How did you take your photography "to the next level" ?

Question

I've been interested in photography and in a few years I've become fairly proficient in the basics of the technical side as well as the compositional side of photography. I've taken some decent shots but I seem to be on a sort of plateau. My stuff is decent but I want to take it up a notch.

I'd like to ask some of the more experienced photographers here how they took their photography "to the next level". Where did you look for inspiration? What did you change in your outlook / attitude ? Who inspired you ?

I don't mean in a technical way but in a more personal way.

What in your mind separates a good photographer from a great photographer ?

Sorry if there is a lot in that question.

Some of my own work can be found here :

http://www.achtungbarry.com/apps/photos/

Answer 1

Pete Turner inspired my use of colour and design

http://www.peteturner.com

Just saturating my eyes with amazing images from pros and then trying to emulate their work was what I used to inspire my growth as a photographer.

Now that I am a pro, I take a class in photography at my local community college about every year or so.  They are taught under that art department, so most of the assignments involve pushing the envelope of technique and design.  My fellow students provide some amazing inspiration as well.

I use the experience to add to my tools when shooting on assignments.

Keep shooting and exploring your special part of the world and soon you will find yourself at the "next level"

Answer 2

My opinion is that thinking in terms of levels is a distraction. One should always be self-critical. If I'm stuck on a plateau, I ask myself, what is it that I don't like about my work? How could I improve it? In this way, one is always moving from level to level.

Great photographers have vision. They have discovered what they want to convey in their images and they struggle constantly to achieve it. Traveling on this path, one should be open to any experience, any image. Take lots of pictures of everything. 99.99% of them will leave you yawning. But one of them might get you thinking, "Hmm. That's interesting/different." Or you might think, "I wonder how this would look if I did this?" Then pursue it. Explore every aspect of it. When you're done with that, get back on that path again and start walking.

The secret is to never come to the conclusion that you've arrived. You're always traveling to a new place and gaining new skills. And the road never ends.

You've got some nice images on your web site. It seems to me that you're doing what I just outlined. Take one of your images, be self-critical. Ask yourself how can I make it better? How can I make it different and more compelling than it is? Experiment.

Answer 3

Its good that you travel around, travel can always provide inspiration and variety. But I am assuming you are more into travel or scenic photography based on your portfolio. My focus are on portraiture or conceptual art, so I guess its a lot different. Personally, keep experimenting. It keeps things fresh =)

Answer 4

LOL the first guy who answered stole my answer!! =)

Answer 5

Saw your work - it is very good.  Much of it is from a low viewpoint looking up or keyhole and they can become a little boring, in fact any repetition of style can become so.  You could try changing your perspective or getting in closer so that you concentrate more on the detail rather than the big picture.  I tried close-up work and it really opened my eyes as to the beauty of nature and everyday things.  For example close-ups of skin, hair, fabric, insects, leaves, flowers/parts all are exciting because for many people (including me) they open up a whole new world.

Answer 6

Equipment is the most obvious way to achieve what you are asking.

Buy a better camera, new filters or lenses etc.

When I reached a stage where I felt limited by equipment and materials, I didn't have much money and so started to experiment with homemade cameras. I now use a digital SLR, but the experience of working with homemade stuff was very valuable, and I quite miss playing around with bits of lenses and paper negatives etc.

When you make a camera you learn so much more than when you just buy one, and the way you make the camera will affect the type of pictures you take and how they look.

Flatbed cameras are not too difficult to make, but can take time to get right.The end result is definitely worth the effort though especially for macro work in a studio.

Pinhole cameras are the easiest to make, and although not suitable for every situation, because they are so easy to make you can quickly design and build one to suit a specific need. You can decide to take a certain picture and know how you want it to be, and so build a camera that is perfect for that one image giving you total control.

You can even make a scanning digital camera from an old scanner.

A couple of links you may find interesting -

http://www.pinholeresource.com/shop/home

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/01/...

Answer 7

well i looked at your web page and they are good, maybe you should consider working as an assistant for an actual well known photographer to pick up a  lot of stuff

Answer 8

One of the things that really helped me was to study the work of other photographers, both past and present. Not just one or two, but dozens. It not only gave me inspiration, but allowed me to see how their work progressed over time. The goal is/was not to copy their work, but to gain inspiration and insight.

All art is derivative, meaning it's built upon ("copied" is a bad word) the work of those who preceded us. Seeing that work will give you the foundation to move forward with your own style and vision.

The worst thing you can do is to try too hard. To force it. That will only lead to frustration and, gawd forbid, resorting to gimmicks or buying new equipment in the hopes that your talent is directly tied to your camera. It is NOT! The thing you need to be aware of is that change does not happen while you are holding the camera (which is what leads to gimmicks and money wasted on unnecessary gear), it comes beforehand through study and contemplation.

The fact that you are asking this question is a very positive sign. You've got some very good images in your gallery, so you have a great foundation from which to move forward. Just let it come naturally. If you find yourself purchasing a star filter, you'll know you're trying too hard.

Answer 9

i agree with fhotoace, but also i'd experiment with different techniques such as HDR and durastic changes in depth of field. i like your photos a lot, but another thing you can do is just take random walks in random places and possibly a random photo op may come up. i've come to the point where all that i see now a days is how the image would look through a lens if i captured it and how i could tweak it. just food for thought. good luck!