He’s Got Guts


That’s ballsy to sell a washed out photo of a random child that you edited in GIMP.

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109 Comments

  1. I’ve seen a guy with that icon on Flickr, and he thinks he knows everything there is to know about photography. He has no problem ripping other people’s photos to shreds but gets REALLY mad if someone says anything the least bit negative about his work. His attitude reminds me of that one SNL sketch from a couple of weeks ago “You Can Do Anything”

  2. If the original photographer is okay with it (and maybe under creative use) even if they aren’t – I don’t see a problem with what he is doing.

    Ginger and Mary Ann – you really need to consider that not all share your tastes – again – GIMP is not a pro tool, but who gives a F***? I’ve seen amazing drawings done in chalk on sidewalks, Amazing photos taken with iPhones… Not everything has to be done by the same tool in the same manor – jeesh…

    That’s why it is called ART.

    And we can choose whether or not we like it – If I was buying a picture of my kids – would I want this? No. If I was buying it for wall art – then maybe. But someone else may love this style – not for me or anyone to judge.

    Another example: I personally hate Warhol’s work…but it sells for millions. Just a matter of style and taste.

    • The original photographer is my sister, and she is just fine with it.

      I know that pretty-much ALL of my work is not hugely popular, hell I’ve only ever sold one print. But then I don’t create images to make anyone happy but myself.

      • Anonymous

        Good point! and I like this pic, I´ll like to check your other work

  3. I posted this image on RedBubble simply to show the possibilities of post production work – even with a low-res image… as was explained in the accompanying text.

    1. Its not a washed-out photo… have a look at the original image on that page… that look is from the post-production work.
    2. Its not a random child… I actually know this person and her family very well… but even if they were “random”- so what?
    3. “Ballsy” to put it up for sale? Why not? If someone wants to buy it – then hooray, and I make a few dollars out of it.
    4. GIMP, Photoshop… what does it matter? if it works for you and you like to use it then that is all that matters.

    But thank you for at least noticing my work.

    Cheers,
    -Byron

    • It’s an alien and it looks shitty. Keep making excuses for shitty work like this.

  4. a final comment….

    Its kinda funny to get posted on this site “Just because you own a camera, you are not a photographer”

    hahahaha, if only you knew, if only you knew.

    But I agree, equipment does not make the image. That’s why I use an 8 year old 6mp DSLR… its all I need. That’s why I use GIMP… because its all I need. Thats why my first cameras were 25 year old hand-me downs… because that is all I need, and that is why I use a notepad computer- because that is all I need.

    But when it comes to being a photographer and an artist, sunshine… I would piss all over you before you could get your lens cap off!

    • headdesk

      “But when it comes to being a photographer and an artist, sunshine… I would piss all over you before you could get your lens cap off!”

      DUDE. Major props.

    • Never heard of you – from the looks of that photo I doubt any of your work is really good especially when you say you use GIMP. If you actually made money as a photographer you would be PAYING for a decent program.

  5. BurninBiomass

    Another from the “art = anything you can get away with” camp.

    • I never said it was art… just showing how you can do some rather cool post-production work on a rather ordinary original image.

      You must admit, if you have a look at the full sized image, the post work is pretty tidy for a low-res image.

  6. Pretty Ballsy indeed to grab an image off of RedBubble, don’t pay for it, or get the permission of the photographer and then offer it up as a “fauxtographer”.

    Yep – Pretty Ballsy…

    • Yeah, under the new proposed SOPA/PIPA laws in the USA – this whole site could be shut down for stealing another artist’s work.

      Now wouldn’t THAT be a shame…

      • Anonymous

        Your retarded.

      • Anonymous

        This coming from the person using “your” when you should be using “you’re.”

      • Anonymous

        You’re advocating SOPA/PIPA because you feel the need to charge for your own poor quality work? Wow.

      • Actually, he is not advocating SOPA/PIPA. Look up the definition of “advocating”. He’s simply making a statement that neither endorses nor condemns the proposed legislation.

      • Anonymous

        Being sarcastic and seemingly happy about a site being taken down due to SOPA/PIPA seems to be more for the law than against it.

      • I am in favour of any site that hosts stolen images being shutdown… at least if they dont remove the infringing work first.

        If you steal from one artist, you steal from all of us!

