Mediocre photographers

[moroccangirl]

I'm still practicing and playing with my camera. My pictures have gotten a little better. But, by learning a little more about photography, my standards have changed. When I see the work of a great photographer I love it. When I see the work of a Craigslist photographer, I'm like "ok, you need to quit playing". I had a session for Adam and Sophia with a great newborn photographer here. I was extremely happy with her work and I was happy to pay the crazy prices. DH could not figure out why the session and photos were so expensive and why I'd pay that much. I showed him our pics and his sister's jc penny family pictures. I told him we could go pay a $14.99 sitting fee and have a package of pictures that look like this, or pay a little more and have beautiful portraits (without that gray background). I love pictures, images, memories, etc. I'm the person that will be house hunting and instead of looking at the house I'm looking at all of the pictures hanging. I've never ever thought about doing it for money. I wanted to learn more about photography to take good photos of my kids and family. I'd probably have a million ulcers if I tried to do it as a business because I'd always be worried that they don't like the pictures.

[badger]

I'm glad you splurged for good photos of Sophia. I'm looking back on our wedding photos and realized that sometimes capturing those important events are worth the investment.

My friend recently did a mock engagement session for what must have been a friend building her portfolio. I took a look at this photographer's FB page. I don't want to pick anyone apart, but I'm sorry - I just can't help it. The flame is coming out of the baby's head!. The caption read: Sometimes the best backgrounds are in your own home.   

[omega lambda]

I'm glad you splurged for good photos of Sophia. I'm looking back on our wedding photos and realized that sometimes capturing those important events are worth the investment.

My friend recently did a mock engagement session for what must have been a friend building her portfolio. I took a look at this photographer's FB page. I don't want to pick anyone apart, but I'm sorry - I just can't help it. The flame is coming out of the baby's head!. The caption read: Sometimes the best backgrounds are in your own home.   

Good eye!  Lots of people don't even see that, but for me, once I see it I can't un-see it and I find it ridiculously distracting. 

An update from me:  I'm still working, but I have scaled my business way back.  I take only the assignments that appeal to me and have found it incredibly liberating and fun again.  When I had a studio and was working like crazy to keep the calendar full and clients happy, you take almost all the jobs that come your way and some of those are such incredible stinkers you wonder why you do it.  But when we ran off to Paris two years ago, I put my business on the back burner and then sort of left it there.  I quit advertising and pretty much all my assignments now are repeat customers or by word-of-mouth.  It's working out great because Mr. OL wants the freedom to be able to live in either home, travel when we want to and spend more time with our grandkidlets.  I enjoy the work a lot more now because I really like all of my clients and I have a lot more time for fun photography and other things.  I'm glad I had the experience of starting a business and opening a studio, but I'm enjoying my life and work a lot more now. 

[Yogi]

There was no thought put into the composition of that photo at all.

I'm taking a class right now and the instructor is really harping on the idea that every single thing in your photograph should be intentional. Of course there are exceptions to this but he's getting at reducing background 'noise' through changing perspective, getting close, thoughtful composition, etc. There shouldn't be anything in your frame that you don't want there. Like, say, that flame!

I sort of felt this way when my cousins asked me to do their Christmas card this year. I think they think that because I have a nice camera I can take a good picture of anything. I really explained to them that i.do.not.do portraits whatsoever but they still asked me to shoot their family and I ended up with a couple nice shots but I know my limits and I know what I enjoy.

Anyway, I say  to the OP

[badger]

Thanks for the updates!

My only update is that reading my Canon T3 for Dummies book is a great way to put me to sleep at night

I took the new camera to the children's museum today (with the boys) and the pictures from the DSLR were already so much better than my P&S camera. I shot in shutter priority because most of my images taken by my old camera were blurry.

I just wish I had more time to play with the camera. It's a bit hard to experiment when chasing two little crazy boys around.

[Mrtambourineman]

My neighbour bought a Canon 1D (an upgrade from his 60D) and has now started a part time business in portraiture.  Sounds like he's had some clients already. 

[AmyAmyAmy]

Eh, I hired a craigslist photographer to take photos of our little courthouse elopement. She was inexpenisve and did a decent job, which was exactly what I was looking for. I can't afford hundreds of dollars for a professional, and I didn't want anyone I know to be there so it was nice to have this option.

I'll even recommend her when people ask me to take family photos and whatnot.