Want to know one of the quickest ways to get better at photography?  I'll give you some hints:  it can be really fun, but like most stuff worth doing, it can be difficult, time-consuming, and frustrating. (But don't despair; it's worth it).

I am talking about entering your photographs in photo competitions.  I competed in monthly contests for a couple of years in the Plano Photography Club and I believe it helped me learn much more quickly about what makes a good photograph. 

Competing also made it apparent that, like any other art form, everyone has an opinion.  One judge may love your work and another one may hate it.  That is how art is, though, isn't it?  I think art that evokes strong emotions, one way or the other, is often the most interesting art anyway.

To be clear, I'm not talking about forums where everyone says things like, "Love it!" or "Great photo!".  These critiques are not very helpful, in my opinion, because they don't give you any new information.  After all, if you thought the picture was total crap, you wouldn't have posted it, right?  Someone whom you trust and who will give you constructive criticism is a lot more helpful than an "attaboy" from a stranger.

One thing I like about contests is that there is a qualified judge who tells you why he/she liked a particular photograph.  The judge might talk about composition or color or might notice a distracting element that you didn't notice.  You will get to see why your photograph earned a ribbon and others didn't. 

It will teach you how to better judge your own photographs.  You will train your brain to find the best photos out of a batch of photos.

It will teach you the "rules" so that when you are shooting, you will take better pictures from the start.  You will learn to crop the picture in camera so you don't need  to crop later.

I agree it is helpful to just listen to a judge talk about contest photographs, even if you are not participating.  But if you don't participate, you have nothing at stake.  You have nothing to lose and your photo isn't going to be judged, for better or for worse.  So go for it!  And enter over and over again.  You will learn as you go.

Many cities have photo contests.  Richardson, Texas, where I live, has an annual contest.  It's held at the beginning of each year.  Google "photo contest" in your area or find an on-line contest to enter (choose those that don't involve people paying to vote for your photograph, though).

Work at being open-minded and really hearing what the judge has to say.  It's easy to get defensive. It's also easy to fall in love with your own work because, after all, it represents a part of you - it's your vision, literally.  And at first you might get your feelings hurt.  (After all, your husband thinks you're the greatest photographer ever so why doesn't that stupid judge?) Just keep looking at the goal, which is to improve your photographic skills.

Make sense?  I hope so!  Let me know if you have any questions.  Have a great July!

Dawn