      • Anonymous

        I’m not sure if you know how copyright law works or not, but the Fair Use clause says this isn’t stealing.

        However, when you charge outrageous prices for poor “art” … you are stealing from people. You did steal many laughs from me too.

      • Laughing my arse off

        Yeah right like your avatar is an original!

      • And I will bet you make montages of your photos with background music. YOU would be thrown in jail under SOPA. Educate yourself before coming here and making yourself look like an ass.

  7. Looks like the girls running this site don’t have the balls to respond to Byron. Ah yes, how could they. They literally don’t have balls.

  8. Anonymous

    Even funnier than this guy charging nearly $100 for a frame is him coming here and posting under different names to make it seem as though people are defending his ~art~!

    • I’m not pretending to be anyone other than me.

      BYRON is my name, and you can find me anytime at REDBUBBLE.

      I’m not the one hiding behind “anonymous”…

    • And…. I am not charging $100 for the frame… RedBubble charges $80 for their production costs, and I charge $10 for the image…

      But that is ok, you weren’t to know… its not like research is your strong suit!

      • Anonymous

        So, you’re pocketing $10 from a company who is charging nearly $100 for a frame? Cool.

        No worries about me looking up REDBUBBLE either. Charging those prices for such poor quality work isn’t something I care to promote.

      • hahahahaha

  9. Wow, this is an interesting post today. I agree that it’s not the camera (or post production tool) that makes a good image, it’s the person holding the camera or using the software that makes the difference. That being said, I don’t agree with the sentiment that you can do “some rather cool post-production work on a rather ordinary original image.” Why would you want to? I’m not going to comment on the actual image in question here, it could be any image in anyone’s portfolio for the purpose of this discussion. My point is that you should hold yourself to a higher standard than just “ordinary”, we all should, that’s the only way to get better. I’d much rather have someone say that an image I produced was good on it’s own than hear that the image is ordinary but the post work is cool. No one is going to hold our work in high regard if we don’t think it’s good to begin with and even then self-belief will only go so far.

    • Hiya Shauna,

      Why would I do post production on an ordinary photo?

      To see what I could do with it.

      Most people don’t like it. Its a bit freaky – the eyes are very heavily worked on. But I kinda like that it is a bit freaky.

      Its certainly not THE best work I have done, it was just an excercise to see what was possible.

      Personally, I think that the post-production work on that image is quite good considering what I had to work with, but certainly – I have done better work since then.

      Cheers,
      -Byron

  10. Derpface

    OTOH although I’m not a huge fan of his PP style or the original pic, it’s in a different ballgame to most of the completely horrid crap that this site is aimed at. This is one of the few posts here that DOESN’T make me feel like throwing up a little. It doesn’t belong here; I don’t like it, but I don’t hate it enough to bitch about it. IMO, YANP got this one wrong.

    P.S. look at my post history. I, for one, am definitely not the shooter or ‘shopper.

  11. Its just an excercise in post production work everyone, it aint the mona lisa!

    To be fair also… that was done a long time ago on some quite antiquated equipment. But go to my site, check out the large version, for what it is – its not bad.

    Why is it available for sale? Well the parents actually liked it and they wanted to buy a copy.

    Am I “ballsy” – you betcha! I am no shrinking violet when it comes to my art – I put it out there. If you don’t like it – that’s fine… I didn’t put it out there for you, I put it out there for me.

    Check out the rest of my portfolio sometime and tell me that I don’t know what I am doing….

    or even better,…

    Come play with the big boys, join RedBubble, upload your work, see if you are up to scratch.

    • Derpface

      *thumbsup*

      • Laughing my arse off

        What?? thumbs up for a comment about RedBubble being one of the “big boys”? What a joke.

      • I agree. how is red bubble playing with the big boys!?

    • lol @ playing with the big boys on Redbubble. That site is full of bad quality art and photography, mixed in with some of the good stuff. You want to play with the big boys? Go see if your work gets accepted on 1x.com, then we’ll know you’re serious.

      And I’m also curious – you say the parents wanted to buy a copy, why not sell directly, as you knew them and get a decent commission rather than $10 you say you get per commission?

    • “Check out the rest of my portfolio sometime and tell me that I don’t know what I am doing”

      You don’t know what you’re doing.

