photography - why don't my photographs ever turn out as good as the real thing?

Question

I have a good digital camera but my photos (even photos of still things, like landscapes) never turn out as nice as the real thing or even as nice as other people (who aren't professional photographers)'s photos?

Answer 1

Maybe your just not using the right setting on the camera. Or your not taking photographs while using the correct lighting, or your not keeping the camera still.

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http://freewebs.com/johnnyphotography

Thank You

Answer 2

You might find these books of interest. They were reviewed in the Dec. 2007 issue of Shutterbug Magazine and you can read them at shutterbug.com:

"How Digital Photography Works, Second Edition" by Ron White

"Hands-On Digital Photography" by George Schaub.

Also, READ & STUDY the Owner's Manual for your camera.

Visit your library and look at the photography magazines they have. Read them and subscribe to the one you like best.

Try using a tripod for your landscapes. Use the camera's self-timer or a cable release to trip the shutter. With a tripod you can use a lower ISO (50, 100) and a smaller f-stop (f8, f11) since camera movement won't be an issue.

Answer 3

I don't know about your situation, but I will tell you I have a similar sounding problem. In my case, I think I overlook details that the camera will not. For example, I can be talking with friends under a shady tree and never notice the shade pattern on their face. I snap a picture, and when I look at it - yuck! The mind filters out things like that so you don't really notice the light and dark spots on their face, but the camera gives you a 100% accurate representation of what is really there.

Answer 4

I suspect that you have settings that are too low to produce the results you expect. Often this is the result of the mindset, "I can get 1,000 photos on this camera!" To get the best, the very best results from your digital camera, set the image size to the maximum. Set the quality to its highest setting. This is "Hi" with many cameras or "Fine" with others. If with these settings you are running out of storage space on the camera's card, then buy another card, or two. Right now they are cheap.

I will bet that if you do this, you will be much happier with your results.

Answer 5

A camera is merely a tool, you are the work. If you don't like the results, learn methods and techniques that will get you the results you are after.

Even professional photographers never stop learning!

Answer 6

It must be the camera... I had a digital camera once... I got it just to take some pictures nothing special, so I didn't pay much. The quality was pretty bad, but if you get a digital camera fore 150 or 200... it would be better. Hmmm... I guess it depends what you consider "good." Maybe it was expensive, but not a good quality brand. :P Well... pictures never turn out as good as they should

Answer 7

Photos are two-dimensional representations of three-dimensions, so they aren't going to turn out like the originals!

In comparing your photos to someone else's, variables include equipment plus skill. You may not have the same quality of equipment as someone else, and/or you may not have the same skills (yet!)

Answer 8

It isn't the camera... it rarely is.
You just need to try to compose more carefully and think about the lighting. I mean, there is a number of things you could learn about photography.

Answer 9

Its not the camera doing the work its you. Just keep shooting and you'll keep getting better look at camera sites to get more information. Try getting IS or image stablization

Answer 10

Can't answer without knowing what you mean by "nice".