Glad I am photographing for myself

I do belong to another forum photographic site and yes one can learn a lot from it.
What I don't like is how fanatical members get nit picking what are perfectly good photos.
Those who do mainly portraits of people seem to be the worse, either the lighting is wrong ,the way a model is posed, the background is not quite right or.e a hundred or other things.
I have to wonder how much is jealousy?

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

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changed me mind lol

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

My son is a professional photographer. He used to belong to a photographic society and submitted a picture of the Statue of Liberty. It was discarded by the judge because it was green and "everyone knows it should be white".

His philosophy is that if one feels the picture is right and you are happy with it, that is all that matters.

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

As i said I take to please myself, some I reject straight away, some I convert to mono and others left as taken in case I get bored and want something to do. If other happen to like them without saying it should be done his or that way then it is a bonus.
Everyone has their own ideas but that is their interpretation not the photographers.

The art of teaching is not having the knowledge , that should already be there, it is the art of putting the subject across to students that make it interesting for them. Anyone can quote from a book but that doesn't make them a teacher.
Having done photography since the age of 21 (only a box brownie 127 before that) with years of gaps in between, What I have learned through practice and experience I will willingly pass on.
What I am unsure about is put foreward as an idea.
The problem as I see it is too many get qualifications yet asked to produce a commercial product, in this case photos, they are totally lost.

My late father employed about 40 people in his factory and he always said that if two people came for a job he would always take the one with experience. That still stand good today. The London county Council as it was back then compulsory purchased the property for road widening, so he retired and the firm folded

So back to photography ,I would never take on a paid photographic shoot, mainly through lack of confidence, and also can't be bothered.

If I was asked on a Friend/relative type basis yes, on the understanding I don't do professional photography and don't promise anything and don't want payment either.
Those that I have done people seem happy with so can't be that bad I suppose

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

I'm not sure nit picking would be the correct description, surely most photographers have their own high standards about producing a good photograph which could vary from person to person. Surely that is how people learn from various ideas and suggestions from others?

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

Chris Packham from the Springwatch team is very picky about peoples photo's on that program, most seem fine to me & they have shown them so the PTB must have thought them good.
Unless advice is asked for then no, don't comment. If you do like a photo say so.

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

Cant stand those sorts , must say I was chuffed when I took photos of my freinds wedding and set them to music in a slide show for her.. She rang me up in tears.

Her so called professional had wanted to charge her 400quid for a slide show and his photos were very badly timed, a picture of the table settings including half eaten food, a picture of the cake with the bride and grooms heads cut off, a picture of her getting out of the car just as she bent down to adjust the hem of her dress..
She downloaded my effort and made DVDs for the family..

Some professionals have the kit but lack the feeling of what is good and what isnt..
Its not all about lenses and size a lot of it is about emotion in my humble opinion.....

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

My photographs are no where near perfect, or how I would like the finished article to look, however, I like constructive criticism , especially from photographers that have the knowledge to do so. That way, I can learn from my mistakes.

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

The best critic is yourself, I am always finding fault with a lot of mine. Either something was not in shot which should have been, someone got in shot that should not have been there, not noticing things like waste bins on poles but havn't had a telephone pole looking as if it has come out of ones head , that is still to come. My biggest problem is not checking the camera settings first.

Re: Glad I am photographing for myself

Realspeed, you are a man after my own heart.

I agree with every thing you say.

I too have been criticised and challenged to prove what I posted is true on photographic forums, (and was quite happy to do so), because of jealousy.

Like you, I will not take on any commission as it will turn my hobby into a chore. I photograph for me and and me alone.

If people like my work, then fine - if they don't, I simply couldn't give a toss.