kezia

I don't think the 'attacks' were related to the quality of work Kristin is capable of. I think they were related to her ability to consistently produce what the customer is paying her for, which is my definition of professional. In this case, I will assume the customers knew that Kristin wasn't very experienced so didn't expect amazing photographs. However, they did expect a series of reasonable quality photographs documenting an unrepeatable event. In a case like this Kristin can't put things completely right by offering the money back after the event because the customer can't use the money to repeat the series of photos they wanted, so whatever she does the customer is going to feel upset. Kristin, I think the best thing is to offer the prints you can produce at no charge and apologise for not producing all the groupings promised. Then just chalk it up to experience and move on, because everyone makes mistakes when they are starting out.

 

If you are using a film camera, I suggest that you get an inexpensive backup digital camera (you can't take on professional work without a backup camera so you will need to buy another camera anyway), and sit it on a tripod. Tell the customer you use it to make test shots, and download a trial photo of each scene onto a laptop to make sure you have at least one sharp, reasonable photo of each grouping the customer asked for (or at least view it zoomed in as far as possible on the lcd screen). Then once you have fulfilled your contractural obligations you can concentrate on getting the wonderful photos with which you hope to wow the customer with your artistry. Take your main camera off its tripod occasionally if you must to get interesting angles, but don't rely on these shots. I don't think you should be afraid to call yourself a professional (there are lots of very mediocre photographers who call themselves professionals and not all 'professional' - i.e. paid - jobs require a high level of skill), but don't be ambitious beyond your current abilities, i.e. never ever again take on a job unless you are sure you can fulfil the minimum contractural obligations.

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I think there is another consideration here. Yes, your mother will probably feel more at home with a film camera, but if she only takes a few films each year, then the celebration that inspired her to bring out the camera will be long over before she gets the film finished and off to Boots for printing (I know because I bought my mother a disposable with about 38 pictures on it last Christmas and the film still isn't finished). I would recommend a digital for that reason - she's not interested in getting the photos on CD, she just wants some nice prints as memories of special occasions. The day after the birthday party, she can take the camera to have the saved photos printed out, delete them from memory and start again (or you can transfer them to your computer and print them for her). If you get her a really simple camera she shouldn't have to learn to do anything other than recharge the batteries. I don't have the information to give recommendations, but thought I would mention this factor, which really is important in my opinion.

I've been using the Cokin polarizer for about a year with no scratches or other problems. It seems solidly made so I expect it to last quite a bit longer. I also use the cheap closeup filters (I'm not very seriously into macro work so this is a good compromise for me) and I'm surprised by their sharpness - have a look at this link for an example if you like: http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo? topic_id=1481&msg_id=005GjR&photo_id=1546542&photo_sel_index=0 . However, one of my Cokin closeup filters does have a small scratch so I'm glad I consider it a toy, not a serious piece of professional equipment. I make all colour corrections on the PC so don't use these filters, but I would use a graduated ND filter if I did a lot of landscape work. I've heard that the Cokin ND filter is not quite colour neutral, but that is also probably something easily corrected on the computer.

The infrared is a specialty film, so that doesn't really answer the question as to the comparison with standard negative films. Fuji Velvia is generally considered one of the most saturated, and in addition has fine grain and velvety blacks. However, you will have to be careful in situations where there is a lot of light contrast as it can't handle it, so you may get some disappointments until you get used to its limitations. Also, it is a slow, 50 ISO, film so you'll usually need a tripod. There is a 100 ISO version coming out soon that should be worth trying. My favourite all-round is Provia 400 ISO. It is still fairly fine grain, I can hand-hold it in most situations, it can handle a slightly wider contrast range compared to Velvia (but none can equal the negative films in this), and the colours are very pleasing for most situations, though can be slightly on the cool side in shadow (an inconvenience easily dealt with by colour balancing in Photoshop). There is no doubt that you can play around with saturation in Photoshop and produce some very saturated results with negative film. One, Agfa Ultra, is designed specially for its high saturation/high contrast look, though I don't think it will give you the grain-free, highly detailed result of Velvia or Provia.

