To ask what you think of these photos?

[WannabePhotographer]

My username says it all, I love photography and would love to be one one day. Please give them a second to
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Sorry to burst your bubble but they're very basic and not engaging. You don't have the eye so do something else.

This is a stunning photo.

It's not even the colours, or any filter that may have been applied. It's in the photographer's vision - the composition of the photo, the way that everything is framed and how the sky and ground interact. It's the artistic vision that stands out here, the ability to see what would make a good photo. The figure in silhouette really sets it off beautifully.

Ok, my advice...

1. Get the A Year with my Camera workbook. Work your way through it from the start. This will teach you about the workings of your camera, how to vary the settings to get what you want results wise, and also about framing and lighting and all the other little things that make a big difference.

1. Practice, practice and practice some more. Use your cameras instruction manual plus what you've learned in the above book. Take the same picture with varied settings and see what difference it makes. Use the manual to play around with things that the AYWMC won't teach you, like what happens if you vary the focal zone, how to change the colour profiles etc.

1. Find your interest. You may want to expand your kit a bit and try some other lenses. I have several and definitely have a favourite, which feels most natural and always gives me great results. I am all about nature photography, that's where my interest is, and its where my skills lie. I am shit at landscapes and have to consciously think about adjusting settings and getting it right (rarely happens!!)

1. Join your local camera club. The average age may be about 102 years old but with that comes knowledge and experience. There will be talks, focus evenings, friendly competitions and days out with like-minded people who will guide and support. Bonus points if you befriend another Fuji x-mount user who lets you play with their lenses

But most of all, get out there and enjoy it. Put your photos out there for constructive feedback and use this to make progress.

And for those saying OPs camera is broken or whatever, I took this with nearly £5000 worth of camera and lens 🤣

A good photographer can take a good photo with any kit, but a decent bit of kit does not automatically make a good photographer.

I'm pleased to say my skills have improved significantly since this attempt although fast birds in flight (swifts, swallows etc) remain a challenge!

Yes, I think it is. You need to learn more about focal lengths, depth of field and - especially if you want to produce the sort of muted, flat effect you've almost achieved in your architectural snaps - aperture and exposure. Join a course.

Your framing and composition are pretty poor, with some exceptions (the lake scene's good) and this will also be covered on a course. This is a lot easier with digital photography as it's trivial to crop and even to blur/heighten elements after taking the picture, but it's definitely better to have it all under control as you create the picture.

Enjoy yourself 🙂

I think you spotted a colour pallete which brings cosy memories of British holidays and have subtlety picked up on it in all of your photos.
That's a really good start as you have an eye for it.

Why not start uploading to unsplash and see if they get used, that’s the key if you get some commercial use you know they work and you can enjoy your hobby.

if you take criticism to heart you’ll never be a creative, everyone has opinions and you need to have confidence in your own style and works I like them.

Don't hold back.

I think they do have that vibe. They remind me of Cornwall holidays in the 80s, in a good way.

OP - Can I just say that this feedback is par for the course with a creative endeavour. I’m a writer and have got very used to the sting, then the indignance and then the eventual grudging acceptance of the useful parts of the feedback to then knuckle back down. There will always be unhelpful feedback too, sometimes because it’s too harsh and sometimes because it’s just not relevant to you. They’ll be plenty of that and this thread is just another way of learning how to take the good stuff that works and leave behind what doesn’t. What I will say is you do get used to it, you’ll still get the sting but it’s just part of being an artist.

Oh, one other thing, I recommend not putting things out there too soon. The early brutal feedback is often not the most helpful!

It would be even more unkind for people to say they are fantastic just to flatter you.
It is not unkind to tell you that photography, like everything, is a skill that must be learned.

It's not just about pointing and shooting. There's a lot of technical stuff to learn.

If you love photography then put your ego to one side and be prepared to learn how to do it.

There is no reason you can't become a fantastic photographer. You just need to be willing to learn.

I embroider. My first effort was absolutely shite! I was so proud of it and I loved doing it, but it was, objectively, nothing special. I didnt pick up a needle and become an embroidery goddess.

So I learned how to do it well. Watched videos, bought books, had a friend teach me more.

Now I sell embroidered pieces.

There is no reason you can't work hard and build up to making a career out of it.

Your husband is a photograph? Sounds right, he must be a negative.

You’re worse though. He said the nastiness in private, you saw your way to directing it at someone.

I really like the spade hanging on the wall one.

OP - the first set of pictures photos were not my favorite as too much sky and weird composition. The one of the houses was ok but not really interesting - you mentioned this is your home town so it makes sense the photos will have special meaning to you even if they are quite ordinary/boring to other people. The ones from the shed are really good and I think show your skill better. Keep practicing and do it to enjoy yourself - it’s a hobby (not a job!) so it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks. Also - art is very subjective, even if the photograph is technically perfect it won’t mean everyone likes it.

Some of your later photos are genuinely very very nice.

Lots and lots of people have given kind and constructive advice, me included, yet you're ignoring all of them?

They look like they've just been taken on your phone. If you enjoy it join a club or course and develop your skill.

I'm just amazed that you've done A level photography and don't even have a comprehension of composition on photos to be fair.

If you enjoy something that is all that matters.
if you want to become a professional photographer - well that takes years. Don’t stop doing something you like and enjoy.

I suggest joining a photography group for tips and inspiration - ask for critiques on your pictures. I'm in a photography group and it's amazing what some of the experts can produce. Also, find some themes that really inspire you - I like photographing things like rusty machinery, vintage transport, once-busy but deserted places and derelict buildings. If you develop a theme you will learn what works well and what doesn't, play around with the settings on your camera and so on to get different effects. Experiment with monochrome as well, which can sometimes be the making of a picture!

V explicit garden sheds. Watch out!🤣

You have chosen some subjects well. But you have not yet developed a way of making them more dramatic..
The fields with shadows over low hills is good. As is the 'lantern'.
I think it is worth you going back and trying those again from slightly different positions and times of day.
What photo magazines do you get?

@Russiandollsaresofullofthemselves- have a word with yourself. Your post was genuinely horrible. What effect did you think that would have on the OP? Would you say that to someone IRL? You should be ashamed.

and @WannabePhotographer - stop being so defeatist and defensive! You’ve had some great advice on here but you’re ignoring it or coming up with reasons not to take it (‘why would I join a photography club if all my photos are shit?’). Don’t be daft. It takes time and effort to learn and practise skills. Ignore the unkind posts and focus on all the positive ones.

I don’t know what people think a level photography is about but as long as you could edit the photos (and show that you had done it), that was all you needed to do. You took photos, and then made sure you documented your edits. We didn’t even get taught to do ISO etc., beyond “make sure you note what it is set at”

I agree @BellissimoGecko !

dear @WannabePhotographer
Your photos are not bad at all - there’s some really interesting compositions. And film is a great look. I like how you’ve captured the mundane (bus stop) infront of a spectacular sea view.
i think one of the things that’s distracting people is when I open some of your pics on my phone they’re a 9:16 aspect ratio and with that old film look (and scenic shots) you definitely expect to see a more cinematic aspect ratio. (It’s probably the site or the upload). This may be putting people off as they’re a bit narrow on here - tho may work on insta stories. Some are showing 4:5 (the b&w ones) and they are viewing better on my phone.
Good luck - definitley aim to learn more and study further especially if you’re saying film stock as there are some great tricks and you can develop your own!

OP, I have recently started a new study/hobby. I have always been interested in landscape and geology, general knowledge - pub quiz level. But now I am studying it in a structured way. There is a world of difference. I am enjoying it as a real challenge.
Structure and meet and chat to experts. KEEP Going