Camera Labs

With that attitude, your skills won't get better. You have to think: Hey, I'm pretty good, but if I change this and that, and try to approach that differently, I could be even better!
Look at your own images carefully and ask yourself: what could I have done to make this image look better? Ask others to comment on your images, try to get some constructive criticism. Perhaps you could even find some (semi)pro's to look at your photos, and give you some tips & tricks. Read books, John Freeman and Scott Kelby are highly recommended (by me ). And most important, always try to shoot outside your own boundaries. Try to get that little bit extra, that tiny detail in the photo. Always set new, higher boundaries for yourself. Do that, and you may well become a professional photographer, after *some* time...
Still doing all of that myself as well, the boundaries and all that. Was given the tip by a freelance photographer who has shot some of the most beautiful photos I've ever seen.

- Bjorn -

_________________
Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

Thanks for the advice. I am already doing that, getting some friends who are more experienced photographers to go over my shots and also being very self critical of the photos I take.

I just don't wanna post them on the net just yet . But a review could be an excellent excuse for posting photos online!

_________________
PhilipGoh.com

Maybe you should do that though. From the moment I started in photography, I posted my pictures on a photogallery. The comments that I got (most of them positive) motivated me to build up some skills and knowledge. Once you start posting more and better images, you get more comments from more people, and some of those will leave constructive criticism, which is what you're after!
Best thing to do is try to get comments from people who don't know you. If they don't like something about the image, they won't mind telling you in a more direct way.

- Bjorn -

_________________
Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

I didn't buy the 18 - 250 mm in the end. I was walking past a shop window, and I saw the Sigma 28 - 200mm F3.5-5.6 Macro for sale for £60 and I figured it was a bargain I just couldn't pass up.

I'm happy with my lens choice and it's a really big improvement over the kit lens. My Picasa page should show a few shots comparing the two lenses and I'll work on taking more photographs to show the difference.

_________________
PhilipGoh.com

That's a good offer, congratulations!
The 100% crops show a good difference! Well worth the money I say.

- Bjorn -

_________________
Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux