Reply To: Freaking out now…AM I A FAUXTOG?

[stef]

I see a lot of good shots mixed with a lot of bad shots mixed with a lot of bad-but-potentially-good shots.

 

You need to get rid of all your bad images from your portfolio.

 

Main port: Do you want to be a pet photographer? Is that a specialty you’re seeking? If so, you need many, many more pet shots. If not, remove them. Low DOF on dog#1 is fine, but should be more of a closeup or using enough DOF to capture his whole head. Focus missed eyes on dog#2. http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/9966523_orig.jpg Dog#3 isn’t even posing — that’s a snapshot.

 

People port: I believe you overprocess images. Fake lens flare http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/2574181_orig.jpg Too much vignetting (lots), etc. I don’t hate all your overprocessed images. On some, it works quite well. On most, it shrieks of gimmicks. You do have good models to work with, and you guys can really help each other out (as I’m sure you have been).

 

Kids: OOF http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/8318864_orig.jpg OOF: http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/8509822_orig.jpg (and why is this even in a portfolio? It’s a snapshot, and not a good one). http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/9075322_orig.jpg is almost a good image but the light is directing the viewer AWAY from the face — and clone out that seam of the background.

 

Retro pinup: I liked a lot of these images, esp the cowgirl, seated zombie (the first one chops off her fingers, although I guess she IS a zombie…) and a few others. It has elements of girl-power, voyeurism, sexiness, and all sorts of good things from retro pinup art. But this whole section needs a lot of help. Why is this one showing the supports for the backdrop? http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/6304690_orig.jpg Why is this one so horribly awkward? http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/7061691_orig.jpg Why is this one in selective color with a line that looks like she’s pulling a tapeworm out of her trachea? http://gretchenbyers.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/9/2/3492650/2601173_orig.jpg

 

I’m finding more than half of your images that shouldn’t be in a portfolio, than I’m finding should be.

Therefore, I’m calling this one: You are a fauxtographer.

 

However, you will not stay one long. Fix your portfolio. Shoot better, edit less. Get better at posing — you will improve dramatically if you LOOK through the viewfinder a lot longer and walk your eyes around the entire image and then at the subject before clicking that shutter. Adjust your light and your model and fix the background before clicking that shutter. If you’re using flash, chimp your LCD and adjust your light if it’s not perfect. I would bet that you shoot way too much when a single, perfect shot would be better.

Although you’re far from technically perfect, you’re not that far from being a decent photographer. You have good ideas, mixed with mediocre camera skills and processing. You have a good connection with your subjects, but you need to direct things better during a shoot. As your skills improve, your images will look decidedly better, especially those without processing. And it’s sooooo much easier to add silly gimmicks that a few people like, when you start with a really good base image.