chriswparker asked: Just seen the question asked by fribblespoon. Do you think success in photography is based more on technical expertise, or by an appreciation of art? Is it better to study a camera manual, or to study photographs, and photographers? I agree that no formal qualification is required within photography, I just think that there's a vast difference between knowing how to operate a camera with technical proficiance, and knwoing how to create a photograph.

I don’t think success in photography is based on either technical expertise or by an appreciation for art.  There are many successful photographers who are neither technically good, or artistic.  Success is much more about who you know, and your own personality.

I think in order to be a well rounded photographer though it helps to know how to use your camera technically very well.  Its your tool and to me just as to be a good sniper you have to know your gun in and out you should know your camera.  It also helps to understand a lot about art like color, lighting, contrast.

But there are so many fields of photography that you can have a very different mix of all of the above and still be successful in some manner.  There are successful photographers of weddings, fashion, art, pornography, and more, so asking what makes one successful, or what makes one know how to create a good photo is very hard to answer.