Ordinary People VS. Photographers: Experiment Shows How Differently Same Location Looks
Recently, Reddit user 2manyToys uploaded some photos showing the differences between ordinary people and professional photographers.
The photos show that photographers can make an ordinary place look magical with the right light, angle, and just a tad of photo editing. What may look like a block of flats with a couple trees next to it to an ordinary person, could look like a mysterious forest to a photographer. Yeah, of course, any photo looks better when edited, but let’s face it, not everyone has an ‘artistic eye’, which is much needed in photography. Don’t believe me? Take a look below.
(h/t: 2manyToys)
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Aaaand this is why you shouldn't compare yourselves to the women in the magazines ladies.... optical illusions and a "tad" of photo-editing. We all look the same when we open our camera and its backwards facing, equally as scary!
Get top models to take pictures of each other and show how different they can look
Load More Replies...
I am a photographer myself and to be honest ... some of the 'you pics' do not look too differently from some originals which photographers then edit in photshop/lightroom/whatever ... it is just not magic! ;) Besides that ... the lenses make the main difference to small digicams or smartphones ... especially with portraits, close ups and macros. Landscapes can be done with an iphone or samsung or whatever - they all deliver solid shots which then can be edited in ps/lr/whatever. ;) 'That guy talks a lot ...' some of you will say! You are right! I do not see myself as a pro or a great photographer or anything ... but I really do like some of my pics myself and if you are curious now ... here you go: www.facebook.com/ArtistAndreasDanzer ;)
I think often it's also the fact that photographers have more of an eye for a certain situation. Many of the photos above are a good example of choosing your framing wisely.
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using the same camera by different people would be a better comparison. we'll still see differences.
True this- lighting, lens, camera type, camera settings, time of day, it all makes a massive difference :)
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This has a rather condescending tone to it. "Normal" people could have the same quality photos if they spent the hours in post-production that photogs do. It's not some unattainable gift from above.
It's not just the hours in post-production, it's the years learning the craft and educating one self to know how to do it in location and in post-production.
Load More Replies...
Comparing the best of someone/a situation against the worst of someone/situation is not the truth.
I agree. There are many professional photographers that merely mediocre and just know about the techniques. Creative photographic angles soon look cheesy when copied by many a 'professional' photographer such as the fan look on the train of wedding dresses.
Load More Replies...
This is kind of stupid. If the camera is different, obviously, the picture is not going to look as nice. The pictures by "ordinary" people seem to be shot on a phone or something. Not only that, the non "professional" photos also lack people, props, or any thing worthwhile to take a picture of. I would rather see the same exact setting (people included) with the same camera to compare the skills of professionals to "ordinary" people.
oh this picture is so good I wish I have camera like you then I would make amazing pictures like you... - is basically what you are saying.. :) I am chill person hahah I dont get but hurt but how would you feel if i am coming ower for dinner and after that I would say + Oh sara dear that meal was delicious !!!!! I wish i have super oven like yours so I can cook this as well... + Come over I can gladly give you my camera ( I assure you is top of the market ) and we will see what you can do dear :) little bit of respect to people who create photo art please... its not about the camera and lenses only
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Not the best of examples. But I do smile when I hear people saying "I don't have a good enough camera". (The old joke: "Your camera takes a great photo!" "Thanks, I've taught it everything it knows") I''m not a photographer. My husband has a much better eye. Compare mine with his using our cheap Nokia phones. Then you'll see a difference.
She's absolutely correct... but what she doesn't say is that while an artistic eye is a great thing to have, the skills necessary to produce photos of a professional quality can be learned via some basic "rules". Equipment makes a difference too but one can still take extremely good images with a cheaper camera if the user knows how to operate it correctly. Here's a taste of what I can do... I learned in a short period of time - mostly from a combination of watching online videos, reading books on photography and just getting out and experimenting: www.viewbug.com/member/mikedenyer Then there's a few more on my Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mig.Denyer
And also all of the photographer shots have a very emotional subject; fair comparison, that should have been the case also for the us ordinary people.
that's because a photographer just don't snap randomly, he will take pictures only when the picture deserves it.
