Vary New to Photography…But I welcome constructive criticism

[Brownie]

Ah! I love my K1000! Who did you study with? I study photography here at East Tennessee State and it’s still taught in the darkroom with film cameras and making darkroom prints. I thought I was such a big shot after I shot sports for my high school but it didn’t take long to be truly humbled by the history and the process.

 

[Brownie]

Oh and this is killing me:

 

Lacy, it’s spelled VERY. vary means ‘differ in size, amount, degree, or nature from something else of the same general class”

very is ‘ in a high degree; extremely; exceedingly”

[miumiu2134]

well, if you don;t mind, I think the background image is a little too blurry… the fonts are my favorite!

[Rizzo]

I am so tired of hearing fauxs say “photography is my passion!” I just want to tell them “then stop charging for it!”

I do not say photography is my passion. I am good at it, I make a living at it, I study and learn and grow daily within it. I do believe it is my CALLING… But it is not my passion. Maybe I’m wrong for saying that but I absolutely DO enjoy it. You have to like what you do, otherwise you’ll be miserable, right? However, with any business, it’s a LOT of work. If it’s too easy, you’re doing it wrong.

That aside, your photos are very much amateur. Selective coloring, vignetting (ESPECIALLY white) and it doesn’t seem you’ve found your “look.” I’m guessing you use a lot of actions – and I have nothing against those, but you need to figure out your style, what makes YOUR vision and interpretation of subjects unique instead of using a random action and saying “oh, hey, that’s pretty.” Consistency is the most important thing you’re lacking right now. Looking at all the categories, I haven’t seen one yet that has blown me away. I’m not a huge snob but if you haven’t posted one single photo that makes me go “oh, wow” then I have to say you probably shouldn’t be charging yet.

Your black and white images are very flat. Do you adjust the settings themselves or just “grayscale” it?

On the business side of things: There’s no consistency (again, I seem to be using that word a lot) in your watermark/logo on your photos. Choose one. Stick with it. Don’t use that godawful cowboy font thing anymore – it’s a fauxtog hallmark.

The website is basic. Weebly is not a bad host to start with and there are a lot of customizable options. Instead of having photos line down the page so I have to scroll for an hour, use a slideshow (they have that option). It’s a lot more aesthetically pleasing. You could probably streamline your menu and have separate pages under a portfolio heading for each category you shoot (kids, teens, families, newborn, maternity, etc.) and a separate for weddings. You also really need to proofread what you write. I’ve found numerous grammatical, contextual, and spelling errors. Marketing yourself as a professional = coming across as one in person AND online.

The fonts overall on the site are unprofessional. I’d choose something a little more reader-friendly, if I were you.  You have potential, you just need a lot more practice. It took me a few years before I even thought of charging, to build a consistent and professional “wow-factor” portfolio.

Oh. One more thing. Get RID of this image forever. It’s atrocious, I’m sorry. http://heatherlynnphotography.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/8/8/11885344/___820938064.jpg

[JCFindley]

Yall do know that most of this post is from Oct of last year until it was necroed, right?

[fstopper89]

Just saw this again… so are most people who find passion in photography / are passionate about it, fauxtogs? Since I was young I have been passionate about photography, and most types of art. Do I invest my entire livelihood in it? No, but quite a bit. If you were to ask me what the one thing I enjoy to do with my time the most, it would probably be photography or something photograph-related (that includes learning more about it in any way). For me it’s both a very rewarding hobby and also a part-time business. I would say I am passionate about it, just like some people are passionate about restoring cars, some about dance, some with creating music, etc. All of these things can be either a hobby or a way to earn money or both. If a person didn’t truly enjoy something yet were doing it a lot and/or for money, they’d be lying to themselves. Yes, anything that you are passionate about you’re more likely to become good at as long as you put forth A LOT of effort.

