I was thinking today about how it is so helpful to get someone more experienced about bonsai comment on your styling or give new ideas and was wondering if something like this exists

is there some website where you could submit photos of your bonsai and then have an expert or someone of significant experience comment on what they would suggest you do or give you opinions on where you tree is lacking? for free or for a fee?

well this ia a place. directing someone on styling recomendations is a hard thing to do with pictures and not knowing the person personally. local bonsai clubs will have knowledgable people also that would be glad to give advice. bonsai is a very personal thing tho and the stylings of your trees should have some extention of yourself.with young trees you have to use your imagination your tree will not look as it does now.you have to picture 1,3,5 years down the road. you have control of your trees and will need to learn their growth habbits and create what you want your tree to look like. bonsai is not an overnight thing i have spent years and have years to go on most of my trees to create the vision i forsee.i do alot of image searches read books and look at nature to inspire my bonsai creations because they are creations made by you that is the "art" of it all.i realize you have just started but to be honest it took a few years of playing around, trying things ,watching things grow ,killing things before i had a really good idea of what was going on.every year i learn more things see more ideas around me and get inspired to try something else.it's kinda like being in bonsai kindergarden we are all being "schooled" in the art some of us will strive to be masters some will drop out to persue other indevors ...well i think ive rambled enough hope this helps

i understand what you are talking about completely and my whole thought process was more business oriented, was thinking of making something like that, but after reading your post it makes so much sense

yea you can get opinions and advice but unless you are the one actually doing the work and connecting with the tree its not going to have the same meaning, and by all means i love the site for all the information ive learned, without it i would likely had more error in this trial and error hobby.

its tough with no real bonsai clubs close by, its relying more on web info and less real hands knowledge...so it is very challenging

oh buisness oriented ideas,always lookin for those but like i said it is so tough to style with pics there are always hidden branches and different looks at diferent angles. when i style my trees i look at alot of pictures and study the tree itself,moving branches hiding ones that may come off it can take months to actually decide what direction to go and sometimes things change as the work is done. all i can say is just dive in wire up a tree and move branches around it can be nerve racking your first few times,but you'll have to start somewere right?

just checked your profile and see you are from upstate NY.im from western NY there are tons of clubs in NY. were exactly are you located ill be glad to help you find one

Saratoga Springs which is like 30 mins north of Albany or 30 mins south of Lake George

looks like the mohawk hudson bonsai society is in your area they have meetings in voorheesvile and west charlton so not too far
give 'em a call (518)822-1039

Bonsai clubs are great, I just recently realised there is one right around the corner from me, me and a mate go once a month and its fantastic to get advice from all the older more experienced Bonsai nuts. Last meet we discussed and were shown "root grafting" grafting smaller trees/seedlings to a tree that needs a few more larger roots to make better nabari.