  12. I’m a fan of this site, but I think you got this one wrong. It’s clearly not meant to be straight-up portrait photography. It’s art, and it’s kinda nice. Who cares what’s done with the camera and what’s done in post-production? Art is art, not matter what the medium.

    It’s in a different category than the hilariously ridiculous shots you usually post, taken by people claiming to be portrait/wedding photographers. Just my opinion.

  13. The hostesses of this site really need to check out people’s portfolio’s before posting stuff here.

    If they had taken 10 seconds to look at the rest of Byron’s portfolio they’d realize he does know his stuff and has some (a lot) of high quality work out there.

    But like a couple of weeks ago – they took the easy / lazy way out.

    • Laughing my arse off

      Did you see his wedding selective colouring? Maybe we should discuss that.

    • Nope, it’s all bad. I couldn’t find a single photo that made me stop and think, “This is passable.”

      To boot, much of the wedding portfolio looks like Byron was just there with a camera snappy what the pro did. Many of the photos have the people obviously looking at another photographer, some even have people looking all over the place though they are posed well.

      Byron is not photographer though most of his “work” does not need to be here. Some of it, including the photo in question, does.

      • Agree with above. The standard of photos in his portfolio is awful. Don’t think I have ever seen such a bad collection. Truly awful, not good photography and certainly not art.

      • …and crap at post production work too.

      • The above shows he doesn’t know anything about spot colouring. That is one awful picture!

  14. I actually think this photo is interesting. I wouldn’t pick this out as a fauxtog at all. I’d really like to see a larger version of this so I can see the detail in the childs eyes, and whether the vignette is as dark across his/her forehead as it appears to be in the above photo. I don’t think the screenshot does this photo justice at all.

    Byron, I would honestly like to see more of your work.

  15. Anonymous

    Byron – are you really complaining about people “stealing” when you are selling t-shirts on your site that feature phrases and movie titles that you, yourself, are not the creator of?

    • Laughing my arse off

      So true, took a look at the tees. All rip-off of old sayings. Nothing original

      • Derpface

        He doesn’t own the site, many artists licence their designs or art (or copies) to the site and redbubble prints them and sells them on the merchandise whenever a buyer requests it. Do your homework before whinging

      • Anonymous

        He has his own seller page on that site where he chooses what he sells. He sells his own pictures, pictures he edited, and t-shirts with sayings that are not his at all.

        Do your own homework … and spell check, too.

  16. The site is called you are not a photographer…well…sorry but you are not. You are an editor of sorts , but you are not a photographer. Some would call you a photoshopographer . A photographer needs no software to make the image look good. A photographer captures an image that looks good at the time of exposure. So, in fact, no one got this wrong.

    • It’s interesting you should mention that. Ansel Adams wrote three books called “The Camera”, “The Negative” and “The Print”. If you ever get a chance to look at his images up close, you can see where he did some dodging and burning. Admittedly, that isn’t using software but it is basically the same thing that some does in Photoshop now. But then again, there were probably people back then that said, “Oh he does some funking around in the dark room…He’s no photographer either”.

      • Ken,

        I just have to ask…have you worked in a darkroom before? There IS a difference between that and photoshop.

      • exactly

      • It wasn’t work when I did. A few (well many) years ago, I took a year of photography. Much of that was putzing around in the dark room and I seem to remember there was a bunch of photo manipulation that you could do in the darkroom. maybe not quite to the level of photoshop and it certainly wasn’t as easy as in photoshop, but alot could be done.

        But that wasn’t really my point…my point was that photography is the whole process and not just what you do in the camera.

      • Ansel Adams fine tuned his work in the darkroom. The Zone System, which I have used, encompasses exposure and film process. The printing of the image involved burning and dodging. Not at all what you are looking at here. Yes I have worked in a darkroom. I have owned two commercial custom labs, both doing colour and B&W. As well, I have always done my own work in my studio from film processing to printing to mounting and finishing. I started in digital in 1993 and have worked both wet and digital platforms since. I know what can be done in a darkroom. I also know what can be done with retouching with out digital manipulation. The manipulation on the digital platform are all derived from the analogue days of both graphic design and photography. Sadly many people confuse the two disciplines and combine both photography and graphic design to come up with the train wreck we have here.

