Allow Me to Translate…


Translation: Last May, I got a decent camera. I used to take pictures of my kids for fun, and my friends told me they were good. After I got the good camera, I went into business without even attempting to learn the field, and my pictures show it.

 

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24 Comments

  1. Susan Hoffman

    She says she’s “new to the photography thing” and then “it has been a passion of mine for a long time.” So, let’s do the math: 6 months is a “long time.” OK, well she has already learned how to do selective coloration. (Only she has apparently not learned that the people are the subjects of the photo, not the pumpkins or other inanimate items used as props.)

  2. The kids are grayscale! why make the kids seem dead and the pumpkins alive? and in the last image on the right – are those blue/brown blobs really more important than the babies – is that why she made them in color and the babies gray? Even the gray skin tones are lifeless… blah. If you’re going to use spot color (you should not…but if you must) then it really should be to highlight the most important part of the image – with a child portrait, that is usually the child 😛

  3. Why does every army wife have to be a photographer? Unfortunately, people like this ruin it for the army wives who are really good pros.

    • It’s the same in The Navy and it’s killing me. I have so much competition for homecomings if I charge anything I loose a lot of business. Every Navy Wife is a photographer who sells something from a direct sales company…

  4. One good thing about allowing gay men in the military? They won’t have wives that do this.

    • HAHAHAAHA!

      I will be honest, I am not an army wife, but I have to say, I am embarrassed as a woman to admit I’m a photographer. I don’t bring it up in conversation, and when people ask me what I do, I tend to say, “I own a studio…” and leave it at that… If I simply say, “I’m a photographer.”, there is a 90% chance they will say their brother/sister/uncle/aunt/dog is one too or a 50% chance they will say they are one too. *sigh*

      • Wsroadrunner

        And let’s not forget that about half of the people out there have a daughter that is going ot be a fauxtog…. Who needs to understand lighting, composition, DoF or the basic functions of photography when their i-phone and Rebel will make the choices for them? LOL

      • Brand and model mean nothing to a creative and skilled photographer. The last time I checked my 400D *cough*Rebel*cough* it had a manual mode but nothing called auto-compose or DoF calculator. Hmmmm

      • Samantha Johnson

        I feel the same way Jodie! Half the time people say they know someone who is a photographer I know exactly who they’re talking about and they’re terrible! I hate that I have to keep rates pretty low to stay busy!

  5. meatballpie

    i just farted in my mouth a little.

  6. Anonymous

    Okay… I have been taking pictures for years. It was a hobby until recently… One that was passed on to me from my father… And for a long time I was extremely guilty of using auto got EVERYTHING! But it was a hobby… So it wasn’t that big a deal. I had friends and family that said I should start a business and it terrified me because I didn’t know everything about my camera gear… And I knew that I had been faking my way through it. Well… I’m still learning but I have a business now. And I totally plan on continuing to learn about this field because there is always something new to learn… And I really think this site has shown me how important it is to learn and keep on learning!! All photogs, new ones especially, should look at this site!

  7. Stuff like this has me thanking god I am a photojournalist and not a portrait photographer. I really dislike baby photography. Or maybe I just don’t like babys

  8. “And I am an avid student of MWAC Attack photo school!”

  9. Oh wow. This has to be the worst of the worst. I’ve seen her before on FB, and those 5 photos at the top have NOTHING on her repulsive albums. What’s even worse is people “like” the photos. Sad day.

  10. No matter how much I make taking photos, I will never call myself a photographer. I’m a radio guy that likes taking photos and sometimes people pay me a couple bucks to do it. Honestly, I’d do it for gas money because I enjoy it. And I’m still better than these morons. Maybe shooting Pentax has something to do with it. I didn’t get my camera at Wal Mart.

  11. army wife

    LMAO the sad thing is I know who this is.

