What do you take pictures of?

[Gidders]

Seeing Sharon’s "Why do you take pictures" thread prompted me to ask the “what” question. Sometimes the "why" question can have different "what" answers. For example, in my local photographic club we have a regular set subject competition and I find this encourages & challenges me to go out and take picture with a particular brief – perhaps pictures that I would not otherwise take. I liken it to being given a commission.

For example one recent round the set subject was “Something Red” and those of you who have looked at the forum competition will have seen my entry.
But I also had these Dodge_Viper1101.jpg Lilies0486.jpg FireBuckets0268.jpg other possibles before finally making my choice - so four very different “whats” for the same “why”.

Left to my own devices, by choice I enjoy taking close ups, sunsets, portraits, patterns, candids of people at parties & carnivals, landscapes (although the results often don’t look as stunning as the image I thought I saw) and pictures of my family.

I have done a quick analysis of members’ gallery posts.

http://www.our-space.pwp.blueyonder....ages/Chart.jpg

The yellow bars show the number of photos posted in a category as a percentage of the total photos posted, and the blue bars the number of comments in a category as a percentage of total comments, both against the left hand scale. The pinky/red bars show the average number of comments per photo in a category, against the right hand scale.

Perhaps not surprisingly with the number of BF members, (and birding generally means getting out into the countryside) rural landscapes & wildlife lead the way by a considerable margin. Although its interesting to note that the competition entries drew, relatively, much higher numbers of comments, with fun & abstract also provoking members to put fingers to keyboard. Is this representative of what people photograph? Or do members only post what they think others will want to see?

I love seeing different types images – it gives me ideas to go out & try . So what do you take photos of?

[Snowyowl]

For me it's probably about 60% birds, 30% wildflowers with the remaining 10% a mix of rural landscapes, pets and wild mammals. Almost never take people.

[Nigel G]

Predominately birds and then butterflies in mid summer with the occasional landscape or "other" when something catches my eye. However as and when I find the cash for a (fast) DSLR/Lens I want to try people and in particular sport.

I would like to be more adventurous generally and I'm sure a WPF monthly competion with particular themes would help stimulate that - Please Andy

[Dave]

Hi Gidders

Found your article most enlighting.
At the Camera Club I go to we have NAMED competitions for example: Song Titles, Posts, Communication and Atmosphere.
They might sound a bit bizarre but it does make you think and use your imagination and photo skills to find a subject which fits these titles.
Regarding why do we post more comment for Landscapes and Wildlife, while Abstract and Still life are pretty low down the scale would this be because we are less familiar with the two latter subject, while Landscapes and Wildlife are represented in countless formats to us on a daily basis for example: Travel documentaries and World Wildlife and nature programmes on TV

Cheers
Dave

[SharonW]

Most of my pictures are 'natural world' images, either landscapes or plants and insects (or digiscoped bird pics). I'm very much attracted to natural patterns and motifs, and to landscapes and weather, though I do feel somewhat restricted by my little cp4500! (saving the pennies for a dSLR...)

I have to say I find this forum really quite inspirational when it comes to subject matter. And I agree with Nigel and Dave- it would be great if future comps could be themed, it would certainly encourage me to be a bit more adventurous in my choice of subject matter!

[Adey Baker]

Birds, dragonflies, butterflies and landscapes, although the latter are not easy, locally. Not only do I not live in a photogenic part of the country but, whenever you find an elevated spot from which to take a photo, there are always electricity pylons spoiling the scene!

[Gidders]

How about this for an idea for a themed competition: -

Run over 10 rounds – 1/month with the theme being announced in the last week of the previous month so you don’t get much advance notice.

Themes to be chosen so that anyone with any equipment stands an equal chance, rather than favouring those with the budget for the latest dSLR or long fast lenses Maybe members should suggest themes but the competition organiser decides and announces each month.

Entries must be shot in the month in question (evidenced by the camera exif data) so people must go out and shoot new photos rather than picking their best from previous.

Voted for by the members on the basis of if you could have a print of just one of the entries hanging on your wall, which would you choose. Points allocated to, say, the top 10 after votes have been cast eg 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4…

Find some sponsors to provide a small prize for each monthly winner and some really super prizes for the top 3/5 with the greatest number points at the end of the year!

Obviously people don’t have to enter every round but this might get us out of our comfort zones as the more rounds one enters, the more chance of scooping one of the star prizes at the end of the year.

[bikemad]

Most of my photos are either portraits or motorsport-im tending to try more landscape recently.

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by Gidders

Entries must be shot in the month in question (evidenced by the camera exif data) so people must go out and shoot new photos rather than picking their best from previous.

This might cause problems on a world-wide website because you could never have any season-based categories, for instance. Also exif data would exclude anyone from scanning a film for their entry

[nirofo]

Mainly birds, anything to do with nature and landscapes. I do find myself shooting more and more landscapes these days though? Maybe it's because they don't fly away just as you're about to press the shutter release, it's just a case of waiting for the right moment!

nirofo.