Am I wasting my time…

[bcphotoluv]

I have been working really hard for the last three years to turn my love of taking photos into a business… I decided last fall that I wanted 2013 to be the year I would make it a business. Of course, I am learning the business part of photography. I know that photography is a field that you are ALWAYS learning! I love that!!! Now, my ex’s wife decided that she too is going to make photography into a business… I am not considering myself a professional but was wondering if you could tell me if I am wasting my time… Here is my Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraCufrePhotography/photos_stream

Here is my ex’s wife’s page…
https://www.facebook.com/HeleneGunnelsPhotography/photos_stream

[Sarah]

Your white balance is off here. I would also like to have seen more of the side of her face.

http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraCufrePhotography/photos_albums#!/photo.php?fbid=487794894588965&set=a.487792087922579.95770.120097278025397&type=3&theater

This one is out of focus also the other one of both of the kids looks grainy. I do like the pose though. A fill light in those images would have been a good idea.

http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraCufrePhotography/photos_albums#!/photo.php?fbid=481542021880919&set=a.481842168517571.94994.120097278025397&type=3&theater

 

What do you normally set your white balance to? Are you shooting RAW? Do you have a external flash? I think you need more practice. You should sign up for some classes and learn your camera inside and out. Then sign up for a lighting class to learn about off camera lighting. Also jealousy is not very good. Though id say the same things to her. You both need classes and need to learn how your cameras work and how lighting works.

 

[bcphotoluv]

The first photo, the model was here and she stated that she liked that… I was trying to get more of the detail of snow in her hair…  The second photo, I was not sure if it was out of focus or not. I took it when the sun was completely down.

My white balance is set to auto, which I usually change depending on weather, but at that moment I had it at auto. I shoot RAW! I learned that it the BEST  way to go! I do not have an external but am looking into purchasing one… I will see about those 2 classes! Thank you for your CC! VERY appreciated!!! 🙂

[Sarah]

If you shoot RAW then you should be able to fix your white balance on the snow photo so the snow is not so green looking.

[dont.care]

Heh, in the modern world — I’d suggest you visit ol’ Mark Wallace before seeking out classes..

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBC5A73FEA8B7D7D2 — 118 videos to learn photography.. Try this before spending $.

[cameraclicker]

I’m confused about what we are supposed to be looking at.  Your ex-wife’s page is https://www.facebook.com/HeleneGunnelsPhotography/photos_stream

and your page is  https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraCufrePhotography/photos_stream?  My first two questions are “Why do we care about your ex-wife’s page?”, and “Who is Barbara?”  Not that it’s any of our business but somehow I was expecting a masculine corporate name.

The page you directed us to does not look like a corporate page.  It looks like a beginner’s page.  White balance is off.  Focus is off.  There seems to be a lot of flowers, but they should not be on a page highlighting your work.  One group of roses has text that starts out “Did you or someone you know get engaged…”  Those are the saddest roses!  Out of focus and the colour is off.  Regardless of price, I would not hire you based on that photo.

Step one should be to create a new page with ten or twenty photos that represent your best work.  Let us all know when you get that done and we can provide fresh opinions.

[CoastalTog]

I’m going to be blunt.   Real blunt so skip my post if you’re easily offended.  Or read it if you want a reality check.

2013 is NOT your year to hang up a shingle and start a business.  You have a good 2 years to go before going pro…and that’s if you work really hard.  You know what your Facebook photography page screams?  It’s screams that you bought an entry level camera and thought it would be “kewl” to take pictures.  Enough of your friends (who have an emotional investment in you) said they looked great so you figured you’d give it the old go at this photography thing.  I mean, how hard can it be?  If you’ve been practicing for 3 years then you’re not really practicing.

Your posing is non-existent.  You have severe white balance issues.  You have blown out skin in some pics and underexposed skin in other issues.  You have out of focus images displayed!  Only post your very best even if it’s only 6 images.  Lose the vignettes and cheesy actions.  Get your flash off camera.  All this takes time.  Go to the AdoramaTV YouTube page and start with the first beginners tutorial.   Why is everyone in such a rush to start a business when they can’t even capture a properly exposed image?

I know my critique is harsh but it’s pretty apparent you haven’t been given a real portfolio critique in the 3 years you’ve been doing this.  Go back to the basics.  Start with static objects to practice on, watch the videos, and your skill will rise tenfold in 6 months.

One last thing.  Just because a client was “happy” with an image doesn’t mean it is good.  Clients have emotional attachments.  That’s why you see mom’s gushing all over an image of their grey alien looking baby.  They’re not seeing the picture in a whole, they’re seeing their newborn, whom, despite how ugly they are, is still the most precious thing on the earth.  “The client loved these” is the biggest excuse newbies give when  they receive a bad critique.

To summarize your post title “Am I Wasting My Time?”  Yes.  You are.  But only because you’re wasting it by not learning photography properly.  Lose the cheesy actions.  It’s cliche and it’s only masking your inability to take a proper photograph.

P.S. tell your ex-wife to read my post.  The same applies to her only 10 times more.

[Author]

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