Photo of the day

[Elizabeth30]

WHAT?? Not true!
Cheeky Smile | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Grace | Flickr - Photo Sharing!http://www.julia-franzosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/chicago-northshore-childrens-photographer.jpg
http://www.londonnewbornphotographe.../best_newborn_photographer_sevenoaks_kent.jpg

I only looked at the first 2 links but - even those aren't comparable to what you posted.

You cut off a girl at the knees. You can chop body parts but you shouldn't do it at limbs. Also, the backgrounds aren't competing with the subject like yours are. You have bright white snow and some ugly Building/houses. You also have a fence cutting through the girls waist.

Landscape can be fine but it has to add something or be part of the story. Shooting portrait would've gotten rid of all the ugly distractions like the buildings and telephone poles. You can't really point at someone else's work and say it worked for them. It didn't work for you this time and it didn't work in the other post when you were trying to get the crazy Lensbaby shots my4hens has taken.

Ok.......... is there a book, article or anything about "cutting off body parts" in composition...... becuase it's really confusing to hear someone say "NEVER cut off body parts in landscape" and then you say it's ok to cut off body parts just not limbs?? and I wasn't comparing my work to theirs in terms of anything other than the cut off bodies.

 

[cgipson1]

Freaking snobbery. And wrong. Just plain wrong. Landscape mode is very useful in portraiture, it just takes a bit more attention to things to make sure it works well.

In the examples you provided.. the backgrounds in the landscape style portraits were meaningful to the shot, and shows some thought given to it.. especially on Connelly's work (the Etsy stuff is debatable). Our point here is that vast majority of newbs who shoot that way... do it because they don't know any better, and definitely don't put any thought into the background, what it conveys, or how to modify it in a pleasing manner.

Encouraging them (those who don't know even the basics) to run before they can walk.. is extremely detrimental IMO! You aren't helping them!

 

[cgipson1]

I really think there are some GREAT photogos here who have given great advice but I really really am serious about learning and it's so hard when I post one photo and have everyone argue about what the "rules" are and why or why not the photo works..... how do I know how is right?

Well, you seem to keep "liking" the amatuer's who can't even produce consistently in focus shots, or consistent decent exposures.... hmm.... and you are going to listen to THEM? Or is that just because it justifies the style of shooting you seem to prefer?

 

[MTVision]

My apologies! I didn't mean any offence. I am very unskilled in the sense of taking the photos but I have looked at thousands, maybe millions and some of the best photographers have landscape shots without the whole body and I have never thought, "gee if only more of her head where there, or maybe her hand shouldn't be cut off" So I'm not skilled enough to critique anyone but BEFORE I started learning about photography I loved these types of photos and still do. Who are we trying to impress? Other photogs? OR isn't it more important to impress clients?

You talk about rules.... well who made these "rules"? I have had so much conflicting advice in past few days I have no clue which way to go. The only certain advice that everyone has agreed on is learn the basics but after that? Isn't creativity a persons OWN UNIQUE style and tastes? I may like the way one film maker makes his movies and hate the other?
If I take a great shot of my child and the focus is there, exposure is there, atmosphere, then the composition is the enhancer, it's art through the artists eyes.
I really think there are some GREAT photogos here who have given great advice but I really really am serious about learning and it's so hard when I post one photo and have everyone argue about what the "rules" are and why or why not the photo works..... how do I know how is right?

Learn about photography in other places then a forum. You've been given links to tons of compositional guidelines. Guidelines not rules BTW. Buy a couple books....

I guarantee most people who look at photos don't notice or care that the hand is chopped in half or missing but the photographer would see that.

Look up some good decent child photographers like
Meg Bitton
Andrea Joki
Lisa Lucky
Lisa Harrison is an amazing newborn photographer from Vermont who is one of the admins at Clickinmoms
PastelPhotography
Erin Cobb

I guarantee if you went to another forum you would hear all the same things about chopping limbs, composition, etc. (some might be nicer about it).

 

[cgipson1]

don't listen to the too much white idea people have... Peter Hurley built a career off of pure white portrait backgrounds with subjects off center. He is one of the best in the biz.

YEA.. after many YEARS of experience and skill.. which Elizabeth30 does NOT HAVE... so how is your comment the least bit pertinent?

 

[MTVision]

Ok.......... is there a book, article or anything about "cutting off body parts" in composition...... becuase it's really confusing to hear someone say "NEVER cut off body parts in landscape" and then you say it's ok to cut off body parts just not limbs?? and I wasn't comparing my work to theirs in terms of anything other than the cut off bodies.

I meant to say not at the joints.

 

[cgipson1]

Because people with pompous-ass attitudes and condescending tones deserve to have their bubbles of pseudo elitism popped, that's why. The OP could be an it for all I care.

wow... you don't sound POMPOUS at all, do you?

