The_Meridian
Senior Member
About a year ago an old friend of mine was offering up his almost new D3100 for a mere $250 with the standard 18-55 lens included. I've always been curious about DSLR cameras but was never really into photography. Well, a few shots later and a fire was lit: I MUST PHOTO! A very short period of time and I was able to come up with this
...which I was very, very satisfied with (even though her hair is a mess.) I felt like "Hey, better hair and learn a thing or two about lighting, and I'm off to the races! This kinda looks pro!
It wasn't long before I realized I needed more zoom, so I bought the 55-200 lens. Next up was the speedlight. I didn't want to go half-assed, and coughed up the small fortune for the SB910. Chock full of features, all of them mystifying. To this day, I do not change a thing on that piece of equipment. TTL and off you go.
Playing with filters for a vintage feel; among my favorite things to do.
The emerging problem, as you might have begun to guess, (beyond lack of experience,) is that I seem to be stuck with my kids for subjects. I can't give away photography, and as a 42 year old bald guy, I worry that I may be coming off as creepy.
Kids do not stay still, they do not pose, and when you ask them to look wistful or bemused they have no idea what you're talking about. Also, you start stacking up some pretty redundant pictures.
Sure, every once in a while you get magic, but the desire starts to rear it's ugly head: GIVE ME ADULTS! (Preferably ones that look good or at least interesting!)
Realizing that these zoom lenses weren't cutting it, I proceeded to buy first an 85 1.8 prime, then a 50, then a 35. Turns out the 85 was too "Big" and the 50 wasn't quite right for me either, so after two failed attempts the 35 is treating me nicely. So, I have five lenses and a speedlight and the most entry-level camera a person can buy. But hey, you know what? It seems to me that the camera is almost the least important element. It's good enough for now (even though "Live View" no longer works...something about shutter release and $180 with two-week turnaround...F*** that...) and I still like what I see.
I have no interest in being an "Artiste" making shaved headed women in coppertone makeup posing expressionless in Native American Headdress pictures. I like real people looking nice against nice scenery and bokeh. However...
Sometimes the mood strikes you to try to create actual art.
But Memes are fun too.
I digress: I tried to join Model Mayhem so I could hook up with amateur models looking to build a portfolio, and I can build mine. They require examples of your work in order to get membership, so I uploaded some of my best and...fail. No children.
Okay, so I can't use what I have but I can't give you what you want because what you want is on your site dependent on you giving me access.
So THE place to find amateur models is inaccessible to me; I am forced to be creepy to casual acquintences and strangers how may or may not have the time or inclination to appear in photographs.
AAARRRRGH.
I feel like I'm beating my head against the wall here. Furthermore, I post a lot of my stuff on my facebook feed. Many of my friends and family have children, but to date nobody has even asked me to try my hand at doing portraits for them. Is this not a good portrait? Is this not better than your grainy, underlit selfie?
I am at a loss here. Am I like the tone-deaf guy at Karaoke who thinks he's doing a great job or should I press on? How do I overcome the creepy factor and start shooting adults? I feel as if I'm asking people for intercourse here and I don't know if it's my issue or the vibe I get from them. Can anyone relate to this? Has anyone overcome this? Thank you so much for reading. -Greg B.
...which I was very, very satisfied with (even though her hair is a mess.) I felt like "Hey, better hair and learn a thing or two about lighting, and I'm off to the races! This kinda looks pro!
It wasn't long before I realized I needed more zoom, so I bought the 55-200 lens. Next up was the speedlight. I didn't want to go half-assed, and coughed up the small fortune for the SB910. Chock full of features, all of them mystifying. To this day, I do not change a thing on that piece of equipment. TTL and off you go.
Playing with filters for a vintage feel; among my favorite things to do.
The emerging problem, as you might have begun to guess, (beyond lack of experience,) is that I seem to be stuck with my kids for subjects. I can't give away photography, and as a 42 year old bald guy, I worry that I may be coming off as creepy.
Kids do not stay still, they do not pose, and when you ask them to look wistful or bemused they have no idea what you're talking about. Also, you start stacking up some pretty redundant pictures.
Sure, every once in a while you get magic, but the desire starts to rear it's ugly head: GIVE ME ADULTS! (Preferably ones that look good or at least interesting!)
Realizing that these zoom lenses weren't cutting it, I proceeded to buy first an 85 1.8 prime, then a 50, then a 35. Turns out the 85 was too "Big" and the 50 wasn't quite right for me either, so after two failed attempts the 35 is treating me nicely. So, I have five lenses and a speedlight and the most entry-level camera a person can buy. But hey, you know what? It seems to me that the camera is almost the least important element. It's good enough for now (even though "Live View" no longer works...something about shutter release and $180 with two-week turnaround...F*** that...) and I still like what I see.
I have no interest in being an "Artiste" making shaved headed women in coppertone makeup posing expressionless in Native American Headdress pictures. I like real people looking nice against nice scenery and bokeh. However...
Sometimes the mood strikes you to try to create actual art.
But Memes are fun too.
I digress: I tried to join Model Mayhem so I could hook up with amateur models looking to build a portfolio, and I can build mine. They require examples of your work in order to get membership, so I uploaded some of my best and...fail. No children.
Okay, so I can't use what I have but I can't give you what you want because what you want is on your site dependent on you giving me access.
So THE place to find amateur models is inaccessible to me; I am forced to be creepy to casual acquintences and strangers how may or may not have the time or inclination to appear in photographs.
AAARRRRGH.
I feel like I'm beating my head against the wall here. Furthermore, I post a lot of my stuff on my facebook feed. Many of my friends and family have children, but to date nobody has even asked me to try my hand at doing portraits for them. Is this not a good portrait? Is this not better than your grainy, underlit selfie?
I am at a loss here. Am I like the tone-deaf guy at Karaoke who thinks he's doing a great job or should I press on? How do I overcome the creepy factor and start shooting adults? I feel as if I'm asking people for intercourse here and I don't know if it's my issue or the vibe I get from them. Can anyone relate to this? Has anyone overcome this? Thank you so much for reading. -Greg B.