Load More Replies...
What photoshop? These images are very mildly processed. The reason you think this has massive amounts of photoshoping is that you clearly don't understand what's involved in making such images. The first and foremost, it's the quality of light. All the pro shots have low, late afternoon sun mostly backlighting the subject. The dreamy and creamy effect od background (as well as foreground) blur is achieved by the lens, (relatively) long lens with a big aperture to be more precise. With shots like these it's about physics and optics, which is the reason why small sensor cameras with really modest optics (phone cameras in this case) can't achieve anything that comes close to a fully capable large sensor camera. The rest is the photographers skill and experience, and no, even the best camera is not going to be helpful to someone without that skill. So instead of giving such judgments on topics on which you clearly aren't informed enough, I would suggest reading something about it first.
Load More Replies...
The way I see it, that's just another testament to the way a good photographer finds ways to make a capture more interesting/attractive.
Load More Replies...
I stand by my husband 100% that photography is an ART FORM... and a hard one, at that. I'm so proud of all the work he does in his field. We respect what each other do: I'll stick to pen & ink, he can have his amazing camera with five billion different lenses he knows what to use at the exact right moment (he is a landscape and wildlife photographer). x
The comparison is not fair, but I do agree professionals have a better vision. There are skills in it, and some fixed patterns. A little bit learning could get much better result.
Most just copy the latest styles though and have the techniques but not the vision.
Load More Replies...
That's for "your job is just click that button of the camera, it's soooo easy take me some photos for free."
My answer to this article: https://www.boredpanda.com/i-will-show-you-a-little-secret/
not only a photographer but also lots of after editing which is really hard for a photographer not to do.
I did like the last "poor" pic. And add a tad of photo edit.
If you want... b2Bo0RS.jpg 
Do you guys really think the photos were taken by different persons? The wannabe-pro-artist made both versions. I understand the symbolic meaning but the way it's presented is fairly s****y. You CAN take way better pictures with a phone cam and absolutely no skill. I bet with one or two apps you can even get similar results without knowing anything about cameras and stuff. So take a step back and shut up.
I think that you should go on my page see my photographs! www.nohejj.blogspot.com or simply my instagram @kadzia7
first of all .. not "You" .. second of all... i don'T know how awful one can take pictures ,,, but the "amature ones here " areextremly awful every normal person that can hold still would take better pictures... 3. very few of the "professional ones" are only made with the camara. 4 by putting in people the pictures does not always get better. (here the example of the foggy house walll would'Ve been a way more interessting motive then a women smelling sucky flowers.) only the colors whare rather boring, but we have programmes for that. 5. i dispise of makeing motives only useing children...-.- it makes most of the pictures lose their meaning... (especially nature images.)
Lots of hidden sourness to be found here... makes one wonder how many instagram accounts are held by the gripers... sorry folks but just as changing a tire and having an awesome tire jack doesn't make one a mechanic, taking a photo that all your 'friends' think is great doesn't make you a photographer. As for the ridiculous notion that SOOC shots are better because they're more 'real'... sigh... no, no they're not. If you are a documentarian or shoot wildlife for a mag then, yeah other than basic editing (yes, basic editing is still editing) the shots are left alone. However, those are not the only types of photography that exist. Too bad that the advent of iPhones et al have totally destroyed the notion of respect for others who have spent years studying, striving and working towards being a better photographer.
I don't think so! I don't want kids or people in my pictures, and I also don't want to Photoshop my pictures.... I want to make a good picture with just me camera, no editing, that is the art of photography in my opinion.
But...but...I really like the fifth one. It's not "artistic" of course, but it looks like it could be a frame from a documentary film. Makes me wonder about the people living in that neighborhood, and for me that matters a lot.
Wow. Could you have used pictures any less alike in intent and character, not to mention equipment, time of day......
I think of the world in both ways. Sometimes I'll think it is a good picture moment, others I'll think are pretty, but not picture moment, then some I'll think of as normal or just really pretty.