 

[MTVision]

Ok.......... is there a book, article or anything about "cutting off body parts" in composition...... becuase it's really confusing to hear someone say "NEVER cut off body parts in landscape" and then you say it's ok to cut off body parts just not limbs?? and I wasn't comparing my work to theirs in terms of anything other than the cut off bodies.

It was suppose to say not at the joints.

Do some research on composition and cropping and you will probably find the answer. They didn't say you can never cut of body parts. You can but not at the joints.

 

[Compaq]

Remember that the way we learn it to take it step by step. In maths, you first learn that in fractions, the nominator must be smaller than the denominator. Later, you learn that "no, it's very much possible for the nominator to be bigger than the denominator". And, as if that wasn't enough, later you learn that "holy cow, the nominator can even be it's own fraction, as can the denominator! Fraception!"

 

[MTVision]

Ok.......... is there a book, article or anything about "cutting off body parts" in composition...... becuase it's really confusing to hear someone say "NEVER cut off body parts in landscape" and then you say it's ok to cut off body parts just not limbs?? and I wasn't comparing my work to theirs in terms of anything other than the cut off bodies.

You have a picture of a girl obviously standing in the snow yet you cut off her lower legs. Why not chop it so the legs arent showing at all and get rid of the ground completely? In the links you posted - they were upper body shots without the half missing legs. I believe that is what was meant by "cutting off body parts to shoot in landscape never works."

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

<snip> OR isn't it more important to impress clients?

Wait! Are we talking $50/200photo clients?

You talk about rules.... well who made these "rules"?

Actually, I don't talk about rules, other than that I hate the term because elements of design and composition AREN'T RULES.

I have had so much conflicting advice in past few days I have no clue which way to go.

Of course you are getting conflicting information. This forum is largely uneducated hobbyists. Ya get whatcha pay for!

The only certain advice that everyone has agreed on is learn the basics but after that?

After that? That's where YOU shine. Or fail. It depends what you get out of it, and how deep your understanding is.

Isn't creativity a persons OWN UNIQUE style and tastes?

Unique? Everything you posted (links) looks about the same. It's the all the rage right now.
Thousands of moms with cameras are copying each other. I don't see anything very creative about that.
Uniqueness, newness, and departure from the norm is increasingly difficult as time passes. This day and age, that new unique thing gets distributed in a flash, and thousands latch onto it and copy it. Also creativity itself doesn't speak to taste. They are two seperate animals.
Creativity has to do with how you think, taste is about how you respond.

I may like the way one film maker makes his movies and hate the other?

Yeah?

If I take a great shot of my child and the focus is there, exposure is there, atmosphere, then the composition is the enhancer, it's art through the artists eyes.

Yes, use of composition can make or break your perfectly focused, perfectly exposed image. But perfect exposure, and perfect focus does not make a successfull image alone. Further, poorly focused, poorly exposed images can have greater success when they are very well composed. Even a step further, an image with poor technique, and poor composition, can also survive on emotional impact. But the latter has to be pretty powerful. They are all tools at your disposal. When they all come together, they can make a pretty outstanding image.

I really think there are some GREAT photogos here who have given great advice but I really really am serious about learning and it's so hard when I post one photo and have everyone argue about what the "rules" are and why or why not the photo works..... how do I know how is right?

You don't, really. You can look at the work of those giving the advice, and weigh that. You can look at the $100k a year seller on Etsy and weigh that. But don't confuse making money with excellence. There is a big combination of things involved in that. (Derrel, care to insert your McDonalds analogy?)

How do you know what is right? You learn eveything you can. You listen to what everyone has to say, and you make judgements on that from your gut based on YOUR interpretation of everything you have heard and learned. But until you gain a deep understanding, what are your judgements based on? Currently they seem to be based on what others are doing, and not your own creative instincts.

So many of you come here and want to make a business out of photography, and it seems you want to be able to do it by next week.
Is that how all the great people became great? Were they great within a year of picking up a camera, or paintbrush, or pencil for the first time? You are lucky though. Portrait photography has one thing that many other art related businesses can't depend on. Emotional attachment to the subject, no matter how poorly portrayed. Easy win.

 

[vandal]

If you want a style, keep playing around until you find what works for you. No one else here likes it? Who cares.

Then you and Elizabeth should stop posting for CC, and carry on inventing your "styles".

I've never posted for CC

 

[vandal]

Because people with pompous-ass attitudes and condescending tones deserve to have their bubbles of pseudo elitism popped, that's why. The OP could be an it for all I care.

wow... you don't sound POMPOUS at all, do you?

That was kind of the point. Miss subtleties much?

 

[manaheim]

I put her eyes in the upper left quadrant of the RoT. I thought you guys don't like centered pics.

Oh gawd...

 

[cgipson1]

If you want a style, keep playing around until you find what works for you. No one else here likes it? Who cares.

Then you and Elizabeth should stop posting for CC, and carry on inventing your "styles".

I've never posted for CC

Maybe you should... back up your mouth with your work???