Have I Improved?

[RachelGPhotography]

Ok, I’ve posted here before and got a wake up call. I was in fact a fauxtog. I listened to a lot of the criticism, and used that to what I think improve myself.  Have I improved?

This would be the “before”

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441681609178923.115899.368612416485843&type=3

 

Here are some recent albums, from where I really started to work on things.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.541471115866638.135703.368612416485843&type=3

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.534872419859841.134400.368612416485843&type=3

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.533881536625596.134164.368612416485843&type=3

 

What do you think? Have I improved? What do I need to improve on?

I know some may think I’m crazy for entering this forum again, after getting bashed. And I have tossed over the idea over and over, but I’m using this as a learning tool. I want to learn and improve greatly. SO thanks for all the help.

 

 

[Click It And Stick It]

Yes, you have improved.  Try to keep improving.

[cameraclicker]

I think you have improved.  I think you could improve some more.

I like this one, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=541471142533302&set=a.541471115866638.135703.368612416485843&type=3&theater for instance, but I would have had them stand ever so slightly further apart so all the son’s face was visible, but probably not his right shoulder.  Then, expose for the bright yellow tree in the background and fire a camera mounted speedlight set somewhere below full power, perhaps 1/2 or 1/4 power, depending on conditions, and taste, to light the foreground.  You have a number of photos in the first new album that are similar, your subjects are lit well but the background is partly burned out.  For added points, you could use radios and set up speedlights off camera.  Sometimes extra light is not needed and sometimes it helps.  Sometimes a reflector is enough.

I think my favourites are the Little Ethan gallery, good expressions, good light.  One picture has a bright circle which I would edit out.  Focus looks off on some of them but you are showing us Facebook images.  I have no idea if the original image is good and Facebook resizing and storing the image is causing the image to appear as it does, or if there are problems with the image.

Keep shooting lots, try to look at your photos critically, practice helps.

[reality check]

Your still a fauxtog because you charge for pro services and dont deliver but I DO see a little improvement.
You need to take the advice that was given and work on in camera and skip the editing until you achieve good SOOC shots.  When it’s time to learn good editing don’t use pre made actions.  Just stop with the actions already!

All of these are from the same session, yet they all are edited differently

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=541471142533302&set=a.541471115866638.135703.368612416485843&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=541471175866632&set=a.541471115866638.135703.368612416485843&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=541471195866630&set=a.541471115866638.135703.368612416485843&type=1&theater

The last one works best. Im sure this was only because it was a better shot to begin with and you didn’t feel the urge to try to “fix it” or get “artsy” as fauxs usually call it.

Do you expect a client to buy and display their photographs together in their home like this?  It’s not going to happen, and if it does it’ll look horribly odd.  Nope, chances are they will just keep the cd and be done with it. Have you even printed?  Maybe if you did you would see how bad your editing really is.

Focus issues. Read your manual and learn how to select your focus and recompose if its needed.  It’s not just Facebook folks
Fauxtographer And you won’t lose the title any time soon as long as you are still in business and not working on what’s more important

[creyes8519]

You have improved, but you have a lot of improving to do.  The actions are horrible… just stop them.    You really have to look at portfolios of more skilled and experienced photographers, then compare them to your work and then ask yourself, as a consumer, which photographer would you choose?  You can find some great porfolios at http://www.iheartfaces.com/  … I appreciate that you do not give up and I encourage you to keep working on your photography.   It is really none of my business and I am not here to tell you to stop running your business.   But as a consumer, I can tell you that if I were to come across your portfolio as it stands right now, I would keep looking.  Here’s why:

1.  Skin tones are important to me.  Some of your subjects look like peaches.  I don’t know if it’s a monitor calibration issue or what, but please use a gray card for shoots.  Again, don’t use silly actions.  Keep it simple.  I don’t want a picture of my family on the wall that looks like a still from a Tim Burton film.  I want you to capture the best moments of that day as it was… you know, green grass, blue sky… normal colored skin…

2.  SHARPNESS is important to me.  I want everyone in my family to be in focus.  That means don’t shoot everything at the widest aperture your lens can handle.

Also, remember….. WEDDINGS….  again, I am not here to tell you how to run your business, but if the bride does not like the outcome of the photos she can’t reshoot her wedding with a more skilled photographer.  If it were MY business, I would not shoot weddings until I was 100% confident in my work and my ability to capture an event as important as a wedding.  I saw some wedding shots in your earlier work.  I don’t know if you still do it, but just keep that in mind.

[stef]

Watch your backgrounds.

 

You’ve improved posing dramatically. You stopped using crappy filters. You still have branches, posts, and other stuff coming out of people’s heads.

 

[Nightrose]

I really like this photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=534872783193138&set=a.534872419859841.134400.368612416485843&type=3&theater

The colouring is a bit too warm (too pinky yellow?), but the actual composition of the shot with the branch to one side and both people looking off in the same direction works really well.

[Author]

Posts