Its not the camera, is the photographers vision, there are many people with pro equipment that dont produce good results, because it is not easy
No doubt an interesting experiment but I think it would have had a better value if the before photos also included the people in it .
It very true us photographers see things diffrent then all the other people. It make us photographers more unique then the other people we use diffrent lens and turn a angle a lot diffrent then they do
Bad examples to make a point. Give them both the same camera and let them both take pictures with or without models to make a point.
Honestly: The article should be called: Professional Camera VS cheap digicam - only if you have a camera with a large sensor and a lens with f 2,8 or so you can take such images -
yeah, this 135 f/2 plus few cool PS actions are defnitely magical
Here's my contribution! =)
www.facebook.com/fjhphoto 14100541_1...1e5164.jpg 
Bored Panda, take some grammar lessons. The pictures look DIFFERENT, not "differently". That would imply the pictures themselves were actively looking.
first 2 pics - summer vs autumn - or they colored the grass - of course it will look different. look like someone who took those shots got an old a*s 360p plastic nokia and made his best to do the worst "front light" photos possible.
It is true that if you polish up your image it looks like a cooler of more magical place. I myself do not manipulate much more than the colours a bit and the contrast. The composition is the most important thing that tells the story. Colours and the rest give the extra feeling and touch to it. I agree that without a good start you can still do extraodinary things nowadays, but if you put a dress on a cow it still remains a cow..... :p This is MY view of the world around me, see you later ! : https://www.instagram.com/dragosalaplaya
It is true that if you polish up your image it looks like a cooler of more magical place. I myself do not manipulate much more than the colours a bit and the contrast. The composition is the most important thing that tells the story. Colours and the rest give the extra feeling and touch to it. I agree that without a good start you can still do extraodinary things nowadays, but if you put a dress on a cow it still remains a cow..... :p
I think I'd hire the amateur photographer who took the final 'before' shot - it's easily my favourite. But then, that's probably because I like forest paths much more than random children.
That should probably be "How Different Same Location Looks", not "Differently." I think "Looks" is acting as a linking verb there. http://grammartips.homestead.com/badly.html
Some pics from ordinary people are better. All photos from pros are heavily edited in photoshop and all have people in them while pics from ordinary people does not have people in those photos and thats huge difference too.
Not true!!!! Not all pics from professional photographers are heavily edited in Photoshop and not all images from pros have people in them.
Load More Replies... A regular person sees the ugly the photographer sees the possibilities
I would have believed if those photos were taken via same camera, same time,same models and without editing! -.-'
Of course If you have 85mm f1.2 lens or 50mm f1.0 and some photoshop experience you can do the same..just wait for the right light ..
And they seem to be going out in early spring or late summer when vegetation isn't so lush.
Load More Replies... Well as every artistic profession if I wanna do good i need to be good ? Or ? I study materials, test shoots, lights, make my own designs... I mean its my life... Its normal that photographers ( the real ones who knows what they are doing ) make it better then average photo-taker :) I mean I can paint nature... will it look like Monet ? NOWP heeell no! more like accident of drunken Slovak driver on a side of the road... but I am doing it for fun.. If you have your life into something it should show ... and i disagree with the statement that originals of my camera before Photoshop looks like the pictures no.1. If it does go return your FF and start doing something else man...
Para ser un experimento valido debieron haber tenido la misma composición.
Most non-profesional pictures are less good than possible, even without having high skills and expensive equipment. And they are not edited. Thus, it is a bit comparing apples to pears. The point rather is, that with a feeling for persepctive and moment someone skilled in photography will make the difference.
The correct title should be ordinary people with flip phones Vs. Photographers with Photoshop, models, and full frame DSLR's
Yeah, ain't Photo Shop grand? I can do this easily in my back yard, too. I've got an excellent camera and some professional experience myself of course. The last pair of photos are BOTH really lovely - the upper one just needed focus and possibly NOT a point & shoot camera, while the bottom one is the prize photo period. Adorable & that kind of shot takes patience & know-how.
