Am I a Fauxtog?

[Ohheythere]

So within the last few months I’d like to think my knowledge at least of my camera has dramatically improved.  And there are some photos I take that I am in love with while others, not so much.  I would love to start a business one day and I don’t want to be “that person” who claims to have a business when I legally don’t.  But anywho as an amateur photographer I’d like to ask your opinion on my work.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/125237868@N03/17657681999/in/dateposted-public/

[cameraclicker]

I like the light in this one:

This one’s sweet & funny:

That white horse has personality! There are several good shots of it.

Try to avoid signs and other printing unless the sign is the point of the shot:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125237868@N03/17822451726/in/photostream/
When you shoot flowers, unless decay is the topic, try to pick good looking specimens. Clean up any minor flaws with an editor, or shoot flowers that have just bloomed and are perfect:

If you use the Save To Web option, EXIF data is stripped. EXIF data tells us what camera, lens, and settings were used. Knowing that can sometimes be helpful when suggesting changes.

Camera guy worked as a near silhouette. Any darker and the camera would be difficult to discern. On the other hand, if you popped a flash, you could light the camera and person while keeping the background light, which might be a better option if seeing the person is important. Even in many of your outdoor-daylight shots, a flash would help.

The swan and cormorants shots are OK. The swan’s head and neck may be a bit dark compared to the back which is perhaps too bright. The cormorants shot is pretty busy. Low power flash might have added catch lights, which would help.

Keep shooting, keep trying different things and learning. Your photography is coming along nicely.

[EyeDocPhotog]

don’t know what it is about your top shot (the fellow in the silhouette) but when I viewed it, I had a flash-back to 1980 and wondered how I could score some weed near my office at lunch time.

[Worst Case Scenario]

Where did CC find the other images? The 3 the OP posted are pretty boring……..

[urkiddingright]

Worst Case, if you click on one of the 3 images the OP posted, it takes you to her flickr account.  The images CC posted are hers as well.

That said…The couple sitting on the bench is my favorite.  You have some great shots, some “ok” shots, and some that I would not display at all.  The image with the birds flying against the blue sky is one that I would remove entirely.  It isn’t a strong shot.  The subjects do not take up enough of the frame to make it seem like an intentional shot.

Overall, I see some great potential here.  Eliminate the tacky hand-heart poses, please.  You only have one, but that’s one more than I would like to see 😉  You seem to have a decent grasp of exposure, dof, and composition.

If you’re looking to get into portraiture, I would say practice some more to build a strong portfolio of those types of images.  Right now I’m mostly seeing wildlife and sports shots.  People who are looking for a portrait photographer aren’t going to be wowed by photos of cats and horses because that is not what they will be looking to hire you for.  Best of luck!

[ebi]

A really good exercise would be to take your images and do a google reverse image search. The results will be telling. Photographers tell stories, make statements and trigger emotional reactions all without saying a word. Great photographers do it with brilliance and without cliché. Fauxtogs point cameras at things and push a button.

 

-ebi

[Ohheythere]

Thank you all for your responses!  My email kept putting them in junk and I finally remembered to come by to visit.  I feel like I’ve improved some but have a long way to go

[Author]

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