Please: Who do I improve?

[pixmedic1 1]

Pixmedic, why wouldn't you use your logo on your images on FB if you were in business? No image of mine would ever go on FB w/o my logo. FB has been my best source of marketing, besides referrals, to date. You want people to know who took the images, so they need to have your logo on them. I don't use my logo on this forum, but when it comes to my direct market it will have my logo on it for sure.

We use facebook a little as well. But, we dont post "teasers", so we only post on FB images the client already has. Plus, images posted on FB are so low res that even if someone did want to steal them, they aren't quality enough to do much with. We only watermark images in the online gallery for proofing when we do online proofing. Sometimes we proof in person, so no watermark there either. Portfolio images are watermarked, but nothing we post anywhere else. There just isnt any real reason for us to watermark for the forum or facebook. Anyone that really wants to steal images could just get the watermark removed anyway. And on FB they are posted on my wifes photography page, so it isnt like people need to see a watermark to know where they came from. They just look at the top of the page. FB is a great marketing tool, and we do get business from it, but if you post a picture under your photography FB page, a watermark isnt necessary for people to see who did it. It says who right in the post.

 

[kathyt]

Pixmedic, why wouldn't you use your logo on your images on FB if you were in business? No image of mine would ever go on FB w/o my logo. FB has been my best source of marketing, besides referrals, to date. You want people to know who took the images, so they need to have your logo on them. I don't use my logo on this forum, but when it comes to my direct market it will have my logo on it for sure.

We use facebook a little as well. But, we dont post "teasers", so we only post on FB images the client already has. Plus, images posted on FB are so low res that even if someone did want to steal them, they aren't quality enough to do much with. We only watermark images in the online gallery for proofing when we do online proofing. Sometimes we proof in person, so no watermark there either. Portfolio images are watermarked, but nothing we post anywhere else. There just isnt any real reason for us to watermark for the forum or facebook. Anyone that really wants to steal images could just get the watermark removed anyway. And on FB they are posted on my wifes photography page, so it isnt like people need to see a watermark to know where they came from. They just look at the top of the page. FB is a great marketing tool, and we do get business from it, but if you post a picture under your photography FB page, a watermark isnt necessary for people to see who did it. It says who right in the post.

Yes, but once you tag someone it pops up on that persons FB page and then if someone else comments on it then it can travel even further. I am not doing if for the stealing part so much as for the marketing part. I took a seminar in March about using FB to market and it was really eye opening. You just want your logo to follow your images, even if it is really, really small. Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

[pixmedic1 1]

Yes, but once you tag someone it pops up on that persons FB page and then if someone else comments on it then it can travel even further. I am not doing if for the stealing part so much as for the marketing part. I took a seminar in March about using FB to market and it was really eye opening. You just want your logo to follow your images, even if it is really, really small. Just my thoughts on the subject.

If it works for you then by all means do it. We dont really post much on FB so it is a very small part of our marketing. What we do post is mostly stuff for friends or friends of friends. We really dont like using facebook as a communication tool for clients. We try to do almost all conversations in person, phone calls otherwise. Email or text only as a last resort. So facebook usually falls to the sidelines most of the time. Maybe at some point i will look into FB more as a more serious marketing tool.

 

[ManualMode]

C'mon, the watermark comments were funny. It's true: the OP has a ways to go before being able to provide value for money. Each one of these photos has at least one glaring fault that I would consider to be part of the "noob zone". Nothing wrong with that of course, but I think people are just poking fun at putting the effort into creating a logo when the "product" just isn't there yet. There are thousands of resources, even free ones, all over the web that would help anyone improve light years. That would be a better investment of time.

 

[jowensphoto]

Ive never understood why people feel it necessary to watermark photos they post here. Are people afraid they are so scary good they will get stolen? Because that is typically not the case. I love that people learn how to watermark a photo before they learn to properly expose it.

Dont be afraid to use a flash even in direct sunlight. You can control shadows and get better color balance.

A photo doesn't even have to be great to be stolen. The plagarism thread a few days ago, I mentioned a photo I took (of M&Ms, of all things) has been stolen and reposted, even re-watermarked, hundreds of times.

 

[pixmedic1 1]

Ive never understood why people feel it necessary to watermark photos they post here. Are people afraid they are so scary good they will get stolen? Because that is typically not the case. I love that people learn how to watermark a photo before they learn to properly expose it.

Dont be afraid to use a flash even in direct sunlight. You can control shadows and get better color balance.

