I created this topic because I'm curiosus to see how much you learn from the pictures on 1x and the work of others! Since I joined 1x. I've learned a lot and many pictures have inspired me!

Sthepenomis,

Thank you for starting the thread.  It's a good topic. 

My story:   I had already been photographing for many years before joining 1X.  Having a photographer's ego, I thought I knew it all, but it wasn't until I began writing critiques in the 1X  'Critique Forum', that the real learning began.  

Each photograph posted is a lesson.  You study it in detail.  You consider what the photographer wanted to say, and what techniques they used to say it.  And then you think about how that meaning, message, theme, or feeling could be made even stronger.  The best part may be that this process spills over into your own work, and you learn to judge your own photographs with a more critical eye. 

I encourage all members to try it for themselves.  The 1X Critique Forum is open to all, and every idea, suggestion, and opinion is welcome.   We learn together.

. . . .  Steven T.

Hi Sthepenomis and Steven,

Sorry, am still in a "too little time" situation but briefly (Two points):

(i) The 12thC expression "standing on the shoulders of giants" (famously attributed to a later quotation by Sir Issac Newton) says it all, really. What would the point of learning and education be if we did not actually, err... learn. Any aspect of human endeavour whatsoever (even dramatic departures from the past or the newest of new technology) relies on experience gained over centuries by our forbares. 

(ii) Aged  23-24, I scored 16% in an Advanced-Level Economics paper (set as examinations to enable eighteen year olds to gain admittance to universities). Needless to say, that was a complete failure. But I was not alone! The highest score in my group was about 19 or 20%. Was the paper especially hard? No. This is a paper sat by the class of  mature graduate would-be Economics teachers at the start of their post-grad teaching qualification. So I had a BA (Hons) Economics - and five-six years before I had passed an Economics "A" Level paper in order to be admitted to that degree. We had all been operating at a much higher level and forgotten our "A" Level work (this was a snap exam to make a point; none of us expected it nor had worked toward it - nevertheless, given we would be teaching the subject at that level within a year it was bad form). But, luckily within two years of starting to teach the subject, I could score 95+% fairly easily (there was usually at least one pesky question one misunderstood, etc). My point? Teaching is one of the very best ways to learn something. When I critique someone on here, I benefit too - perhaps more than they do if they don't like my observations / suggestions (though that is not my aim).

(iii) I am also on poetry.com as a member where we post and critique each other's poems. That is more useful than 1X.Com because far more people take part in cross-critiques. Indeed, for me, the forum to which Steven refers, and in which he is a leading and extremely helpful member, is the best thing about 1X.Com - I wish it were more the norm here.

(iv) And, yes, it is not just learning - the inspiration (as you say) is wonderfully invaluable.

Thanks. Late. Must fly. Cheerio.

Sthepenomis,

In addition to what Steven and Woad wrote, I find I'm looking more closely at the photos that are published, imagining the techniques used in taking and editing the image. As I primarily shoot landscapes, I am finding new locations. Finally, there are the different takes/perspectives on locations I know well. Admittedly, you'll see many photographs by different members of the same location, often differing little from each other - and that challenges me to produce something different, recognizable, but unique.

Mark

Just an additional resource here on 1X: the tutorials. You access from the menu on the front page. Especially interesting if you're looking for ideas in post processing.