I think I'm ready to ask for criticism, but I'm terrified of being inadequate.

[mynameisRachel]

Hi everyone! I am a hobbyist, I’ve never been paid (or asked for money) from anyone I’ve photographed (uh, it also helps that I tend to use my sister as a subject) and I don’t “run” or pretend like I have a business, so that means I’m not “technically” a fauxtog, but as I said in the title, I’m terrified of being inadequate. I have a starter-level DSLR, I use either a kit lens or a super-awesome telephoto lens, and since I’m a college student that’s all I will use for quite a while. I would like to think that I should be able to take amazing pictures despite my camera, but I feel like I’ve been having focus issues (or maybe it’s me?) with my kit lens, and it has been a few years so maybe it’s just getting old. I took an intro photography class to get all the basics down so the good news is I can run my camera manually (although sometimes WB trips me up) without difficulty. I would like to think that for a 17 year old I’m doing pretty well, but I also feel like I should be improving so much more than I am. My only consolation I have is looking at the pictures I took when I started and realizing I have improved quite a bit over a couple of years. Anyway, enough talking, more looking at pictures!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92660812@N03/

I don’t have too many pictures because I am constantly realizing flaws with ones I thought I liked, resulting in my removing them from all places online.
And what do I want to know? Well… Am I doing well for my circumstances? Do I have something or am I just another run-of-the-mill person with a camera?

[Nightrose]

I really like the concept of the photo “birdwatching” – the pose of the cat is really cute! The photo itself looks pretty dark on my screen (which is a 27 inch monster) and could do with a fair bit of post-production brightening up.  The black and white of the cat contrasting with the green grass is really cool though.

I’d say that you are young and have loads of potential – with time, study and practise you will improve immensely.  By no means are your photos terrible, they just haven’t reached the WOW factor yet!  Best of luck to you and keep honing your skills 🙂

Oh to be 17 again!

[JCFindley]

Hi Rachel

You are doing just fine for your level and time and I have seen people with whole portfolios filled with much worse.

OK, I don’t know a thing about people shooting so will talk a little about your artistic shots. As night said, they are not bad just kind of lacking on the wow factor. The deer is probably my favorite of the bunch but would like to see a little tighter zoom on the deer since it is the main subject of the shot and would prefer it was bounding into the scene instead of moving out. On more than a couple of the animals you are shooting them from human height view.  What I mean is you are looking down on them which is how almost everyone with a cell phone camera will shoot their pet. Try getting down on their level more often and shoot them at their own level and that will generally improve the shot. (Hobbes is a nice shot that your standard pet owner won’t think to do all that often)

Speaking of pets, everyone starts out shooting them and has a lot of shots with them. Just be careful that if you do go pro, that your portfolio is not filled with them. To me, it says yeah, I got a camera and am going to offer to sell everything I shoot. (Not quite true, but is the impression it gives me.) You have a few other things in there that everyone starts out with, the flowers and ducks come to mind. Nothing wrong with flowers or ducks but since everyone has them and they are easy to find the shot has to be something beyond wow to get noticed and sell. There is one flower that has the brown spots as it starts to die and a couple others with a mix of bright and shadow. The dripping flower is more unique and would actually stand a chance of selling but again, the market is just saturated with florals and it is tough to get seen and if you do it has to be better than the other ten thousand images of the same subject to sell.

And the sunset is well done as is.

So, you are doing just fine but if you want to take it to the next level you just have to find the wow factor meaning getting the scene or subject the general public just doesn’t see that often or in a way they don’t see it very often.

[mynameisRachel]

Thank you, to the both of you! You’re right about them lacking something… It’s probably why I like the one of the blue door so much, because it’s different (I don’t know if you feel the same way, though) even though it’s just a door. Would ya’ll just suggest changing perspective? Or is it beyond that? I’m not used to criticism because of course my family/friends only have good things to say, even my photography teacher only had nice things to say.

I’m just working with what I have (I can’t drive, so I’m stuck at either home or school) which is why there are a lot of cat pictures (the dog’s not mine). I guess I’ll have to work at making them exceptional pictures instead of average 🙂

Thank you for the feedback!

[JCFindley]

The blue door is nice and is a great exercise in seeing other perspectives.

There is always something to shoot where you are and it helps to shoot shoot shoot everyday stuff. Even if there is no market for you it will help you “see.”  The technicalities are pretty simple to master with practice but it is the ability to “see” or to nurture the artistic vision that can actually lead to something unique and interesting and marketable.

I think I made about a grand last year just from shooting stuff that was on bookshelf when my car was broken and I was stuck inside for a few days.

[mynameisRachel]

That’s really cool! And yes, I’m still working on “seeing” everyday objects as much more. I still feel like a beginner, which is probably a good thing because at least I know I’m not fooling myself into thinking I’m the best thing ever. I don’t think I want to sell any prints yet, but maybe I will in a few years!

[mynameisRachel]

Oh, and I added more pictures to my Flickr account, just in case anyone’s interested.

[Nightrose]

Changing perspective is helpful. With animals, being on the same level as them (which usually means laying on the ground, haha!) will give you a much better angle for photographing them, rather than shooting from above.  I have loads of photos of my cats – like a ridiculous amount…..

 

[mynameisRachel]

Haha I see nothing wrong with lots of pet pictures! I have so many cat and chicken pictures…But they’re always there and willing to be photographed!

[JCFindley]

FWIW I have literally thousands of images of my dog. Most go on FB (home site not portfolio) but only four have made it to my art site…. Nothing wrong with shooting what you have available and love anyway.

[Thom]

Your macro shots are really nice. I don’t think you’re a fauxtog. Mostly because you actually care about NOT overdoing your Photoshopping.

Have you considered shooting film?

[mynameisRachel]

I have considered shooting film… But it scares me! Even now it’s difficult for me to shoot without chimping 😛

[JCFindley]

Film is overrated….. :o)

That actually isn’t true, and I shot film as a hobbiest for 20 years. The thing is, it takes a lot of time and or money to improve with film. I shot more and improved more in six months of shooting digital than I did in 20 shooting film.

 

[mynameisRachel]

I think I’ll invest in film when I have the funds. At least both of my parents have pretty nice SLR film cameras, my dad even has a couple of different lenses. It’s super heavy! Whenever I hold the film camera and then the digital one it always feels so light and cheap…

[cameraclicker]

Old SLR’s were built around a block of machined brass, and were pretty heavy.  Newer SLR’s were built with exotic plastics and are much lighter.  Less expensive lenses have smaller glass elements and usually fewer elements, so they are lighter.   Once you get beyond the entry level dSLR, there is metal inside and the weight starts to increase.

Some cameras still use machined brass as a base.  I met someone on the street last summer, who was carrying a Leica M9.  We had him take a photo of us with my camera and he complained the shutter release was too sensitive.  He handed me the M9 so I could see the difference, it was heavier but smaller than my 5D Mk III!  And, it took a lot more effort to push down the shutter release!  His M9 was an $8000 body with a $4500 lens!

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