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I own a FB page for marketing purposes but the majority of my artwork I remains on my main website. to me, it’s those who make their FB page their SOLE portfolio page that bother me immensely.

i only looked at a few images but you obviously know what you are doing so there is no need to tell you how good your photos are.  Hell, I used a little Sony cyber shot point and shoot for years before I got my first full framed DSLR. And then it was years after that when I got my newest camera.

The secret to good photography is that buying the biggest and the best doesn’t make you great.. Your eye does.

 

 

 

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How do you compare a product when one is cheaply made and the other is of fine quality?  You simply cannot cheat at photography And the photographs here are on display because they are the types who do not feel the need to educate themselves on lighting, they don’t need to know exposure, metering or aperture. They think that it’s perfectly acceptable to shoot in Auto mode, jpeg.

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Thank you, it might just be my personal opinion, but I really like the vignette framing that I use for my images. I have a few of my random photos around the house framed and I think they give it a nice touch, granted these framed images are mostly black and white and also of landscape. When I edit the RAW image, I absolutely refuse to go beyond -30 in the Vignette range. I think I’ll keep the ‘heavy vignette’ for my landscapes and try staying on the 0 – 15 range for portraits. Only way to really learn is through experience! 🙂 (As for the other photos on the page, many of them were older photos from 3 years ago, some I retouched, others I processed from the original JPEG.)

The image that you said looked like it had antlers– yikes. I cannot believe I missed that entirely. I have a shoot tomorrow so I’ll have to watch out for that. This was actually a candid shot. The blonde subject was hiding the fact he was chewing gum, and his partner turned to look and say “Seriously? Who chews gum during a photoshoot…?” They were really so much fun to work with. I’m really excited for spring, they’ve got their session booked when the trees start greening up.

As for the name, believe me I am working on it — haha! I chose this name WAAAAY back in the day when I had inherited my grandpa’s old cameras and he has a Konica that has a cracked lens. My friends and I were thinking up names for my photography (moreso for a username rather than a business) and we said something along the lines of “Broken Focus: Art Through A Cracked View” more so because I was trying to be edgy, and I was just starting out and had my very own copy of Adobe Elements and thought that Cross Processing was oh-so-cool. I would love to use my name, the problem is my surname just doesn’t sound right. “Emma Holton Photography” or “Holton Photography” just doesn’t seem to fit. The whole name ‘not fitting’ thing is somewhat of an unrelated issue as well. Maybe it’s just because it’s my OWN name, but it is something I’m hesitant about because I will be changing my name to Hoover when my fiance and I get married. Using the First and Middle name is genius though unfortunately, mine does not flow as beautifully as yours. 🙂

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I should have posted an update much sooner than now but I’ve honestly just not given this any more thought as the entire situation is just too stupid to comprehend.

In the long run I spoke with the clients and told them they could print the images and use them in their home. Cami, the photographer agreed to me making the edits and since then, I have removed the images from my page. Good riddance.

Looking at it now, I was desperate to get ‘fresh’ work on my portfolio and since then I have gained more work since coming back into it after a long hiatus and I can say with confidence that I wouldn’t want anything that relates to her ‘work’ to be represented on my webpage. Ever. To this, I am disappointed in myself & as I reflect on it now, shows poorly executed professionalism on my part. In Kansas, (as I’m sure any where else) if you are trying to get a business in photography launched, it’s a cut throat business. I turn down work daily because clients don’t like that my cheapest portrait session runs them around $250 when they can go to fauxtogs like this “Cami” and get the work done with pocket change.

As it stands now, C & R are in the process of getting the funds together to hire an attorney to help them take her to small claims court. Sure, it’s a measly $200 bucks but their wedding was something to be remembered and now because of this fauxtog, those memories are clouded with skewed Dutch Angles and poor underexposed edits.

The sad thing is that C & R are not the only ones to come to me to help ‘rescue’ their photographs, and I explain to them (in as polite a way as I can muster) that due to legal obligations, I am not allowed to and that they will have to consult with the original photographer. They SHOULD have hired a professional, but I can understand that

I honestly don’t think I could ever pull off the amount of work that a Wedding session would demand. I’d much rather stick to classic portraiture and call it good. At least, for now.

I will say that I have learned so much from this experience.

By the way, a sincere thank you to everyone who has shared their advice and knowledge about this topic. I have greatly appreciated this advice before consulting a legal professional. It helped me know what to ask and what to expect when I had made the phone call.

[Open Focus]

Thinking again on this, I’m sure that once I’m registered and have my freelance business up for a while — I’ll probably think the same. Looking through some local photographers I know aren’t licensed I already feel inclined to report them.

