Fun with iPhone

[AndrewMcD]

I've been sweating bullets lately trying to understand and develop my use of the technical aspects of photography and making, seemingly, little progress with the images I've made. As a little break from frustrating myself I pulled the iPhone out of my pocket this evening and starting snapping images--what fun! Seems you can make phone calls with these things too; who knew?

[Karm Redland]

Andrew, in your words you have the solution to your problem: take your real camera out and go have fun with it. Improve your photography skills by taking lots of pictures and analyzing and developing them. Of course also improve your photography skills through study and ask people for feedback (one purpose of Cambridge). If you are not having fun with your camera then you are definitely doing something wrong.

Short story. A number of years ago my boss wanted to learn the software program Word. He asked me how to do it. I told him to start using the program and buy a good reference book so that when he gets stuck he can find a solution. He buys the reference book and a couple of weeks later I'm in his office and I ask him if he's starting to feel comfortable with Word. He tells me that it's been rough going but he's on page 240. I ask him if he has yet written a document. He answers me "no, I don't know the program yet." Here's the truth, G-d rest his sole, he died before he ever wrote a document.

If you want to improve your photography skills go take lots of pictures and have fun with your camera. Don't ignore the "do's and don'ts" of photography but also don't let them overwhelm you. Look at the incredible world around you and figure out something you want to capture and share with other people.

I really like your second image.

karm

[ClaudioG]

Great advice Karm... I'll take your words as advice to myself as well. i find i play around to much with photoshop and read as much as i can on photography but never get my camera out near enough times to learn.

I like #2 and #3 ..good job

[Smudger]

Very good advice Karm.

I can also echo this advice.

I have owned a DSLR since 2008 (EOS 400D), when I thought I had learnt how to use the thing. I didn’t!

It seems I only used it as a glorified point and shoot up until Janurary this year, when I got talking to a new work mate who was very much in to photography. I told him that I was also into photography but when I saw his pictures, my mind was blown and I thought, oh my goodness, I have no idea!

I then went out with him a few times, taking our tripods and going to locations where he had planned and wanted to shoot. (I just tagged along). I also got my head into CiC Tutorials and some helpful Forum threads and other material but I was also always shooting almost daily.

I have now learnt a lot behind the science of photography and have thrown myself stupidly or not, into this very rewarding hobby.

I joined this forum and posted a few posts but not really been too active.

I didn’t think I could add much to threads plus, most of my time now, when not at my day job has been taken up with going out there and taking 'planned' photos. When I am at my PC, I have been developing and uploading to 500px or alike. I have also been putting a few of my pics on the nice little mini comps, this site offers.

I think I might have gone overboard as I am finding this wonderful hobby very, very addictive.

It has become silly. I find myself out at all times of the day … and night taking photographs, even of the stars but it is starting to pay off. I am getting developing and improving easch shoot (IMO). I am always learning new stuff and I think photography is one of those subjects where nobody will really ever know everything and even the very best, will still learn new things from time to time.

But, you must get out there with your camera and keep in mind the advice offered here in the tutorials and take pictures and have fun whilst doing it.

To give encouragement, please consider looking at my photos at (http://500px.com/NigelSmith)

I am not advertising or spamming but really to display how much I have come on in a space of just a few months. I have only been into this hobby since January this year and using my camera for what it should be used for so consider my lack of exp when looking at my pics please because some are not great, but also consider this lack of exp when you look at some of the better ones.

With the practice, coupled with the help and tuition offered at CiC and other magazines out there, anything is possible but having fun is a must.

Hope this helps.

And to the Admin at CiC – Hope you don’t mind the link and also, sorry for not posting or being involved in posts much – I will try harder.