Stupid thing....The question is totally different..Loser cell camera VS. Canon 5D mk4 or similar and photoshop...if you really want to make a comparison, you must give both the same tools with the same models and evaluate the final results without post production
Dude, both me and my dad have the exact sama camera, and yet he produces much better photos than me, because he's a photographer. Yes, they do look better when you use better equipment, but you have to have to have talent to make amazing photographs.
Load More Replies...
Aaaand this is why you shouldn't compare yourselves to the women in the magazines ladies.... optical illusions and a "tad" of photo-editing. We all look the same when we open our camera and its backwards facing, equally as scary!
Get top models to take pictures of each other and show how different they can look
Load More Replies... I am a photographer myself and to be honest ... some of the 'you pics' do not look too differently from some originals which photographers then edit in photshop/lightroom/whatever ... it is just not magic! ;) Besides that ... the lenses make the main difference to small digicams or smartphones ... especially with portraits, close ups and macros. Landscapes can be done with an iphone or samsung or whatever - they all deliver solid shots which then can be edited in ps/lr/whatever. ;) 'That guy talks a lot ...' some of you will say! You are right! I do not see myself as a pro or a great photographer or anything ... but I really do like some of my pics myself and if you are curious now ... here you go: www.facebook.com/ArtistAndreasDanzer ;)
I think often it's also the fact that photographers have more of an eye for a certain situation. Many of the photos above are a good example of choosing your framing wisely.
Load More Replies... using the same camera by different people would be a better comparison. we'll still see differences.
True this- lighting, lens, camera type, camera settings, time of day, it all makes a massive difference :)
Load More Replies... This has a rather condescending tone to it. "Normal" people could have the same quality photos if they spent the hours in post-production that photogs do. It's not some unattainable gift from above.
It's not just the hours in post-production, it's the years learning the craft and educating one self to know how to do it in location and in post-production.
Load More Replies... Comparing the best of someone/a situation against the worst of someone/situation is not the truth.
I agree. There are many professional photographers that merely mediocre and just know about the techniques. Creative photographic angles soon look cheesy when copied by many a 'professional' photographer such as the fan look on the train of wedding dresses.
Load More Replies... This is kind of stupid. If the camera is different, obviously, the picture is not going to look as nice. The pictures by "ordinary" people seem to be shot on a phone or something. Not only that, the non "professional" photos also lack people, props, or any thing worthwhile to take a picture of. I would rather see the same exact setting (people included) with the same camera to compare the skills of professionals to "ordinary" people.
oh this picture is so good I wish I have camera like you then I would make amazing pictures like you... - is basically what you are saying.. :) I am chill person hahah I dont get but hurt but how would you feel if i am coming ower for dinner and after that I would say + Oh sara dear that meal was delicious !!!!! I wish i have super oven like yours so I can cook this as well... + Come over I can gladly give you my camera ( I assure you is top of the market ) and we will see what you can do dear :) little bit of respect to people who create photo art please... its not about the camera and lenses only
Load More Replies... Not the best of examples. But I do smile when I hear people saying "I don't have a good enough camera". (The old joke: "Your camera takes a great photo!" "Thanks, I've taught it everything it knows") I''m not a photographer. My husband has a much better eye. Compare mine with his using our cheap Nokia phones. Then you'll see a difference.
She's absolutely correct... but what she doesn't say is that while an artistic eye is a great thing to have, the skills necessary to produce photos of a professional quality can be learned via some basic "rules". Equipment makes a difference too but one can still take extremely good images with a cheaper camera if the user knows how to operate it correctly. Here's a taste of what I can do... I learned in a short period of time - mostly from a combination of watching online videos, reading books on photography and just getting out and experimenting: www.viewbug.com/member/mikedenyer Then there's a few more on my Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mig.Denyer
And also all of the photographer shots have a very emotional subject; fair comparison, that should have been the case also for the us ordinary people.
that's because a photographer just don't snap randomly, he will take pictures only when the picture deserves it.
