Not long ago i was up on this website getting bashed SUCK IT!! =)

[emf]

Amber, I really don’t mean this in a mean way; but the way you phrased the title of this thread got people’s backs up. As a photographer, or any business owner for that matter, it’s important that you communicate effectively  – both verbally and in writing. For example, the way you express yourself on your website and in correspondence to clients will reflect your level of professionalism. Maybe it would be beneficial to enroll in a brief English course – or at least be more mindful of how you are writing things and how your words will be interpreted.

Don’t think this applies just to you – I’m looking to set up too – as well as improving my photography skills I also need to improve my business skills too. There are many skill sets involved in running your own business besides being competent with a camera.

It can’t be nice you were directed to this site – but as others keep saying, you were only defended, and as you’ve noticed, people on this site don’t hold back and call a spade a spade.  So, if I were you I would take that as a positive sign that you are doing ok – no need to feel bad or that you need to defend yourself here.

 

[ebi]

I’m not going to go back to search through the post of where your work was introduced. I don’t feel like wasting my time b/c it appears that you aren’t really listening to what anyone is saying in THIS thread. But I’d venture to guess that no one said the words that you think they said. It honestly sounds like something I would say, but i don’t recall seeing your site and I’m still relatively new to this community so I’m certain I didn’t see it.

That being said, I don’t think you will go anywhere. Your work has gotten marginally better than it was. But it’s your attitude that will hold you back above all else. You really shouldn’t tell ANYONE to suck it, regardless of who they are and what they’ve said. It’s just not very professional. It makes me wonder what you’d say if a client didn’t like a photo you took. Your lack of being able to comprehend what anyone on this thread has said also says you probably don’t listen to your clients either.

You’ll probably forever be a small town part time faux, trying to make ends meet. But, please, feel free to prove me wrong.

[JanJan]

I looked back at the original thread where all this was started (https://www.youarenotaphotographer.com/forums/topic/have-fun/), and you and her supposedly squashed this whole thing. She supposedly apologized and you accepted it, so I really don’t understand why you have to come here and tell US to “Suck it”, when you already dealt with her. Just move on.

You said you wanted help and critiques, and people here were giving very fair critiques. Even ebi was giving spot-on critiques behind the brashness. But when you responded with ” you think this work is just ok???? lol maybe i need glasses”, it seems like you were implying that we ALL needed glasses because we weren’t ooohing or aaahhhing over your work. That may not be your intent, but it’s not what you say, but HOW you say it.

I’m starting to think that maybe Rachel (the girl who first bashed you) was justified in what she said about you, especially how you bash your clients (even though I didn’t see it on your Facebook). Why would a person you supposedly didn’t know start bashing you all of a sudden and make such claims? Maybe you really know her in person if you guys can text each other. I agree with with ebi. God forbid what you will say if your client doesn’t like the photos you took.

I was curious to see if Rachel progressed since the start of this whole thing (https://www.facebook.com/RachelGPhotographyNC), and she actually improved to your level. She took all the bashing to heart and actually improved. Hopefully you will do the same. But you guys are still “okay”.

[JLiu]

Just a small town faux,
livin’ in a lonely world,
She took her 5dIII
Shootin’ anyyyywherreee

[nesgran]

Great, now I’ve got “Don’t stop believing” stuck in my head. Probably appropriate song title for this thread

[amber]

again this has nothing to do with rachel other then the fact thats how i was introduced to this page and thats where the bashing began and why I decided to come back to yall and show you im still improving baby steps. . I wasnt telling anyone on this page to suck it and im sorry that you all took it that way because yes i guess it does look that way but not at all what i meant by any means because I appreciate everything everyone said about my work!! Its about life and people bringing me down and it was a way to say screw you for telling me i wont go anywhere in life. Mainly about my father telling me I cant make it. as far as the glasses comment my eye sight is actually bad and really think i do need glasses so i wasnt even saying that as being a smart ass. I treat my customers with great respect and would never talk to them in any unprofessional way. I was just venting and I guess this isnt the place to do so. I wont even address any of the other comments. Thanks for your time!  Please drop the title of this form. That wasnt the point of the post even though it was just a feeling its been the main topic. GEEEEZEE i feel like i just lost so much time explaining myself to strangers yet again Happy shooting.

[IHF]

“Not long ago I was on this page getting bashed Suck it! I think I’m a pretty good photographer. Good day!”

