[Daniel_Champion]

I few years back Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" explain that anyone with a 10000hours of practice in any business would became an expert.

He can't be more wrong...at least for me. I've reached for sure the 10000 hour practice and I'm still learning new things everytime I meet new photographers or when doing photo walks with friends.

Is it possible to became an "expert" only practicing? I feel practicing is really, really, really important but I've learn over the years that you need to do your research and get inspiration with other photographers and actually "talk" photography to became better.
I think that's the point of tools like shuttertalk, great places to learn and share!

[MrB]

I agree with you, Daniel. Also, I would guess that the vast majority of those whom others regard as experts (in any field) would say that they never stop learning - whether from others, or by their own research and experimentation.

Cheers.
Philip

[WesternGuy]

I few years back Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" explain that anyone with a 10000hours of practice in any business would became an expert.

He can't be more wrong...at least for me. I've reached for sure the 10000 hour practice and I'm still learning new things everytime I meet new photographers or when doing photo walks with friends.

Is it possible to became an "expert" only practicing? I feel practicing is really, really, really important but I've learn over the years that you need to do your research and get inspiration with other photographers and actually "talk" photography to became better.
I think that's the point of tools like shuttertalk, great places to learn and share!

I think a lot depends on how you define "practice" and I am not sure how you "practice" at photography, except by getting out there and doing it. Personally, I do not like the term "expert" either. Getting rather negative aren't I? I think that one can get better at something and as you get better and better, does that qualify you as an expert. I don't know. Personally, I don't care. I would urge you to not get caught up in whether or not you are an expert, just in whether or not you are getting better at something. For example, take flower photography - flowers being one of my favourite subjects. If I look at some of the images that I took 3 or 4 years ago and compared them to what I am doing today, my "today" pictures are better than my older ones, by my standards. Does that make me an "expert" - don't know, don't care.

The real key lies in what MrB has said - never stop learning, either from others or from your own experience. For me, the day I stop learning is the day I am dead. As I progress in my experience with this medium, I am getting better and I can often tell that from the way others respond to my images today when I compare it to how they may have responded a few years ago. Will I ever become an expert - I hope not because a true expert, in my humble opinion, never wants to see that term used in reference to himself. I refer to myself as a practitioner of the art who is a life-long learner and who can always, and I emphasize that word, ALWAYS, learn something from another practitioner regardless of who they are or in what state of evolution they are in the practice of the art. My advice to you would be to stop worrying about becoming an expert and concentrate on continuing to learn and evolve as an artist.

Enough said - I could go on for quite a while. Good luck on your quest and your evolution as an artist.

WesternGuy

[Daniel_Champion]

(...)I refer to myself as a practitioner of the art who is a life-long learner and who can always, and I emphasize that word, ALWAYS, learn something from another practitioner regardless of who they are or in what state of evolution they are in the practice of the art. My advice to you would be to stop worrying about becoming an expert and concentrate on continuing to learn and evolve as an artist.

Enough said - I could go on for quite a while. Good luck on your quest and your evolution as an artist.

WesternGuy

I completly agree with you, it can be a hobby or a job but overall its a passion!

[EdMak]

A day you learn something, is not a day wasted. Ed.