    • “A photographer captures an image that looks good at the time of exposure”

      Really?

      You know a lot about photography, huh?

      Uncle Ansel, Aunt Annie, Litchfield, Maplethorpe, Greenway, Lik, [I could go on and on] – so these people are NOT photographers?

      Uncle Ansel was actuallu very very famous for his darkroom skills, he manipulated his work to the point it barely resembled his negatives.

      Photographs have been manipulated to one extent or the other since photography was invented. I would guarantee you that you have never looked at a photograph that has not been altered in some way. Lens choice, filters, digital colour space, B&W or colour, Digital file compression, adjusting contrast & brightness, Cropping, removing dust specks… these all alter the original image too – yet none of this reduces the fact of someone being a photographer.

      A photograph is the end result of a process, it is not simply what was captured at the time the shutter release was pressed… allthough it can be.

      • Photographs have been manipulated to one extent or the other since photography was invented. I would guarantee you that you have never looked at a photograph that has not been altered in some way…

        I think you may want to rethink what “alteration” is. Removing a dust spot does not “alter” the photograph. Taking twenty pounds off a model does.

        If you don’t see the difference I don’t know what else to say…

    • “a photoshopographer”

      hahahahaha

      dude, where did you get that from?

      I have been mixing in photographic circles for ooooh …. a WHILE now, and never ever heard THAT word used.

      hahahahaha

      • Ansel Adams created the Zone System. Starts at the camera. If you want to get in a pissing contest with me…you chose the wrong person. I was raised on fixer dude. I can print circles around you, my nose hairs were burned with acetic acid. You are but a halide crystal to my knowledge of this art.

      • aren’t you just the toughest mofo ever

      • lol…I was in a mood that resembles that image. Crappy.

      • A professional photographer wouldn’t be acting like a spoiled 20 year old and calling others “dude.” If you want to really work in this profession, you better learn how to conduct yourself online.

        This site could take you down in a matter of seconds.

  17. I generally enjoy this site. However, it’s a little ignorant to turn your nose at GIMP. It’s just opensource Photoshop, MINUS a lot of the ‘single click’ conveniences. Its rougher around the edges, so you have to -gasp- learn a little more. But just because it’s opensource doesn’t automatically make it bad. It seems as if the poster is trying to compare it to certain apps that are frequently used by fauxtogs.

  18. Fair use. Google it.

    The original snap shot wasn’t so bad but to mangle it and turn a cute kid into a creepy ghost-thing and then offer it for sale? At least you didn’t put a trite saying in a wacky font on the picture.

  19. By the way, best post – ever.

  20. No matter how you twist it, this exercise is an epic fail.

  21. Hahaha have I been enjoying this thread.
    Some things things that stuck out and I am not too sure who said what but :
    1) Redbubble being the “big boys” what a joke. As said try 1x or even 500px (just to name a few) (who ever said that, GOLDEN comment) Lately there is more porn/trash than art on that site.
    2) As for the copyright issues – Redbubble has more copyright issues than other “photography” sites. Anyway they are not profiting from this as the artists on Redbubble do. But maybe it had to do with the comments made http://www.redbubble.com/groups/photography-critique-and-advice/forums/1260/topics/259513-i-have-finally-been-honoured-for-my-work-online (which shows again who the “real” big boys are as it seems most can’t tell what “art” is)
    3) As for this site – over 24 000 people on Facebook like it and agree with what is posted. Much more than the “big boys” on Redbubble.
    4) Going through your work on Redbubble , as somebody posted, what jumped out the most was the selective color. (From previous posts here you are lucky as they don’t do spot color so nicely)
    5) As said, it doesn’t matter what you use, GIMP, Lightroom, Photoshop etc it is the image.
    6)Why charge it through Redbubble when you can sell directly to the parents – again GOLD!!!

    So that brings me to the image, and I saw it on Redbubble on full screen,

    1) The purple/blue color in the eyes make it look like a demon and is not at all natural.
    2) The crop is wrong – where is his chin?
    3) What is that blob thing on the right hand corner? the shadow makes it look like half of him has been cut off.
    4) The white from the flash could have been removed from his eye.

    Why be average? why post average work? No matter what you program you use it is the photographer and the initial image. You can’t make a bad photo a good one regardless of the processing.