Translation:

“Not long ago my Facebook page was linked here by someone saying I was a fauxtographer and you all had my back”

Thank you,
It came at a time when people in my life were putting me down, bashing me, and my eyesight started to become questionable. You all gave me the courage and confidence to tell all my nay sayers to “suck it”, even though I know I have a lot to learn, and lots of work ahead of me, it’s quite nice to know that some of my peers think I’m starting on the right track.

May I ask you all for your time again please to critique my latest work, and offer me more ways to continue to improve? I just started learning OCF. I’m very excited, but I feel I may need a little help with it. Any other insights and suggestions are more than welcome.

Got it! Thanks for clearing that up for us Amber. You’re welcome, and anytime. There’s nothing photographers want more than to be able to help other photographers and have a small hand in improving photography and a hand in keeping the profession respected and full of quality professional service and products. It’s been a pleasure waisting YOUR time viewing, and discussing YOUR photography with you.

[amber]

everything i say gets twisted on this site. Evidently im not very good at typing my thoughts… I felt like i wasnted my time trying to explain myself not ask for critique. that was my main point was to say i think im a pretty good photographer and wonder why the one person that is suppose to believe in me doesnt. Im sure this will get twisted around. ive tried to explain but it just keeps getting worse. lol

 

although all this was right

**

Thank you,
It came at a time when people in my life were putting me down, bashing me, and my eyesight started to become questionable. You all gave me the courage and confidence to tell all my nay sayers to “suck it”, even though I know I have a lot to learn, and lots of work ahead of me, it’s quite nice to know that some of my peers think I’m starting on the right track.

May I ask you all for your time again please to critique my latest work, and offer me more ways to continue to improve? I just started learning OCF. I’m very excited, but I feel I may need a little help with it. Any other insights and suggestions are more than welcome.

 

I would love someone to actually tell me what they think about my work. Not the title!! the title i used may have not been appropriate true but let please move past it (this is what i mean by wasted time)

Im not sure how this post will get twisted but i sure hope not!! here is a recent photo if anyone would like to waste their good time to critique.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=568192246567755&set=pb.229987970388186.-2207520000.1383800999.&type=3&theater

[cameraclicker]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=568192246567755&set=pb.229987970388186.-2207520000.1383800999.&type=3&theater

I don’t like watermarks.  If you entered a contest, I would take your photo off the list in the first round because of it.  I get that this is Facebook so will give you a pass, yet will still say it would serve if it were at 40 or 50% opacity and would draw less negative attention.

Draw an X, corner to corner, where are their heads?  Bulls-eyed!

There is a dark, out-of-focus blob on either side of them.  Part of the plants in the field, but distracting none the less.

Her hair obscures the near side of her face.  Her head obscures the right side of his face.  His ear is the brightest part of the photo.

They are the subject in what might charitably be called an environmental photo, though it appears they are in an under lit field of goldenrod with some silhouetted trees way in the background.  There is shadow on her top and her hand, probably due to the flash being too low and having plants between flash and subject.

There is a little brightness in the sky at right.  I don’t know what’s over there, but it may have worked better if the photo were rearranged so they were on the other side of the large tree with light directly behind them.

This list is not exhaustive.  I’m being called, so I’m stopping here…

 

[IHF]

I can’t help you much as far as flash. I can see that it’s too harsh and not positioned quite right in your photos, but I have no ideas on how to correct it. Guys, is it about needing to diffuse, pulling back on the power, or all about location of the flash? Is more than one flash needed for something like this, to pull them from the background? This has bothered me since the thread began, and I kept hoping Amber would actually ask questions, so you could clear it up. I know pretty much next to nothing about flash, and I have yet to fully take it on. Kudos to you Amber for seeing the need for learning what I think is very important for every professional to learn to do well in this paticular genre.

Compositionally this photo just doesn’t work. There’s no symmetry or asymmetry or any sort of balance or lead at all. It also bothers me that we can’t see all of them. It’s taken as a pulled back image to show the viewers more of the scene, yet the subjects themselves are cut off, and the scene just sits there uncomfortably disappointing. I notice his ear, their hands and nails, strange shadows from the foreground, and then I’m drawn to the strange placement of the background. Speaking as a woman, I wouldn’t like this photo of myself. The pose isn’t very flattering. Her shoulder/arm/body looks large in comparison to his. He is positioned to be submissive and more feminine than she. Having his left side tilted more towards the camera would have helped masculinize (I think I might have made up that word) him, AND it would have helped the viewer see more of her face, while making her body appear much slimmer.

