I think I'm seeing a pattern..

[ChristopherCoy]

Sports and bird photographers always have the biggest lenses, and Macro is most often insects and flowers. Portrait people always have the most electricity usage (lights), and nature people always know the best places off the beaten path. The 'artsy' folks have the best PP knowledge, and the 'tech' people always know model, length, and data numbers of every piece of equipment and the photos themselves. "Old timers" and history buffs can tell you when the first camera in each brand was produced and how long it was in production, and those with businesses can tell you tell you all the legal aspects complete with unpronouncable words.

hmmmm..... so where do I fit in? LOL

(just a pointless observation since I'm as bored as a hundred year old fence post, and stuck at work until 6pm)

[dlanter]

What do you enjoy the most? That is where you will have the most success.

[ChristopherCoy]

I haven't a clue yet. Back when I was freshly out of high school, I enjoyed portraits the most. However I'm very 'artfully' inclined in most aspects of my life, so as long as a picture has a 'draw' to it, I would probably enjoy shooting it.

[dlanter]

I enjoy shooting portraits, but I don't have the 'eye' for seeing the light that the successful portrait shooters have so. I have always enjoyed shooting any kind of nature, but I never really was interested in flowers or bugs until I got a macro lens. Now that has opened up a whole new world for me and I'm loving it. Except for selling a few prints here and there though, my shooting is strictly for my own enjoyment.

[ChristopherCoy]

Well I'd definitely like to build a business out of it, even if it is only a part time side gig. Right now I just want to shoot as much as I can, to become comfortable with the knowledge and the equipment, and after that I'll try focusing on just a couple styles.

[CaptainTom]

Most experts will tell you that you should find the area that interests you the most and stick with it and get as good as you possibly can. This includes professionals as well as amateurs. Of course, this is easier said than done because we love photography and just want to shoot anything that moves (or doesn't move).
I agree to a point. If you become really good at female nudes, then stay with it. If you really like to shoot bugs that's a cool area as well.
But, if you become specialized, keep in mind that other areas of shooting can open your eyes to new ideas in your specialty area as well.

[Concisus Cognatus]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

Sports and bird photographers always have the biggest lenses, and Macro is most often insects and flowers. Portrait people always have the most electricity usage (lights), and nature people always know the best places off the beaten path. The 'artsy' folks have the best PP knowledge, and the 'tech' people always know model, length, and data numbers of every piece of equipment and the photos themselves. "Old timers" and history buffs can tell you when the first camera in each brand was produced and how long it was in production, and those with businesses can tell you tell you all the legal aspects complete with unpronouncable words.

hmmmm..... so where do I fit in? LOL

(just a pointless observation since I'm as bored as a hundred year old fence post, and stuck at work until 6pm)

Been shooting digital now for roughly 3 years and have yet to figure out the answer to that question. So there are at least 2 of us.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Most experts will tell you that you should find the area that interests you the most and stick with it and get as good as you possibly can. This includes professionals as well as amateurs. Of course, this is easier said than done because we love photography and just want to shoot anything that moves (or doesn't move).
I agree to a point. If you become really good at female nudes, then stay with it. If you really like to shoot bugs that's a cool area as well.
But, if you become specialized, keep in mind that other areas of shooting can open your eyes to new ideas in your specialty area as well.

I guess Picasso and Jackson Pollack didn't get the memo.

The surest sign an artist has become a hack is his doing the same thing over and over.....

[herenaustin]

Who says you have to belong only to one category! Enjoy them all - or none of them - OR start your own. :-)

[txphotog]

I like to think of myself as a well rounded photographer- I currently shoot or have shot a little of everything and at one time worked in a camera store so I know alot of the tech aspects. Now if I could just master the business side of it....

[texxter]

I am of the opinion that to achieve true mastery of a discipline, focus and specialization are good decisions to consider, and this is particularly true of photography as a commercial endeavor. There is nothing wrong with a hobbyist that takes pictures of everything for fun, but to achieve truly outstanding results, picking a direction and constantly improving on it really helps.

I am a people photographer - there is no way I can exhaust this field, or get bored with it -every person, every situation, every visual problem is an inspiration. The more I learn and the better I get, the more I realize there is tons more to learn and tons more I need to do. My personal growth as a photographer didn't really start until I chose not to shoot everything I saw. By narrowing my field of interest I was able to deepen my understanding of it. This is by personal experience, and not a recipe for others.

Also, I think it's important to differentiate between what you do really well, what you're known for, and what you do for fun and nothing else. Chase Jarvis is a well-known advertising photographer, with a focus on sports imagery. That's what he does better than most people in the industry. For fun he shoots everything with an iPhone, up to 1000 pictures a day. And many of them are darn good. But he's a sports advertising guy having fun with an iPhone, and not an iPhone photographer.

My opinion only, for what it's worth.