Top 50 photos every body should have ???

[Simsya580]

Hi Im not sure if this is the right place for this or if it has been covered b4 but here goes, As a newbie to photography I would like a list to work from of the type of photos I should get to show off sort of like a portfolio I guess. There are the obvious ones like landscape, sunset/rise and maybe a portrait or two, But im sure there are plenty of other ones that I should have. Maybe a top 50 shots everybody should have, I guess im after a sort of list that I can work on one at a time until im happy enough to move to the next shot. Anyway hope some of you guys can help cheers.

[Mark L]

......I would like a list to work from of the type of photos I should get to show off sort of like a portfolio I guess. ......

Possibly depends on who the portfolio is being aimed at.
If aimed at no one in particular, then what you like wins.

[MarkChap]

No such thing

A portrait photographer is not going to showcase landscapes, just as a sports photographer is not going to showcase portraits

[Simsya580]

well im not aiming the portfolio at anybody really but just as an exercise to extend my photography beyond the standard type shots and my RC car shots

[MarkChap]

well im not aiming the portfolio at anybody really but just as an exercise to extend my photography beyond the standard type shots and my RC car shots

So, what takes your fancy, I am sure we could come up with a list of 50 images for you to capture, maybe make it like a mini challenge "Simsya500's 50", you could post your best to the forum in one single thread

[Simsya580]

So, what takes your fancy, I am sure we could come up with a list of 50 images for you to capture, maybe make it like a mini challenge "Simsya500's 50", you could post your best to the forum in one single thread

Thats the point really I guess its not about what takes my fancy because thats to easy rc cars and that sort of thing its more about getting out of my comfort zone and trying some new things. Not sure that my work would be post worthy to start out though lol

[ricktas]

So you are not really looking for a portfolio to show potential clients, what you are looking at is a showcase of your best, for anyone and everyone to look at. Portfolio's tend to be a business related matter and are directed, and composed of, photos that are inherently related to the person you want to work with. Ie a Wedding portfolio if you are wedding photographer.

What you seek is just a way of showcasing your best work, coffee table book style (if you will).

I would say showcase your best work, no matter what genre it is. Most people end up having a few genre they enjoy (and often one of two they really dislike as well). It is a personal thing, and you should be showing your best work, regardless of whether you include or miss certain genre.

[Darey]

How about a GLAMOR SHOT " Not necessarily mounted"

[Mary Anne]

Not sure that my work would be post worthy to start out though lol

That's the only way to learn something different by posting it on here for cc other Members do it so have a go..
One thing you will get here is plenty of help and advice.

I am into Macro, Insects especially, though it not everyone's choice of Genre.

[photomike666]

Why not do the weekly challenges, plenty of scope to push your creative buttons

[rellik666]

I think what Simsya is saying is what genres are out there as a beginner. How do people know what they enjoy if they don't know it exists?

I would suggest try some of the challenges. Like the 100 steps challenge, the 365 or a photo a week for a year.

I did a 365 with a different focus for every week, so I had a go at lots of different things, from Architecture, to landscape, to strobist and light painting. Not only did it improve my skills it also helped me to choose the things that I like doing.

Have a look at all the genres on here, like portraits, birds, landscape etc and spend some time on each and see what you enjoy.

Roo

[Dylan & Marianne]

What Roo says is a great start :
I reckon
pick a forum heading here : take a look at an image you like - try to emulate. Then cycle through them if you want to do a bit of everything or perhaps in the process of doing so, you might find that you like a specific genre more than others.
If i had a top50 portfolio , it would be rather boring lol : seascape, seascape, landscape, seascape , seascape, waterscape, landscape, seascape seascape urbanscape

[Chris C]

I think what Simsya is saying is what genres are out there as a beginner. How do people know what they enjoy if they don't know it exists?

I would suggest try some of the challenges. Like the 100 steps challenge, the 365 or a photo a week for a year.

I did a 365 with a different focus for every week, so I had a go at lots of different things, from Architecture, to landscape, to strobist and light painting. Not only did it improve my skills it also helped me to choose the things that I like doing.

Have a look at all the genres on here, like portraits, birds, landscape etc and spend some time on each and see what you enjoy.

Roo

Great suggestions.

Simsya580,

If you looks around this forum you'll see a whole range of traditional sub-sections. If you also check out some of the club sites you can find lists of their monthly competition topics, which throw a different light on some of those regular subjects. Have a crack at some of them, and bring your imagination along.

I'm a newcomer too (had the camera just over a month) and I've found any amount of potential things that might be included in "Top 50" list. Some of which I know I'll never get around to, either because they don't interest me (celebrity, 'glamour', certain sports, etc) or I know I'll never get to the right locations for (deserts, war zones, ice-fields, aerial, underwater, riots, or whatever). But I've easily found enough things to attempt that will help me develop two things:

a) More technical competence, and

b) Some sort of personal style.

