Reply To: Be gentle, it's my first time…

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Wow. I am almost embarrassed. This entire time I thought my computer monitor had been calibrated. I went into the settings and the gamma was way off kilter. Fixed it and looking at my photos and I can see exactly what everyone means by the skin tones.

I don’t know why I didn’t mention it earlier, but quite a few of the photos I have posted on the flickr account are from between the years of 2010 – 2011, recent photographs, like the animals, the children — those were taken recently in 2012. I went back and did some re-editing to a lot of those photos because they were lacking in more than just, well — most things. I’m moreso using them to fill space on my “temporary portfolio” until the weather is decent enough so I may be able to do a shoot without hot and sweaty subjects.

I have a huge problem with contrast and saturation. I definitely do not deny that. I love adding color to my photos because I think it helps reflect my personal style and the personality of the subject.

Jetpix, when I calibrated my monitor I can now definitely see the green in the photo. Since then I have adjusted the image and I think there is a significant improvement (here: http://i.imgur.com/jBNzg.png)

IHF – the only photos I’ve had printed were the ones titled “Shy & Katie.” When I got them they seemed to be drowning in saturated colors. The one photo of Shy (Shy_01) that everyone has thrown up red flags about was too dark to really enjoy looking at it when I was holding it in my hand. Truth is, it wasn’t even a real shoot. I had shown up to the location only to tell me that we had 15 minutes to take photos. This isn’t an excuse on my part but I think I was just trying to stretch as many photos out of the small bundle of shots I took so the client would be satisfied.

stef, Another issue I know I have is forgetting steps I take to adjust a photo. I really admire the deep contrast (dare I say, vintage) style that Bruce Weber does in his photographs and I think I was trying to emulate this in post. The bad crop does make me cringe too now that it has been noted. I could see it being a much better shot if I had taken a few steps back or at least zoomed out my camera. As for the eyes — if you are meaning the alien look of Heather and her kids (http://i.imgur.com/NaffY.png) — her eyes are really BRIGHT blue. I did sharpen them with a low flow & opacity brush, but I get what you are saying with overdoing the eye enhance.

The maternity shots, I hate to admit because I know I will not hear the end of it– were taken with a point and shoot. She was scheduled to be due in a week and at that point my camera had been in the shop for body repair. I won’t even show you the photos we had done inside–Even with the ISO at it’s optimal setting the grain just awful and the photos aren’t even usable. These are not photos I plan to put inside a portfolio, and when I do launch a site specifically for my photography, I will be keeping them far from it. I did however, want to include them to get some form of critique. The vintage haze to it was per the client’s request–I had suggested something else but it’s what she asked.

Last thing I should mention (trying to address everyone who responded) I don’t often use Flickr. I did this time because I needed a place to present my photography in a short amount of time. I wouldn’t necessarily say my photography is “awful” but it’s certainly not my absolute best. I do need to back away from the sharpening and contrast–this has already been acknowledged.

For the record: It’s hard for me to take criticism, even when I ask for it. Like I had said, this was my first time ever getting feedback on my work from anyone who is a legit photographer and though it was hard, I am not sorry I asked. I am so very grateful for the criticism and I’m already looking at my photography with a different light (and calibrated monitor.) With the weather cooling down where I’m from, I already have people who want to hire me for their fall/winter photographs and I want to give it my best.

Grey Card has actually been purchased and I’m looking into making another purchase next week for light reflectors. This is a big hobby of mine but I take it very serious. Thank you all so much for the feedback. I have a LOT to learn and I’m glad to find a community who is honest enough to tell me something other than “Great job!”