[IHF]

I changed my mind about how to fix the pose. If they switched positions completely it would work better. Picture it Amber. The open part of her face would be toward camera, his body and overall look would be more dominant, and manly, and instantly she’s softened.
I really hope that I helped you picture it.

Something to keep in mind every shoot. Women in general, part their hair or let it fall in a way that they see is more flattering. We all have a best side, or what we feel is our best side, and it’s usually the side that isn’t covered by hair. Plus, it’s just more pleasing to the eye to shoot the open side, and see more of the face. (Ok long haired men as well)
I’d also look up posing men. There are some very simple and subtle rules/tricks to posing men that can really flatter if you use them. With men, it’s all about the shoulder position and leg position. If it’s goofed, oops! Feminine. When it’s nailed, ooooooh la la!!

[cameraclicker]

Doug Gordon talks posing:

 

Lighting outdoors is the same as lighting in a really large studio, except there may be wind.  Several lights spaced a foot or two apart can soften shadows, try it with the diffusion grids, which zooms the flash shorter and spreads the light more.  This could work well if there is wind and you have enough lights because bare heads catch less wind.  Or, use a single light and modifier (umbrella or softbox) but be prepared to anchor the stands.  On hard surfaces, that means sandbags or assistants, but in that field, you could use some tent pegs and cord.  One of those corkscrews you put in the ground to hold a dog’s leash would probably work too.

[amber]

THANKS SOOOO MUCH!! Yes Im so new to the whole ocf!! Maybe a couple of months in. so im self taught and crazy about it =) thanks for your opinions!!! I def see all the things pointed out! here is a photo i took tonight? I took all of your advice and hoping maybe I came a little closer to a better photo! Thanks again!!

and just to address something about the way she is. she has ugly flip flops on haha so i kinda had to crop that out =( and also tried better positioning my logo

1st photo

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=570070903046556&set=a.404254802961501.98058.229987970388186&type=1&theater

2nd

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=570062466380733&set=a.404254802961501.98058.229987970388186&type=1&theater

it may be a little sharp, need glasses fo realz!!

and last one =) thanks yall!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=570062793047367&set=a.404254802961501.98058.229987970388186&type=1&theater

 

 

 

[amber]

I meant to say I will try placing my logo in more discretely on the photo next time!!

[cameraclicker]

First photo:  Pretty chick!  Very hard light.  By that, we mean the shadows have well defined, sharp edges.  Generally hard edged shadows are the result of an apparently small light source.  The sun is a huge ball of fire, but it is far enough away that you can block it out with a single finger, so it appears small.  A 2 foot by 4 foot softbox that is only a couple of feet from a subject, is relatively much larger than your subject’s head, so it appears large, and the light wraps around and provides soft shadows.

Looking at your regular household light bulbs, you can see the ones that claim to be soft (on the box) are frosted so you can’t clearly see the filament.  Others have clear glass and cast a harsher light.  At the same time, most dining room chandeliers have multiple bulbs.  Some can accept either clear or frosted bulbs.  With clear bulbs they throw a collection of shadows.  With frosted bulbs, you can still see the shadows a little, but the shadows cast by objects of the table are very soft because the chandelier’s effect is that of a large light source.

You can use studio strobes, or small flash, or lamps from Home Depot or some other similar store.  You can make a small light source seem large by shining it on a white sheet with a low thread count, or a scrim, which is just a taught piece of fabric designed to let light through.  The middle of a 5 in 1 reflector is a scrim.  They are fairly inexpensive.  Nikon makes umbrella kits that have a carry case, stand, bracket to hold flash and umbrella, and of course, the umbrella which can be reflective or shoot through when you remove the outer cover.  Westcott makes softboxes that are available in kits with similar parts to the Nikon kit.  There are many options at all price points.

Photo 2:  Well … There she is, smack in the middle of the frame again.  I like the hard light in this photo!  It looks artistic.  I think the watermark would be better with less opacity, and down in the lower left corner on the grass.

 

Photo 3:  Unlike the first photo, this photo has almost no shadow, so she looks quite flat.  You can see her cheek bones but her nose has very little shape between bridge and nostrils.  Her forehead looks strange because of the flatness.

Railway tracks have been over done.  That aside, there are two real problems with this track.  That plant at the bottom of the frame should have been cut or broken so it is not in the photo.  And, the scene seems to be back lit, which caused the track behind her to become a leading line that takes the eye from your subject and leads it right out of the top of your frame.

 

[Author]

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