Hello Everyone!

[itsjustbreality]

Hello!

I'm Brea, and I'm excited to officially join this forum! I say 'officially' because I've actually perused it for a while, but I like to observe before I interact (stalker status).

I'm an aspiring professional photographer (not like you haven't heard that for the millionth time!), and am really looking forward to gaining knowledge, imparting my limited knowledge to others, and also gaining some much needed feedback.

Here's a little bit about me: I have always loved photography. I remember being 12 years old with an old point-and-shoot, and forcing my friends to be my models...seeing the pictures I took then are quite embarrassing...but I digress. When I was 15/16 I started my first job at a retail portrait studio. I was initially so excited to learn DSLR, and take great pictures! Unfortunately, the training and management was terrible and so my initial excitement quickly turned into disappointment...kind of like when you see a yummy chocolate chip cookie, and right when you bite into that chocolaty goodness...you realized all you got was a mouthful of raisins....

Moving on!

So... I quit that job... and stopped doing photography for a while. Then, it kind of entered my life again about 5 years later. Quite unexpectedly too. Ended up doing a photo shoot for a family...using THEIR camera... the first time I'd laid hands on a DSLR since working at the studio. They LOVED the pictures. I was quite shocked.I still am actually.

So another few years go by. Life goes on. I loved looking at photography, and feeling the need to create, but not doing anything about it. I get married... and of course... he loves photography too! So through marriage I inherited my first official dslr that he ended up giving me. (haha).

This sparked something in me, and for the last 8 months, I've been really getting back into it! I have not been able to put the camera down!

There is so much more I want to share with you all, but I think this is where I will end this post. Like I said, I'm really looking forward to sharing my work so far, getting some feedback, and meeting you all!

Here is a photo I took while at Old Sturbridge Village in MA a few months ago

 

[otherprof]

Hello!

I'm Brea, and I'm excited to officially join this forum! I say 'officially' because I've actually perused it for a while, but I like to observe before I interact (stalker status).

I'm an aspiring professional photographer (not like you haven't heard that for the millionth time!), and am really looking forward to gaining knowledge, imparting my limited knowledge to others, and also gaining some much needed feedback.

Here's a little bit about me: I have always loved photography. I remember being 12 years old with an old point-and-shoot, and forcing my friends to be my models...seeing the pictures I took then are quite embarrassing...but I digress. When I was 15/16 I started my first job at a retail portrait studio. I was initially so excited to learn DSLR, and take great pictures! Unfortunately, the training and management was terrible and so my initial excitement quickly turned into disappointment...kind of like when you see a yummy chocolate chip cookie, and right when you bite into that chocolaty goodness...you realized all you got was a mouthful of raisins....

Moving on!

So... I quit that job... and stopped doing photography for a while. Then, it kind of entered my life again about 5 years later. Quite unexpectedly too. Ended up doing a photo shoot for a family...using THEIR camera... the first time I'd laid hands on a DSLR since working at the studio. They LOVED the pictures. I was quite shocked.I still am actually.

So another few years go by. Life goes on. I loved looking at photography, and feeling the need to create, but not doing anything about it. I get married... and of course... he loves photography too! So through marriage I inherited my first official dslr that he ended up giving me. (haha).

This sparked something in me, and for the last 8 months, I've been really getting back into it! I have not been able to put the camera down!

There is so much more I want to share with you all, but I think this is where I will end this post. Like I said, I'm really looking forward to sharing my work so far, getting some feedback, and meeting you all!

Here is a photo I took while at Old Sturbridge Village in MA a few months ago View attachment 133232

Welcome to the Forum! As you've been observing for a while, you can see there are some great photographers here who are willing to take the time to provide criticism to make you stronger. I learn something every time I check in. Keep posting!

 

[zombiesniper]

Welcome to TPF.

 

[Designer]

Welcome!

The shot you posted is very good! The only criticism I have is there is too much dark background above your model. You can crop the top to make this photo even better. If you allow editing, someone can show you where to crop for full effect.

 

[Gary A.]

Welcome to the forum. I live just west of Brea.

 

[itsjustbreality]

Hello!

I'm Brea, and I'm excited to officially join this forum! I say 'officially' because I've actually perused it for a while, but I like to observe before I interact (stalker status).

I'm an aspiring professional photographer (not like you haven't heard that for the millionth time!), and am really looking forward to gaining knowledge, imparting my limited knowledge to others, and also gaining some much needed feedback.

