Feeling like a real photographer

The Rules of Capturing a High Quality Photo


....will not be found here.  I don't have the slightest idea about how to take quality photos.... But I do know what is pleasing to my own subjective taste!

So, that's what I did on my trip to the Caribbean. I took a lot of photos and tried to capture them in the way that I most wanted to remember the scenes before me!  If you want to become a great photographer, you should invest in good cameras and lenses, lessons, and put the time and effort into making your craft the best that it can be!   However, if you're just looking to have great pictures that you can enjoy later, I highly suggest that you:

  1. Enjoy the scene around you.  Soak it in!   Sometimes, we get so anxious about capturing the experience on "film" that we get lose sight of the forest through the trees.  Experience your surroundings!   Take a deep breath and scan around you!  Feel the moment!
  2. THEN look for the images and scenes that make you feel the most joy!  
  3. Snap away!  Don't feel intimidated.  We live in a digital age - you can delete any pictures that come out awful!


This is not the advice of a professional photographer.  This is the advice of one human to another.  Enjoy what you're doing!  It will make a difference!


Looking back at these snapshots- I'm really so proud of them!!! I took all of these pictures with my smart phone (Moto 5gs plus)


Here are my memories of San Juan!


Absolutely my favorite shot. It seems like it's from a fairy tale to me!


Beautiful bright buildings


Sweet Serenity


Beachside community, as seen from the top of a rooftop cafe


Ready, aim, fire.


Crumbling cannon


Exquisite tracks for the cannons


Triangular staircase


Cobblestones and color


Interesting chair!


Just a peek!


Flags waving over waves


Fabulous foliage


 

Standing the test of time


Ornate gate


Complimentary colors


Quiet street


Pristine waters


Looking through


Still majestic


Proudly waving


Searching through super specs


Protecting San Juan


From a distance


Until next time, San Juan!


Hope you enjoyed!   How did I do, @countrygirl ???  :)

Sort:  

These are all beautiful photos. I thought you said you don't know how to take a good pic? So many lies.

I just died!!!!! Lolololol

I said I don't have a clue about the rules!!!! Lolol

I try to be a rule follower but sometimes my brain says .... Nah.

Lololol so I just do what feels right! These felt right. I have no idea if I can duplicate this ever again but I have ONE DAY of proof that I took awesome shots. (Well awesome in my opinion!)

"...a client about the rules..."

What's that? :O

THAT... was an error that has been fixed LOLOL

it was supposed to say a "clue" about the rules. sorry @creatr and @negativer.
you actually need a rebellious brain like mine in order to read my posts properly hahahahahahaa

Well, to be fair, clients normally don't have a clue about anything either.

At least my clients don't.

i used to deal with clients. i concur ;)

That's why clients need consultants... ;)

Excellent pictures. The most that I loved was the encounter of the mainland with the sea and the history with the present. @dreemsteem

Wow some stunning pics there - I especially loved number 3 and then the colours of the beach houses - you have a knack for angles etc :) great job!!

thank you !!!! 3 is one of my favorites too!!! :) i really enjoyed pretending i was a photographer hehehee maybe i'll get better with each new "session" hehehe

its all about enjoyment and practice right? :) night my friend!!! see you on the flip side ;)

Man what a way to make good memories! I want to visit the Caribbean and i will some day!

ohhhhh i HIGHLY recommend Turks and Caicos as THE island to visit!!! Grand Turk is ABSOLUTELY heaven on earth!!!! post some pictures if you make it there!!! I will relive my memories through your post hehehehe

Great series of photos! They really did capture the feeling.

Thank you so much!!!! I thought so too hehehehe (but i'm biased ;)
brings me right back!! :)

These are gorgeous @dreemsteem...wait, you mean to tell me you're not a professional photographer?? Nooo, i don't believe that for a minute ..not after seeing these pictures!!! They're stunning babe, I wanted to pick a favorite, but the greedy me loves them all!! On the plane ride I took to Texas a few weeks ago, I took plenty of pictures but definitely put the phone down and enjoyed the experience. I'm a firm believer that you should absorb your surroundings, not through a screen or lens, and enjoy everything that this beautiful world has to offer!!

It doesn't surprise me at all that you were enjoying your surroundings in the moment!!! we are kindred spirits!!! :) how are you! i hope you're doing well, my friend!!!! everything ok with the talk you needed to give??

I am doing well my friend. Have found myself a little busy, but trying to find time to put out some posts(they seem to take me forever to do) I haven't had to give that talk yet, not till May 14th, but I do have my thoughts written down, and I'm ready to go in there and do what I have to do. I'm feeling good about it and ready to close that chapter!! How are you doing since you've been back from vacation? I hope all is well!!