[Rizzo]

No BEG, that’s not what I’m saying. But I AM saying is that it seems like you could go to any random fauxtog’s FB page and see that exact line. It’s not an insult to those of us who are photographers and can SHOW that photography is their passion. I invest more into my photography than I do into what I consider my passion (singing) so maybe I am just wording it wrong. Or I could just blame the wine. Yep. That’s what I’ll do.

Totally didn’t realize this was that old. Sheesh.

[emf]

@ IHF

I know this thread is yonks old but I’m having a great time reading through all of these!  Just wanted to say, IHF – I love your photos! Can I ask what lens you use please? I’m just getting into macro and use a 60mm 2:8 nikkor, but can’t seem to get as close as you get and don’t understand why. Would a longer focal length, like the 105, allow me to get closer?

[Ouchmyeyes]

Removed my comment due to how old the thead is.

[nesgran]

The 60mm is a 1:1 macro so you won’t get any closer with a 105, what you get with a longer macro lens is a longer working distance but shorter depth of field. If you want to get even closer there are a couple of options, you can add extension rings to increase magnification, you can add teleconverters to some for more magnification, crop in post or move to canon and get one of their very special mp-e 65 lenses which does up to 5x magnification.

[emf]

Thank you Nesgran, that’s really helpful. I will look into extension rings – I just found a teleconverter in my favourite used camera shop. So I will check it out.

[ProWed]

I think you mean “Very”.  Just saying.

[IHF]

Thank you emf

Ditto to what nesgran has said.  I used a 100mm macro, and a 50mm at times for all the close ups.  My 100mm for the few more landscapy or pulled back images.  Love the 100mm.  It’s very versatile.  But before you go and spring for a new lens… It’s not so much how close you can get, but more about focus when doing close ups.  I think you will find if you concentrate on your focus, and lining the subject up within the same focal distance you’ll be much happier.  Try this experiment.  Go ahead and and crank that focus ring as far as it will go, then use your body to get in towards the subject, moving yourself back and forth and side to side until your focus falls into place. Almost like finding your comp within the view finder rather than with your eye.  I think if you were to do this, you might just find that you can get much closer than you think, and that closeness isn’t what you are actually looking for.

I just recently switched to a mirrorless system, and used my dslr and all my lenses to fund it.  Now I use a 60mm for close ups.  I’ve only posted a few shots taken with my new camera, as Ive been learning all it’s quirks and strengths, and just having fun.  So I’m not exactly comfortable with my skills yet.  If anyone wants to help me and critique these images.  I’d appreciate it.  I’m slightly uncomfortable that I have them up for sale, and haven’t yet had anyone really take a close look at them to tell me if they are up to par, and I havent printed/finished any shots from my new camera yet either… so yeah, feeling slightly guilty for putting them out there for sale.  Does anyone see anything that could hinder them from being good photographs (as in printed finished work)?

http://www.redbubble.com/people/onegoodeye/works/10639719-splat

http://www.redbubble.com/people/onegoodeye/works/10639712-swim?ref=work_main_nav

http://www.redbubble.com/people/onegoodeye/works/10616368-march?ref=work_main_nav

http://www.redbubble.com/people/onegoodeye/works/10579821-with-purpose?ref=work_main_nav

http://www.redbubble.com/people/onegoodeye/works/10532142-celebration?ref=work_main_nav

All of the above were all taken with a 60mm

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.570192479685180.1073741827.239743396063425&type=3

These are my latest taken with my 60mm.  I haven’t made the time to chose/edit them (Maybe I’ll use them all?) and post to red bubble yet, but I was excited to share them.

 

[cameraclicker]

The files posted do not seem very large, in the small size they all look well exposed and focused.  I like them all but have no idea how they would look if you tried to print them at 24 x 36 inches or larger.

[IHF]

Ugh!  True.  Doh!  Didnt think of that.  I don’t upload large to Facebook.  On redbubble though, you can click on the image to get a higher res veiw.

but, really only printing will tell the truth.  As soon as I can Ill finish a good sized batch, until then I’m going to worry.  I can’t get over how very different it is to work with these files compared to my files from my canon.

[Author]

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