Do My Photos Look Bad?
So i have been using a DSLR for about 2 years now, i use nikon D5000, with a 50mm 1.8 prime, and my question really is after i'm done taking photos and done editing, is it just me that finds alot of flaws in my own photos or is that every photographer? Also when i see other local photographers i'm amazed with there photos, but when i look at mine i just think they are alright and nothing amazing about them. Is that normal for me to think like that as an enthusiast? I know its kind of hard to answer this question since i don't have any images uploaded online.
Always look critically at your photos. If you see any flaws, while you are at the location, take it again. You have always got to ask yourself how the light is falling and what sort of light youre dealing with, eg from a light bulb, at sundown, light reflecting from snow etc. The second thing you have to care about is whether you have got everything you want in the picture, do this smart, this is how people take the best photos. And, avoid setting your camera to automatic. Automatic mode can sometimes help you, but only if you are dealing with unexpectedly moving things like cats. There's a saying: YOU take the pictures, not the camera. Most of the peple forget this these days. Try using manual mode and you'll learn the most, and don't be afraid to experiment.
Light and composition are everything.
Two photgraphers can take the same image at different times of day / time of year using the same camera on the same settings and one can produce an amazing image whilst the other is average.
The same goes for composition the same scene taken from two different angles can also produce two entirely different results.
Keep practising and trying new ways of approaching your subjects.
As Sahara says, lighting is probably the key thing that distinguishes an 'average' photo from a stunning one.
Or it may be that you aer your own worst critic!
Without actually seeing your images, it's difficult to say where you fall along a spectrum of competence as a photographer. Is there a particular reason you don't upload?