Load More Replies... What photoshop? These images are very mildly processed. The reason you think this has massive amounts of photoshoping is that you clearly don't understand what's involved in making such images. The first and foremost, it's the quality of light. All the pro shots have low, late afternoon sun mostly backlighting the subject. The dreamy and creamy effect od background (as well as foreground) blur is achieved by the lens, (relatively) long lens with a big aperture to be more precise. With shots like these it's about physics and optics, which is the reason why small sensor cameras with really modest optics (phone cameras in this case) can't achieve anything that comes close to a fully capable large sensor camera. The rest is the photographers skill and experience, and no, even the best camera is not going to be helpful to someone without that skill. So instead of giving such judgments on topics on which you clearly aren't informed enough, I would suggest reading something about it first.
Load More Replies... The way I see it, that's just another testament to the way a good photographer finds ways to make a capture more interesting/attractive.
Load More Replies... I stand by my husband 100% that photography is an ART FORM... and a hard one, at that. I'm so proud of all the work he does in his field. We respect what each other do: I'll stick to pen & ink, he can have his amazing camera with five billion different lenses he knows what to use at the exact right moment (he is a landscape and wildlife photographer). x
The comparison is not fair, but I do agree professionals have a better vision. There are skills in it, and some fixed patterns. A little bit learning could get much better result.
Most just copy the latest styles though and have the techniques but not the vision.
Load More Replies... That's for "your job is just click that button of the camera, it's soooo easy take me some photos for free."
My answer to this article: https://www.boredpanda.com/i-will-show-you-a-little-secret/
not only a photographer but also lots of after editing which is really hard for a photographer not to do.
I did like the last "poor" pic. And add a tad of photo edit.
If you want... b2Bo0RS.jpg
Do you guys really think the photos were taken by different persons? The wannabe-pro-artist made both versions. I understand the symbolic meaning but the way it's presented is fairly s****y. You CAN take way better pictures with a phone cam and absolutely no skill. I bet with one or two apps you can even get similar results without knowing anything about cameras and stuff. So take a step back and shut up.
I think that you should go on my page see my photographs! www.nohejj.blogspot.com or simply my instagram @kadzia7
first of all .. not "You" .. second of all... i don'T know how awful one can take pictures ,,, but the "amature ones here " areextremly awful every normal person that can hold still would take better pictures... 3. very few of the "professional ones" are only made with the camara. 4 by putting in people the pictures does not always get better. (here the example of the foggy house walll would'Ve been a way more interessting motive then a women smelling sucky flowers.) only the colors whare rather boring, but we have programmes for that. 5. i dispise of makeing motives only useing children...-.- it makes most of the pictures lose their meaning... (especially nature images.)
Lots of hidden sourness to be found here... makes one wonder how many instagram accounts are held by the gripers... sorry folks but just as changing a tire and having an awesome tire jack doesn't make one a mechanic, taking a photo that all your 'friends' think is great doesn't make you a photographer. As for the ridiculous notion that SOOC shots are better because they're more 'real'... sigh... no, no they're not. If you are a documentarian or shoot wildlife for a mag then, yeah other than basic editing (yes, basic editing is still editing) the shots are left alone. However, those are not the only types of photography that exist. Too bad that the advent of iPhones et al have totally destroyed the notion of respect for others who have spent years studying, striving and working towards being a better photographer.
I don't think so! I don't want kids or people in my pictures, and I also don't want to Photoshop my pictures.... I want to make a good picture with just me camera, no editing, that is the art of photography in my opinion.
But...but...I really like the fifth one. It's not "artistic" of course, but it looks like it could be a frame from a documentary film. Makes me wonder about the people living in that neighborhood, and for me that matters a lot.
Wow. Could you have used pictures any less alike in intent and character, not to mention equipment, time of day......
I think of the world in both ways. Sometimes I'll think it is a good picture moment, others I'll think are pretty, but not picture moment, then some I'll think of as normal or just really pretty.
Its not the camera, is the photographers vision, there are many people with pro equipment that dont produce good results, because it is not easy
No doubt an interesting experiment but I think it would have had a better value if the before photos also included the people in it .
It very true us photographers see things diffrent then all the other people. It make us photographers more unique then the other people we use diffrent lens and turn a angle a lot diffrent then they do
Bad examples to make a point. Give them both the same camera and let them both take pictures with or without models to make a point.
