Photography Journey

I’ve been struggling lately entering this world of photography, not with the skills I’m building or how to get into it – in fact the part I’m struggling with has nothing to do with me. I’ve tried expressing this in several ways, all of which never come out right. If you know me or once you get to know me you will in fact learn that I never say anything how I mean it – I try, except I’m always using the wrong words, tripping over my sentences in my head – and it usually ends up leaving the person on the other side of the conversation in bewilderment with a ‘huh?’ look on their face. I’ve gotten used to this look and try to resolve what I’m saying before it appears, but that only seems to make things worse.

But back to my journey and my ‘issues’ (once again, I’m sure there is a better word I could use, but that’s all I can think of right now). In January of 2009 I started looking at things differently. I picked up my little point and shoot camera and I saw the world in a whole new way, creating an image that would last forever – stopping time – making memories permanent – capturing the beauty of the world, it lifted me up, I enjoyed it like I’ve never enjoyed doing anything else before (except for shooting, but that’s a whole nother post).

(taken in Dec 2008 - sooo many things I know now would make this image 1,000 times better)

Around this time I signed up for a picnik account and started ‘editing my photos’ or what I thought editing was - I thought they were great and loved them and totally thought I was the stuff (boy, did I have a lot to learn) I also found the iHeartFaces website (don’t get me wrong, this is a great community - but I’m not sure I like that’s its turned into an ‘editing’ site and less about the actual faces) and eagerly jumped on the bandwagon, it’s a site based in the editing of your photos, no matter the quality, expertise, etc. After reading and looking through several posts I learned lots of people were using Photoshop and I hopped on board and began tutorials and learning photoshop and thought that I could take images and then photoshop them to be great! My version of PS was what I saw everyone else doing, opening your image and layering action after action to achieve a good (term used loosely) photo.

(over edit much?!? I thought this was fantastic! But I was ‘young’ and was still learning)

I was taking pictures of everything, studying, reading photography blogs, finding photographers where I liked their style (one of my favorites is Hoffer Photography and Bobbi & Mike) – I just wanted to learn. in the winter of 2009 I bought my first SLR, the T1i – which soon I hope to upgrade to the 5d Mark II. I took all my images on the dreaded ‘AUTO’ setting, not using the proper white balance, or really doing anything other than turning it on and taking pictures – I learned a little as I went, but not much. I picked up several books, finding myself confused – but still going out almost every weekend to somewhere to take thousands of pictures (literally). I would come home and ‘PS’ them - I was craving to learn, wanting to know more – to be good at something again (I know I’m working on the whole self-confidence thing). I haven’t had a passion in a long time, from the time I was in 5th grade until I was 20 marksmanship was my life, so for the past 6 years there has just been that ‘emptiness’ I’ve picked up so many ‘partial’ hobbies over the past years I think I’m driving Mr. B insane – but this one has stuck.

(taken with T1i on first outing and still actioned up a bit - on auto)

In February of this year I took Photo 101 with Nicole Hill-Gerulat (thankfully I was lucky enough to get into one of her personally taught classes here in SF). I found her blog when I was browsing photographers and ‘connected’ with the types of images she captures/creates, then I discovered she offered classes. I was so excited to ‘go back to school’ I was almost giddy (okay maybe I was extremely giddy) - I have talked about her classes before but I took her first class and LOVED it, already feeling that I knew so much more than when I started. I then took Photo 102 which is all about lighting and composition, she is a fantastic teacher and helped me learn A LOT. I’m so thankful that she shares her expertise. Now today, I can take pictures right off the camera and not have to touch them AT ALL – and the ones I do touch it’s just a little bump and nudge in the exposure department.

ABOVE - (after photo 101 straight out of camera (SOOC))

ABOVE - (after photo 102 SOOC)

This brings me to the real purpose of this post, the real thing I want to get off of my chest. I first really started thinking about all of this when I heard the term ‘Photoshopographer/y’. Six months ago this was me, except I was learning, trying to figure out which way to go, what to do, mainly following everyone else. What bothers me is there are people who are starting businesses, charging obscene amounts of muh-lah just because they own a SLR and Photoshop. I never dreamed of doing that when I thought I was good because it’s wrong. There is a great article regarding this issue (which I have now searched my reader archives for for the the past hour and cannot find), so I won’t go into it – but it bothers me. I don’t use actions anymore, and the ones I do use – I’ve created. I’m working on starting a business and now that I’m getting into that side of things, it frustrates me – that everyone who owns a nice camera thinks they are a photographer. In the past year my thoughts have gone from

Take a picture then crop, edit, photoshop etc, to try and make it great.

to

Take the perfect picture get the crop and everything right in camera then open it in Camera Raw to make slight adjustments to enhance the greatness of it – if needed.
(SOOC)

I want to go back to school for this.
I want to learn how to be the best I can.
I want this.