  22. Epic fail in all terms and purposes. Keep up the great work hosts. Love seeing this stuff.

    Cost of the image : $100
    Cost of GIMP : Free
    Cost of a fauxtographer trying to pass as a photographer : priceless.

    Bryon do yourself a favour , Google “Top photographers” and look at their work. I know we all have to start somewhere but hell, selling that!! Mind you, you are trying to sell it on Redbubble, the home of the Fauxtographers

  23. Why is this not up on Facebook? I have to share as my watch list loves posts from here.

  24. Laughing my arse off

    Dear Byron you make me laugh so much. Posting this in your group for support. How lame! Yes, there is a big wide world outside RedBubble that has real photographers that take real photos. Not a bunch of fauxtographers who “lovely” and “nice work” every photo but photographers who can give proper critique.
    “Its just an excercise in post production work everyone, it aint the mona lisa!”
    Hell yeah, you got that one right. It ain’t the Mona Lisa and you failed this exercise. No matter what your buddies on RedBubble tell you, it is a fail.

    “Come play with the big boys, join RedBubble, upload your work, see if you are up to scratch.” – haha that is the biggest laugh of this all. RebBubble and big boys… like I said, there is a big wide world outside little redbubble.com

    “I never said it was art” – so then why are you posting it on an art site?? Oh sorry I forgot you posted this on RedBubble.

    “I am in favour of any site that hosts stolen images being shutdown… at least if they dont remove the infringing work first. If you steal from one artist, you steal from all of us!” – So you wouldn’t mind if your beloved RedBubble was to be shut down for copyright violations? They have tons and they sell it. Especially tees and iPhone cases (again this is RedBubble we are talking about not an art site)

    “But when it comes to being a photographer and an artist, sunshine… I would piss all over you before you could get your lens cap off!” – this is why nobody knows of you and you have only sold one print? You must really know your stuff.

    Taken off his RedBubble forum topic : “Frankly I think you should get a whole lot more pissy, including the DMCA notice!” – so that is why you were going on about SOPA?

    “I have been mixing in photographic circles for ooooh …. a WHILE now, and never ever heard THAT word used.” – Didn’t know that you were good friends Gerd Kluge, Richard Vantielcke, Andre Gunther? or are you talking about the RedBubble Fauxtographers Meet Ups?

    As a matter of interest, how many exhibitions have shown off your work? If you are such a great photographer as you would “piss all over us (you) before we (you) could get our (your) lens cap(s) off” you must have been in some exhibitions.

  25. Some things things that stuck out and I am not too sure who said what but :
    1) Redbubble being the “big boys” what a joke. As said try 1x or even 500px (just to name a few) (who ever said that, GOLDEN comment) Lately there is more porn/trash than art on that site.
    2) As for the copyright issues – Redbubble has more copyright issues than other “photography” sites. Anyway they are not profiting from this as the artists on Redbubble do.
    3) As for this site – over 24 000 people on Facebook like it and agree with what is posted. Much more than the “big boys” on Redbubble.
    4) Going through your work on Redbubble , as somebody posted, what jumped out the most was the selective color. (From previous posts here you are lucky as they don’t do spot color so nicely)
    5) As said, it doesn’t matter what you use, GIMP, Lightroom, Photoshop etc it is the image.
    6)Why charge it through Redbubble when you can sell directly to the parents – again GOLD!!!

    So that brings me to the image, and I saw it on Redbubble on full screen,

    1) The purple/blue color in the eyes make it look like a demon and is not at all natural.
    2) The crop is wrong – where is his chin?
    3) What is that blob thing on the right hand corner? the shadow makes it look like half of him has been cut off.
    4) The white from the flash could have been removed from his eye.

    Why be average? why post average work? No matter what you program you use it is the photographer and the initial image. You can’t make a bad photo a good one regardless of the processing.

    • So , what do you really think of it ?;-)

      My Father always said you can polish a piece of tin all you want, it may get shiny, but it is still tin , not silver. In modern terms, garbage in garbage out.

      • What do I really think? It is a bad photo. I agree with what you said, you can polish tin all you want but it will never be silver. This image should have been sent to the recycle bin long ago. How can you make a kid look so terrible? All kid shots have some form of cuteness.

