The hardest thing about not being a "real" photographer...

The hardest thing about not being a "real" photographer, to me, is the lack of confidence, or the know-how, to tell people what to do, where to sit, etc... You think they won´t take you serious, you think they think you don´t really know what you´re doing, what you´re talking about, etc... For example, a few days ago (I now carry the D90 everywhere ) a family member (or members in this case) sat down and said: "Take a picture of us"... They decide to sit down in the worst possible place... Low light, in front of a bright window (and I didn´t bring the speedlight that day, was only thinking about the fire-works)... What do you do? You take he shot and something like this comes out... Not too bad huh???

You're right. We all run into that. When I'm faced with such a situation I ask them, do you want just a simple shot or do you want me to get serious and have you sit where I want you to sit. Most of the time their willing to move and allow you to do you're thing. Other times they just want a memory of the occasion. Learn to take control and trust me, they will take you seriously.

The other thing you can do... suggest they move and tell to where and why... They will then know you DO know what you are doing.


Pat in nh

I would have loved them facing the softened/dispersed light from that window. Of course, that depends on what the background would have been when turning them around. The nice thing about digital- batteries are charged and lots of space on the memory card. You can show them how the immediate shot came out, and ask if they would like to try a different setting.

The other way was the kitchen... hehehe

It is these situations though that leads to confidence in what to do. Keep shooting and take charge! I also tell myself this every time I think about shooting people portraits.

Part of becoming a "real" photographer is knowing everything about your craft so that you have the self confidence to say to them, "let me move you to a better light." If you're going to do portraits, you will have to know how to politely and professionally "direct" your subjects. if you leave it up to them, you'll get "mug shots". it does get easier with experience, and it's the confidence you project that will convince people that you're a "real" photographer.

It's just a prejudice, or, say, an autosuggestion - people WILL (mostly) obey if they really care (and they often do care) about how they will look on the photos. So, you only have to try, and little by little, it'll become a routine.
About this photo: it is not bad - being a regular "family snap", no high ambitions, so to speak. For such purposes (within the range of a few meters) you don't even have to carry additional flash, though in particular case you should have added 1/3 EV of exposure compensation (more light) for the faces to come out more illuminated, so that the contrast between them and the overexposed window be decreased.

If you shot is RAW then you can bring up the shadow area and lighten the face.

There is a lot going right in that photo. (Subject arrangement-triangular and subject closeness-very close.) I'm assuming that you are responsible for that.

What I tell people in a situation like this is that if they want a copy of the photo, I must be reasonably happy with it. If I am not, it doesn't get shared. I want to give them a good photo that they can enjoy.

Now, if I'm just taking snapshots, there's a different set of acceptance criteria.

WM

If folks don't help me do the best I can they don't get the shot, including family. They are going to show it around or put it on facebook, and now the public develops an opinion of your work.

That reminds me of a quote from a photography class years ago. Something like "You're only as good as your worst shot!"

Harsh, yes, but it made us think about what we did and even more about what we submitted for grading.

WM

A Quote from a Master Sargent who was in charge of my photography class: We are teaching you to be "still photographers," meaning, if it moves, you have to shoot it before you photograph it. Maybe that's why I like landscape photographery! Happy new year everyone.

Wanna be a real photographer? Grow a pair. If you don't take yourself seriously, how can you expect anyone else to?

Shy photogs miss shots, plain and simple.

Thanks a lot guys. It does take practice to know what to say and how to say it. As for the image, it is a JPEG straight out of camera. BTW, I´ve seen this photo (and others) on different screens (60 inch LCD, 32 LCD, 50 Plasma and my wife´s laptop) and I have a question regarding how people are seeing it (one of the main reasons why I posted the image). On the 60 LCD and the 50 Plasma the image looks great, on the 32 LCD looks a tad underexposed (like mentioned by Dragan), on my wife´s laptop looks overexposed... The print looks great as it was from the NEF file... How do we know how the internet comunity is seeing our images???

Flugelbinder said:

Thanks a lot guys. It does take practice to know what to say and how to say it. As for the image, it is a JPEG straight out of camera. BTW, I´ve seen this photo (and others) on different screens (60 inch LCD, 32 LCD, 50 Plasma and my wife´s laptop) and I have a question regarding how people are seeing it (one of the main reasons why I posted the image). On the 60 LCD and the 50 Plasma the image looks great, on the 32 LCD looks a tad underexposed (like mentioned by Dragan), on my wife´s laptop looks overexposed... The print looks great as it was from the NEF file... How do we know how the internet community is seeing our images???

Click to expand...

on my monitors it looks underexposed on the people, over exposed on the background. There are also some highlights on the girls face that are blown out. Never post or show anyone a photo without first going into post processing.

Thank you. That probably means I need a calibrated monitor? What about the back of the camera? They looked very good on the D90...

Don Kuykendall said:

on my monitors it looks underexposed on the people, over exposed on the background. There are also some highlights on the girls face that are blown out. Never post or show anyone a photo without first going into post processing.

Click to expand...

The idea was to blowout the window and get the faces properly exposed (it did look like I got it in the back monitor though...). Also, I find that the Matrix mettering is not very consistent... I got better accuracy after changing to Spot. Any thoughts?

Flugelbinder said:

The idea was to blowout the window and get the faces properly exposed (it did look like I got it in the back monitor though...). Also, I find that the Matrix mettering is not very consistent... I got better accuracy after changing to Spot. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Move the people from in front of the window
Or
Fill in flash
OR
Shoot in RAW so you can bring down the highlight and bring up the shadows

Spot metering can work but you have to be very careful to read on the correct place. After you shoot you can always look at the shot and see if you got it right and adjust and shoot again. Next time just tell them to move.

i had someone try to tell me to prop my camera on a box on the table to get a shot with me in it. I just looked at them like they were crazy and told them there was no way I would do that. First the shot would be terrible and second I would never risk my D7000 with 18-105 and SB700 balanced on a box on a table. There is not a shot in the world worth that.

Flugelbinder said:

The idea was to blowout the window and get the faces properly exposed (it did look like I got it in the back monitor though...). Also, I find that the Matrix mettering is not very consistent... I got better accuracy after changing to Spot. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Matrix is the way to go..If you wanted to blow out the window..Then you expose for the window light first..(in camera light meter) Then add in off camera flash to light your subjects...