Welcome to the land of (potential) rejection! Insecurity babble.

I just wanted to say thanks so much to all of you - just seeing the sheer number of responses lets me know I am not a total freak!! Well, at least I am not a total freak who's all alone. And brendiver? You crack me up. I hereby name "It's a photograph, it's not supposed to move" as the quote of the week.

I rarely get asked to judge photographic competitions these days because I always give the prizes to the 'wrong' pictures.

Remember the true definition of an ex spurt.

My theory is, the judges with big egos are envious of captures they could never get.

I never heard this. What is the definition?

Ex - a person who is no longer what they were.

Spurt - a jet of liquid that suddenly gushes out.

Rule number two:

 

Don't bother with advice from people who want to babble on in some kind of super-geek language, they're more interested in showing off that they know loads of 'stuff' about something you probably don't need to know about, than genuinely helping you develop your skills.

Watch it Brendan.. you will be upsetting about 85% of the wetpixel posse...

Dive safe

DeanB

I'm so glad that someone has been brave enough to start this thread!

Last year I thought that I was pretty good. I got cocky, and put in entries to some competitions, joined an underwater photographic society, posted a fair amount of stuff on Wetpixel...

... now I think I'm a hopeless amateur who will never make a really good image (ie well-framed, exposed and of something exciting doing something unusual). Why? Because some people have more talent than I do, but mostly because they can go diving more than I can, and in the right situations.

I can't persuade my british buddies to travel abroad to exotic places, so when I go I often have to dive in groups. It was with an enormous feeling of relief that I heard the inspirational Martin Edge talking last week, and saying that you can't get the exceptional images that (science-geek-obsessive-compulsive) photographers (like me) want as part of a group. You have to stop and spend time, sometimes a whole dive, or more, working with a good subject.

On reflection, the images that I like, I took on my own (with patient buddies, 1:1 guides etc) and spent plenty of time on them. The disappointment that I have felt recently has come from diving with groups, not being able to pick my own subjects, and being reduced to a competent snapshottist.

I got a bit of enthusiasm back in a cold, green quarry this month, because I planned and carried off a couple of decent images in poor conditions...

... but it was still frustrating how much more imaginative some of the images some of the other divers made were!

Tim

B)

I'm so glad that someone has been brave enough to start this thread!

Last year I thought that I was pretty good. I got cocky, and put in entries to some competitions, joined an underwater photographic society, posted a fair amount of stuff on Wetpixel...

... now I think I'm a hopeless amateur who will never make a really good image (ie well-framed, exposed and of something exciting doing something unusual). Why? Because some people have more talent than I do, but mostly because they can go diving more than I can, and in the right situations.

I can't persuade my british buddies to travel abroad to exotic places, so when I go I often have to dive in groups. It was with an enormous feeling of relief that I heard the inspirational Martin Edge talking last week, and saying that you can't get the exceptional images that (science-geek-obsessive-compulsive) photographers (like me) want as part of a group. You have to stop and spend time, sometimes a whole dive, or more, working with a good subject.

On reflection, the images that I like, I took on my own (with patient buddies, 1:1 guides etc) and spent plenty of time on them. The disappointment that I have felt recently has come from diving with groups, not being able to pick my own subjects, and being reduced to a competent snapshottist.

I got a bit of enthusiasm back in a cold, green quarry this month, because I planned and carried off a couple of decent images in poor conditions...

... but it was still frustrating how much more imaginative some of the images some of the other divers made were!

Tim

B)

Hey Tim

I think your photos are cracking mate...

I must admit I do get downhearted when my film consisting of hours and hours, days and days, weeks and weeks, spent in cold murky waters revealing never seen before behaviour of my subject gets beaten by what I'd call a steroid enhanced holiday video..

But hey..It lasts for a few seconds then I feel really happy for the shooter... We all love our work..its our babies and we get disheartened if no one can see the time put into evolving and producing it..

But it gives me the hunger to do better...

Dive safe

DeanB

Hey Tim,

I'm one of the judges of that contest. People will say I have been unfairly influenced!

Hey Tim,

 

I'm one of the judges of that contest. People will say I have been unfairly influenced!

My humble apologies...

Tim

B)

My humble apologies...

 

Tim

B)

Just remember how humble you said you were!