C & C please I haven't asked for any in a while, 10 month old photo shoot

[Bitter Jeweler]

Your expressions and moments can still be well composed. As you get better at it, it will become instinctive.

That babies won't sit still for poses is meaningless. YOU are in control of the camera, you have to think fast and react.
Like in number two. You should have seen that her legs were chopped, and you should have zoomed out or moved back.
If your goal is nice portraits, even candid, you need to study and practice composition, until it is second nature.

To me, and I am sure many others, an image like number two, regardless of what wonderful expression she has, is good for the bin, or your scrapbook.
If you can crop in severely to "save" it, you may sacrifice large print quality, but wind up with a nicer image in the end.

"I am more into capturing expressions and moments" reads as an excuse to make what you have acceptable, if only to yourself.
Learn. Grow. No excuses.

Theories of composition and understanding the elements of visual communication and design are much more complex than many here are willing to admit.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Hogwash. There's no reason you can't be thinking and learning about composition, especially if you are doing it while editing your images after the shoot.
In the beginning that's he ideal time to do it anyway.

 

[luvmyfamily]

Your work is improving, but it seems sporadic, and my feeling is that you are trying (whether intentionally or sub-conciously) to do everything at once. Work on one facet, either the technical or the artistic, and learn that, and then move on. My suggestion would be to start with the technical. Learn the basics of lighting and exposure and how to control them, learn what lights work with what lights and how to mix ambient, flash, continuous (it can be done), etc... then, once you can regularily turn out well exposed images under most conditions, THEN work on poses, composition, etc.

You hit the nail right on the head...true, but I mostly photograph people because that is what I enjoy most. The parents always tell me they want to come back because they love me and i am great with kids. If you are referring to my water splash thread (artistic) I posted a little while ago, I did that for pure fun, and one of them I did with the kids, they got a kick out of it. But means a lot (coming from you) that my work is starting to improve. I agree, one thing at a time! I spent 3 hours outside 2 days ago in pure sunlight trying to get the right exposure of different objects. I'm getting there...slowly but surely and I am giving it ALL I GOT. I spend about 10 hours a day on photography, either practicing, reading, or borrowing friends like I have been for practice sessions, learning new editing tricks in PS...etc. No one is trying harder than me....I also most proud of the things I have taught myself.

 

[luvmyfamily]

Your expressions and moments can still be well composed. As you get better at it, it will become instinctive.

That babies won't sit still for poses is meaningless. YOU are in control of the camera, you have to think fast and react.
Like in number two. You should have seen that her legs were chopped, and you should have zoomed out or moved back.
If your goal is nice portraits, even candid, you need to study and practice composition, until it is second nature.

To me, and I am sure many others, an image like number two, regardless of what wonderful expression she has, is good for the bin, or your scrapbook.
If you can crop in severely to "save" it, you may sacrifice large print quality, but wind up with a nicer image in the end.

"I am more into capturing expressions and moments" reads as an excuse to make what you have acceptable, if only to yourself.
Learn. Grow. No excuses.

Theories of composition and understanding the elements of visual communication and design are much more complex than many here are willing to admit.

Yeah, when you cropped it, it did lose image quality. It doesn't look as sharp as my original photo, however, I see that the expression is still captured. Capturing expressions is not an excuse, it is what I like. Not that I am disagreeing with you at all about theories of composition, I am not, but I do like capturing expressions, catching them when they are off-guard, because those are priceless moments you may never see again than a boring pose. Once again, I do agree with you that I need to work on comp, but I have to disagree about the expressions. The photo taken on the train tracks were my son. Noone liked #2 because they said it was the posing.....that wasn't posed, I captured him being HIM. I know him better than anyone on here obviously, so I love #2 better than if I would have posed him. I may never see that look or expression again. As far as the baby, I did think quick...we went from indoors, to outdoors, bright sunlight, shade.....the dial on my camera almost broke off. So easy there on the "excuse." Already said I need to learn more on comp. Thank you.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I was careful not to say it WAS an excuse, just that it reads like one.

 

[tirediron]

Hogwash. There's no reason you can't be thinking and learning about composition...

I don't disagree, but having viewed a fair number of the OPs images over the last little while, my belief is that she's not progressing at the rate she would like because she's trying to focus (Pun fully intended) on too many different aspects of basic photography. Having taught basic photography professionally, I've seen this same situation many times, and most often, concentrating and learning one aspect at a time produced much better results.

...especially if you are doing it while editing your images after the shoot. In the beginning that's he ideal time to do it anyway.

I'm going to turn your own phrase right back at you. Hogwash! Editing should always be about enhancing your images, and NOT a way to fix errors.

 

[luvmyfamily]

I was careful not to say it WAS an excuse, just that it reads like one.

