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Sharra, I’ve seen some more of this series and LOVE them! The buz lightyear camera has to be my favorite.

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on facebook:

friend: “your photos just keep getting better and better” photog:”thanks! i’m finally learning what the buttons on my camera do!”

Friend: “Oh wow! I’m glad you finally started a business!” Photog: “yeah, my mom bought be a nice camera for Christmas so I figured it was about time!” (nice camera was/is a rebel. before camera was a fujifilm finepix s400, as noted in her about page)

IRL:

Photog: “yeah, sometimes i take a photos and they look really good and i’m all ‘how did i DO that!?’ but then i try to do it again and i can’t figure out how I did it!”

Actually note though, she IS improving (at a very slow rate, but from 2010 to now she has gotten much better). She no longer uses flash at all (she used to have poorly done bridals with flash filling the brides face and casting nasty shadows behind them). She is staying away from the greener vintage edits (jaundice faces are no more, but the yellow edits still persist. I see a trend of her using them less though) Not a single dutch angel in site. She learned proper black and white conversion (i’m certain it was just grayscale before.). I wouldn’t go far as to say she is good, but she is no longer front page material.  (I don’t like calling people out publicly. linking her work isn’t going to do either of us any good. It is just fun to poke fun)

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ajay, I suggest a re-edit of the photo because it captured a good moment (first time the groom saw the bride. It’s kind of a once in a lifetime moment) and I felt the composition took away from it as a potentially great photo.

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IHF, That’s exactly what i meant about actions. I can understand certain actions enhancing an already good photo, but it doesn’t resonate that you’d go through the trouble of using one and then messing with it because you didn’t bother getting it right SOOC. In fact, the underexposure could have been tweaked on camera while shooting in a matter of moments. I agree with photoshop to make a good image better, i do not agree with photoshop to handle all of the photographers mistakes (I say mistakes in the sense of simple issues that could be fixed on site while shooting. Just clarifying again, actions and photoshop/lightroom/whathaveyou can make good things better. Even then, i wouldn’t expect it to be such a process, especially when you edit in camera.)

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Holy crap, i’m starting to understand bad grammer with fauxs,btw. I’m starting to wonder if they are on mobile phones, it is too easy to make typos and not notice on these bad boys (my computer is busy rendering so i’ve been using my mobile for internet nonesense) . I havent tried facebook on here, but if the mobile interface is as bad as this one i kind of can’t blame them.

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I completely agree with ajay. the only reason i go on about that forum topic is because you continue to post on it and all arguments on why the photog in question is bad is followed by “i would never do that”. and you keep claiming that i’m in some minority of people who do not like your work, but i’d much rather be in a smart minority that some bullcrap dilusional majority (look at how popular jersey shore is. i’ll be damned if anyone with taste considers that art)

I will never post my work on here for reasons i’ve already explained (you have a habbit of reading between the lines though,dont you?). i am not now, nor do i ever, intend on starting a business. i have nobody to impress with a portfolio so i wont bother creating one.

And i noted how you quoted me in another topic, let me clarify. Just because i do not hate your photos does not mean i automatically like them. I do not like them in the least, they are cliche of most facebook pros out there. You said ypu were trying a re-edit of that wedding photo, by all means continue. i’d honestly like to see a new edit because the capture of the groom’s expression WAS indeed a good one, the composition is what was lacking. (i saw your comment that you had set your camera up to take consecutive shots which explains and excuses bad composition, which makes me all the more curious to see you “fix” it)

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Highest of fives, ajay. browneyedgirl, you created a forum topic dedicated to calling put people and critisizing them, you are far from “trying to be helpful”. And while ajay doesnt have portraits, his images make you look like a rookie with a p&s. I love how you alwqys use your crap photos to demonstrate “proper” camer technique, you are so in love with yourself, it’s like you think you are the pinacle of technique. all must aspire to your level or be damned.

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Stef, i realy enjoyed the flower assignment. cqn you make a thread with suggested assignments? I sometimessearch online for soome but end up with “365” picture a day type challenges and they arent at all what i’m looking for.

Aleo, kimera, i notice thqt same pattern. i just shoot because i enjoy doing so and hqve no interest in business. but every critique on here brings up costs qnd whqtnot. excuse my typos…this site is not mobile friendly and correcting them is qlmost impossible.

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Holy crap, this forum is NOT mobile friendly. i’m also clumsy with touch screens, ignore the typos. anyway, the end of that was to just upload your portfolio and getting a good critique.

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I think you misunderstood him. he’s (she’s?) just saying that proper knowledge trumps equipment almost everytime. i believe (keeping with the chef theme) gordon ramsey (spell check??) once took a bunch of gas station fried chicken and turned it into a 5 star plate that critics were practically having an orgasm over. you can be a photographer with what you have , ypu even got it right the first tim when you said youd enjoy what you have instead of worry about the things you dont have.

You asked for an assignment, my suggestion is to first reaf the entire manual for your camera and then read online reviews for it (because they often include good visuals on the limitations of your camera model). After that get yoursepf a model, not a real model as in a person, a barbie/stuffed animal/rock work just fine. and use what you know to try to create the image you want. learn how to angle the model to create short light,long lighting, backlighting, etc. Being self taught isfantastic,but it is important to get feedback from a knowledgable source (i suggest dps instead of here). so when you’ve created a portfolio go ahead and ask for honest constructive criticismyou feel has pushed yourelf to ypur limits and are proud of

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I’m glad you wen through with it, capuchink, i  know a lot of people talk but no action on these things. and because i (and others) do not personally know these people, it isn’t like we can keep track of them by just looking at our facebook feed. I do not know any sites for dos and don’ts on newborn photography, but i suggest looking up basic sites about taking care of newborns. I mean, if you took that picture to a pediatrician they could tell you immediately what is wrong with it. In fact, you could suggest to that photographer to get tips from a pediatrician on handling new borns and what they would consider safe situations in a studio. (or ask one yourself through email and use that email as documentation in case you see the faux endangering babies).

