Am I Ready to Start Selling?

[astroNikon]

Learn about Depth of Field ==> Understanding Depth of Field in Photography

And test using inanimate objects (stuffed animals, etc) . For instance someone standing up is going to have a different depth than then sitting down with their legs going 3-4 feet in front of them.
You can then use a ruler and calculate the Depth Of Field (DOF) which is sharp at the focus point, and goes OOF from a certain depth in front of and behind that point ==> A Flexible Depth of Field Calculator

I've learned that just because you have f/1.8 (or f/2.8, f/1.4) doesn't necessarily mean you should be using that aperture. Normal portraits are best at f/5.6 for one person, then vary from there depending upon distance to subject and what you are after.

Keep practicing it gets easier.

 

[Braineack]

its not even the DOF, they just lack any sharpness or detail whatsoever.

 

[sabbath999]

The some of the shots were at 1600 iso because I wasn't paying attention (my mistake) and then I switched to iso 400 for the rest.

I'll get the hang of it eventually lol

Take a tip from a guy who shot professionally for 15 years (I got tired of the hassle, now I just shoot for fun)...

LISTS are your friend.

There is a reason why airline pilots do a pre-flight checklist EVERY SINGLE TIME, and it's not because they are careless... rather, it's because it's so darned easy to miss one fiddly little setting.

I used to have a set of lists I would carry with me... I professionally shot in the days of film but photography is still the same basic stuff...

Make a "start up list", and put this on it.

Before I go:

Camera: ____
Card: ____
Flash/Flashes: _____
Off Camera Triggers: ____
Light Modifiers: ____
Lenses: _____
Spare Battery?: _____
Battery Charged?: ____
Model Release Signed?: ____ (yes, even for seniors, do this... )

When I get there:

Card in camera?: _____
FORMATE CARD: _____
SET ISO: _____
SET APERTURE: ____
SET WHITE BALANCE: ____
CHECK QUALITY SETTING SET TO RAW & JPEG: ___ (one of these days that may save your ass, by the way... I know a lot of guys just shoot RAW but this can be HANDY)

Add in your own, this is just a sample.

When shooting, I would always do a "shot list" that I would go over with the client before-hand to make sure we had all the shots they wanted to do.

This shots list is CRITICAL when doing events like weddings, because of the liability aspect. This list will be extensive, but make sure you shoot EVERY one that is on it.

Next, if you want to be a professional, go about it the right way. Start a business (even if it's just a PO Box business), and get insurance. If somebody gets hurt on your shoot, it is YOUR ass hanging out in the breeze. NEVER do a shoot for money without insurance. You can join the PPA and get their insurance for not much money, so do that at least.

Taking money for pictures means you are a professional. Whether you are a good professional or a crappy one is up to you.

 

[TheBromad]

its not even the DOF, they just lack any sharpness or detail whatsoever.

So how do I fix that?

 

[TheBromad]

The some of the shots were at 1600 iso because I wasn't paying attention (my mistake) and then I switched to iso 400 for the rest.

I'll get the hang of it eventually lol

Take a tip from a guy who shot professionally for 15 years (I got tired of the hassle, now I just shoot for fun)...

LISTS are your friend.

There is a reason why airline pilots do a pre-flight checklist EVERY SINGLE TIME, and it's not because they are careless... rather, it's because it's so darned easy to miss one fiddly little setting.

I used to have a set of lists I would carry with me... I professionally shot in the days of film but photography is still the same basic stuff...

Make a "start up list", and put this on it.

Before I go:

Camera: ____
Card: ____
Flash/Flashes: _____
Off Camera Triggers: ____
Light Modifiers: ____
Lenses: _____
Spare Battery?: _____
Battery Charged?: ____
Model Release Signed?: ____ (yes, even for seniors, do this... )

When I get there:

Card in camera?: _____
FORMATE CARD: _____
SET ISO: _____
SET APERTURE: ____
SET WHITE BALANCE: ____
CHECK QUALITY SETTING SET TO RAW & JPEG: ___ (one of these days that may save your ass, by the way... I know a lot of guys just shoot RAW but this can be HANDY)

Add in your own, this is just a sample.

