Home Forums Am I a Fauxtog? Faux? Reply To: Faux?

#5458
fstopper89
Participant

You are young, and you have potential. You haven’t make any terrible mistakes… yet. I say yet because a few of yours look over-edited where you are trying to compensate for a photo that wasn’t exposed or taken well. That’s the mistake so many fauxtogs make. You have a couple photos I did like.

The exposure in this one is pretty nice as well as her expression: https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/376743_391320897622112_801443331_n.jpg However, cropping just the top of her head off bothers me. It’s something to work on.

Many shots you must be at a lower angle from the person, and usually that’s an unflattering angle. Invest in a cheap stepstool, it does help a lot (I am short, works great for me). Study up on rules of composition. You’re not terrible at it, but it needs some work. Try to stay away from over-editing, or even much editing at this point. You should learn the basics of exposing the image right in camera, and getting the correct white balance. A lot of images from the same shoot have different color casts, many too orange/yellow or too red. The key is to be consistent. We’re not all perfect, and there are easy ways to readjust white balance in processing, but as a beginner you should be working hard doing things without software until you get some more of the basics down. Keep practicing on friends. Don’t charge at this point, at least not for clients (maybe family and friends if you see fit). Concentrate your time on practicing a lot! Take some art classes in high school and if you get a chance some photography classes or summer seminars.