Why You're NOT a GREAT Photographer

*✅ Use this link to get $25 off your PPA membership today!*

*🌟Get My FREE Lightroom Colors Course🌟*

In this week’s episode, we discuss why you're not a great photographer and that's ok. Most people will never achieve the badge of "greatness", but theres a much quieter narrative of those that have a burning desire to improve. And this is the bucket that I fall into - while I may never be one of the greatest landscape photographers of all time, I find comfort in knowing that I'm better today than I was yesterday. In this video, I'll share with you the four things that have had the biggest positive impact on me throughout my transition from beginner to professional photographer. I hope you enjoy this week's video and as always thanks so much for watching! - Mark D.

*VIDEO CHAPTERS*
🔘 Experimentation 01:19
🔘 Focused Post Processing 04:01
🔘 Student of Composition 07:30
🔘 Rising Tide Lifts All Ships 09:12

*🌟UPCOMING WORKSHOP SCHEDULE*

*RECOMMENDED GEAR PAGE*

*📸 MY CAMERAS & LENSES*

*🧰 MY FILTERS & ACCESSORIES*

*📺 WATCH THESE PLAYLISTS NEXT*

As an affiliate marketer & Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small commission on the above links if you decide to purchase the item at no additional charge to you.

#landscapephotography​​

**LETS CONNECT**

[MarkDenneyPhoto]

✅QUESTION: Who's your all-time favorite photographer?

[peterc]

All those 'great' photographers are only great because people have identified them as such. In reality they have produced some great images of course but I bet there are thousands of unknown photographers who produce images just as good, if not better.

[matthewsinger]

If Ansel Adams were alive today, I wonder if he'd have made it as such an iconic photographer. One of the reasons he is so known is that he pushed the bounds of photography, making some of the first images of our American landscapes, and being one of the first to develop darkroom techniques that pushed the limits of making prints from film. But Adams worked at a time when photography wasn't accessible to the masses. Today it is. It's easier to rise to stand out when you are competing in a field of 1000. It's harder to stand out as unique when you are one out of a million or more.

[gregorymcauliffe]

Excellent video Mark. I am a retired physician so continuous education has been a way of life for me. I am just an average intermediate photographer who is trying everyday to be the best I can be at my photography. I get inspired and educated by photographers like yourself. I can be quite critical of my own images but don't really care what others may think about them. I, luckily, don't have to rely on my photographs to feed my family. But I do rely on them to bring me joy, to make me keep learning, to keep me active, and to let me be creative. Please keep educating and inspiring me Mark.

[jasoneldridgephotography]

First…. I hope you’re as nice a guy as you seem in your videos.

Second… my son once had an orchestra director who told his students to never try to be the best or to be great. He said they should strive everyday to “be better.”

Hearing that has had a profound effect on my photography life. It seems you understand that too.

Thanks Mark. Great video.

[sherischneider]

Hi Mark. Thank you for this video. In a way, it gives me more hope knowing someone else has said it and not just myself to myself. I don't have a very big support behind my love of photography so your message today is very encouraging to me. I'm from North Dakota and find what people take for granted to photograph. At least I try among other pretty things too of course. Thank you from my heart for your encouragement. ❤️ Hugs.

[filipesemmaisnada]

You're not only a good photographer, you're a good person.

[codymeridith]

I love that you gave Clyde Butcher a shout out in this! Clyde isn’t just a great photographer but also one of the friendliest people I’ve know and serves as a great voice for the Everglades.

[jcollins]

Can’t agree more with you this week! Having taught college level art for 40+ yrs, I absolutely know that an understanding of “design/composition is a fundamental asset of good pictures-in any media. A suggested place to fortify that is an older, great, book: ‘What Is Art?’ By John Canaday.

[marcovank]

Thanks for a other great video and couldn't agree more about continously trying to improve.
It reminded me of a great quote of a good friend of mine:
The journey of continuous improvement is the most authentic path to greatness; it's where small daily gains become monumental achievements over time.

[TheCooliodad]

I'm a struggling photographer and I thank you for the inspiration.

[JulieJensen-eo]

Thank you. I really appreciate all of the positive reinforcement in enjoying photography and improving each day. To be better than I was yesterday. Great boost to my confidence and desire to learn more.

[WalterMitty-svpq]

I wholeheartedly agree with your concluding statement. I read the essay "El Dorado" by Robert Louis Stevenson when I was in high school. It profoundly impacted my approach to life. I recognized that the end was not the goal, but the enjoyment of the pursuit was the goal, wherever it should lead. Stevenson wrote it much more eloquently than I,

"It is true that we shall never reach the goal; it is even more than probable that there is no such place; and if we lived for centuries and were endowed with the powers of a god, we should find ourselves not much nearer what we wanted at the end. O toiling hands of mortals! O unwearied feet, travelling ye know not whither! Soon, soon, it seems to you, you must come forth on some conspicuous hilltop, and but a little way further, against the setting sun, descry the spires of El Dorado. Little do ye know your own blessedness; for to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour."

[JJ-eflb]

I LOVE editing photos 😂 I have a lot to learn about it but I love it…. And you’ve been a great help in this aspect and others! The main thing I love about landscape photography is that it gets me out at all times of the day to experience things that many others don’t. Thanks Mark for all that you 👍

[mehran_g]

This was the best sentence I heard from you and it was very helpful: I guess perhaps greatness isn't just for the select few that actually do attain it but instead it's found in The Quiet resilience of those who really dare to chase down their passions with unrelenting focus because it takes a little bit of guts it really does just chase down for a lifetime.
Thank you so much.

[adrianvanleeuwen]

When people finally get to editing their photos, then from a great composition comes great lighting and coloring in post processing. Even Ansel Adams dodged and burned his photos in post-processing in the darkroom. The best photographers are also great photo editors as this is an art form. Thanks for this video to explain it.

[patriziabertorello]

I appreciated this video so much, you told the real meaning of photography: having fun, improving by little steps every day, facing the challenges with no fear of failure ... I take photos of landscapes and macro/close up but I know I still have many things to learn ... thank you for your precious advices ...

[DennisBater]

Extremely inspiring! Thank you for the Pep talk I need that! I enjoy your channel.

[mytravellinfo]

You are not only a great photographer, you actually give something that works for everyday life. I wanted to be a good landscape photographer but I happens to be a traveler too. I want to share my thoughts and views and share what I have learnt so far with other. Thank you so much Mark.

[ClarityOffGrid]

Thanks for this video! Your message is what I needed to hear at this moment. I'm going for it with photography! It brings so much to my heart and it's changed the way I view the world. Thanks for what you do.