My photos rarely come out how I want them to (because I don’t take enough pictures), and that puts me off taking any more photos because they all seem ‘bad’ to me. It’s a sort of reinforcing cycle.
I try to take pictures of interesting subjects, in interesting lighting etc., but find myself putting the camera back into the drawer for another 2 months before I pick it up again and go through the same cycle. It’s almost like I’d rather take no pictures than bad pictures.
Is this normal, or am I just insane? I neglected taking my camera on my last trip abroad because of this feeling.
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Stop trying to take photos of interesting subjects in interesting lighting and just take photos of the things you enjoy.
If the photos always look bad to you then…… has something in life imposed perfectionism in you? If your brain works like that then, quite possibly, you’ll never take a “good” photo because, well, you’ll always find the faults. So, there something deeper at work here, I think.
I take photos of aircraft… some work some don’t, for a variety of reasons. But I live and learn… I don’t stop because some photos don’t work out.
I definitely struggle from perfectionism in a wider sense. I always thought that taking photos would be a way to cope with it… I completely agree with you.
The want…. I’m interested in aircraft, but every day (or every time I go) is different… the weather, the lighting, the challenge of finding a different view. Also I see it as documentary rather than getting the perfect photo. Sure, I try and do it as well as I can, but it’s not a problem if it doesn’t work out perfectly. You can’t guarantee where the aircraft are going to be when they take off, for example.
I was out today and the lighting was…. variable. Even if the light wasn’t great I could get a feel for what works and what doesn’t. And I’d rather have the photo of the plane than no photo.
As for your perfectionism, I think you may need to see someone about that…. wanting to do something well is one thing but if it controls your life to the extent that an enjoyable hobby or pastime is ruined for you then you’ve got much deeper problems.
This might sound weird, but, if you don’t like the way your photos come out, maybe it means you’re on the right track? The thing to do now is to figure out what exactly it is that you don’t like and how you can change that.
Don’t let perfectionism get the better of you. It can be both a disadvantage ánd an advantage. Don’t give up! Go out there and shoot, just for the fun of it. Experiment. Try out new things. For now, don’t think about the result. You’ll get there eventually!
Just wanted to add that, in my experience, if you go out with the idea to shoot perfect shots, you won’t find any. It’s only when you let go of those expectations, that you’re really able to see the world around you with an open mind. That’s when you find the shots. Or they find you. That sounds super new-agey, I know, but it works.
So don’t think about the results. Or even photography. Go out, take your camera, just in case, and have fun, be curious, look around you. That’s when the photos find you.
consider reading these books to teach yourself.
Read this if you want to take great photographs by Carroll is pretty good
Stunning digital photography by Northrup is actually much better but longer.
It not about perfectionism. Who wants rubbish photos. It’s a huge step to be honest with yourself and just try a different hobby
Very normal and I hate it
It’s a fact of life unfortunately
You have fallen into the trap, the lie really, that there is some perfection, some single goal that you must achieve. Generally, this does not come from examples of people who have actually achieved something interesting. The world is full of sheep, seeking to flock with other sheep. Modern cameras have given the sheep “skills” that allow them to flock better. They justify it all to each other by going on and on about their “tools” and how they can focus so perfectly, or stop motion so perfectly, or have super high pixel counts and burst rates. It’s how sheep entertain each other. It is called bleating. All it produces is yet another “perfect” photo of a bird doing something, in absolutely perfect focus, stopped in time, taken from a row of 50 that look virtually identical, but from which this one has been deemed “perfect.”
You can join these sheep if you like, or you can just do what you do and stop judging yourself by what they do. The world doesn’t NEED what they do. It also doesn’t need most of what anybody does. So just do what you want to do. Learn what you want to learn. Don’t lose the enjoyment of it by wasting energy thinking it needs to be “perfect” in some way.
Sit down, figure out what YOU like and don’t like about your photos. Then work on that. It’s that simple. Some of the greatest photos ever taken don’t fit the paradigm of modern sheep photography, and were taken on gear nobody would cross the street for anymore. So you are not really bound by any of it. When you accept that, and start being honest with yourself about it, you can improve.
You need to find another hobby, one you actually enjoy for a change.
There is perfection in imperfection. Don’t try copy others so much as far as a end result goes, but work on something you like. Do not follow a bunch or photographers but rather the one or two you like, which will prevent you from always seeing too many styles and idea’s. Subject matter actually matters the most, as we look at the subject more than the fancy photography a lot of the time.
There is no perfect in photography (debatably any art). All you’re doing is capturing the world around you in a way appealing to you.
Worrying so much about “perfect” aperture, speeds, filters, lenses, etc can get in the way. But if you know how these fundamentals (f-stop, speed, focus, ISO) work and work together, you can discover your own style.
Lighting is only a fraction of the battle, you also have the composure itself which is what most non-photographers will notice before thinking about imperfect lighting or focus. Just keep shooting and figuring out what you like, don’t worry so much
My main drive is to capture the world around me as good as I can. Sometimes there’s just a one try hit or miss shot. If it’s a big miss it’s okay. If ist’s okayish I tell myself it’s better than not have the shot.
My technique is to develop a mindset where you focus on the non obvious. We tend to not observe our surroundings. You have to get out of the visual lazy mode.
Shoot in auto to see what you should be doing so you can focus on composition.
Imperfections can be a powerful trait that can mark your signature ,remember art is subjective
Stop worrying about getting to the perfection destination and instead enjoy the learning journey.