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I’m confident to say I’m not a fauxtog, but I don’t have a business license YET (actually working on getting my application in this week, just trying to scrounge the $$ for the fees…) That said, I have yet to take photos and get paid enough to really figure in sales tax. So it’s not like I’m avoiding taxes, but I AM starting out, and still holding back on doing any major work until I get to my starting point. And I’m sure that I’m not the only one. Still, I think if you are intentionally hunting people down to out them for tax evasion, it’s going to reflect poorly on you. I’m not trying to talk legalities, just from my perspective it seems petty.

[Open Focus]

I would probably keep the black one handy, if it makes you uncomfortable. I doubt the patrons at the wedding will be focused on the photographer’s strap.

I use a bright multicolored strap when I do children portraits. I usually reference my straps when I need them to look at the lens. Keeps parents from jingling keys in my ear. I wouldn’t personally use my pink sequin hand strap at a wedding, but for other events, I don’t see the problem.

[Open Focus]

Then why not do what I did and create a Flickr account with a selection of your work?

 

If you don’t want to face the potential criticism, why are you posting on this site in the first place? Be brave, post a link.

[Open Focus]

Stef, Initially, I was supposed to take the job and shoot the wedding but it was taken to the shop for body repair and so I gave her a list of places she could call. She got in touch with a photographer who was booked and she would have had no problem paying the $800 to hire him on. This photographer was literally the last ditch effort aside from allowing friends and family to take pictures with their camera phones — Anyway I’m rambling.

Getting an IP Lawyer is a great idea, and that has been something I’ve been putting off for a while. I used to go through a friend of mine’s to get advice so hopefully they are still in the area.

So I finally heard from the fauxtog, and this was what she had to say:

I just wanted to start out by saying. Sorry for all the confusion etc. I am glad that you did give me credit for my Photos. ##### and I have been talking and I was upset about it and didn’t know how to take it. Your edits are amazing and as a “hobby photographer” I am not professional. Just like anyone, everyone has to start somewhere and as my sessions and clients grow I learn new things and still in the process of learning new things. I was upset over the fact you didn’t even ask and I saw no credit going towards me. I do have copyright on those images and they are mine. I know you would understand if this matter happened to you. ##### gave you permission I understand but I still have the Copyright and as you and I both are photographers. I hope you understand why and where I am coming from on this matter. I do have to say your edits are beautiful. Can you share any information with me on programs etc you use so I can better myself as right now I can’t afford to have you edit but how much would you charge etc. Can you please help me and share some information with me on programs etc. I am not nor will I ever try to steal business just trying to make mine better and improve my editings etc. Thank you so much and have a great day. I hope to hear from you soon. ########### ## ####
I love how she still continues to deny I give her any credit. *Cough* http://i.imgur.com/KJbDH.png *Cough* I’ll be calling that attorney tomorrow. As far as I know, Stef, the only thing that was really released was her verbal consent when she handed them the CD. I think the easiest thing is to just remove the photos entirely and just hand R and C the fixed images on disc. I have better images that I can use rather than deal with some fauxtog who wants to throw up legal ownership when she can’t shoot her way out of a paper bag.

This is probably going to be the first and last time I will ever offer retouching services again.

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I have to admit, I was hoping that was an option. R recieved another message from her as follows:

As I know the basics and learning more and no you never asked nor did you tell me you wanted or needed different edits cause I would have done my best to learn something new and correct them for you guys as I do my best in making all my clients one hundred percent satisfied and treat all my clients very special and each one mean a lot to me. I am so sorry you were so unhappy. You should have came to me and also asked. Yes I was speaking as get prints post on websites upload on websites to order from websites etc not have another photographer edit them post on her photography page etc. Those are still my images and I would have done my best to make you a satisfied client. You could have asked me I could have gave you a copyrighted release. She could have asked me and put my name on them so that way we both get credit. She does beautiful work and would love to learn more and we both could get each other business. I am still learning and would love to be taught more, just can’t afford classes. I do the best job I can. I am done talking about it. I will contact her tomorrow and talk to her as this is between us. You gave her the verbal agreement. I could give her a form to sign and it will all be okay but I am done talking about this for now. You should understand where I am coming from if you were me!

For the record, I did not want to be dragged into this. I just wanted to make a friend happy by fixing what should have been done by her or rather, a real professional. I spoke with R and she explained that she couldn’t get a photographer to shoot her wedding because anyone she contacted wouldn’t call her back. I’m not staking claim in the initial photo, and giving her credit where its due so I don’t see how or why I would have had to personally contact her about it when she gave verbal consent for the cd with the images.

Will post with what she says to me. Totally looking forward to that message. /sarcasm What cracks me up is that C had received a text message from her accusing me of being a petty photographer and a thief. Now she wants me to work with her. Really?