Here's a little bit about me: I have always loved photography. I remember being 12 years old with an old point-and-shoot, and forcing my friends to be my models...seeing the pictures I took then are quite embarrassing...but I digress. When I was 15/16 I started my first job at a retail portrait studio. I was initially so excited to learn DSLR, and take great pictures! Unfortunately, the training and management was terrible and so my initial excitement quickly turned into disappointment...kind of like when you see a yummy chocolate chip cookie, and right when you bite into that chocolaty goodness...you realized all you got was a mouthful of raisins....

Moving on!

So... I quit that job... and stopped doing photography for a while. Then, it kind of entered my life again about 5 years later. Quite unexpectedly too. Ended up doing a photo shoot for a family...using THEIR camera... the first time I'd laid hands on a DSLR since working at the studio. They LOVED the pictures. I was quite shocked.I still am actually.

So another few years go by. Life goes on. I loved looking at photography, and feeling the need to create, but not doing anything about it. I get married... and of course... he loves photography too! So through marriage I inherited my first official dslr that he ended up giving me. (haha).

This sparked something in me, and for the last 8 months, I've been really getting back into it! I have not been able to put the camera down!

There is so much more I want to share with you all, but I think this is where I will end this post. Like I said, I'm really looking forward to sharing my work so far, getting some feedback, and meeting you all!

Here is a photo I took while at Old Sturbridge Village in MA a few months ago View attachment 133232

Welcome to the Forum! As you've been observing for a while, you can see there are some great photographers here who are willing to take the time to provide criticism to make you stronger. I learn something every time I check in. Keep posting!

Thank you! I'm excited to learn from some truly talented people!

 

[itsjustbreality]

Welcome!

The shot you posted is very good! The only criticism I have is there is too much dark background above your model. You can crop the top to make this photo even better. If you allow editing, someone can show you where to crop for full effect.

Thank you! I've cropped it here. What do you think?

 

[photo1x1.com]

Hi Brea, welcome to the forum. I love your story. You never know what it was good for that you had bad training in your first job. I too started my photography career after I've done many other things. And looking back I don't regret it. I've chosen photography as my job when I really knew what I was doing, and that's why it is still a passion rather than a job.
Confuzius was soooo right when he said: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
Still you have to be aware that in digital age more and more people want to become photographers while more and more clients use their own cameras for their pictures. We photographers probably need to adapt more than once if we want to make a living until we are old enough to retire.

 

[Designer]

Welcome!

The shot you posted is very good! The only criticism I have is there is too much dark background above your model. You can crop the top to make this photo even better. If you allow editing, someone can show you where to crop for full effect.

Thank you! I've cropped it here. What do you think?

That's perfect! What I think is; you already know what to do.

 

[itsjustbreality]

Welcome!

The shot you posted is very good! The only criticism I have is there is too much dark background above your model. You can crop the top to make this photo even better. If you allow editing, someone can show you where to crop for full effect.

Thank you! I've cropped it here. What do you think?

That's perfect! What I think is; you already know what to do.

Thanks!

I'm really trying to be a stronger photographer. Your comments relate to what Darrel commented on my other thread looking for feedback, so I definitely know what I need to work on! If you can, I would love to get your feedback as well as this was an engagement session as opposed to a more editorial look.

Newbie Looking for Some CC!

Thank you!

 

[itsjustbreality]

Hi Brea, welcome to the forum. I love your story. You never know what it was good for that you had bad training in your first job. I too started my photography career after I've done many other things. And looking back I don't regret it. I've chosen photography as my job when I really knew what I was doing, and that's why it is still a passion rather than a job.
Confuzius was soooo right when he said: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
Still you have to be aware that in digital age more and more people want to become photographers while more and more clients use their own cameras for their pictures. We photographers probably need to adapt more than once if we want to make a living until we are old enough to retire.

Definitely! That's why it took me so long to join the forum. There are so many AMAZING photogs out there, and some...not so much. I've found that just because you love photography, it doesn't change the fact that it might not be in your skill set, or you may have to work that much harder to master your art. So I wanted to make sure my love for photography was only half of the equation...not the whole thing, and the other half, knowing the importance on building the skills needed.. At the end of the day, I just want to be able to deliver great images to clients- to feel like I've truly created something meaningful, for others, and myself.