  12. Yeah, her pictures show it all right!!lol…

  13. Seeing things like this make me feel a little better about myself. Yes, I am new and learning every single day about photography. Currently, I only do pictures for family and friends at no charge. I figure this is the best way to get the practice I need and want. Yes, I created a Facebook page :/ BUT, it is listed as a community page. Basically, I created it so my friends can get a sneak peek of the pictures I took for them and for me to get feedback from others, including my professional photographer friends. Now this lady just seems ridiculous. Her work is a mess and she does not come off as a professional yet claims to be the “Owner” of her “Business”. I don’t get what makes people think that they are professional after 6 months of just taking pictures. I have only been really into taking photos for family and friends for about 4 months now. I am nowhere near professional and will not put myself out there like that until I know for sure I am where I want and need to be to be considered a professional. I do not want to look like a fool like people on here…just WOW!

  14. Stop ripping on military wives (or spouses, for that matter).

    It’s not a life that provides a lot of employment opportunity. This is coming from one that has a BSB degree that hasn’t ever applied to anything worthwhile around a military posting. Then you move all the time.

    This is what’s typically available….burger flipping (min wage), retail (min wage), waitress (personality clash and sometimes not worth it), or the occasional super high level job opening that you need 14 years experience doing. Or the occasional teaching job/nursing job. Too bad I don’t have a degree any either of those and still have a butt load of student loans to pay off.

    Perhaps I should just get divorced and move to a metropolitan area where my now defunct (6 years outdated, therefor dead in the water) degree might be useful.

    If there are a lot of “wannabes” or “direct sales” or “consultant” military spouses it’s because the life that a military spouse does not lead to wonderful job opportunities, and if you are one of the lucky few that find themselves with a rare needed professional skill around a military post, don’t forget there are usually more people that want that one spot and you got lucky.

    Work such as photography, consultants, crafters, artists, etc are portable, so when a PCS happens, they can take it with them and make extra. You don’t have to worry too much about what your AD spouse’s schedule is at any given moment, or how you are going to afford the child care off that part time/min wage retail job that may or may not be available around post.

    What really makes me laugh, is the comments such as “I have to lower my prices because of them just to stay busy”. When I read this it translates into, “I can’t stand competition, and if I had a way to put them out of their “faux” business so I can make more I would.” It’s still a business…may not be a very good one, but there are all types of not very good businesses out there. They have a right to try, even if you think their business is crappy.

    Seriously, it’s the CONSUMER who should do the ground work and decide who to use. If they choose to use an amateur and get less than par, than that’s their right. If it’s to save a buck or two, that’s their right, too. If a customer is happy with the finished product, even if it doesn’t meet your own standards, then who are you to say they can’t enjoy that?

    These comments just reinforce the idea that there are armchair warriors for every aspect of life out there, and that people just can’t let be. If you want to point out and educate about crappy ways of doing things, that’s great, but to come on a site and just rip on people because they are trying to do something with their lives, especially in the often thankless and looked-down-on role as a military spouse that requires sacrificing personal career for the military life and uprooting and moving every 3 or so years is pretty low (and I’m NOT just talking about photography).

    So if you were trying to comprehend why so many military spouses gravitate to those types of money-making means, there you have it.

    If you are whining that they are cutting into your pay, then buck up and spend some time and creativity advertising. If you are truly worth what you are asking, word of mouth in the military gets around and that will get you business.

    Also, if they can’t afford you, then they won’t hire you no matter how good you are.

    By the way, I’ve never hired ANY photographer for homecoming. I have considered hiring a band, though. I’m guessing you would tell me I shouldn’t hire anyone besides a Big Name for a band and that I “get what I pay for” because I hire a local band and not Tim McGraw or The Blackeyed Peas. Maybe I should just save up for it, right?

    P.S.–I am not a photographer, but stumbled across this site and saw that post and was a bit depressed because of the attitudes towards these folks. Especially from other military spouses that should know the lifestyle and reasons behind why you find so many spouses pursuing these types of “careers”.

    I guess if they aren’t trying, then you’d be sitting there talking about how they are mooches off their spouses and just sit around and eat bon bons all day?

  15. If there are a lot of “wannabes” or “direct sales” or “consultant” military spouses it’s because the life OF a military spouse does not lead to wonderful job opportunities. If you are one of the lucky few that find themselves with a rare needed professional skill around a military post, don’t forget there are usually more people that want that one spot and missed out.

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