[Open Focus]

Hey, self taught here — going to school in the next few years once my boyfriend’s student loans are paid off —

 

I see a lot of very happy babies. You’ve got a lot of good shots (one of my favorites: https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/528520_299550406793241_2022330090_n.jpg) but from what I can see, you tend to go a little overboard with skin smoothing. I noticed it a bit on a blonde child and it had overflowed into the eyebrows, making it look obviously painted. The trick to skin smoothing is using it sparingly,or from what I’ve discovered on my own —  not do it at all. If you absolutely have to smooth out skin (ie. the client specifies) I would suggest being careful around items like jewelry or clothes, hair etc. In this photo here you can barely see the necklace chain because you had gone over it with the brush. (https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/298173_169569626457987_761052454_n.jpg)

I’ll leave the real critique to the real photographers on here, but these are just a few things that I’ve noticed. I think you’ve got a great eye for children, but probably need some work with older subjects. (I really like this photo in particular: https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/409474_235932046488411_1973192176_n.jpg) Good luck! 🙂

[Open Focus]

Wow. I am almost embarrassed. This entire time I thought my computer monitor had been calibrated. I went into the settings and the gamma was way off kilter. Fixed it and looking at my photos and I can see exactly what everyone means by the skin tones.

I don’t know why I didn’t mention it earlier, but quite a few of the photos I have posted on the flickr account are from between the years of 2010 – 2011, recent photographs, like the animals, the children — those were taken recently in 2012. I went back and did some re-editing to a lot of those photos because they were lacking in more than just, well — most things. I’m moreso using them to fill space on my “temporary portfolio” until the weather is decent enough so I may be able to do a shoot without hot and sweaty subjects.

I have a huge problem with contrast and saturation. I definitely do not deny that. I love adding color to my photos because I think it helps reflect my personal style and the personality of the subject.

Jetpix, when I calibrated my monitor I can now definitely see the green in the photo. Since then I have adjusted the image and I think there is a significant improvement (here: http://i.imgur.com/jBNzg.png)

IHF – the only photos I’ve had printed were the ones titled “Shy & Katie.” When I got them they seemed to be drowning in saturated colors. The one photo of Shy (Shy_01) that everyone has thrown up red flags about was too dark to really enjoy looking at it when I was holding it in my hand. Truth is, it wasn’t even a real shoot. I had shown up to the location only to tell me that we had 15 minutes to take photos. This isn’t an excuse on my part but I think I was just trying to stretch as many photos out of the small bundle of shots I took so the client would be satisfied.

stef, Another issue I know I have is forgetting steps I take to adjust a photo. I really admire the deep contrast (dare I say, vintage) style that Bruce Weber does in his photographs and I think I was trying to emulate this in post. The bad crop does make me cringe too now that it has been noted. I could see it being a much better shot if I had taken a few steps back or at least zoomed out my camera. As for the eyes — if you are meaning the alien look of Heather and her kids (http://i.imgur.com/NaffY.png) — her eyes are really BRIGHT blue. I did sharpen them with a low flow & opacity brush, but I get what you are saying with overdoing the eye enhance.

The maternity shots, I hate to admit because I know I will not hear the end of it– were taken with a point and shoot. She was scheduled to be due in a week and at that point my camera had been in the shop for body repair. I won’t even show you the photos we had done inside–Even with the ISO at it’s optimal setting the grain just awful and the photos aren’t even usable. These are not photos I plan to put inside a portfolio, and when I do launch a site specifically for my photography, I will be keeping them far from it. I did however, want to include them to get some form of critique. The vintage haze to it was per the client’s request–I had suggested something else but it’s what she asked.

Last thing I should mention (trying to address everyone who responded) I don’t often use Flickr. I did this time because I needed a place to present my photography in a short amount of time. I wouldn’t necessarily say my photography is “awful” but it’s certainly not my absolute best. I do need to back away from the sharpening and contrast–this has already been acknowledged.

For the record: It’s hard for me to take criticism, even when I ask for it. Like I had said, this was my first time ever getting feedback on my work from anyone who is a legit photographer and though it was hard, I am not sorry I asked. I am so very grateful for the criticism and I’m already looking at my photography with a different light (and calibrated monitor.) With the weather cooling down where I’m from, I already have people who want to hire me for their fall/winter photographs and I want to give it my best.

Grey Card has actually been purchased and I’m looking into making another purchase next week for light reflectors. This is a big hobby of mine but I take it very serious. Thank you all so much for the feedback. I have a LOT to learn and I’m glad to find a community who is honest enough to tell me something other than “Great job!”

[Open Focus]

Your exposure seems to be a little high, I would tone it just just a smidge next time you go out to shoot in sunlight. If not, you get faces with bridgeless noses. 🙂

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