I’m not suggesting you stalk the person (reading back on that paragraph makes it sound that way), i just mean this in case you are scrolling through facebook one day and notice that this guy hasn’t cleaned up his act. And yeah, i don’t know what parents (or other people, this picture had “likes”!) would ever let their baby be put in this situation.

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Capuchink, I understand where you are coming from on this one. When a baby is in danger you cannot just let it pass by, these pictures are obviously not composites and this baby looks incredibly young. If you see any more pictures like this do NOT hesitate to call child protective services. There is no reason, even to keep from looking jealous or uptight, to let someone continue to do this to children. Before this happens again, send the person a private message describing all the dangers that this baby  has been exposed to in this shot (nobody is supporting it, the pumpkin could have mold spores, the pumpkin could tip, the baby could fall out, just tell them everything) and that you advise them to never do anything like this again or you will have to report them (be descriptive about what they need to watch out for. they need someone supporting the baby or for the baby to be safely placed on a level surface. no breakable objects, etc). Document that message (take a screen shot once it has been sent) and take not of any replies. If they ignore you and you see any more images like that immediately document them (screen shots work fine) and contact child protective services and supply them with your documentation. It may sound like overkill, but trust me, you’d much rather sound like a nag today than find out a week later that they injured an infant.

 

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haha, statement kind of stolen out of context, stef, but you are right nevertheless.

 

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if you want to keep taking me seriously it’s all on  you. I don’t particularly care for your “art” at all, but understand that some people ARE into what you do (great was a little too much for me though. adequate, yes. Great? no…not really) . My point this entire time is that you have sown some bad seeds and are bound to reap the bad that comes of them. I don’t particularly like your bride photo, but I don’t honestly hate it as much as I say. (if it was mine, speaking as a client, i’d crop out the bride part entirely and risk the resolution difference when i printed it. Try it for yourself, print that bad boy out poster size and see how much you like it) My intentions are for you to get a taste of your own medicine, and  you behaved just like every other so called fauxtog who has been called out on their shoddy work, by defending it and finalizing the argument with “everyone has their own taste” (paraphrased quote, obviously)

 

And you misinterpreted the comment about my master’s thesis. I do not think I am better than anyone, (on a personal level, yes, I am VERY proud, I worked harder than you can ever imagine to get here (and that’s “you” as in….general “you” not…you as in browneyedgirl)) I was illustrating that I have different priorities. I don’t want to be a photographer, I just want to enjoy it as my hobby. Of course I take pictures that I’m particularly proud of, but I don’t have a reason to upload or share them because I have no intention or reason of advertising myself as an accomplished photographer.

There are people out there without any level of college education who have done much more than I’ve done. There was a 7th grade girl who cultured her own bacteria that eats plastic at a rate 5 times faster than normal biodegradation. There are tons of high school kids who can build and program their own robots. I’ve seen artwork on society 66, done by kids who never went to college, that will blow your mind. A lot of modern math theories were fathomed by people who had no college education.Genetics was first studied by a monk with very little education (I’m sure that one everyone remembers from high school biology. punnet squares? fruit flies? peas? anyone?). Obviously you can do great things without going to graduate school or even college at all ( but , you know, knowledge is power!), I was just, as you’d say, illustrating a point.

I never said anything about you being second shooter, good for you, in fact. That one was serious. Those opportunities are nice and there’s no harm in taking them and no shame in it either. The only reason it was scrutinized was because you made such a big deal out of it, as if it was the be all end all gig of a lifetime.

My honest (and not B***H) suggestion to you is to just stop criticizing others from this point on. Fauxs only truly compete with fauxs. You say they harm the business but realize they messed up and get a real photographer afterwards. Let them make that mistake, prove that you are better by your work not your words. I think anyone can excel and be great, but you are retarding your progress by letting yourself become frustrated enough to try and sabotage others’ businesses. If you are sincerely just trying to become the best photographer you can be, then the business part of it shouldn’t be a factor in your journey there.

 

Final thought : if you are concerned enough to take back your business from other fauxs pimp yourself out as a second tog to them. Most will take it as a compliment and will let you come along and boast about how good they’ve gotten to the point where other people want to study under them. If they are as inexperienced as you say they won’t write up a contract to claim copyrights to your images, nor will your images become part of the clients package. Show the customer your images when all is said and done, indicate that you were not part of the package and that you are priced separately and you run your own business but had been there for training purposes. If you are as good as you claim to be you’ll have just stolen one of their clients.

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High five, gerbles.

browneyedgirl, you ONLY want to see my images so you can compare yourself to me. Frankly, I don’t care. I have nothing to prove to you. The only photographer I ever care to compare myself to is the one I was the day before.  Forgive me if I don’t spare the time to upload images onto the internet while i work on my master’s thesis and work full time. Forgive me if I don’t go out and start my own photography business in the mean time either, god knows I want to waste 6 years of higher education (thousands of dollars and hours of work) to start a sub par photography business.

But , you know, good job fixing those angles….oh wait. I mean, good job composing those images….wait, damn. I guess you’ll find something you’re good at someday. Lets just hope potential clients of yours never find this nice trail of nasty judgement on your part. :0

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