Help and advice

Teresa · Dec 15, 2007

I will start by stating that I am in no means a professional. I am an ameture looking for advice on how to make better photos so one day I could become a so-called professional. (if that is what you want to call it)
I posted my photos in this forum because I knew you could give me advice on how to make photos better.
I posted UNedited photos in hopes that you could all see the original and point out what is wrong and let me know how to fix them. I do not like to post already edited photos because to me they seem "Stepford". They seem so perfect and flawless when there is NO SUCH thing as a flawless and perfect photograph of any sort.
Yes, I did ask for CC but I did not ask to be told that my work is CRAP and that I am not good at what I do. Basically when you tell me that, you shoot away my hopes and dreams of ever becoming a better photographer and it makes me want to dig a hole and bury myself in it.
I am not trying to play the "poor pitiful me" charade but I would rather get help and advice than told that I am a no good crappy photographer who will not amount to anything.

jols · Dec 15, 2007

i so know what you mean.

this forum can be very mean and some people think they are better than they actually are.

DO NOT be put off.

it does not matter really what people think on this forum and believe me you have not met the worst yet.

i shall tell you what i did i found another forum that was far more supportive and then i just dip in to this one for a read.

please keep taking pics and if the people you take them for like them you are well on your way.

Teresa · Dec 15, 2007

what forum was it that you found? can you PM me that site?
also, i have looked at the "pros" pictures and I think some of there photos are not all that perfect but yet they come off all like "i am better than you" and it pisses me off
my parents tell me people do that because they are jealous!

Alex_B · Dec 15, 2007

my comment was not because I was jealous, but because the flash problem was what I thought I saw in your images.

I did not mention other problems I thought I saw in your images, since I thought one should not critizise all at once, which might be very discouraging.

But now I prefer to leave any critizism to others who are better at this.

I never claimed to be a flash expert, and I even said so in my post.

SpeedTrap · Dec 15, 2007

Teresa said:
my parents tell me people do that because they are jealous!

Teresa, No one in here is trying to put you down!

I did read the threads and offered some advice, and you answered the same way in both threads.

Some of the problem might be a communication issue, the people in this area of the forum are serious armatures and Professional photographers. when someone asks for a C&C on a photo they give thier opinion and technical advice. When Someone does not know if there camera has shutter speed controls and does not know what DOF is, then they question if this is the correct area for them to be posting in.

If you want to charge for your work you will need to earn it, and that means learning this craft. I did not just pick up a camera one day and start charging people for pictures. You need to go to the library and start reading, enrol in some classes and learn, learn, learn!

Keep shooting and learning, and your technique and style will develop in time. Please don't get upset when we tell you to move your subjects or change your flash, we do so for you benefit. If you do not have the room to move you may need to move to another location, and create the right space for you to work.

Again we are not trying to discourage you, we will help as much as we can.

Teresa · Dec 15, 2007

i know what depth of field is but i didnt know that was what DOF stood for.
i say letters like AF (aunt flo...your period), SAHM (stay at home mom), DH (dear husband), etc and some people dont know what they stand for. i didnt know what DOF stood for, it could've been something else.

i too did not just pick up a camera and start charging people. i had a really old bulky hand held olympus and i gave that to my older sister, i have a samsung pocket sized camea but that is my hubby's now and now i have this one. i had it for at least a year before i decided i wanted to go into this business. this is something i have always wanted to do rather than counting money in retail or sitting at a desk typing away at someone's daily report.

SpeedTrap · Dec 15, 2007

I had another look at your pictures, one thing I noticed and I have seen this happen before, make sure your camera is not sending out pre-flashes for the flash to meter, a good test to see if this is happening, plug in one of your slaves and take a flash picture of it. If it is not lit up, then they are picking up on the pre-flash and not going off on tha main exposure, this is a common problem with some single slaves and can make them next to impossible to work with. Give it a try and let me know what happens.

Teresa · Dec 15, 2007

i have an option on my camera to turn off the "pre-flash" so i dont have that but that is the "red eye reduction". i can't use the red eye reduction with my slaves or else they will send off the pre-flash and wont flash at all...if that makes any sense

Teresa · Dec 15, 2007

i am doing my "research" now since i have a portfolio shoot tomorrow with a girl i grew up with basically. i am just using her as portfolio purposes and it is "in studio". i asked if she wanted on location or studio and she doesn't want to do location becuase it is 40* outside and she is a tiny girl!

SpeedTrap · Dec 16, 2007

I would still test the slaves, some digital cameras still give a pre-flash even if red eye is off, it is for mertering.

The_Traveler · Dec 16, 2007

Theresa,

It seems when there is any criticism, you have an excuse for it. The attitude that you've encountered is partly yours.

MACollum · Dec 16, 2007

I know I'm going OT here (and I don't want to hijack), but I gotta say...

It's good to have you back Traveler! It's also good to see that we didn't run you off for good :mrgreen:

It seems some of our best members are going away...

The_Traveler · Dec 16, 2007

MACollum said:
I know I'm going OT here (and I don't want to hijack), but I gotta say...

It's good to have you back Traveler! It's also good to see that we didn't run you off for good :mrgreen:

It seems some of our best members are going away...

There's always a tremendous urge to stop and look at a train wreck.
I respond to postings where I think that I can say something useful.
I post my pictures elsewhere.