Monday, February 11, 2013

Let Me Encourage You Today

A while back there was a comment from Bush Babe. She is from Australia and was speaking about "photography snobs". I won't repeat the whole comment here ... but if you want to read it you can click here on comments and scroll down to where Bush Babe comments and I replied.

Near the bottom of that string of comments is another one from MCCasey. MCCasey said, "I thought I would use my camera for stock photography, but every photo I submitted was rejected. So, I thought to myself, why do I like taking photos? I love it because I can't draw or paint, but I want to share the beauty I see around me. I am not good enough for stock, but if I can share some of what I see with others I am happy."

MCCasey, here's what I think ... IF no one in the entire world liked my photos ... I would still take them ... just because I like them. I'm really not competing with anyone in photography ... except myself. I am constantly trying to improve my own ability but even if I don't ... I am still going to take pictures.

If you want to know more you can read this older article My General Guidelines To Photography that was written in response to frequently asked questions that were sent to me.

MCCasey (or any of the rest of you), ... never give up shooting! If you get up every day, turn your camera on and put your life on continuous fire, ... sooner or later your bound to hit something awesome ... and in that process you will learn. And the next time you will hit more and more. You are getting better over time. I am living proof you can get better beause my photography was truly horrible when I began with my first camera. You couldn't even tell what was in the pictures. MCCasey, keep shootin'.

NikonSniper

15 comments:

erin's art and gardens said...

new follower here...nice to meet a fellow photographer...i will never give up shooting! i can't!
happy new year!
erin

Jennifer said...

This is an excellent post for many reasons. It truly settles into my soul and relates a fundamental concept for me that I DO MY ART for ME. I framed my first picture that I took of a beautiful orchid at the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC. To me it is gorgeous and I LOVE IT and it doesn't matter to me what ANYONE else thinks or says. Doing my ART this way whether, drawing, painting, writing, photographing, whatever-just feels so good and so right.

Thank you for the enormous collection of fantastic photographs, and beautiful words of wisdom. YOU ARE a EVERYBODY/EVERYTHING kind of teacher and I JUST LOVE THIS!

cappy sue creations said...

Hi there I look often but comment rarely as I usually get distracted by a cat walking on my keyboard, ect.
Today I had to just knock the kitty off and say thank you for the awesome inspiration and I love looking at your pics every day.

NikonSniper said...

Exactly Jennifer!

Shaunak Mukherjee said...

Stephen, you're awesome and improving, although I'm not really any kind of expert, but I love shooting.
One thing you mentioned struck me:
"Turn on your camera and put your life on continuous fire"
something I've believed in from the start. Thanks for the encouragement!

Unknown said...

Just my 2 cents worth..
There are snobs of all kinds on here or not. I am seriously thinking of opting out on the comments gig. To do completely away with comments might seem extreme, but it's probably the only way I will break myself of writing and taking pics to try to impress others...How silly can I be?
On the other hand I might stop blogging altogether with out the affirmation of others. Who knows what will happen, maybe I won't be on the computer quite so much,
cause being a people pleaser is such a soul killer.
You are spot on with your comments. They make perfect sense, I had forgotten that judging and cliques stop in the
9th grade...they surely don't.
Happy New Year, and keep on snapping...
Life is good, and I am spending mine in front of this here machine. Wasting time.
Bravo Steve,
glenda

MCCasey said...

I have fun with my camera, trying to figure out how to capture what I see. Sometimes I can't figure out what lens to use, or what setting to use. I have taken some online classes and have gotten some great advice from pros online. I am glad I have a digital, because it lets me make mistakes, unlike my husbands film camera. Plus I am learning how to use Photoshop, which is also a great learning experience.
I will not give up taking photos to share with others and document what I see. Thank you for commenting on my comment!

Argent said...

Well said! I too take the photos that please ME. If others like them, then that's a bonus, but they are definitely for ME. Keep snapping, your photos are always interesting.

Cheryl said...

Exactly what Jennifer said! I have followed your blog and received sooo much inspiration/ideas/encouragement from it and I thank you for sharing all you have, it definitely has pushed me to try harder with my photography. I love taking photos for myself!

BB said...

Great response Stephen! Thanks...

I should confess that I'm an ex-news photographer, so my teeth were cut on pretty action-packed imagery. I learned on-the-run rather than from a text book. I still cannot believe I got a real job with such little technical experience... but I did. And I took some horrific photos, and some pretty nice photos. THE MAIN THING was that they told the story. They captured a moment or an emotional or a relationship. I am still catching up on the technical stuff. But I reckon I can capture a moment pretty well - and seeing as how all I am doing is documenting MY life, and the pics make ME happy (and show my kids what their world was like when they were little) then I reckon it's all OK. (Of course I yearn to improve. I'm quite normal!)

I love that you encourage (like I said for the last post). This world is full of knockers (and I don't mean of the ribcage variety!). I am very lucky that positive people visit me and comment - I am sorry that Glenda has had a bad experience in the comments section. To me it confirms what I know - that people would love my part of the world, given a chance to glimpse it. It's the little bonus I never anticipated in blogging.

Sorry to create a blog post in your comments - apparently I feel strongly about this!
:-)
BB

NikonSniper said...

Thanks Bush Babe. There are no limitations on length of speech here. I rather like that people can usually get more input in the comments section. I prefer to limit post comments and write in comments because that still allows people to breeze by photos that are of no interest. I knew you knew what you were doing with a camera!
NikonSniper Steve

Heckety said...

Did you hear the one about the couple on safari who disturbed a lion which began to advance on the wife?
The wife stood there yelling 'Shoot! Shoot!' and the husband shouted back 'I can't honey! I've finished the film!'

Shanti Perez said...

Photography is simply FUN! :)

NikonSniper said...

heckety!
that's a good one! i'll use it in the future for sure. love that irish humor. my father was born in belfast so there is much one can say.
like ... i bought my granddaughter an northern irish doll for christmas ... when you pull the string ... it doesn't talk, it makes a fist.
nikonsniper steve

bonifer said...

I don't comment often, Stephen but I follow your blog and you do 'encourage'me...