Newbie...here and to the business

[visionzof]

I would like to say hello to everyone. i am new to this forum and new to the

photography business. My first mission is to get some critism on my website and

my work.

My family and friends persuaded me to get into this business because they loved

my work and know how much I love photography.

Now that I am here and looking at other sites...Im not so sure I will be able

to cut it in this business...

I am in process of furthering my knowledge by taking classes in photography...

 

I have completed 3 weddings and have 2 scheduled for the first of next year.

 

please if you have a minute, check out my site and give some feedback!

 

Thanks alot! I hope to learn some things here!

 

http://www.visionzof.com

 

Rhonda

[elnoralouisa]

I love your people pictures, I think you have a really good start. The only thing is what lens(es) are you using? Your people are great, but many of the pics had backgrounds that were distracting or have 'junk'--sound equipment, etc., in them. If you do something with your depth of field on most of these, they would be absolutely great.

I would pick up the music a bit on the website. After a bit, it's almost depressing.

What photo courses are you taking?

Anyway, I think you do have a talent, and you can certainly brush up your skills and get inspiration here!

 

Debbie

[kari douma]

You are off to a good start, you have a good eye.

 

Some things to work on:

 

1. Learn how to bounce your flash more to avoid the harsh shadows.

 

2. Learn to drag your shutter to bring in some of the ambient light at the reception.

 

Some things to change on your website:

 

1. I agree, the music is kind of depressing. At first it sounds kind of romantic, but that lasted about 60 seconds. Then it sounded kind of depressing.

 

2. Too much spot color. I know brides like it, but one or two images is plenty to show you can do it. You have too many, and it starts to look cheesy or gimicky.

 

3. There are a few out of focus images on your sight. I don't care how much you like the images, or how imotionally attached you are to them, do not put out of focus images on your website. I didn't get a chance to look throgh your whole site, but the one wedding I looked at (I think it was second on your list) there was a bride and groom dancing that was out of focus (the wall behind was in focus) and later, the same groom and mom out of focus. Maybe you need a better focusing lense for dark situations, or turn up the lights a little bit for the dancing shots.

 

4. When you have a featured wedding as you do (all the images from one wedding in a group) I think you should keep a time order to your images, rather than jumping around so much. They should be displayed in order that you took them. If you have an overall gallery with different weddings, it is not necisarry to put them in a order like that.

 

Don't take these comments too hard, but as a step to continue and take your business to the next level.

[visionzof]

Thanks for your responses...I am taking at home classes from New York Institute...I am hoping that it will help. I just got my first course in last night..so I havent had a chance to look through it. I am doing it more so i can get a better feel of f stops, shutter speeds and lighting...the technical side.

 

I wasnt sure about the music. I tried to get ideas from others if i should keep it on or take it off...no help! So thank you.

[elnoralouisa]

Some one recommended this wedding site http://www.kphotography.ca/home/Recent/index.html I don't rememember who, but it is now my favorite. You might like to check out the music. I say keep the music, just maybe a different 'love' song. I am also in NYIP, almost 1/2 way through. I assume you are doing the Professional course? I am also signed up for the DSLR course, but I guess they haven't shipped it yet. If you stay on the boards here, you will pick up so much.

[nagya]

Rhonda,

I also started my business this year and it has been a long hard road. I wish that I would have assisted some before committing to my business. My advice to you is to be true to yourself and if you love it than don't back down. Don't compare your work to others just do your best. I have to tell myself this every day. I always look to see what everyone else is doing but I can't change what I do to fit what they are doing. I go with my gut and I do my very best to get the shots that will make them happy and hope they love my work. Being in business is like raising a child...when you first start you don't know what your doing and you make mistakes, but you learn and you grow and hopefully it gets easier. Be proud that you are one of the few that have an eye and work on developing that into something great. That is my best advice....oh and never shoot without a signed contract to protect yourself. Not even for a friend. Make it your rule of thumb, no matter what.

 

Your website looks really good. Personally I'm not crazy about music on sites, but that's just me. What I did on my site was take the best wedding and show the top 15 photos and then the top 3 or 4 from previous weddings. I don't know if that's good or not but it's what I did. That way the brides looking at my work will see that I have done more than one or two weddings and won't get bored before the view all the photos. Oh and make sure the bride looks perfect in the photos you choose because she will be the one searching for a photographer. Feel free to email me if you need anything.