This week has been SOOOO hectic! And my posts take me a while too! The writing comes quickly - but the formatting and adding pictures and putting it all together.... that takes forever! LOL

i'm hoping that next week everything will be calmed down and I'll have a nice schedule to stick to! hhehe

Not only your posts @dreemsteem, your presence is everywhere, you manage to respond to all of the comments, you're so involved in everything. I love your energy and positivity!! I don't know if you've realized it yet, but in me, you've gained a stalker!! And I'm sure I'm not the only one!!

I loved the windows on the waves - seems to me there was enough content here for multiple posts - hint, hint - Too much beauty exhausts the eye

Yes I thought that too!!!! But I always feel like if I spread it out, I'm somehow stringing my followers along???? I don't know why!!!
And then I thought... But will they tire of my Puerto Rico pics if I spread them out? And I really want them to see them all!!!

So I put them all together 😣😥

What's the range that you suggest to put in one post?

(And thanks for visiting !!! Miss Deb suggested I write a little story for the photos, but nothing came to me. So I told her to let you know they're free for the taking if you should hear a whisper of a story!!! No credit needed! Just write and leave me a link so I can enjoy too! Hehhee)

thanks, @dreemsteem - sometimes Deb features just one picture and focusses in on a particular aspect - Don't worry about padding your posts - you are providing good quality original content which is more than I can say for many on here. Think about acquiring an archive you can draw from - the most important thing is consistently posting - be predictable. I post twice a day at set times. As for getting back into the stream, Deb did it after a hiatus of maybe 5 months - now, she's posting regularly, a bit at a time, and being consistent.
Thanks for offering the pics - I definitely will keep that in mind. Thanks :)

thank you for the counsel!!!! I will try to do that in the future!! :) I have a post I'm doing (probably tomorrow) and i think i have 4 pics going into it. but they're all around the central theme of my living so rurally. (we live 90 minutes from civilization hahaha) so i THINK that would be appropriate? if i find another picture, i'll have to restrain myself from adding it to the mix hahahahahaha

thanks again! and i hear we both have the Muttley laugh! LOLOLOL I'll have to send something funny to you and Deb if I can find her on discord! hehehehe we're having trouble locating each other - but we'll figure it out! :)

No a photographer....phhsstttt! You have a great eye. And it looks like you had a beautiful trip. Thanks for sharing.

well everyone's comments are definitely encouraging me to try to take more pictures now hahahahaha who knows - maybe eventually i'll take it a little bit seriously and start to edit and spend some time learning!

for now.... i'll just enjoy it!!! thank you for the comments - and thanks for being a port this week!!!!! :)

What do you meeeeeeeeeean you aren't a photographer! You took some really great shots....I loved the second one structurally and composition wise - see, I can't even talk photographer speak. Don't know how.

Each photo is framed very well - you utilized natural elements to do that and you told a story with each picture. I was amazed at the tree roots growing wherever they could to survive. A good life lesson with those. I really enjoyed all the street photos...it gave me an idea of what San Juan was like.

Maybe you could write a story about them.

I just noticed you asked me what I thot. Bahaha.....there were so many shots that I thought - "Oh, she could enter it in this contest or that challenge." They are that good, yes.

I was wondering about the damage from the hurricane....did you see any? Or is that another part of the island?

Is that your tall husband looking through the view thing a ma jigger? I'd have to stand on the base to reach it...I'm sort like you but 2" taller. So short.

Not very many people around - is that usual for this time of year?

etc etc etc :)

there were lots and lots of people hehehehe but i was patiently waiting for them to get out of my shot!!! hahahaha

and that's my tall son! hehehe he's about 5 inches shorter than his dad - but still a tallie :) i have a really funny one of my hubby heheheeh i'll see if i can post it down here (and i'll cut off his head hahahahaha just like the Queen of Hearts! LOLOLOL)

but strangely - he doesn't look as tall as my son does in this shot! hahahaha you'll see :)

i'm so glad that it gave you a feel for what San Juan was like!!!! we were only there for one day!!!! so i tried to soak up as much as possible!!!!

I'm so happy that you loved them!!! oh and to answer your question - yes - we did still see devastation. you can't really tell, but the one that we took of the beachside community from the roof of the cafe ... those were all shells. on the outside - beautifully colored buildings dotting the shore. but closer look? they were gutted . sad.

and then - i really liked the one where you can see ... i think i called it "Proudly waving" - its the flag waving in front of the building being bolstered up.

I really liked the message of that photo. like... even amidst the destruction, the flag still waves. and i got the flag blowing nicely so that you can see it well! :)

I'M SO GLAD you like these!!!!!! i really did too! but i value your opinion!!! :)

i'm not feeling any story speaking to me. I'm not THAT good of a writer yet. hehehe I basically need the characters to actually whisper into my ear, telling me what to express on their behalf.