  26. Firstly… J Dawn said at the top here about the icon being on Flicker? Which Byron has said it isnt him… So… If i were serious about photography I wouldnt want the same avitar as someone else…. or many others even? Is it a stock photo???
    Secondly…. Though you are putting up a great debate about your photography skills Byron, I DID take the time to view some of your work… It would appear that TShirt sales are certainly an area in which you seem (from what I have read – around that site) to make some cash from. Photography – hmmmm not so much. I do have to ask the question in the following image – what were you thinking?? The guy at the back is barely visible – the whole composition is wrong… its too dark… The subjects are looking off in a “staged” pose… If i was in this wedding party (least of all the bride and groom) I would seriously be disappointed with this image. Perhaps you should just take the critisism on the chin. I also did notice that you posted a journal linking here but that has since been removed…. I think that critisism should be taken on board. Especially if you post work on a “supposed” ART website… But from what I can see Red Bubble falls a fair bit short of an ART site. I most certainly would not put my work alongside the images on there. And i MOST certainly would never direct clients to that site to view my work! It looks like just another cheap tacky POD site…. http://www.redbubble.com/people/byron/works/2533924-natalie-2?c=11375-weddings

  27. There are an alarming number of people calling themselves “photographers” who don’t understand the fair use for commentary exception to copyright law. Take a basic media law class, people. SOPA wouldn’t shut this site down, because it’s made to COMMENT on bad photography.

    And sorry, Byron, that is an awful photo.

  28. I guess we can at least be glad he’s not using a pirated copy of Photoshop.

    Probably because he can’t figure out how to modify his Hosts file to block Adobe’s activation.

  29. Judy Blue Eyes

    I’m not sure this photo belongs on this site but the commentary is very interesting. The photographer is actually trying to defend his (if Byron is indeed a male) work and his very poor processing. Interesting in that the photo/final product is just plain bad. It is poorly processed and many folks here have indicated so. If in fact the image was any good at all, it would not have appeared on this site at all. The fact that it has appeared here should indicate to the photographer that it is a poorly executed piece of work. If Byron were truly a photographer, he would not try to defend the work or make excuses. A professional photographer (or indeed even someone that wanted to be a pro) would not have posted this picture anywhere on the www as it does such a disservice and is so unflattering to the child. I think it is unfair to continually harangue the photographer as it is clear he will never “get it” and has an over inflated sense of his capabilities. Posting his images on Redbubble.com is hardly the place any serious photographer would showcase his work. Byron, you should be embarrassed rather than defending the piece. Seriously.

    • Judy Blue Eyes

      I just came from visiting Byron’s Redbubble gallery where he states he became “serious” about his photography in 1996…… @ Byron – your definition of “serious” is “seriously” skewed. Keep your day job darlin’!

      • Was just thinking the very same. Truly awful.

      • So in 1996 he should have been working in a dark room. I doubt he had the money for a digital camera at that time.

  30. Bryon,
    I love redbubble, and I love my redbubble account. Why? Because I am a beginner and it’s a good friendly place to be. There IS real talent there, and lot’s of it, but let’s be real! It’s not hanging with the big dogs. It’s a love in, which is exactly what I need right now to keep me going. I sell occasionally (mostly cards a calendars), but it’s more about having a place to share my work while I learn and grow. It’s very nice when I get featured, receive compliments and favs, but I take it with a grain of salt. I’ve only been shooting for just over a year, and I was featured on the homepage 3 times with in my first few months of joining. It’s lovely and exciting, but I KNOW I’m no pro level shooter, and a site that features a beginner is a friendly happy place to be, but again, can I take that too seriously? There’s no way someone can pic up a camera and be this instant fantastic photographer. It takes a lot of work, time and effort. I have a loooong way to go. I also know I don’t completely suck. This is good enough for me right now.
    That being said I checked out 500px and 1x and there are plenty of fauxs there as well. Yes, they don’t get featured as they do sometimes on redbubble, but I had no problem finding subpar work. You just have to look at the recently added pics and and photo blogs etc, just click a few links and ta da! You found crap. It’s not like these websites have some sort of entrance exam before you can join. Let’s all face it, they ALL are there to make money off of us whether we can shoot or not.
    Bryon,
    instead of getting defensive, learn from this experience. Remember even though it’s a wonderful redbubble we visit everyday, try to take your photography a little more seriously. You should only post and sell your very best work. and NO way should you sell your portrait clients prints through redbubble. no no no! PLEASE self fulfill their portrait orders by using a professional lab that you have spent time with calibrating and make their portrait order right. Red bubble products are fun, and don’t get me wrong, they’re not lacking in quality, but when you shoot for people, they are personality invested in the photo you made. They deserve better service, and quality than what redbubble can offer them. Redbubble is not a pro photo lab/finisher for portrait photographers. It’s a place to share and sell art. Let’s all do our part to giving good photography the value it deserves. It’s taken such a hit *shakes head*. Let’s all clean up our acts and fly right by doing our best and respecting our medium.

