Playing Up
Looking to get your photographic efforts into full flower? In tennis it’s considered a good thing to play with someone better than you, because it increases your focus and challenges you to bring up the skill level of your game. You match your skills but bring the level of interactivity to a better level.
I’d say that’s the case with the website Digital Challenge because I just got the newsletter with the contest result images and they are stunning. Considering what the microstock competition is like out there, it couldn’t hurt to look. Instead of feeling intimidated by the other images I was inspired. Where I specialize in composition, other photographers clearly go for the computer enhanced editing and effects. Both styles have their value.
Right away from the winning images I can see glaring holes in my techniques. I don’t have experience working with blur backgrounds and fast paced action shots. The dog running in front of the blurred background could not be my shot. The dog is in focus, my image would be total blur.
IÂ was painfully reminded just the previous night on a photo ramble that my night versus light abilities are sketchy. I know from experience I will lose a great shot because I don’t have the talent to exclude a bright light from a night scene with an animal in the middle distance. When the focus is right the animal comes out with those beady bright spotlight eyes. When the light adjustment is right the focus on the entire shot cuts the light in too much. Oy vey.
I have to work on that. I also need to spend some time working with black and white versions of more of my files and some special fade to black effects sharpening. I also was in a discussion today with a webdesigner who was proposing we shoot her daughter in some informal photo sessions. I think some picture with flowers in the park might add to the power of my landscape and flower heavy image portfolio.
If you think you don’t benefit from reviewing the output of other photographer’s, I’d advise you to bring that lens around 180 degrees. Not only do you see the finished result in its highly polished final form, but you can instantly see congruent images in your own portfolio in your mind’s eye that might transition to similar, more marketable image files.Â
The viewing of these brilliant images has amplified my ambitions. I am currently planning a partnership with a photo editor that trades raw photo files with editing privileges. I can ask for simple enhancements to my best potential microstock submissions, and she can request images taken on my walkabouts that suit her needs. We met on an online  photo discussion forum.
The forum allows photographers curious about a particular photo to examine the camera and lens used as well as the setting, composition, cropping and editing details. If sharpening or custom effects have been applied, it is intriguing to see the result. This forum has some mouth watering images that make the beginner microstock photographer sigh….
