How many of you are self-taught (in LF)?

[Cor]

Learned LF as many posters above..to be frank: that is the easy part..now to make really interesting, moving, compelling etc. LF images (or using other film sizes)..that is the hard part..

Best,

Cor

Ps purely on the tools (camera, lens, film, paper etc.) I learned the most on this forum..take advantage of the vast knowledge and the kind people here !

[xkaes]

take advantage of the vast knowledge

Absolutely right -- just but as the Pharaohs, Czars, and Emperors had taste-testers, check it out yourself, FIRST.

[Tin Can]

Learned everything I know right here. I never heard of LF or ULF before 2011. My forum join date.

Yet, I consider myself a novice after 6 years on this forum.

LFPF has endless data. I read a lot of old posts.

Last March I decided to sell my Chicago home of 14 years while the market was high. Sold in 2 weeks. I immediately got very sick. Much better now.

Last month moved to Shawnee National Forest and will build a new darkroom this winter.

LF is addictive and a wonderfully difficult hobby.

[xkaes]

And, all this time, I thought the Garden of the Gods was only in Colorado!

[rbiemer]

.

Fast forward a bit...I have long wanted to try LF and having found a mentor locally, I proceeded to acquire most of kit (8x10). The person I was relying on to be that mentor is now effectively unavailable, leaving me without anyone I know as a resource to help me through this journey, which begs my core question: how many of you taught yourself LF photography and, more generally, is it possible to be self-taught and to master some of the more demanding science behind the medium?


-M

I am certainly NOT self taught. I consider my path in photography more like "independent study" in that a looong time ago I had some direct instruction and have since relied on first books and magazines and now resources like this forum (and one other I'm also a member of).

Where I live there isn't much of a local community so I need places like this for information and examples. Until a few years ago, I did have one friend who was a serious pro--photojournalism mostly but he did a very few weddings and portraits--but he passed away. Frankly, I miss the friendship more than the photo stuff I had with him. And, what he did for me was more about pushing me a bit to get more serious about this hobby of mine and to shoot more than it was about instruction. "Practice, practice, practice."

That kind of face to face encouragement is tough to find for me where I live so I am grateful for fora such as this.

Rob

[consummate_fritterer]

I am certainly NOT self taught. I consider my path in photography more like "independent study" in that a looong time ago I had some direct instruction and have since relied on first books and magazines and now resources like this forum (and one other I'm also a member of).

Where I live there isn't much of a local community so I need places like this for information and examples. Until a few years ago, I did have one friend who was a serious pro--photojournalism mostly but he did a very few weddings and portraits--but he passed away. Frankly, I miss the friendship more than the photo stuff I had with him. And, what he did for me was more about pushing me a bit to get more serious about this hobby of mine and to shoot more than it was about instruction. "Practice, practice, practice."

That kind of face to face encouragement is tough to find for me where I live so I am grateful for fora such as this.

Rob

Ah yes... "independent study" (and practice) is a more accurate term for most of us.

[xkaes]

Ah yes... "independent study" (and practice) is a more accurate term for most of us.

And all this time, I thought "independent study" had something to do with co-eds. Boy, was I wrong!!!

[rbiemer]

And all this time, I thought "independent study" had something to do with co-eds. Boy, was I wrong!!!

Isn't that what dual-majors are for?

Rob

[Tin Can]

And, all this time, I thought the Garden of the Gods was only in Colorado!

Yes, at least 2.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/shaw...10685&actid=50

[bloodhoundbob]

Yes, at least 2.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/shaw...10685&actid=50

Amen, Randy. Although I love Colorado's version, the one in our backyard is pretty dang impressive.