In 6 months I’ve gone from photoshopographer to a somewhat actual photographer – producing real true images. I’ve gone from following this crowd of ‘fix-it-Fridays' and using actions, creating a ton of different styles, to finally learning my own style and how to create it, on my own. Learning the Photoshop isn’t a tool to make your photos better – but a tool to enhance. Am I still confused? yes. About what? I think it comes down to actually calling myself a photographer when the time comes. I think think it’s sad that people that are successful and amazing photographers have said, “I don’t like telling people that I’m a photographer, because there are so many out there that are not true photographers – it’s like saying I work in a fast food joint”. I’m not saying people shouldn’t take pictures but I have learned that it hurts the industry – when people who can simply operate a camera and coax a smile call themselves photographers and charge money. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying I’m fantastic, or even deserve the title as of yet. And I forsee this only getting worse and becoming a larger problem as companies continue to make great cameras affordable to the ‘normal’ person. I’m thankful that they have or I probably wouldn’t be here where I am now.  But learn the trade, learn your camera, practice, and give your clients what they think they are paying for but most importantly - what they deserve.

SOOC - 40mm f/4.0 1/2500 ISO 100 1433hrs

Disrespectful Drivers Ruin Potential Business Clients?

I'm in a field where I always keep my eyes open for new vendors in the facilities operations division, ie: painters, HVAC techs, landscapers, glass repair, fire services, etc. I usually do this by going to the phone book, internet, or the super handy - "The Blue Book: Building and Construction", but most recently I catch myself trying to find a pen and paper to jot down a license number I see on a truck as I'm sitting in traffic, as I'm guessing that this is why they advertise on thier vehicles, right? I suppose you could say that I am a little picky when it comes to which numbers I write down, and I didn't recognize this until this morning. My routine for writing down these companies information usualy consists of:

• Is the vehicle in good repair? If they care about thier own pieces of equipment they will more likely take care when they do a job for us at our properties. Now I understand that some work related vehicles will have paint on them if your a painter, or concrete/scratches if you are a concrete worker {I suppose those would be called masons?}, or dents if your carrying heavy equipment, all of these things I allow for. The things I'm talking about is if there is trash everywhere, if the company logo/sticker is peeling or in a bad condition. That is usually the first turn of from me when looking for companies.
• Is there a CA state license number on the logo? This is important to us as we can't use anyone that isn't licensed or insured.
  

After I look at the condition of the vehicle and if it has the necessary information on it that I need to follow-up with the company and find out if they have the proper terms that we need to use them, I usually write down thier number.... well, until I realized I do something else. This morning I had down both of the items above and then it happened, they sped up and started weaving in and out of traffic like a mad man! I promptly stopped writing the number and blew them off as a company I would use. As I sit here and type this I can't think of why - the only thing I can come up with is if they are in a hurry on the road what would they do to a project they are working on if they are missing the deadline, would they recklessly hurry up to finish and not pay attention to the quality? Would they hurry through and make mistakes? Would they not do quality control and let the noticed mistakes go unfixed? Then I realized I really am not sure why I wouldn't use them - I do know however that if you are advertising your company it might be a wise decision to drive a little better than you would in your own car, as it could hurt your companys efforts to bring in new business, in my own opinion anyway, which is why I have a blog - to express my own opinion.

Do contractors think of these things when assigning drivers?! I understand that we all have deadlines and we all need to do things according to someone else's {boss, bills, life, children, spouse, parents, etc.} schedule but the best way to do them is to do it right the first time, no matter the time it takes and that is what builds the trust, not only meeting the deadline but meeting it with honesty and intergrity. So watch how you are driving because I am sure I'm not the only one out there in the world who gets information of possible new vendors off of the non-peeling/faded stickers on the side of business vehicles.

I think this applys to anyone for any type of business whether it be a daycare bus, to dry cleaning pick up, to which parcel delivery service you choose to go with, who delievers your milk, or your babies cloth diapers.