Well hoping I clarified that with my above post.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Cropping while editing is a great way to scrutinize and learn how to compose. It affords the student time. Time they don't have to learn behind the camera, on the fly, with moving subjects.


The better they get at it, in time, the less they do in post. Just like learning exposure. In the beginning we fix everything to how it should look, after the fact. In time, we learn how to get it right in camera.

 

[luvmyfamily]

Hogwash. There's no reason you can't be thinking and learning about composition...

I don't disagree, but having viewed a fair number of the OPs images over the last little while, my belief is that she's not progressing at the rate she would like because she's trying to focus (Pun fully intended) on too many different aspects of basic photography. Having taught basic photography professionally, I've seen this same situation many times, and most often, concentrating and learning one aspect at a time produced much better results.

...especially if you are doing it while editing your images after the shoot. In the beginning that's he ideal time to do it anyway.

I'm going to turn your own phrase right back at you. Hogwash! Editing should always be about enhancing your images, and NOT a way to fix errors.

Is this a glorified way of saying I am trying too hard? I live and breathe photography lately, said earlier I am spending about 10 hours a day doing something with photography, whether it be reading, looking online, making phone calls to other photo friends, practice photo sessions (I do about 3 a week here lately), more reading, more reading, more reading, processing, practicing, practicing.....no one is trying harder than me. I have been encouraged, discouraged, happy with some photos, others, felt like throwing all my camera equipment in the street and say screw it....but I am determined, very determined. So to say my work hasn't improved at the rate I would like....I look back at when I first started and I see lots of improvements. I have spent less time on here (no offense) and more time with the camera and I personally think my C&C's sure look better than the ones I posted a few months ago. I understand the concept of "one thing at a time"....but I am getting really sick of photographing people for free and they do not have an eye for lighting or composition or any photography knowledge and they like the photos I have taken, have ordered prints (the only thing I make them pay me back for and i only charge them what the lab charges me). I have a goal.....to start charging. Word is getting out, friends of friends are seeing my photos, they want me to do them, I am stuck in a vicious circle here.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

...they do not have an eye for lighting or composition or any photography knowledge and they like the photos I have taken...

Read that aloud 5 times.

 

[luvmyfamily]

...they do not have an eye for lighting or composition or any photography knowledge and they like the photos I have taken...

Read that aloud 5 times.

I'm starting to wonder if you are secretly a Psychologist. I know you were going for "I don't have an eye for it either possibly." You can't take that one phrase out of the entire message and make more of it than what it actually is. Also, if you have something to say, by george say it. That sounds like something I would say to my 10 year old. i am a grown woman, really...just say it...but you may want to re-read my ENTIRE message aloud 5 times as well.

 

[danwardphotography]

I think there very good shots personally, any parent would be extremely happy with them, and thats obviously what counts!

 

[mommy-medic]

I think you're taking it personally and getting defensive. Stop explaining yourself and just take the feedback for what it is.

I found myself in a rut and joined a local photography club (after 2 years of "I should check it out"). It's gotten me out of my comfort zone and had me shooting stuff I normally wouldn't think of shooting. I did my first night shots, long exposure, panoramic, using a tripod city skyline. I shot incense smoke and edited it all sorts of ways. My point is that it's challenged me, and even though it's not what would be *my* favorite types of shots, it HAS made my shooting better, and that carries over to my preferred shots. Plus it's given me a ton of new friends and resources to learn from. Can you find something like that?

 

[luvmyfamily]

I think there very good shots personally, any parent would be extremely happy with them, and thats obviously what counts!

The parents, grandparents, friends, friends of friends.....were all happy with them, but CGipson says they are crap and would never present them to a client. I have seen so many "charging photographers" with worse work than I.....and I don't charge a cent.....my payment lately is them simply volunteering and giving me their time.

 

[luvmyfamily]

I think you're taking it personally and getting defensive. Stop explaining yourself and just take the feedback for what it is.

I found myself in a rut and joined a local photography club (after 2 years of "I should check it out"). It's gotten me out of my comfort zone and had me shooting stuff I normally wouldn't think of shooting. I did my first night shots, long exposure, panoramic, using a tripod city skyline. I shot incense smoke and edited it all sorts of ways. My point is that it's challenged me, and even though it's not what would be *my* favorite types of shots, it HAS made my shooting better, and that carries over to my preferred shots. Plus it's given me a ton of new friends and resources to learn from. Can you find something like that?

Where did I get defensive? This has been a good discussion. I am in a "rut," or what I called a "vicious circle." I would love to join a local photo club. We have a forum, Louisville Photo forum, will have to check on a club. I find it more informative here and haven't logged in since last year.