Honestly: The article should be called: Professional Camera VS cheap digicam - only if you have a camera with a large sensor and a lens with f 2,8 or so you can take such images -
yeah, this 135 f/2 plus few cool PS actions are defnitely magical
Here's my contribution! =)
www.facebook.com/fjhphoto 14100541_1...1e5164.jpg
Bored Panda, take some grammar lessons. The pictures look DIFFERENT, not "differently". That would imply the pictures themselves were actively looking.
first 2 pics - summer vs autumn - or they colored the grass - of course it will look different. look like someone who took those shots got an old a*s 360p plastic nokia and made his best to do the worst "front light" photos possible.
It is true that if you polish up your image it looks like a cooler of more magical place. I myself do not manipulate much more than the colours a bit and the contrast. The composition is the most important thing that tells the story. Colours and the rest give the extra feeling and touch to it. I agree that without a good start you can still do extraodinary things nowadays, but if you put a dress on a cow it still remains a cow..... :p This is MY view of the world around me, see you later ! : https://www.instagram.com/dragosalaplaya
It is true that if you polish up your image it looks like a cooler of more magical place. I myself do not manipulate much more than the colours a bit and the contrast. The composition is the most important thing that tells the story. Colours and the rest give the extra feeling and touch to it. I agree that without a good start you can still do extraodinary things nowadays, but if you put a dress on a cow it still remains a cow..... :p
I think I'd hire the amateur photographer who took the final 'before' shot - it's easily my favourite. But then, that's probably because I like forest paths much more than random children.
That should probably be "How Different Same Location Looks", not "Differently." I think "Looks" is acting as a linking verb there. http://grammartips.homestead.com/badly.html
Some pics from ordinary people are better. All photos from pros are heavily edited in photoshop and all have people in them while pics from ordinary people does not have people in those photos and thats huge difference too.
Not true!!!! Not all pics from professional photographers are heavily edited in Photoshop and not all images from pros have people in them.
Load More Replies... A regular person sees the ugly the photographer sees the possibilities
I would have believed if those photos were taken via same camera, same time,same models and without editing! -.-'
Of course If you have 85mm f1.2 lens or 50mm f1.0 and some photoshop experience you can do the same..just wait for the right light ..
And they seem to be going out in early spring or late summer when vegetation isn't so lush.
Load More Replies... Well as every artistic profession if I wanna do good i need to be good ? Or ? I study materials, test shoots, lights, make my own designs... I mean its my life... Its normal that photographers ( the real ones who knows what they are doing ) make it better then average photo-taker :) I mean I can paint nature... will it look like Monet ? NOWP heeell no! more like accident of drunken Slovak driver on a side of the road... but I am doing it for fun.. If you have your life into something it should show ... and i disagree with the statement that originals of my camera before Photoshop looks like the pictures no.1. If it does go return your FF and start doing something else man...
Para ser un experimento valido debieron haber tenido la misma composición.
Most non-profesional pictures are less good than possible, even without having high skills and expensive equipment. And they are not edited. Thus, it is a bit comparing apples to pears. The point rather is, that with a feeling for persepctive and moment someone skilled in photography will make the difference.
The correct title should be ordinary people with flip phones Vs. Photographers with Photoshop, models, and full frame DSLR's
Yeah, ain't Photo Shop grand? I can do this easily in my back yard, too. I've got an excellent camera and some professional experience myself of course. The last pair of photos are BOTH really lovely - the upper one just needed focus and possibly NOT a point & shoot camera, while the bottom one is the prize photo period. Adorable & that kind of shot takes patience & know-how.
Stupid thing....The question is totally different..Loser cell camera VS. Canon 5D mk4 or similar and photoshop...if you really want to make a comparison, you must give both the same tools with the same models and evaluate the final results without post production
Dude, both me and my dad have the exact sama camera, and yet he produces much better photos than me, because he's a photographer. Yes, they do look better when you use better equipment, but you have to have to have talent to make amazing photographs.
Load More Replies... 
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