall. and get your mum to make sure there's bandages in the first aid kit in case you fall off your bike next time you do it. lol
i hope something in here is helpful to you. like the others have said, keep taking photos, feel free to come in and share them here and to ask any questions.
thanks for sharing these photos... i always learn a lot when i look closely at images to critique, so thank you for that too.
rosesm
okay you want some critique... let's see if i can give you something to look at.
image #1 - i like it very much. you haven't got your main subject centered and that means there's a little more interest in the photo. i have two suggestions for improvement... a) there is a little bit of blurring. when taking the shot, try to click the shutter button as you breathe slowly outward. that might help to keep your camera still. b) if the sun was behind a larger branch or tree, would the effect look better or worse? that might be something you can try, just to see the difference.
image #2 - a slight blurring here too... i'm not sure if post processing using a sharpening adjustment would help. maybe you could try it and see. i love the name of the tree. it makes my muse start dancing and my fingertips itch to write.
in fact, i think the slight blur actually enhances the feeling of the 'spirit' tree.image #3 - very sharp and clear image of the STOP sign. to improve, i would think about trying to get the whole of the sign in the image, a little bit is missing from the top. and i would try to make sure it was straight as it is close to the edges of the photo. i like the background of the tree... looks like a neat place to picnic!
image #4 - i love black and white and i love this image. to improve hmm... let me think... maybe if you stepped back a little bit you would have the whole tree in the photo? and in an image with solid straight lines it is especially important to make sure the horizontal lines are straight. these are only very slightly higher at the right side of the image. (does your camera have a 'grid' that you can turn on? i sometimes have mine turned on and it can help when i'm taking photos of subjects with lots of straight lines, eg buildings, or the sea horizon etc.)
image #5 - hmm only thing i can think of to improve this is to print it and frame it on your bedroom wall.
and get your mum to make sure there's bandages in the first aid kit in case you fall off your bike next time you do it. lol i hope something in here is helpful to you.
like the others have said, keep taking photos, feel free to come in and share them here and to ask any questions. thanks for sharing these photos... i always learn a lot when i look closely at images to critique, so thank you for that too.
rosesm
Joined
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7,492 Posts
I know nothing about the technical aspects of photography. I do know what I like though. The first ones are ok, but they don't really hit me like the last one. That last one is awesome! It just plain says something to me. Hard to put into words and I won't try. If I saw that in an art gallery, I'd know it belonged there.
Omg,
Thanks to everyone that gave advice, or even looked at my pictures.
:]
I learned a lot just from reading what you all had to say.
It made my day so much better!
Thankyouthankyouthankyou
P.s. and I'm definitely going to keep practicing and try some of everyone's suggestions.
Thanks to everyone that gave advice, or even looked at my pictures.
:]
I learned a lot just from reading what you all had to say.
It made my day so much better!
Thankyouthankyouthankyou
P.s. and I'm definitely going to keep practicing and try some of everyone's suggestions.
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669 Posts
Dixie Lee, the bike photo rocks! I can't wait to see more of your photos.
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5,845 Posts
WTG Dixie Lee, I agree with the bike shot. If you can get ahold of a couple of books, Scott Kelby / Digital Photography, and Joe McNally / The moment in clicks (think thats the name) Read these. Scott has a way of teaching that is very informative and interesting and Joe explaines how he gets his shots. They should help in understanding how the camera and lighting works...Then get out and shoot some shots and post them here. Most of all have fun doing it....Looking forward to some more from ya.
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7,533 Posts
Dixie I've got to agree with everone, well done. That bike pic is awesome, and yes I could see in used by a band for a CD cover, it is that cool! :dance:
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5,845 Posts
Canon S5is is a pretty cool little camera, if you dont want to get into all the lens switching (which can get expensive) has a great zoom range along with a basic and creative features.
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-S5-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B000Q3043Y
you can find them used for about 300.00 or so every once in a while
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=14
Here is a group devoted to the S3is / S5is camera
http://www.s3users.com/forum/index.php
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-S5-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B000Q3043Y
you can find them used for about 300.00 or so every once in a while
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=14
Here is a group devoted to the S3is / S5is camera
http://www.s3users.com/forum/index.php
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