These shots do not represent your abilities well. I've seen the other work you've posted here, and honestly these come across as snapshots in comparison. Everything from the lighting to the angles to the dirty mirror to the backgrounds and color just comes across rather poorly.
But...
The *concept* is great. Catching a playful moment of a child entertaining themselves with just a mirror IS a good idea and worth pursuing. It's just that the execution of these doesn't cut it in my opinion.
I hope you can appreciate this in the right spirit,
Mongrel
If every keystroke was a shutter press I'd be a pro by now...
These shots do not represent your abilities well. I've seen the other work you've posted here, and honestly these come across as snapshots in comparison. Everything from the lighting to the angles to the dirty mirror to the backgrounds and color just comes across rather poorly.
But...
The *concept* is great. Catching a playful moment of a child entertaining themselves with just a mirror IS a good idea and worth pursuing. It's just that the execution of these doesn't cut it in my opinion.
I hope you can appreciate this in the right spirit,
Mongrel
I agree, they suck, but the mom liked them and wanted one, she wanted me to pick which ever one I liked best...but I didn't like any of them, so had a hard time picking, that is why I turned to yall for your opinion. And I am not offended at all by what you said...I am taking it as a compliment of my other work.
Thanks everyone for your opinions, maybe I should talk her into another shot...
I agree, they suck, but the mom liked them and wanted one, she wanted me to pick which ever one I liked best...but I didn't like any of them, so had a hard time picking, that is why I turned to yall for your opinion. And I am not offended at all by what you said...I am taking it as a compliment of my other work.
Thanks everyone for your opinions, maybe I should talk her into another shot...
Giselle the first rule of service business is the customer is sometimes right. In this case yes none of these photos are your best work but thats not why the mother loves them and wants one. These photos show her daughters personality, and I'm assuming they are unposed. It's not about the technicality of the photo, the mother likes them cause of the emotion of the photo. Remember not all works of art are technically perfect. What makes them works of art are the emotions they bring out in people. To you, to me, to most of us these may not be works of art. But they prolly are to the mother.
Giselle the first rule of service business is the customer is sometimes right. In this case yes none of these photos are your best work but thats not why the mother loves them and wants one. These photos show her daughters personality, and I'm assuming they are unposed. It's not about the technicality of the photo, the mother likes them cause of the emotion of the photo. Remember not all works of art are technically perfect. What makes them works of art are the emotions they bring out in people. To you, to me, to most of us these may not be works of art. But they prolly are to the mother.
Shay Stephens said this as well:
Capture the soul, not just the shell.
I find the trick to a great portrait is less technical and more personality related. A great portrait does not result from perfect lighting, composition, or lens settings. A great portrait reveals the subjects personality, shows them in a novel way, and/or moves the viewer to regard the subject in a way they have never noticed before. Capture with your camera the serious side of the joker, the anticipation of one about to journey, the real smile and inner joy of anyone who will give it to you. There are a lot of ways to portray someone, and a great portrait can result from any of them.
Spend time with the subject, time with the lens pointed at them, engage them, draw out the personality and be ready to catch it when it shows up. When the viewer of the portrait can look and see the personality as if they knew that person, you have done your job well, regardless of the quality of that photo. Such a photo will be treasured, flaws and all.
I agree with this, but it is painful and embarrassing when my wife displays some of my pictures that are not that great from a technical standpoint. My wife seems to like some of the worst pictures I take of our kids, because of the spirit they capture. You know those shots must be off if you have seen my better shots here. I have a lot to learn and appreciate all of the help I have had from folks on this website.
Comments
www.zxstudios.com
http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
weddings
Please take no offense, but...
These shots do not represent your abilities well. I've seen the other work you've posted here, and honestly these come across as snapshots in comparison. Everything from the lighting to the angles to the dirty mirror to the backgrounds and color just comes across rather poorly.
But...
The *concept* is great. Catching a playful moment of a child entertaining themselves with just a mirror IS a good idea and worth pursuing. It's just that the execution of these doesn't cut it in my opinion.
I hope you can appreciate this in the right spirit,
Mongrel
I agree, they suck, but the mom liked them and wanted one, she wanted me to pick which ever one I liked best...but I didn't like any of them, so had a hard time picking, that is why I turned to yall for your opinion. And I am not offended at all by what you said...I am taking it as a compliment of my other work.
Thanks everyone for your opinions, maybe I should talk her into another shot...
www.zxstudios.com
http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Shay Stephens said this as well:
Capture the soul, not just the shell.
I find the trick to a great portrait is less technical and more personality related. A great portrait does not result from perfect lighting, composition, or lens settings. A great portrait reveals the subjects personality, shows them in a novel way, and/or moves the viewer to regard the subject in a way they have never noticed before. Capture with your camera the serious side of the joker, the anticipation of one about to journey, the real smile and inner joy of anyone who will give it to you. There are a lot of ways to portray someone, and a great portrait can result from any of them.
Spend time with the subject, time with the lens pointed at them, engage them, draw out the personality and be ready to catch it when it shows up. When the viewer of the portrait can look and see the personality as if they knew that person, you have done your job well, regardless of the quality of that photo. Such a photo will be treasured, flaws and all.
________________________________________________________________
DavidS
I agree with this, but it is painful and embarrassing when my wife displays some of my pictures that are not that great from a technical standpoint. My wife seems to like some of the worst pictures I take of our kids, because of the spirit they capture. You know those shots must be off if you have seen my better shots here. I have a lot to learn and appreciate all of the help I have had from folks on this website.
www.davidsnookphotography.com
www.davidsnookphotography.com/blog