Outliers - Your First 10,000 Photographs Are Your Worst

While browsing the Web for some inspiration, I came across this quote:

“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Who is Henri-Cartier-Bresson? According to Wikipedia, he was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was also an early adopter of the 35mm format, and master of candid photography. He also helped develop the street photography (life reportage) style that was coined "The Decisive Moment" that has influenced generations of photographers.

Okay, he is the father of modern photojournalism. Credibility-wise, he knows what he's talking about.

Modern photojournalism, I am your father.
Image from http://photo.herrimanarts.com/henri-cartier-bresson-4884/

Now, come to think of it, this quote is similar to what Malcolm Gladwell suggested in his book, Outliers. According to Gladwell, it takes at least 10,000 hours of practice to master any field, citing the Beatles and Bill Gates as examples of people with extraordinary achievements in their field.

In today's digital age, it's easy to meet the first ten thousand shots. We don't have to trouble ourselves with the complexity of developing films; we can see the result of our composition as soon as we release the shutter. Entry-level DSLRs are priced attractively and even smartphones are equipped with a camera. Certainly, taking pictures nowadays is a breeze, almost no-brainer. One click and the moment is immortalized digitally.

Even though taking pictures is easier compared to pre-digital era, taking good pictures will still take a bit of a practice. Without knowing the basics of proper composition, you'll hardly find some improvement in your photographs. Knowing the basics of composition will make your photographs a lot better, whether you're using cameraphone or a DSLR.

So, it isn't just about practicing, but analyzing and continually improving your composition. It's less about natural talent and more about how much time you devote into developing the talent. Without knowing how to improve, it won't matter how many shots you take. You'll still end up with a less desirable photograph.

Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst, but with constant practice and conscious desire to improve, the next 10,000 photographs you will take is going to be better.

Old and New - The Awakening

I love taking pictures. Ever since I got my first camera phone, I've been taking pictures and saving them in my computer. Since I'm not using any software to organize pictures, I would save them in folders, prefixing the folder name with date. It makes it easier to sort and find the picture I need, with no software involved.

I've been through three phones now. Starting with the Sony Ericsson K750i, Nokia Xpressmusic 5800, and now, Apple Iphone4. Each picture I took, I try to save them in the computer. So far, I'm still able to keep up with this routine.

Lately, we were required to post pictures for critique. I've chosen two photographs from an old collection, taken from an art installation last 2009.

Why get some from an old set? Well, I believe that "old habits die hard", and checking my old collection of photographs, I would say that there's a pattern in my composition. If I were to come across the same art installations today, I would probably take the same shots, whether I'm holding a DSLR or a cameraphone. Still, I feel there's something wrong with my photos but I can't figure it out. Thankfully, the professor and some of my classmates gave their comments, giving me something to ponder on.

What have I learned from this activity? First, in order to improve, show your work to others and be open-minded to comments. There's always room for improvement, and there are other ways to make your composition better. I've also realized the importance of organizing my pictures. Seeing my old collection is like taking a peek on my personal history, allowing me to reflect on how I took pictures way back when I was still clueless with proper composition techniques. Being aware of my own shortcomings will definitely help on my goal to be a better photographer.

Singapore (2012)

Singapore (2010)

Goodbye, iPhone

I've been using iPhone for almost two years now. Being a smartphone, I enjoy using it not only for sending SMS and taking calls, but for taking pictures and videos as well. Compared to phones I previously owned (Sony K750i and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic), I can say the iPhone4 is a lot better than those two.

The iPhone4 is equipped with 5 Megapixel camera, and is able to capture HDR photographs (although I rarely use this HDR feature). The option to enable grid pattern in the screen while taking pictures is what I found useful, it makes it easier to follow the Rule of Thirds.

However, I noticed that while the iPhone can take great pictures in daylight, the quality of the image degrades when shot in low-light situation. Sure, I can use the flash, but there are situations where flash is not an option. I need something that offer more control. I can't just rely on the iPhone's software to decide for me what ISO to use or at what shutter speed. If I want to learn more about photography, I should get something with settings that I can play with. I want to experience shooting with different apertures, too.

Sure, there are lens kits available for iPhone. But looking at the price tag, I think I'd rather pass and get a real camera instead. Besides, I don't want my phone to look oddly funny and I don't want the hassle of assembling the lens. The lens may look cute, but it ain't a practical choice.

Image from photojojo.com

Looking at that setup above, it made me think if I had to answer a call while taking a picture. Should I cancel the call, or answer and tell "Later, I'm busy taking a picture." Or maybe just put the iPhone in Airplane mode so calls and texts messages won't go through. Yeah, I can do that. But then again, isn't that what phones are for -- calls and text messages?

So, while I'm looking for a new camera, the iPhone will be set aside for what it's best suited for: text messages and calls.

Updating Second Life

It's almost a year since I last played Second Life. I first played this game as a requirement in MMS 198 (Special Topics - Gaming in Education), wherein we were required to apply the proper composition in photography inside this virtual world. Now, its time to make snapshots again!

Too bad, I already uninstalled Second Life since I can't find the time to play anything nowadays. Luckily, I haven't deleted the installer yet so I was able to install the game again. What surprised me is that the installer was able to detect that I have an outdated graphics driver! Knowing that Second Life is heavy on graphics, I figured it won't hurt to update my drivers. Installation was smooth, I just had to click a few buttons.

Updating AMD Graphics Driver

To download Second Life, here's the direct link: http://secondlife.com/support/downloads/

System Requirements: http://secondlife.com/support/system-requirements/

My laptop is equipped with 1GB HD5470 graphics card, but still, performance degradation occurs whenever I choose higher quality setting. Thus, I'm stuck at fast performance but of lower quality. At least, its playable and I can fly around.

Second Life Preferences Menu

To take snapshots, press Ctrl-Shift-S (or select World from the menu bar, then choose Snapshot). A new window will appear and you may then choose where to save it and at what resolution. I keep mine at original and just resize it outside of the game.

Sample snapshot in Second Life

Whats in a Name?

Composition Fixation

In visual arts, composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements. The term composition means "putting together", and in photography, proper composition is what differentiates a "good" image from a "great" image.

Fixation, on the other hand, is maintaining visual gaze on a single location. It could also mean to focus the eyes or attention. Combining the two, composition fixation means focusing the attention to composition, analyzing the overall placement of visual elements in an image.

Composition is an important part of capturing the image, and without knowing the basics of proper composition, the beauty of the image will not be captured. Which is why it is necessary for someone who is just starting out in photography to not just concentrate on the subject, techniques, or the camera, but to always put composition in the forefront.

This is the reason behind the name of the blog. I intend to focus on proper composition techniques to bring out the beauty of the image in a photo. As a multimedia student who has just started out in photography, this blog will serve as a documentation of my journey in the wonderful and exciting world of photography.


Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixation_(visual)

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