do you WANT to get "technical" or do you want to make pictures, and not worry about "the tech" once you find something that works for you and your intended purposes?
I mean.... If you don't care to "dabble in this, then try that, "Oh, that's a swell deal, I'll give that a shot"..." FOCUS on what you want to do with your photography, and then, once targeted, seek out help if needed.
But the most important thing you can do to REALLY learn photography, and to SEE PHOTOGRAPHICALLY, is to SHOOT. Shoot and make mistakes(not necessarily intentionally). Ruin negatives by overdeveloping. Learn by making mistakes. Learn to identify what works, and what doesn't.
You can read a million books on photography, getting to "know the tech". Ya, being a tech-head is cool and all, but if the rubber can't meet the road, and you're not getting stuff done, then what's the point? Even if you're only doing this to have fun, I don't think anyone enjoys wasting time...
Photography is a wonderful hobby, and for some, a wonderful career. But letting the "tech" bog you down to the point of not knowing which way to go when you want to photograph, it can be maddening. Simplify your equipment and materials, and I'm sure you'll have a clearer, more concise vision without being getting convoluted with choices...
If you want to make mural enlargements with ultra-fine detail, then I recommend you engage books/literature/online info relating to that nature.
If you want to contact print(so a bigger negative makes a larger sized print, no enlarging of the film), then there is piles of info about relating to that too.
If you want to make platinum prints, carbon prints, photogravures, etc... There are a million "options". Pick one out and go with it
. Yes, some can balance multiple processes, but from what I've seen, the most successful photographers generally have one type of print that they use as their 'default'. That's their standard, their bedrock process, so to speak.
Courses are great, for VERY FEW. Photography is an art that HAS to be learned by DOING. That means MAKING PICTURES. Bad ones and good ones. You learn from your mistakes.
We're all different, and trying to wrap YOUR head around someone else's methodology can drive one INSANE(speaking from experience here!). Workshops CAN be wonderful experiences, again for SOME. Same arguments IMO.
If a photographer you admire and respect delivers an end product(a print) that mirrors what YOU want to see in YOUR photographs, ask questions. Most people will be happy to share their "secrets"
.
All the best to you and your quest.
A simple piece of advice: choose one film and (1) developer right off the bat. Learn them until you know the limitations of that combo inside and out, backwards and forwards. Something even as simple as Tri-X and HC-110. Ya, it's a "basic" combo, but hell; it worked for ANSEL ADAMS, and I don't hear very many photographers poo-pooing his prints... Well I've heard some, but most of them haven't spent upwards of 1% time-wise of what he did to perfect his craft during his lifetime.
IF you can't seem to get what you want after using that combo for a year or so(taking pictures regularly, I'm talking 200+ negatives), feel free to look at other films or developers/processes. Have fun, but stay diligent, and DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TEST THE LIMITATIONS of your materials. Tri-X+HC-110 has delivered many a good negative for me over the past few years, and it's a DEAD-SIMPLE combo. If for some reason you can't get Tri-X easily in Pakistan, give Ilford Delta 100 a try. Great film too. Slower yes, but very nice all-round.
BE A LEADER IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY, NOT A FOLLOWER
cheers,
Dan
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