Reply To: Critique please? I don't want to be another fauxtog teen with a dslr

[christinamphoto]

Thank you, I really appreciate it! I don’t want to be just told I’m wonderful all of the time (while I am glad people support me), because I know I’m not where I want to be and have things to work on. Now I know where to focus. Could I possibly have other examples of bad angles/lighting vs good ones in my work?

ebi: I would like to move to NYC, but I am concerned about the cost of living what with rent being so high, and the questionable areas of Brooklyn etc. where a lot of the performing arts and arts schools are. Is it worse than any other city? I’m possibly blowing this out of proportion, but I know it’s going to be really competitive, and I want to make sure I can survive. Getting involved with entertainment (like Broadway), has been my goal for awhile. I sing/act/dance, but I honestly don’t think I am good enough right now. But I would like to make connections.

On the other hand, would moving to California be a better option? I’m actually on the west coast, and have family there because I lived there when I was really young. I have a couple options I could pursue, established industry people I can study under and assist. Is there a market difference in NYC vs say, the LA or OC area? Does one place tend to focus more on fine art vs commercial? Since I want to save, I’m going to community college near my small town because the tuition is paid for, but I don’t know if I should take photography or focus more on a business class.

Sorry for all of the questions, I don’t know how much you can actually help me with them. I’m just curious, and you seem knowledgable. Would you mind showing me your work?

And cameraclicker: The low contrast is probably because I try to edit some pictures in a “matte” way. But I need to be consistent. There are some photographers that heavily apply actions, and that is their style. I probably have been wavering between disliking that matte low contrast look, and thinking it improves the picture. I know with another photographer, she started editing her pictures more and I prefer the more natural style. I could never dream of being as successful as Annie Leibovitz, but that is the direction I want to go. I know I need to learn lighting and white balance. My goal at one point was to have a “vintage style”, but I never want to go to the point where it looks like instagram. I follow a lot of photographers that heavily edit their pictures, but they make it work better than I do. I realize I should just lean towards less editing, to save time, and focus on getting it right in camera, and maybe increasing as I improve?  I don’t know if you have heard of Gabrielle Shamon, but I’ve worked with her, and she is also 17. The vintage/fashion/conceptual style that she edits works I think, but I’d like to know your opinion as well.

 

Thank you both, cheers!