Hi, I’m very much an amateur photographer and I’d really like to advance and develop my skills. I’m debating whether to enter one or two of my photographs in to competition, whether that be nationally (UK) or internationally.
I know I won’t win, but I’m really after critique by more experienced and honest photographers.
Has anyone else done this, and did you gain any benefit from doing so?
Entering competitions is a reasonably bad and possibly expensive way to improve one’s skills. A better way, imo, is a multi-prong approach:
Learn your camera well and understand how various settings affect your shots
Read about the parameters of good photography
Find a group of photographers whose work you like and seems to be good to be willing to spend time to critique your work.
Decide what you like - and why. If others don’t like what you like, understand why.
Take many, many photos and analyze what makes some ‘good’ and others not so good.
Ignore people who give you ‘empty’ praise or criticism. People should know why they like/dislike something. If they don’t know, they can’t teach.