Home Forums Am I a Fauxtog? Holy crap! I just found this site. Please someone tell me if Im a fauxtog! Reply To: Holy crap! I just found this site. Please someone tell me if Im a fauxtog!

#16219
IHF
Participant

I’m afraid so 🙁 all the classic faux stuff going on.

Liking ladders/fishing, gimmickiness, everything, even down to your bio/about

You don’t yet have an understanding of light, don’t know how to properly select focus, bad color managing, etc etc…  Just very beginner and very new to learning photography.  No harm in that, but when you choose to solicit before you have the basics down and a good understanding of the business as well… you’re choosing to be a fauxtographer.

The very best thing you could do for your photography is to stop selling your services, slow down, and start taking your lessons more seriously.  The technical asspects of photography can be a lot of fun to learn.  Even more fun that goofing with clients and having fun with props and crazy filters and actions.  It may be a little drier and a lot less ego driven, but oh so rewarding.  Don’t miss out on learning how to convey with a camera.  Don’t make this part of your journey about popularity, ego, money, and Facebook likes.  Make it about learning your camera.  Get that manual out and learn all the AF focus modes and what they can do for you.  Learn how to select your AF focus point/points.  Learn how to lock your focus and recompose if necessary.  Read up on color management and white balance, and take the steps needed to get a good handle on color.  Read up on DOF and how it works.  Keep editing on the back burner while you learn how to create good in camera shots.   Study light!  It’s all about the light!  No handle on how to use and manipulate light, and there’s just no point.  Learn about the golden hour, and basic lighting and modification techniques.  (and yes, even “natural light” photographers learn how to use and manipulate light.  It actually can be much more difficult and complicated to use natural light only)

Quit with the sessions and marketing, and start with learning.  You can turn this around and develop your skills, just put in that effort, and I bet you see great changes in your photography and how it makes you feel.  Allow yourself to be an amateur, it feels fantastic to shoot for yourself and your learning process instead of shooting for others.  Take the pressure off and get to really learning photography.  You’ll be more than glad you did, and so will your future clients 😉