A photo doesn't even have to be great to be stolen. The plagarism thread a few days ago, I mentioned a photo I took (of M&Ms, of all things) has been stolen and reposted, even re-watermarked, hundreds of times.

and we all know how well watermarks keep images from being stolen. they don't, really. did you get them to take your picture down?
the best/only way to keep photos safe is to get the images registered in batches every few months. that way, if you should happen upon a photo you took on someone elses page, you can legally make them take it down.

 

[Vtec44]

It's tricky if you're shooting in full sun. If you're not using supplemental lighting, try having the sun behind the subject and expose for the face. That will blow out the sky but at least you have have the face properly exposed minimal harsh shadows. Here's a picture that I shot in full sun and used it to my own advantage. That was shot in full sun and 1 speed light (yes speed light) with a light modifier.

 

[dinamaria]

It's tricky if you're shooting in full sun. If you're not using supplemental lighting, try having the sun behind the subject and expose for the face. That will blow out the sky but at least you have have the face properly exposed minimal harsh shadows. Here's a picture that I shot in full sun and used it to my own advantage. That was shot in full sun and 1 speed light (yes speed light) with a light modifier.

Thank you for the tip Vtec44 and wow that is a beautiful photo

 

[Vtec44]

Thanks and you'e welcome.

 

[JAC526]

You can shoot in direct sunlight without a speedlight. You just have to use something to diffuse the sunlight. Like a large translucent diffusion panel or a bedsheet or the like. Just put it inbetween your subject and the sun and you get an approximation of very bright open shade. It works.

 

[Brandon Hill]

Thank you pixmedic and diskojoe for being rude. I did not watermark them for this site. They were because I posted them on facebook. I did not ask for arrogance but at least it keeps me on my toes.

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Pixmedic, why wouldn't you use your logo on your images on FB if you were in business? No image of mine would ever go on FB w/o my logo. FB has been my best source of marketing, besides referrals, to date. You want people to know who took the images, so they need to have your logo on them. I don't use my logo on this forum, but when it comes to my direct market it will have my logo on it for sure.

Yep, I agree with Kathy Thorson, as someone who makes a living at his images, any image I upload onto Facebook's servers will have my name on it in the form of a watermark somewhere. And anyone who aspires to make a living at this might as well start early.

 

[Tee]

some of my favorites I did not upload as I will have to decrease their sizes first.

There are many components to producing your finest work. It begins with "seeing" your image and knowing what tools to use, then the photographing of the image, then post processing and finally readying the images for web or print (with many nuances in between). Learning how to sharpen and resize for the web is commonly overlooked. Put that on your to-do list.

The watermark/logo discussion is an often debated topic on this forum. The size of the logo is in relation to the quality of the images. I.e., the bigger it is, the less stellar the product. This is only personal opinion but I see the value of logos/ watermarks to be in advertising NEVER to protect from thievery. Photoshop CS > Content Aware fill > click > poof, it's gone from the image. So going by my logic presented to you, there is no need for a logo if photography is only a passion. Learn proper exposure, lighting, and clean post processing. When you're ready to charge and take on the business side of things (registered business, taxes, etc) then you can brand yourself and get a sweet logo. Hope this clears up some of the snarkiness with regards to newbies coming on here with logos and watermarks.

BTW, welcome. Stick around and search the forum. Lots of good stuff happening around here.

 

[texkam]

I do prefer warmer colors and recently adjusted my camera for that (recently).

Shoot in raw. Learn why this is a good idea. Learn why cameras work the way they do, then learn to shoot in manual mode. Then you'll know when it makes sense to switch to an auto setting.

I would like to take the next step and turn my passion into a business.

Learn business, for photography is the easy part.

Learn that many people on this forum enjoy showing you and others how big their _ick is.


BTW, posting fewer pics will get you better critiques. Good luck.

 

[The_Traveler]

Now that everything has settled down a bit I might as well put my oar in.

Business Advice
Forget about business until you know how to take pictures. Feel free to look at my website. I've been taking pictures for a while and wouldn't consider going pro because I don't think I'm good enough, skilled enough in all the areas I would need to be.
The Business of pictures has little to do wth art. You may love art but picture-taking for $ is a different deal.

Advice on Getting Better
Learn to use your camera.
Read and understand the manual
Read books on composition and post-processing
Learn to pre-envision your final image and work towards that image in your mind's eye.


Getting advice here
Don't post more than one or two images in each thread
Make them the best ones; don't post your terrible stuff, hoping to make it wonderful
Tell us what you think about the image, that way everything you hear will be new and useful
Spend time comparing very closely why your shots are different from what you recognize here as good shots.
Don't waste our and your time by not learning on your own. We are not your mommy.

 

[TheFantasticG]

Learn to master light, and not let light be your master.

Sounds like something from Star Wars.