 

GOOD LUCK!

[stembaughphotography]

I am taking the nyi course also, you will have lessons on weddings in one of the earlier lessons- I think you will enjoy the course. I too am trying to break into the portrait and wedding business- no weddings yet, but I know they will come! Good Luck- and I think you will bea able to do great!

[steve_levine]

I think you have put the "cart" before the horse. "Furthering my knowledge", as you put it should occur several years before attempting to go into business. A wedding photographer should be a master of their trade, not a student. There are too many things that can go wrong, (and not enough that can right).

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Rhonda,

 

I apologize up front as this is a bit rough, but I think Steve has hit the nail on the head. You really need to learn more about photography before you start working as or claiming to be a professional photographer.

 

As far as your website is concerned, I think it's overly busy, way too much verbiage, too many headings. Are you doing wedding photography? Launching models on their new career? Lot's of "we" in your discussions. Who else is in your business? What is their experience level?

 

The site looks overly dark, so much black. Wedding sites should be happy places. Approach your website as a potential client, not as a budding business woman. If you were looking for a wedding photographer, how much time would you spend on your site. Beautify it and simplify it.

 

"SAME GREAT QUALITY, FOR ONE LOW PRICE!" Are you selling wedding photography or paper towels? Don't set yourself up to be the bargain basement of wedding photographers unless you want to work really hard and lose money doing it.

 

You clearly have a love of photography. That is your ace in the hole. But great quality? I'm sorry but you're not there yet (and neither am I, btw). In your company info you state "its not just "point and click". The results I expect are more! I strive to show the emotion and story in a photo." That's what it's all about. Bravo. Now you need to work and learn so you can live up to your goals. At this point your images look like point and shoot. Poor flash technique, excessive DOF on lot's of images leaving you with terribly distracting backgrounds. Unoriginal composition and perspective. (Check out planetneil.com and strobist.com to learn about flash technique-this seems to be the most difficult thing for beginners). Check out some top wedding sites and see what they're doing. My favorite is Doug and Chenin Boutwell's: boutwellstudio.com. Study top images and compare them to yours. What are they doing differently? What makes their images look so great? Learning to answer those questions will help you master your new art.

 

Rhonda, I'm sorry for being so rough on you. I think because of your love of photography, you'll do fine down the road, but please don't put the cart in front of the horse. Get hooked up with a pro and assist for a year. Continue your photography course and master your equipment and skills, and THEN open your business.

 

Paul

[visionzof]

I just started the NYI courses. Professional course right now...then the DSLR. I was a little leary about doing it from home, so we will see how it goes.

The only reason I went into business now is because I shot along 3 different photographers and all three told me I would be stupid not to do it. The way I see it, if someone doesn't like the photos I take online or when we meet, then they will not hire me, and if they do, they know what to expect. Right now I am not in this to make a living, I am in this because I love photography and want to make it my life.

No photographer is perfect by any means. There is always room for everyone to learn something.

 

Thanks for the tips on the website and everything else. I will have to be a busy little bee this weekend and adjust a few things and rethink some photos! Plus I am working on 2 albums that I have got to get done and to print!

[amandalockphotography]

I am also a newbie, but I just had a bit of feedback.

 

I agree with whoever said that your site was a little wordy. I think that the writing part should be kept to a minimum on a photography site; it's easier to let your pictures speak for themselves. If you put in a ton of text it gets confusing. Your prices link for me wasn't working- you may want to double check on that. In your FAQ section you may want to proof read it a couple times. For example:

 

"What attire will you and your assistants wear?

Our photographers dress in the attire that you specify. If you are having a formal wedding, our photographers will be in formal attire. If you are having a wedding and you do not specify the attire of your guests, our photographers will be dressed in very professionally." [in what?]

 

There are a couple other typo's and some incorrect grammar, etc. Proper spelling, punctuation, etc., are a mark of professionalism and you should have your site the best it can be.

 

There are A LOT of link buttons on the top; when I got to the site I recoiled a little to see so many. Maybe cut them down or combine a few of them? If I were you I would cut out the Types of Wedding part on your Wedding Packages- it's information that's really not needed. Maybe say a little bit about what type of shooting you do, but no need to give feedback on every single style.

