benpsut
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 90
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Southwest PA
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos OK to edit
Hello all! I am primarily a railroad photographer. Yes, I take pictures of trains ;-) . So I guess you could say I am a landscape photographer. Before trains when I picked up the viewfinder for the first time, I was into abstract a lot. I have come a long way from a Kodak point and shoot years ago to where I am now. I'm a firm believer of it's not the equipment that counts, it's how the artist (the photographer) uses the equipment. Although I will say, going from that little pocket point and shoot almost 10 years ago, to a XTi to a 50D to now a 5D mkII, the equipment makes it much easier. I've fine tuned my skills with the landscape photography, my processing has improved vastly over the years, and in the past couple years a buddy of mine and I have dabbled into flash photography.
Evening out | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Push Away | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Foreigner on the street | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Just some examples
The whole point in this thread is, I would like to move on. The transportation photography is more like a hobby, it doesn't bring in any cash. In fact, you lose money haha. The price of fun I suppose! Yea, there's always a few that just LOVE that photo you took and would like a copy, and you make a few pennies. But that's rare, because anyone can replicate a train photo. So, I've been knocking around the idea of.....portraiture. Now, before I move on, I have a full time job during the week. So I don't expect to raking in hundreds by the fistful if I continue on with this quest. I am planning CODB and such as if I were to do this to bring home dinner for the family, but it's nothing MAJOR. But, a few extra bucks for some weekend work would be nice. For the past few weeks, I've been practicing on my family members. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters who are willing to be photographed, so they're easy practice. I'm very well self trained into light, sun angles, how to operate my camera (no, not just figuring out how to turn it on either ), shooting into the sun, high sun, pretty much all the technical aspects of photography. Like I said, I've been doing flash stuff for a year or two, but learning a whole new experience with portraiture. With trains, you set up at least 8-10 lights, set them along the tracks, a few for back fill, fire. Soft vs hard light, TTL metering, 1/32 power to 1/1 power, diffusers, all that really doesn't apply. Just 1/1 power, point, wait for train, shoot.
Sorry for this long versed thread, I just want everyone to know, I am very well aware of how to take a decent photo. But as said, people are different, and it's a whole new learning experience. I need some opinions though. Am I heading in the right direction? Am I doing it right for a very green portrait amateur? I had a buddy come over today to help me do my sister and her son's quick little session and he told me from what he sees, I'm very well off. Here's some flickr sets, you tell me. Thanks for looking, and hoping to get some good, honest feedback.
Portrait of Scott - a set on Flickr
Abby and Sean - a set on Flickr
Nick Seniors - a set on Flickr (haven't quite finished this session yet of my brother's senior photos, schedules don't line up)
Sara and Trevor - a set on Flickr
And here's my flickr link if anyone is interested to see my work
Flickr: benpsut's Photostream
Ben Sutton
Evening out | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Push Away | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Foreigner on the street | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Just some examples
The whole point in this thread is, I would like to move on. The transportation photography is more like a hobby, it doesn't bring in any cash. In fact, you lose money haha. The price of fun I suppose! Yea, there's always a few that just LOVE that photo you took and would like a copy, and you make a few pennies. But that's rare, because anyone can replicate a train photo. So, I've been knocking around the idea of.....portraiture. Now, before I move on, I have a full time job during the week. So I don't expect to raking in hundreds by the fistful if I continue on with this quest. I am planning CODB and such as if I were to do this to bring home dinner for the family, but it's nothing MAJOR. But, a few extra bucks for some weekend work would be nice. For the past few weeks, I've been practicing on my family members. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters who are willing to be photographed, so they're easy practice. I'm very well self trained into light, sun angles, how to operate my camera (no, not just figuring out how to turn it on either ), shooting into the sun, high sun, pretty much all the technical aspects of photography. Like I said, I've been doing flash stuff for a year or two, but learning a whole new experience with portraiture. With trains, you set up at least 8-10 lights, set them along the tracks, a few for back fill, fire. Soft vs hard light, TTL metering, 1/32 power to 1/1 power, diffusers, all that really doesn't apply. Just 1/1 power, point, wait for train, shoot.
Sorry for this long versed thread, I just want everyone to know, I am very well aware of how to take a decent photo. But as said, people are different, and it's a whole new learning experience. I need some opinions though. Am I heading in the right direction? Am I doing it right for a very green portrait amateur? I had a buddy come over today to help me do my sister and her son's quick little session and he told me from what he sees, I'm very well off. Here's some flickr sets, you tell me. Thanks for looking, and hoping to get some good, honest feedback.
Portrait of Scott - a set on Flickr
Abby and Sean - a set on Flickr
Nick Seniors - a set on Flickr (haven't quite finished this session yet of my brother's senior photos, schedules don't line up)
Sara and Trevor - a set on Flickr
And here's my flickr link if anyone is interested to see my work
Flickr: benpsut's Photostream
Ben Sutton