19 year old untrained 'photographer' … opinions? critique?

Tagged: photography

This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 4 months ago by hellkittenn.

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November 25, 2013 at 4:44 am #15370

hellkittenn
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I come from a family of photographers and I started being interested in doing my own stuff when I was about 12 years old. I’ve been doing stuff since then, on and off, and have gotten back into it a lot this year. I don’t have any formal training due to being a poor-butt and university, or even tuition, being expensive. I taught myself everything and I know for certain that my technical skill is seriously lacking. What I really want to know is whether or not I should just give up or actually make the effort to go and get some training and pursue photography as a money making thing? This forum seems really helpful with feedback or just.. generally telling people if they’re shit or not. So – what do you think? Am I a fauxtographer?

This is my Flickr with a selection of (low res) images that I have taken in the last four years up until now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/109736828@N03/

November 25, 2013 at 9:24 am #15372

Worst Case Scenario
Participant

You have some nice shots there, but for me, the girl in the snow is head and shoulders above the rest. Not sure about the girl who appears to be taking a crap in front of a fridge. And I’m sure you could have got something more interesting from a girl taking a bath with an octopus. There’s a few processing faults but generally they are good. So nice to see some one who hasn’t just taken some shots out of their window or their pets in the garden.

November 25, 2013 at 10:10 am #15373

cameraclicker
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Looks like a very large doll rather than a live girl.

Many parts strange, looks like the same girl. I have no idea why the photo was taken or what it is trying to convey to me.

Another one that does not make any sense to me.

Same pose as the one in front of the fridge, why she is there in short sleeves is beyond me. I do like the light, the forest, the snow streaks and the clarity. Technically a good photo, though I don’t really understand the reason it was taken.

Has a creepy feel to it. She looks alive but also dead.

Certainly not shots out of a window, or of pets in the garden. I don’t know quite what to make of them, but they are different and while some are unsettling, they are nice in their own way.

November 25, 2013 at 10:51 am #15374

nairbynairb
Participant

You definitely have your own feel to your images.
This one would have been fantastic had she had her eyes open and was looking at you:

I don’t understand why you’d give up if we told you to? You seem to enjoy what you do so just do it. Not a faux, but needs some improvement.
What gear do you shoot with? You have some shots in harsh sunlight where a scrim could have helped, and then other shots where off-camera flash would have helped.

I see a lot of grain in your images too, but I’m not sure if that was the effect you were going for or not.

November 25, 2013 at 7:32 pm #15398

hellkittenn
Participant

Thanks for the feedback, guys! That was pretty much what I was expecting too… a collective “you’re a weird..”

No but really, it is good to have people tell me the problems and shittiness of my stuff as well as the good because the non-photo taking people in my life think my stuff is awesome, but what do they know of the technical aspects? Nada 😛

@nairbynairb: I probably wouldn’t give up if I were told I was shit but it’s nice to hear back from people who actually know what they are talking about. The effort of getting a student loan to pursue training isn’t something I want to do if I’m a massive faux. As far as gear goes, I shoot only with my Canon 450D and one large silver reflector. I don’t know anything else about lighting equipment but I do very badly want to learn.
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