I've thoroughly enjoyed the last month of photographing on a whim and trying to make good compositions and bringing out what I saw through post-processing, but I'm left feeling a touch dissatisfied with most of the results. Apparently, the monitor I edited the last month's worth of photos on is brighter and has better contrast than my regular monitor (I just got my laptop back from the computer surgeon), and as such, the images I thought were bright and saturated look a touch dull on this one. In addition, I look at professional images, and even on this monitor mine suddenly look grainy and drab in comparison. How can I achieve that smooth polish, crystal-clear crispness, and vivid color? Is it possible without a really expensive lens? Do I need to photograph using a tripod more (almost all of my photos are taken handheld)? How can I make the colors "pop" better without making my images garish or oversaturated? I've tried a few tricks lately, but I'm left feeling quite flat relative to professional images.
No, I'm not fishing for affirmation or compliments. I'm simply expressing an honest desire to learn. I'm not trying to downplay whatever skill I have. I have some nice pics. I just like some of them enough that I wish they were that much better quality, so I'd want them on my wall. And I realize my photos simply aren't going to be National Geographic quality without years of experience and practice and investment in equipment, so I'd like to get that experience with some direction. I'm just not sure where to find the direction or correction I want and/or need. There are inexpensive community courses or courses taught by local universities which I should probably consider jumping into if I want to make the most of my hobby. I hear
Flickr groups can be good for feedback and suggestions, but I'm not sure which groups are best or most appropriate for my skill level. I joined a beginning photography group there but felt like a small minnow, like nobody would care about helping a novice like me because when I looked at their "beginning" photos, most were
so much clearer, sharper, and more stylized than mine that I slinked away so as to not be noticed.
Let's be honest: it's a lot easier to post pretty pictures on my blog for friends and family to adore and compliment (*wink*), and I'm hesitant to have those same pictures picked apart in a forum of strangers. But such is the cost of progress and the risk of sharing my efforts with a broader audience. I'm realizing I'm going to have to go out of my comfort zone (often a very small area) if I'm going to find the training and feedback I need from people who really know this stuff inside and out and can help bring my skills and knowledge to a higher level. That's how life is, I suppose.
In other news, I just received my very own
5-in-1 reflector in preparation for the fast-approaching wedding of a good friend and for future portrait use (I took some pics of a friend in late afternoon light that would've been great had I been able to use a reflector for some fill lighting to reduce the harsh shadows).
That, in combination with my recently-acquired Canon
50 mm f/1.8 lens and a currently en route
Canon Speedlite 430EX II flash, should have me minimally equipped for my first foray into wedding photography. And I'm...
the photographer. No pressure or anything... *gulp*
