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Recently in the past year I have decided to really focus on photography which I have been in love with for a decade but never really did anything about it. Now all my freetime and extra money is spent on building a book. Anyone want to critique my work on my portfolio and let me now what you think? I also appreciate any industry professional advice that you may have for a someone starting out. Thanks in advance. Benevalt Nov 26 16 02:47 pm Link The models seem to be well posed and the photos have good composition. However, your photos all seem to be very soft (1/2 frame camera?) and have a telephoto soft background sameness to them. A book should show your breath of skills, e.g. you have no studio photos, no head shots, no fashion, etc. Look at Barry Druxman's (MM 2484) photos to see what a successful photographer does and what photos he chooses displays. Yes, Barry gives classes. Nov 26 16 08:12 pm Link Glad to hear you are following your passion. Here's my advice. I think you're off to a good start. Since you're shooting outdoors/natural light, I would recommend you pick up an ND filter for your camera Using an ND filter will allow you more creative freedom when shooting outdoors in daylight, especially in direct sunlight. If you haven't invested in one already, a 5 in 1 reflector works wonders outside when used properly. You can watch lots of videos on youtube to learn different uses for both. If you already know all this stuff, just ignore and lets discuss your book in detail. A book can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. You need to decide who you are, and what your photography means to you. You need to introduce your own personal perspective on your subject matter. We refer to it as creating your own voice. As photographers we spend a lot of time worrying about fashion, and make-up/hair and technical stuff, and spend very little time figuring out what we are trying to show the world with our work. I will make an assumption based on your book, that you want to shoot women, and maybe capture their beauty, sensuality, sexuality, power, vulnerability, etc, etc, etc. If that is what you want to do, then go for it. But think about what you love about your subject matter and share it with the world. Ultimately, photography is about what you love, not what others think. Once you get into commercial photography, then worry about what others think. Do you ever notice why so many photographers work looks pretty much the same? To much worrying about everything except the most basic thing, how you see the world (your subject matter). With that said. You're book is a work in progress. Keep shooting. Keep practicing but remember, developing your own style (voice) is everything. Just my 2 cents... Nov 26 16 10:43 pm Link Alex C wrote: Well said Alex. I totally agree. Nov 29 16 08:32 am Link The GlamourMaker wrote: Thank you. I can tell you get it because I took a look through your portfolio and you have your own style. You have your creative voice so to speak. A bit of a tangent here, but the OP's work doesn't stand out from the crowd. People would recognize your work and hire you because that's exactly what they want. The OP can look at your work and have a better idea of what I'm talking about. Not the technical stuff, but the "style", that unspoken attribute that most never achieve. No one can give you that, you have to develop it on your own. Dec 02 16 08:33 pm Link |
