Reply To: Let me have it, I promise I can handle it. I think I'm a fauxtogrpher……

[Bill]

Jones points out a lot of good helpful tidbits. We all make mistakes and sometimes get caught up in the moment, but after everything is said and done, once you download your images, you have full control of what to put out there for all to see.

I started out in landscapes and still do them from time to time between shoots to keep myself busy and to interact with others. I get some of my business that way, so I keep doing it. They either see me or they see the camera and want to ask questions or just check out my gear.
I remember I did a wedding for a friend on a tight budget and man, did I make a ton of mistakes. I felt bad, because I knew better, but the end result was that they were happy. In my opinion, they were not that great, by my standards. Not making excuses but the church was not a flattering venue, mixed lighting and I forgot to change the ISO, so I ran most shots at a really low shutter speed, so of course many were blurry. No flash was allowed due to someone having a condition of some sort from what I was told. I remember one shot that they loved, I had to soften the image up to hide the background because no matter what angle I took, there was an EXIT sign smack dab in the frame somewhere.

The good thing was like I said, they were happy with what I showed them. I did not show them the really blurry ones.

Danny, as for your editing skills, if you don’t have Lightroom or Photoshop, by Lightroom, it is cheaper and go on youtube. There are literally thousands of videos by groups and individuals to teach you tips and the fundamentals about either program. Lynda.com and several others sell subscriptions with good helpful tutorials for both programs and many more. I use it when I don’t know a certain feature on PS, I don’t use every feature option that PS offers, who does? If you are really serious about your hobby and maybe want to be more professional about your images, then this is a good start.

If you want to get better at the physical part, just shoot more. Find something and make it interesting. Practice, Practice, Practice.
If you get frustrated, shoot some more. Look for that common element that is driving you crazy, learn it and master it, then find the next one. Try shooting things outside your comfort range. It will get you to think on the fly and getting faster at getting that shot.
If your not having any luck at that, try some local groups that go on photo treks, Meetup, facebook, flickr and craigslist all have little groups you can join, many for free to get hands-on experience from others.

Good Luck man!~