So... yeah - i'm the secretary for my characters! LOL

but if John sees anything in these to write about - he is MORE than welcome to use whatever fuels his imagination. No credit needed to be given to me - no need for acknowledgement. I'll be thrilled that a picture of mine became his muse for a moment! hehehehe

love to you my dear friend. sorry i've been a little bit quiet this week. just trying to get my head around real life after vacation! hehehehe

next week will be better!!! :)

Outstanding images!

Wish I coulda' been there...

😄😇😄

@creatr

Next time???? :)

These are fantastic! I love the ocean pics, but that statue is creepy in a really interesting way. Love the sense of history and seaside culture I get from these. :)

yesssssssssss i thought it was a little bit creepy too!!!! hehehehehehe that's so funny that you said that !!!!!

i'm so glad you enjoyed them! thank you for coming to check them out!!!

LOL, you dont need to be a great photographer to take pictures, i personally just try and error, get a software and click auto edit.

yes - trial and error - and the joy!!! :)

So many wonderful photos here! Triangular Staircase! Cobblestones and Color! The Cat Chair! Quiet Street! Looking Through! Wow, you have a great eye for fabulous composition! Thanks for sharing these spectacular shots in PYPT! 😊

I appreciate your appreciation!!!! hehehehehe Thank you so much! i just tried to capture things that interested me when i saw them hahaha

thank you for coming to visit!!! i hope you're doing well.... i need to check up on you in a DM :)

Really great travel pics!! Wouldn't have thought that it was taken with a smart phone...

Thanks for sharing :-)

Yes!!! I have a pretty little effect on some of them - (it's a depth effect that i used on the first one) so it kinda blurs the background a bit and makes things in the forefront be clear. I thought it was pretty :)
thank you for your compliment!!

Awesome photos! I love the fact that you let urself immerse fully to the setting in order to shoot interesting photos i couldnt agree more! You should try sketching next if u are really interested to get to know more about a place! :)

Thank you so much!!! I don't know if i could sketch!!! but my daughter might be able to! she's so artistic :)

Great photo's, every single one of them. Thank you for bringing us along. My favorite is #20.

That was with my panoramic feature on my phone hehehehe
I'm so glad you enjoyed them!!!! Thank you for the encouragment :)

Really good shots. The "Protecting San Juan" one is brilliant I think.

thank you!!!!!! i also loved the way that wall looked so foreboding from that angle!

it's so cool to hear everyone's favorites!!! each one speaks to people a different way. love it! :)

thank you for coming to see them!

This post has been selected by Altruistic as a post of the day has been given an upvote.
You may join us on her discord server: https://discord.gg/KHB9eJk.

Please kindly upvote this comment in order to keep us helping plankton and minnows that their quality posts are undervalued.

Art can be technically perfect, or it can provide your vision. Same with photography, experience teaches you how to improve details, but as long as you love capturing those moments, those moments are capture by you and shared through your own "vision". You have an intuitive eye for composition and daring angles. :) I feel the warmth of sun too with them. Thanks for sharing.

I so agree with you - and i absolutely LOVED your post. Your beauty RADIATES from you (and not just your attractiveness - but you glow with joy!!!) I will be downloading that song from today's PYPT on your bandcamp. it was gorgeous! :) Thank you for your comment - and i'm so glad you felt the warmth of the sun!!!!! that means so much! :)

I enjoy the images, and found you from PYPT.
We chatted briefly... You ARE a photographer.

You asked for critique, and sure, we can get in to it, more, but for me, I would say, ENJOY taking and making images to capture what you see.

Over time, we'll get you into editing!
Feel free to join us, in WORLD of PHOTOGRAPHY Discord
https://discord.gg/ZaMhCT

Many of the people who chatted with you are on there.
You will also find amateurs, pros, semi pro's, and those who simply want to see!

Thank you!!!! I will accept the invitation!!! (but I will forewarn you that i tend to peek in and out of channels because my list is growing hehehehee i'm mostly swimming in the BuddyUP channel)

but i really did enjoy taking these photos - who knows... maybe I will shoot some more. i did have this one too that i really really loved!!!! hold on - i'll get the shot.