When shooting, I would always do a "shot list" that I would go over with the client before-hand to make sure we had all the shots they wanted to do.

This shots list is CRITICAL when doing events like weddings, because of the liability aspect. This list will be extensive, but make sure you shoot EVERY one that is on it.

Next, if you want to be a professional, go about it the right way. Start a business (even if it's just a PO Box business), and get insurance. If somebody gets hurt on your shoot, it is YOUR ass hanging out in the breeze. NEVER do a shoot for money without insurance. You can join the PPA and get their insurance for not much money, so do that at least.

Taking money for pictures means you are a professional. Whether you are a good professional or a crappy one is up to you.

Thanks for the tips man, I really appreciate it!

 

[Designer]

And practice on my focusing also. It was just hard to tell shooting at such a shallow DoF.l

Your camera is capable of doing the focusing, so you shouldn't have to do it yourself.

 

[Designer]

its not even the DOF, they just lack any sharpness or detail whatsoever.

So how do I fix that?

Is there anything on the front of your lens? Such as a filter, perhaps?

 

[Undercover.Nerd]

First off, great photos! The colors are pretty darn awesome if I do say so myself!

One thing I notice, and I see others chatting about it, is how soft your subject is. Although he's a good looking dude, it's not the only thing that will give you business! I can tell your aperture is very wide because, as you can see in the photo where he's sitting and has a dark shirt on, his shoes are more in focus than his face. This is because the depth of field is very narrow and his feet are closer to you.

You have an awesome background so step up the aperture closer to the lens's sweet spot and let the background pop as well! Be sure you focus on his eyes so you can get max clarity of the face.

Keep up the good work! One small adjustment and I'm certain others will buy!

 

[TheBromad]

its not even the DOF, they just lack any sharpness or detail whatsoever.

So how do I fix that?

Is there anything on the front of your lens? Such as a filter, perhaps?

Nope nothing lol

 

[TheBromad]

First off, great photos! The colors are pretty darn awesome if I do say so myself!

One thing I notice, and I see others chatting about it, is how soft your subject is. Although he's a good looking dude, it's not the only thing that will give you business! I can tell your aperture is very wide because, as you can see in the photo where he's sitting and has a dark shirt on, his shoes are more in focus than his face. This is because the depth of field is very narrow and his feet are closer to you.

You have an awesome background so step up the aperture closer to the lens's sweet spot and let the background pop as well! Be sure you focus on his eyes so you can get max clarity of the face.

Keep up the good work! One small adjustment and I'm certain others will buy!

Thanks for the super positive criticism, it means a lot! And thanks for the compliments as well!

 

[Designer]

Nope nothing lol

Then it could be your camera or lens or the combination of them not working properly. Do you have a camera repair shop nearby?

 

[TheBromad]

Nope nothing lol

Then it could be your camera or lens or the combination of them not working properly. Do you have a camera repair shop nearby?

Within 50 miles yeah

 

[vintagesnaps]

In at least one of the photos to me the shoes looked more sharply in focus than the face. I don't know how you focused but wonder if that had anything to do with it.

 

[Derrel]

I did not see the photos not okay to edit status on these. But trust me, these can be improved quite a bit through some judicious editing, involving burning down some of the bright areas (hands,facial planes,ears), as well as darkening some of the background areas, and by selectively sharpening some areas of the images.

 

[astroNikon]

In at least one of the photos to me the shoes looked more sharply in focus than the face. I don't know how you focused but wonder if that had anything to do with it.

Yes I noticed that too in the one when the subject is sitting on the rocks with his legs/feet forward. His shoes were in focus.

I think his AF Point Selection mode is in Automatic. He needs to learn how to set it to Manual then use the AF Point on the eyes with a proper DOF and fast enough shutter say above 1/125 to prevent movement blur ==> Set an Autofocus Point on a Canon Rebel T3 Series Camera - For Dummies