do you ever feel

[everyxthing]

hey guys I am really sad cuz i took senior pics for this one chick and she dint pay me or any thing and then i had to print them all off for her and i think they all turned out nice and alot of other people did but i talked to her tonight and she was saying how nobody liked the ones with the pine tree or the ones with the dog and how she ran out off all the other ones and all this other stuff... If you look at my site u will see them and its not the 1st pine tree one its the one that she is looking up at the camera..... But now she says this about my photos and its like people dont like what i have done why should I do this agian I love taking senior pics but now she has hurt me cuz she thinks there bad... Do you guys ever feel that where you just dont want to do what you love any more?:mad: :(

[Robyn]

I clicked on your link but all sorts of nasty things popped up about what was wrong with my computer......so I just clicked straight out of there!!:eek:

[everyxthing]

ooo thats a pop up sorry free web hosting just click out of that part and then there will be a dandilion going in to the page...

[Norm F]

Renae,

This is a tough one. I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling so bad about this experience.

I mentioned in another thread that I have been visiting a forum which is frequented by professional photographers. They post their work and open themselves up to the critiques of their colleagues. Wow! I see some really tough feedback on some really good work. I think that no matter how good you get at an artsy thing like photography, there will always be someone who wants to tell you that your work is substandard. It's a fact, and if we want to improve, or simply enjoy what we're doing we have to develop thick skin and big ears. Some comments should be brushed off and some should be carefully considered. Feel free to do what you will with mine.

I looked at your website. On the front page you state, "I am not a professional photographer." That's pretty honest. Truth be told, and I'm going to be honest as well, the photos that you're producing are not of a professional level. I think they make fine shots, probably better than most people could do but like most of us, you have some learning ahead of you. That's not said to hurt you or to denigrate your work. I say it with respect to you, and in respect to the art of photography. It's hard. It's very, very, very hard!

If you're feeling brave enough to take professional assignments, ensure that your clients are aware of your present limitations. I think if they've seen some of your work and you produce images that are consistent with what's been presented to them, they should pay the bill. It's absolutely fair to say, "Hey, I'm not a pro but I shoot decent photos and I don't cost a lot of money." I’m sure there’s a market for that. If you had said to her, "I can take photos which are as good as any professeional can do for half the price," this girl may have been set up to have expectations which were too high. The client’s expectations should be in line with the fee charged.

It's obvious that there is a fire burning inside of you for photography and I hope that this experience does not cause you to throw in the towel. Rather, you could see it as a challenge to learn and improve and I expect that if you do so, you will see a slow and gradual improvement in the results you produce. Meantime, we must all understand and accept the limits that we have and whether or not we are ready to take on certain challenges. I do believe that we are only limited by what we know, or don't know at this time and that most people are capable of learning and producing exceptional results, but it does take work and practice.

I once thought I could read a few books, buy a half decent camera and become a "photographer." I understand now after 18 months of trying that there's much more to it than that and I have many years of work, study and practice ahead of me if I truly want to be good at it. I have barely come to understand this device from a technical nature, never mind lighting, composition, and working with a model. It's going to be a long haul. Frankly, that's probably the way it should be and I expect that the rewards would be much less meaningful if it weren't so.


Best wishes to you Renae.

[Jodi Frye]

Hey, please try not to let this bother you. People are funny and it takes all kinds...some we can do without. Regardless, you weren't charging her ( I think that is what you meant ) and you took the time to capture these moments out of friendship and pleasure....right ? Let it go...move on.

I noticed you mentioned that you used a film camera and then scanned the images in. That's great but may I offer you a little advice ? Buy a good digital camera and spend some time with it. You'll be able to learn so much more without the cost of film and processing and 'time'...it's immediate gratification when you are working with digital. When I used film I could rarely afford to experiment and my pictures were usually 1 good one out of 24 or two good ones out of 36 etc... Going digital opened up alot of doors for me and I was able to achieve a better sense of what I wanted to do...because I had plenty of memory to waste ;) ...know what I mean ? Anyways, again....move on and just keep taking pictures and better yourself in your own way. I can tell you...I've been a freelancer most of my adult life...no matter what you do there are always those that need to nit pic and are never truly satisfied.