what should I do?

Aaron Wilson

I want to better my skills... There is a community college that uses 35mm... took the classes long time ago... But is there a way or how should I better my skills? Im in CA, the bay area... any help would be great.

DJ-S1

Shoot, shoot, shoot, post, shoot more, post more, ask more questions!

Seriously, this is a great resource right here.

Aaron Wilson

yes true
yes true... but was also looking fo a faster fix..lol

DJ-S1 wrote:

Shoot, shoot, shoot, post, shoot more, post more, ask more questions!

Seriously, this is a great resource right here.

Shay Stephens

The fast track to oblivion
Expunge that thought from your mind right now. There is no slower way of gaining in skill than looking for a shortcut.

Concentrate on the work of gaining skill and experience. That means getting out there and doing. Study when you can't shoot. Look at photos, find out what other people have done and are doing. Try to figure out how they did it.

If you can't find out how they did it, then try doing it yourself. The experience will teach you more than any class could teach you*. Come up with things you would like to be able to do, then, go out and try to do them yourself.

If you work on finding shortcuts, you will stunt your growth, and quite possibly get "lost" along the way.


*Not saying that classes are bad in themselves, but they are paced to the slowest members in the group. I find classes unbearably boring and slow.

Aaron Wilson wrote:

yes true... but was also looking fo a faster fix..lol

USAIR

DJ-S1 wrote:

Shoot, shoot, shoot, post, shoot more, post more, ask more questions!

Seriously, this is a great resource right here.

Great advice practice practice practice

Fred

Aaron Wilson

thank you
true.. well i'll just keep doing what im doing..lol..

gus

Aaron there is no answer here but what shay & DJ said.

Its no different to any trade or profession in that experience & time mean everything. I wouldnt go a week without shooting 100-300 shots & thats my lesson...i do my own thing & dont sell any but i know myself how much i have learnt from the sheer amount of time i have had a camera in my hand.

Good Luck & forget shortcuts.

illuminati919

I agree with everyone here. I've taken two photography classes at school, they did not teach me much, only the basics of a 35 mm. I learned way more from just shooting everyday, it really amazes me of how much I actually learned. Ive learned alot from only dgrin, it helped me alot, and i know i can just ask a question and somene more experienced will answers. Other then that, there are always books. Books, internet, magazines, self-experience, etc. Good luck !!!!

erich6

I agree with everyone's comments in one aspect: practice will make you better at taking pictures.

That said, I think there's some value to taking a class or reading a book or a set of magazine articles so you can learn some basics about equipment.

It's hard to learn about f-stops, f-numbers, lenses, filters, equipment maintance, and lighting equipment unless you do a bit of reading or take a class or two. The point is the class will give you some basics that you can use...like a vocabulary.

Putting the words together to make a great story only comes from practice.

Erich