Photography
I have some photographers and models and "photographers" and "models" friended on my other account. I debated posting this over there, but well... I try to keep that controversy free since it is my business account. Anyway... I see a lot of photography. I've not been a fan of a lot of it. Some of it's great... others... I just don't get it. A very common theme seems to be a scantily clad girl looking rather brain dead. Now I'm not actually saying the girls are stupid or anything, I don't even know some of them... they just... are not modeling very well. The posing, if there is any is... awkward. They often use the same blank expression photo after photo after photo. Then the photographers... the angles and lighting and backdrop don't appear to be thought out at all. I've seen high praise being given to some of these photos and I wonder why? What am I missing? Maybe I'm just too hyper critical. I just see photos that I'm guessing are supposed to be pretty or sexy and I see... awkward and pointless. They aren't capturing the model's natural beauty... I've seen some of these models and photographers photos of the course of a few years now. Some don't seem to be progressing at all. I wonder if this lack of advancement is complacency based off of high praise over lackluster work. Why work on anything if what you're doing is obviously so wonderful? They act like anyone trying to give feedback and tips is just a hater to ignore. No, in fact most are artists who know if you just did a few extra little things you could do SO much better.
In the interest of seeing if I was really just being way too harsh on these often rather young and inexperienced models I decided to look back at my first photoshoots. Back 10+ years ago when I was about their ages I was terrified of the camera. I think I might have been shaking in one of the first photos. I needed to push my own boundaries though and I did have some fun during the shoots. In return I have photos that shockingly actually turned out rather nicely. H got some good photos by playing with angles, and lighting... and oh my gosh tricking me into smiling!
Yes new models... facial expression does matter. Show you're human and not a mannequin... unless you're doing a doll or mannequin themed shoot, then by all means go ahead and look scarily doll like, heh.
Oh and on that topic. Themes! A photo that looks like it's telling a story is an amazing thing.
I'm not saying it's necessary... but photos that just seem half hearted are boring to me or just cringe worthy.
Why that background? Why that prop?
I know I'm hypercritical... but I really wonder why people don't put that little bit of extra effort into their art.
Really so often I've thought just the tiniest of angle change would have made a world of difference. When I take photos I try to make each shot as good as possible. I obsess... maybe too much. I'd rather put forth the effort than go back and think "I could have done better" though. I don't know if this really is the best these people are capable of... or as I mentioned before, they're complacent because they get high praise for what they do and want to believe anyone who doesn't think that the "art" is amazing is just a hater to be ignored.
Does anyone else think of these things?
In the interest of seeing if I was really just being way too harsh on these often rather young and inexperienced models I decided to look back at my first photoshoots. Back 10+ years ago when I was about their ages I was terrified of the camera. I think I might have been shaking in one of the first photos. I needed to push my own boundaries though and I did have some fun during the shoots. In return I have photos that shockingly actually turned out rather nicely. H got some good photos by playing with angles, and lighting... and oh my gosh tricking me into smiling!
Yes new models... facial expression does matter. Show you're human and not a mannequin... unless you're doing a doll or mannequin themed shoot, then by all means go ahead and look scarily doll like, heh.
Oh and on that topic. Themes! A photo that looks like it's telling a story is an amazing thing.
I'm not saying it's necessary... but photos that just seem half hearted are boring to me or just cringe worthy.
Why that background? Why that prop?
I know I'm hypercritical... but I really wonder why people don't put that little bit of extra effort into their art.
Really so often I've thought just the tiniest of angle change would have made a world of difference. When I take photos I try to make each shot as good as possible. I obsess... maybe too much. I'd rather put forth the effort than go back and think "I could have done better" though. I don't know if this really is the best these people are capable of... or as I mentioned before, they're complacent because they get high praise for what they do and want to believe anyone who doesn't think that the "art" is amazing is just a hater to be ignored.
Does anyone else think of these things?