Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 11:04 AM, you wrote: >Wants:=A0 I'm planning on a Leica M6 and some more lenses, but >the main thing I really yearn for is a better eye for composition! >Too many times an eagerly awaited roll of film has returned from >the lab, and has been a total disappointment.=A0 I ache to be a better >photographer, and I've fallen into the trap of thinking better equipment >will help, but I know in my heart that it's my own failings that are >holding me back. Simon,=20 Welcome to the world of Leica! With time you will find that using Leicas become so natural, you spend more energy shooting and less time figuring out which mode to use. :-) The way my photo eye came to develop is to study the work of photographers I like and try to determine what it is about the picture that moves me. Then ask myself the technical questions. Which lens, film, where is the light coming from, how close, what isn't in the picture, how did he/she get access, what time of day, etc. Then when I go out, I tried to duplicate such images in general - not too specific. Like make sure I get in close like the photographer did. Use backlight. (I just shot a cross-country runner yesterday in strong backlight and boy was it a nice picture! I realized I've been avoiding backlight). Of course, eventually you have to get out of the mode of duplicating pictures you like and start making your own. But the exercise can get you started. An alternative is to shoot themes. Take pictures that have themes. Faces, quality of light, closeup, depth of field (shallow and deep). Watch the near/far relationships, get in close, then get closer, then closer= again. Robert Capa, the famous war photographer, once said "If your pictures aren't good enough, you are not close enough!" Or something to that effect. Whatever, fill the frame, and take pictures of things you care about. Study the frame as you shoot and most of all - HAVE FUN! If you do these things, and whatever else you can think of, your pictures can't help but get better. And last of all, shoot lots of film.=20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Eric Welch St. Joseph, MO http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch Politics: Poli (many) - tics (blood sucking parasites)