i could use some help....

[kai_jones]

thank you to those who looked at and critiqued my website from my last post.. i

have changed it up a little and took out some of the photos that i felt werent

too good, and have put up some more. do you see any others that i should take

out? i have been working on the site but havent told anyone about it really so

i could really use some help before i make it "public". what else should i be

looking out for to make my photos better? the site is www.cozyphoto.com i am

really trying to learn and would so much appreciate some honest constructive

critisism... also if you know of any really good books about the "rules" of

photography? because i was never taught them. would anyone like to be my

mentor? ;) thanks!

~kim shapiro

[Matt Laur]

Much like your typing here, which is very hard to read without visual clues like capital letters at the beginning of sentences, the text blocks on your site can render oddly and come across as trying too hard to be hip. You need to remember that not everyone reading your prose will assume that such an affectation means that you are more professional in your dealings than the next photographer who also has a nice portfolio. You'll also want to remember that search engines like Google DO take grammar, punctuation, and text formatting into account when they crawl and rank sites. And when you're hoping to attract customers in a major metropolitan area, as you are, you need every edge you can get. Also, see what you can do to remove the pitch for free web sites from your OWN web site... that doesn't inspire confidence.

[danielle_broxson]

Well, I am by no means a professional but a fellow beginner. Your pics are nice but I feel like there was really nothing stand out. I absolutely am not trying to be mean here but I feel like anyone with a camera could take most of those pictures. Like Matt said you need an edge and if someone looks and doesnt have the "wow" factor than they won't book you. I do like the pic of the boy on the swing. Imo, that is the correct direction. Your style looks like you try to showcase personality and fun. which is great, just maybe pratice that without it being all over the place. Keep it up though.

[mary_smith11]

In response to your question, I'll point you to this old posting of mine regarding a similar question...

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00NDzy

 

First of all, you have some really priceless pics in there. Some of them (I agree about the Boy on a Swing)I would have been quite proud to have taken myself. That said - the reason the above posters aren't too thrilled about your work is that while some of the pics are great, most of them really need further post-processing because they look like they came straight out of the camera. Understand that, especially if you're shooting RAW, you HAVE to post-process the pictures. Specifically, most of your pictures need serious contrast and a curves layer. Your sepia ones, although striking the right mood, seem underexposed to me.

 

You are showing way too many pictures in your portfolio. It's hard to do, but you need to cull them down to a more digestible number for people. You need to only show your very best work, even if that is only 15 pictures. Your site could benefit from having your pictures in sections like Color, B&W, Just for Fun, Newborns, etc. etc. - the possibilities are endless there. But right now it's like you just threw them hodge-podge in a big lump. On my website, I thought very seriously about which pictures to include and also the order in which they are placed on the site. In fact, I'm about to update my site with all new pictures and it's taking me forever because I'm really taking my time to think it through.

 

IMO, you are getting ahead of yourself. You have a EXCELLENT EXCELLENT eye for kids photography. Your crops are lovely, you have a way with capturing expression and the moment - these are things that can't necessarily be taught. But you MUST learn more about the technical end of photography and Photoshop in order to take people's money.. see my earlier posting.

 

Your website appears not very well thought out - the above poster mentioned grammar and I agree. It is possible to make your own site and have it look quite professional, but yours looks thrown together. People pick up on that even if they don't know the first thing about photography. They won't hire you if you seem at all careless in your presentation of yourself.

 

IMO, you could really be an incredible children's photographer if you just learn more about technical stuff and work hard at it. And it's only after you do that that you should even have a website. And when you do have a site, work hard on it to make it as professional in every way you can. The photography business is like 10-20% talent and the rest is just business. You HAVE the innate talent. You just need to learn more.

 

I do not mean to offend you or put you down. In fact, I really do love your work!!! But people will not pay lots of money for images that look like snapshots - and most of yours look that way because of simple lack of post-processing. The great images are there, but you need to elevate them beyond what any mom with a camera can do or you will not be able to make it.

 

If you have any questions for me, please contact me. I really think you have a lot of talent.

 

-Carrie

[mary_smith11]

By the way, if you want to e-mail a pic or two to me at carrie@carrieprewitt.com, I can post-process them and show you what I mean.

 

Have a great day!

[kai_jones]

thanks to everyone for responding, now that i have some feedback i will work on it some more.. my goal is to have a little business together in about a year (wish me luck!) :) carrie i emailed you, thanks!

[kai_jones]

I got myself Photoshop & Lightroom and have been practicing like a mad woman! What a DIFFERENCE!!!!! im totally addicted to PP now.