I've realised that I'd like to take pictures that either tell a story, inform or amuse, show something in a different way, etc. I'm not so interested in just taking crisp clear well lit shots of things, unless they have some hard to define 'extra' thing to say about the subject, and something to keep the viewer looking for more than just a quick glance. I expect it will take me forever to find out how to do that too. It will probably be an endless quest, so the most important thing that I have resolved to do is to make sure that I have some fun at it. Hope you enjoy the journey too.

Cheers,

Chris

[Cris]

What Chris C says is great advice, your question would may have been better if you had asked what techniques do I need to gain experience in to become a better photographer in my chosen fields, I know that as time has gone on I have found areas that previously held no interest became interesting as my understanding of different techniques grew, As said earlier- follow the site comps and maybe join a club for their monthly comps.

[Steve Axford]

I think you need to concentrate on what you can take.

I could suggest that you need to take -
1. A war time action shot
2. A snow leopard with cubs and dinner
3. A formal portrait of a world leader (say Obama)
4. A playboy centrefold (or internet equivalent)
5. A photo of an F1 crash

But it is unlikely that you could do any of these, so why try? But perhaps you can do something that few others can do - go for it.

[sunny6teen]

I think you need to concentrate on what you can take.

I could suggest that you need to take -
1. A war time action shot
2. A snow leopard with cubs and dinner
3. A formal portrait of a world leader (say Obama)
4. A playboy centrefold (or internet equivalent)
5. A photo of an F1 crash

But it is unlikely that you could do any of these, so why try? But perhaps you can do something that few others can do - go for it.

damn. I had all 5 in a single image but the airport x-ray destroyed it. my Pulitzer will just have to wait.

[scotteffone]

Hi Im not sure if this is the right place for this or if it has been covered b4 but here goes, As a newbie to photography I would like a list to work from of the type of photos I should get to show off sort of like a portfolio I guess. There are the obvious ones like landscape, sunset/rise and maybe a portrait or two, But im sure there are plenty of other ones that I should have. Maybe a top 50 shots everybody should have, I guess im after a sort of list that I can work on one at a time until im happy enough to move to the next shot. Anyway hope some of you guys can help cheers.

I reckon you should do what is suggested above. Take each of the CC forums and sub forums and do a photo for each. Those forums exist because they are what people generally take photos of. If you have a go at each one you will get to try everything from Landscaps to Food (don't forget to try strobing if you have a flash) and that could make a nice little portfolio. You will probably find topics/techniques you hate and then some you love.

In fact, I think I might try this myself! I counted 23 topics to try (I didn't count the main forums that had sub forums or sundry).

[vk2gwk]

Another approach might be: take your camera with you as often as you can and where ever you go. Keep your eyes open ... Then you'll for sure see things that are worth shooting: a nice flower at the road side, a bird in flight, candids of people, and accidents or police action, some nice or special architecture, a scenerey at dawn or dusk or just in special light or setting that you happen upon....

The fun is you don't know what to expect: its just there all of a sudden. It develops your technique: awareness about depth of field, low light, fast framing, tracking or staying invisible as a photographer. You'll make mistakes at first and get worthless shots but you'll learn from that by analysing what went wrong: too low shutter speed, wrong aperture, wrong angle or light.... But by doing and reading up, next time you'll be better prepared and get the shot right.

By doing this you'll also discover what sort of shooting you prefer: landscapes, action, people, animals and the like. After that you can go on developing your skills for that particular field by reading up, looking at photos made by peers and trying out.

[Alohaey]

Hi Simsya580
I think the main points have already been mentioned above. You can ask 50 photographers of what sort of pictures you should take and you will 50 different answers. It all boils down how you see things and what you enjoy. But here is an another idea which helps you to improve your photo skills.
Lock yourself with your camera into your bedroom and make an aim to not come out until you have done say 30 or 40 different pictures. It will be hard at the beginning but after a while you will be surprised how you see things differently and you may end up with 20 totally different pictures despite they all have been taken in a boring bedroom. Also important is to analyse the pics afterward. Observe them and ask yourself why did I like this particular picture for example. Perhaps you even find yourself to go back and retake a certain shot just with more thoughts into it.
Hope that helps.

Cheers
Alohaey

[maccaroneski]

If you're looking for a range of shots to expand your skills and find out what you might be into then a couple of suggestoins might be:

1. Sunrise over water;
2. Water drops;
3. Smoke Shots;
4. Light trails (i.e. traffic on a road);
5. Star trails;
6. "Flowing" water over a waterfall;
7. Panning shots (i.e. a speeding car frozen on a background blurred from motion);
8. Basic light painting (say a word "written" in the air with a light);

Many of them are cliche, but each will involve a new technical matter to master giving you a broad skill set, and if done wll you will get some "aaah" moments from family and friends.