    • I find it interesting you found sub-par work on 1x as it is an art site that is curated by a few curators. It goes through a screening process, unlike places like redbubble, 500px, flickr etc that you just upload whatever you like to. Actually, try and get your own photos onto 1x and you’ll see how rigorous that screening process is. Could you also link the sub-par work? And is that work below your own level of work? I’m curious after you saying they don’t get featured. They do in fact. Just being published on the site is an accomplishment in itself.

    • If you look at Redbubbles Most popular and 500px”s most popular you can see a huge difference. There might be some faux on 500 but majority are on Redbubble. Also on 500px you can vote on images – like or dislike. That gives you a true idea on how good your work is. As for 1x – well that site is a class of it’s own. You can’t just load up on there. Your work first has to be approved. How many images do you have on 1x.

    • Judy Blue Eyes

      I agree with Nicole. 1X is a vetted site and while there may be 1 or 2 poor images there, 99% of them are exceptional. Redbubble has the worst reputation on the World Wide Web. It is the “laughing stock” site pro photographers and artists refer to when making jokes about “faux-tographers” and copyright thieves – not to mention all the other bad press about the kiddie porn baby clothes and other horrid press stories. Byron should not be surprised that his image has shown up on this site. It is an image of a child with plastic skin and no nose. His other images in his/her Redbubble gallery are also poorly edited with blown out highlights and tacky selective coloring and vignetting. Byron, I really hope that you will take some of this critique to heart, lose some of your ego and go and get some help with your work if indeed you truly are serious about it. While1X is unlikely to accept your work, you are still welcome to ask for critique there where you will get honest help rather than fluffy comments from your other faux-tographer friends on Redbubble.

  31. Melinda i think your comment is very kind…. It sounds like you have a good grip on photography..And good luck to you!. If you are going to put yourself out “there” then you are open for critisism. If you are caught out – then own up. It is a big wide world the “internet”. Only put up work you are proud of – on an art site.. or open up a ” art dump site” and load your pickies there for your friends….. and relatives!

  32. “I have been mixing in photographic circles for ooooh …. a WHILE now, and never ever heard THAT word used.”

    you need to get out of the “Bubble” more mate,

  33. whether or not you like his image or his work for that matter, you have to commend him for his defense. I think he really handled it with class and didn’t come off like a douche bag as many of the rest of you did. Not to mention the people that put him on blast to begin with couldn’t be bothered to even offer a response. If you are going to make fun of people at least have the guts to respond when you are questioned.

    • Well I am still waiting for him to respond to me.

    • I don’t commend him on his defense. He did not handle it well. And he did come off as a douche bag. He sounded like a brat with an ego. A misplaced ego. I commend him on defending his work, but that is about it. (If you are going to put yourself out there… defend you work.) He had a point, he made it…. again and again and again. I for one am happy he has not responded yet again.

    • Anonymous

      Class?! He said he would piss all over people before they could get their lens cap off. That’s trailer trash talk, not “class”.

  34. This is my fifth attempt at trying to reply. Hopefully is goes through this time, because I’m long winded. LOL

    I totally agree with you on 1x after further exploration. It’s just when you group up 500px and 1x, the line tends to get a little cloudy. 500px allows anyone to post anything. and it is agreed that the featured photos are all worthy, but that wasn’t what I saw at all when I first explored it. You have to remember I am laughing too at the “hanging with the big dogs” comment. Never have I felt that way about redbubble. There’s nothing tough about it.