These 3... Seeing sun rays from the clouds is one of my favorite things!IMG_20180309_070158377_HDR.jpg

IMG_20180309_065511077.jpg

IMG_20180309_070816792_HDR.jpg

Very cool!

thanks hehhehe i LOVE those rays - i wish i could break them off the sky and eat them like a piece of sugar candy! hehehehe they seem like they would be delicate and brittle and delicious :)

@bluefinstudios - i had a lightning storm yesterday during PYPT - so i turned off my computer! when everythign calmed down... a tree hit the lines and took out all the power in our community hahahaha

so.... i just tried to join the discord - but the link expired ;)

mind sending it to me again hehehe

From one photographer to another (yes, you are a photographer) these images are great. You do have a knack for photography and going through these images, you have an eye for it. Take some time to go through youtube and learn about the rule of thirds and some other photography tips. I know you said you don't like to edit your pictures, but if you took some time to edit these images, the colors would really stand out and it would bring these to life. Great job.

Yes i have seen that rule before! but... (LOLOL) i've already sadly forgotten it. i know the frame is divided into thirds! but... hmmmm after that ;)

and @ubongj has asked to edit some of the photos... so I thought maybe editing would be better from someone who knows what they're doing instead of me trying to do it hahahahaha
I so appreciate your comments!!! they're encouraging to me! I used to have software that i actually DID enjoy editing photos with. I used to do so many things with that program - and i loved it! but now - it involves me learning a new program , or purchasing - and ahhhhhh. i like to write with my time more i think hehehehe
but maybe in the future if i find the right program that makes it enjoyable again!!! !i will put the effort into them :) thanks and it was great seeing you on PYPT today!!! (i love that show - so much benefit there!!!!! and amazing community!)

Thanks for sharing this photoshoot, is a really beautiful place, reminds me to my country, did you liked the hot weather? Good thing you met this beautiful place, you captured your memories and now these will be with you forever, in your mind and in these photographs. When a photograph tells us something is enough to be very good, let's forget about the photographs of high quality and empty content. The meaning has more power.

Actually - the weather was not oppressive at all! It was beautiful! The warmth was lovely but there was a constant wind all day!!! so it felt so so so nice :)

I agree with you - photos with meaning... much better :) thank you for visiting this post and leaving me your comments!!

World of Photography Beta V1.0
>Learn more here<

You have earned 5.05 XP for sharing your photo!

Daily Stats
Daily photos: 1/2
Daily comments: 0/5
Multiplier: 1.01
Server time: 05:46:04
Account Level: 0
Total XP: 26.05/100.00
Total Photos: 1
Total comments: 21
Total contest wins: 0
When you reach level 1 you will start receiving up to two daily upvotes

Follow: @photocontests
Join the Discord channel: click!
Play and win SBD: @fairlotto
Daily Steem Statistics: @dailysteemreport
Learn how to program Steem-Python applications: @steempytutorials
Developed and sponsored by: @juliank

First of all.... Thank you.... !

When looking @ your images from your holiday (must of been great) i see you had the weathergods on your side. The houses in those streets all have different colours. So nice. I see the island recovered well from the past destruction as it seems. You do have a good eye capturing images. I love the staircase :) and quiet street. The rules you explained for making an image is down to earth. Quite simple explaniation but right. Looking @ someone elses holiday images just make me want to do more holiday trips with the family. It's been a while now we went somewhere. (far,far,away) Because of the kids we just visit our neighbours countries for now. It sure will change someday so we can fly towards an island or visit a mountain region ;)

I VOTE FOR MOUNTAIN REGION!!!! hehehehehe i have JUST the place :)
and.... have you seen the value of your latest post????? hehehehe

and i've had a few people contacting me - telling me that they have small suggestions to make for your posts in the future, you will have a MUCH greater chance of visibility and curation :)

and.... hiiiiiiiiiii @olivierc :)

Hey Dreemy goodmorning.
haah. Travel... when ? mmm... that's the question eh ?? Hope soon one day.
Yes, i've seen that post and i was very much surprized.... So thank you. It does make me want to engage more often with the community... It's just hard to find the time to do so, but i'll try and manage. You kept your promise wanting to help me out. Now i feel the oblgiation to do something back for you as well.... ..... yes... awesome to see other people engage as well

@dreemsteem i've heard from someone with a great nickname we both have had a Monchichi in our very early days. How cool is that ;)

hahahahah yes - isn't she wonderful!!!! :) Immediately when I met her - we became friends right of the bat! :)

and yes - i had a monchichi doll when i was younger LOLOLOL

me tooo :) as baby

hahahahaha yes - well, when you're ready!!! ;) it would be so fun! and we would get to see you in action taking your photos! :)

no... i didn't do anything! i just pointed people in your direction. that's nothing! you did the work and your photos are what amazed them!!! so don't feel any obligation!

Just don't give up on steemit yet! hehehehe
and there are some tips that some of the community has for you - to get more visibility! I wasn't aware of photography tags until recently - (which ones to use and such) but... as you can see in the comments - there are things to do, to make it easier to be seen and have people appreciate your work :)

that makes me excited! hehehehe