I am a Crap Photographer

For anyone who’s suffered through the “images” featured on this blog over the last 3.5 years, the following announcement won’t come as a surprise.

I am a crap photographer.

I’m not being modest. I really suck at it. Which is doubly distressing because I am such a visual person. I see beauty everywhere. I want life to look beautiful.

I just cannot replicate the beauty I see in a photograph.

Which totally warrants investing in a pricey camera, no?

Maybe not. But I did anyway.

I won’t bore you with the needlessly dramatic circumstances of actually purchasing said camera at the moment. Suffice it to say: rather than buying a kit, I’ve been piecing together my own over the last two weeks, one component at a time. My first lens came today and I was finally — finally — able to test drive the camera that has been sitting on my desk for a week.

A few disclaimers which will, hopefully, soften the judgments of any real photographers out there:

1. I am still a crap photographer.
2. I have no idea what I’m doing yet. (And maybe never will…)
3. Images are straight out of the camera. My Photoshop “skills” are a subject for another time.
4. I’ve probably jacked up the resolution saving down for this post. More to improve upon…
5. Yes, a crap photographer. Please remember and be kind.

I took about 60 pictures at the same spot in my living room (note the still-up Christmas tree background!) over a few hours’ time, so the light varied. All were taken on a Nikon D5200 with a Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G lens.

Yikes. Over-exposed.

Fuzzy. (Sidebar: How do you pros get boys to sit still and smile?)

Finally figured out how to turn off the flash. Eureka.

Still working on natural smiles, though…

This boy seems to have just two looks: Barely A Smile or Crazy Eyes.

This was taken well past dark. (I love this lens already.)

I’m starting to understand where my boys get it from.

With the vast experience of one afternoon of DSLR photography now under my belt, I’m very pleased with the quality of the images, even if the person behind the camera is still, essentially, crap at taking pictures.

As per that last reality, I’m sure lots of classes and books are in my future. What resources have you found most helpful in becoming a better photographer?

Do tell. I need all the help I can get…