    A few questions: You say that 500px has a critique section. I can’t find it. How does it work? Here’s my problem, I have recently gotten a wild hair to learn studio lighting and have been experimenting with it for a few days now. I see what is wrong, but I am unsure of what I need to do to fix it. It may just be lack of lighting though that’s got me down. I only have 2 soft boxes and a homemade reflector. I’m sure this is my main problem and it’s time to invest in more lights. This has me a little down, because I don’t plan on going into business or anything, it’s just a creative itch I have right now. I also think my processing isn’t quite right. I’m confused as to what to do next to get the look I want to achieve. I have searched forums and have scoured the web looking for the info I need to no avail, how can I when I’m not sure myself what I need. What I really need is people that know studio/lighting to have a look at a few images both untouched and processed, to help me out with what I am trying to do. Is 500px a good place to do this? or can anyone critique, and I’ll have to swim through whole bunch of mediocre portfolios, read good advice mixed up with advice from people that don’t know what they are doing either? Seriously if I don’t get this idea/personal challenge out of me and accomplish it, I will go nuts. If 500px isn’t the place for this, where do I go? Until then, I will try every set up I can think of, and keep shooting like a maniac. My poor family lol

    • Melinda, your best bet is to approach people whose work you like the look of and ask them if they can critique your work for you. That way you will be getting opinions from people whose work you respect, rather than the internet randoms.

      1x.com has a critique forum, which is really good. But you will have to give critique first, to be able to get critique.

    • Judy Blue Eyes

      Photo.Net also has very good learning forums and a critique section. You can peruse the “portrait” section and ask any of those people to provide honest critique for you. If you ask 5 people, you’re bound to get at least a couple of responses. Once they know you’re serious about your work, they’re happy to help over and over again. @ Byron – that is a good suggestion for you also if you are truly trying to be serious about your work.

  35. Melinda , two lights and a reflector is a good start. One other thing you should have is a light meter. If you are using flash you need a flash meter. The reason for this is so you can properly measure the lights for exposure and ratio.

    I work on location with anywhere from one light to four lights for portrait work. The simplest set up is a one light set up with a reflector. Youtube has a lot of tutorials. Check out this guy : http://youtu.be/btM_NpeQ0ao .

    Have fun!

  36. I’ve just been having a look at the RedBubble website, having never heard of it before. Is this site for real or is it a p#ss take? I’ve never seen so many bad photos. I couldn’t even laugh at the poor quality….just cringed.

    • Oh it’s for real and everyone is an “artist” on that site. Don’t even think about leaving a critical comment if you are a member. They don’t allow anything except nice comments. You can use the words awesome, wonderful, breathtaking, stunning, marvelous and beautiful to describe a pic.

  37. Anonymous

    I think this is mean. Doesn’t anyone else find this a little mean? I don’t think someone should be judged on if they use GIMP by the way. I have photoshop, and I still like to use GIMP at times. Who cares if this photo is not your cup of tea. Its not my cup of tea either, so I’m not buying it. End of story. I feel sorry for this guy :(.

  38. BYRON
    on January 26, 2012 at 7:35 pm said:
    I am in favour of any site that hosts stolen images being shutdown… at least if they dont remove the infringing work first.

    If you steal from one artist, you steal from all of us!

    ***

    Wow. Byron, really? I noticed quite a few images posted in journals and in forums on RedBubble, without proper attribution to the copyright owner. If you are truly in favor of shutting down “any site that hosts stolen images” RedBubble would be among the first to go.

    I certainly hope that you continue to hone your skills and consider this forum a learning experience. The “play nice” rules don’t apply outside RedBubble. I tell you from experience that a bit of brutal critique can do a world of good. It can open your eyes and you can learn from it if you are willing.

  39. Appearance – Massive mammoth type mammal that likes to offer assistance to other species. Often harnessing and promoting all positives from its environment in a bid to impress higher species and gain rank within the animal kingdom.
    Geographic Location – Predominantly Australia’s Scarlet Plateau, with little or no deviation from the King’s Back Quarter lands.
    This species is well documented for stepping into the battles where there is any danger of a higher species suffering injury. It is extremely dangerous and will fight to the death to protect that which it deems to be powerful or able to put it to work.
    Ironicus Byronicus is seldom seen alone, as it usually roams with its nose very close to the back end of others

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