Mi'sen

cc: @cwage @simonsarris @_awbery_

This is a really hard q to give a helpful answer, though maybe there are many. IMO with photography, there is no substitute for taking photos. You must try until you see in the photos what you are doing wrong, and then next time you will do it all right.

Duly noted. Thanks Simon.

highly agree -- there was a kinda dumb-sounding trend years ago of doing "project 365" where you force yourself to take one picture a day (people varied in their approach but for me "good/purposeful" was implied)

Analogue is a useful constraint. Because you’re paying for each photo you tend to want to make it a good one - if you take a ton of photos the cost adds up quickly. So I think it’s a good idea to choose your subject carefully then explore different angles, exposures, &tc

Find photographers whose photos you like consistently, then figure out what it is you like about them. Study them in detail, look at the light, the contrast, the texture, try to see what’s doing the work in the image, what’s communicating with you.

Then attempt to replicate that in principle with different subjects. Keep a notebook, include your intent with each photo and what worked or what didn’t in relation to that. You want to be able to predict what the photo will be like as you take it.

It’s true some of the best photos are spontaneous, but with the best, that’s often because the technique and skill are so automatic that the photographer didn’t have to think about it. Just like with everything.