 

I was a little puzzled by the Company Info part- maybe just make it about you? When I saw the Company Info tag I was expecting to see graphs, projections, etc. :)

 

I got the feeling that the text on your website was BIG AND EXCITING AND LOOK AT US! I think most brides relate better to an understated confidence. Maybe tone it down a little?

 

I'm sorry for being so brutal- feel free to yell at me if you'd like. :)

 

In terms of your pictures- god knows I struggle with flash (using it or not!) so you have my sympathy with the flash issue. I do think that you need to work on your flash skills in order to make it not look so obviously 'flashed'. Your eye is there, you get some good angles and you catch good moments. Maybe just concentrate on the technical side a little more.

 

That is fantastic that you are taking a class and that you love what you are doing. That is a huge step in the right direction. And if you want to succeed in this business I've found that you have to be tenacious. You've got to be able to accept criticism, (sometimes it stings...), dust yourself, put it to good use and keep on trying. The best best best of luck to you! :)

[charlene_beckman]

Rhonda, I think it is great that you are so enthusiastic! I have to say though (I hope this is not too harsh) that as someone who was recently a bride I would not hire you based on your portfolio on the website.

 

-Some of the pictures seem awfully dark. Do you do any post-processing at all? Even running them through Picasa's "I'm feeling lucky," which would take about two seconds of your time and requires zero knowledge on your part, would I think improve them enormously. If you wanted to mess with them even more in PS that would obviously be fine too.

 

-Totally agree with the poster who said not to post out-of-focus pics. This alone would have made me, as a potential bride, say, "She doesn't know what she's doing; I don't want to hire her." Even if you DO know what you're doing and that pic was just an accident-- don't let us see the accidents!

 

-I agree with the poster who said "too many spot color pics" - the actual portfolio pics seem fine, but the first flash pic that loaded onto the website was spot color, which is a bit much I think.

 

-I don't agree with the poster who didn't like the black background, although I do think that the stylishness of it (if that's what you're going for) is somewhat marred by all the white cheerful text. Also, your pics are more in the "cheerful" mode than the "stylish" mode, so... okay, never mind, I agree with nixing the black background, although I will just note that I HAVE seen wedding websites with that theme and it has worked.

 

-The title of the webpage (the thing that shows up at the top of the browser) was wayyyy too long and had too much superfluous information. Instead of listing everything you do, just say 'Rhonda Jenkins Photography, MD,DC,[whatever, I forget].' They can figure out that you do civil unions and children and whatever, and it's pretty obvious that you are supposed to be not an amateur.

 

-This is really minor, but it's weird to me that some of the pics have both a watermark and a corner copyright marking. Not being a professional, I have no idea if you need both of these, but if you can now get rid of at least one of them the pics would look better to me.

[johnnysks]

Regardless of if you can be a pro wedding photographer or not, if this is something that you like, you can take some courses to improve, and after which point then maybe you can make a better assetsment of if you can go pro or not. I took a look at one of your gallery, and I would suggest that you try shooting from different height, do some close up's sometimes to isolate, learn to control your camera better (exposure was not so good in some of the pix), think about what is in the photo before you take it, pay more attention to details in the photo and the angle/composition, and yes, right now your website is way too loud.

[matt_k1]

I think there are a handful of nice images on your site, but you have a way to go. Don't let

that discourage you. There's a lot for anyone to learn. <p>

Great that your taking a class. Keep it up if this is what you love.

<P> Definately some issues with using your flash. Learn to bounce. Harsh shadows and

direct flash are an immediate sign of a beginner. There's a number of really underexposed

images on your site as well as a few poorly composed. Those should be removed. Don't

have any bad images in your portfolio just to fill space.<p>

You need to develop your post-processing skills. Many of the images look like they came

right out of the camera. Anybody could have shot them. You need to shoot more and

develop your own style and look to stand out from the amateurs.<p>

Way too much selective desaturation. I don't like the effect at all. Some clients may like it.

I don't do it. I think it's cheezy.<p>

The website is a bit overwhelming. Too much text to read through. Too many links. Too

many other types of images. I think if you are a wedding photographer, you need to really

place your focus on that. It's okay to have other types of images, but make it clear that

you are primarily a wedding photographer. Make it simple for the people browsing your

site. <p>

I'd also lose the music altogether.