 

My advice as a relative beginner, who has been getting used to colour reversal film for the past six months, is to choose one film and get used to its qualities and limitations for a while, rather than switching around. Fuji Provia is, I think, the best choice for experimentation as it will handle a wider range of situations compared to Velvia. Have a look at the following for examples of Velvia colour --

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?

topic_id=1481&msg_id=005GjR&photo_id=1546542&photo_sel_index=0

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?topic_id=1481&msg_id=004w1D&photo_id=1430600&photo_sel_index=0

I'm happy to participate, but sense that most of the photographers listed here are far more knowledgeable than me. So let me know if you think I would be more suited to a different group (a reconstituted critique circle, for example, if it ever happens). I will have to scramble a bit to get access to a lens that fits your topic, not having a macro lens, but if I can't manage to submit a photo in time for this topic I would be happy to comment on the photographs of others for the time being.

There is no way of ensuring a meaningful critique just by making a comment compulsory. Many people would just type in good or fair and it would still not be meaningful. I think it is important to help newcomers like me realize that if they just put their photos up for critique they are probably going to be disappointed because they will be lucky to get even one comment -- that really isn't what the photo critique system is for; it is simply a way of filtering out the bad photos in order to provide good photos for the high-rated pages. The system really isn't designed for learning now that it is so big and I don't really know why people keep putting photos up for critique. I rarely do these days - the photos in my folders are there for two reasons: 1/ for my family abroad to enjoy; 2/ to force me to be more self-critical since in order to add a photo I have to delete one -- it's a game I play in my attempts to improve. I would join a critique circle but when I had a look I got the impression that very few have any activity going on, which is puzzling when so many people here complain about the lack of meaningful critiques of their photos. I am surprised because for me comments are crucial and they are very rare in the main critique section.

 

So if the ratings on the main critique pages are simply a filter for the high-rated pages then I think a three-part rating makes sense because once people feel free to give the low ratings for originality that many of the top photos deserve I think it might broaden the types of photos that get into the top pages. Alternatively have just one qustion to answer - does it deserve to go in the top pages, yes or no. That would at least be honest and consistent with the true purpose of ratings.

I have been thinking about why I find the ratings system so

difficult. It is because there is a wide range of technical expertise

on photonet. This means that when faced with yet another photograph

of the same old landscape with the same old velvia colours, which is

nevertheless technically perfect and beautifully scanned and

presented, I'm forced to make a choice I don't like making - I'm

forced to give it a six or seven for originality, when I should be

giving it a one or two. Why? Because if I give it a one or two the

photo will end up with an average rating of three or four, leaving me

with only ones and twos to give to the less technically proficient

photos that might nevertheless have other qualities that I like. I

feel that if you are going to have ratings then you should have three

categories, the third category being for technical proficiency. That

will allow me to give the sixes and sevens for technical merit to

the 'professional' quality photos, and still give the ones and twos

for originality that they often deserve. I know that on the surface

it seems to be making the ratings system even more complicated, but

overall I think it would simplify and clarify it.

I have several related problems concerning my access to photo.net.

 

1. My internet access to photo.net has become unacceptably slow over

the past few days. Has anything changed at photo.net to cause this?

 

2. I posted a response to what I thought was this week's photo of the

week forum and now I can't find it. Is this a problem at my end or

photo.net? It is just possible that I became confused because of my

slow access and put it in the wrong place. This leads to a related

question:

 

3. When I go into other people's portfolios I can see their comments

on other photos. Yet in my own workspace I cannot find the comments I

have made. This means that if I have inadvertantly placed my photo-of-

the-week comment in response to the wrong person's photograph then

there is a very confused photographer out there wondering what on

earth my comment means, and there is nothing I can do about it

because I can't find my comment. How do I find a list of my comments?

I have an old Jenaflex AM1 that came with four lenses. I want to

learn on this camera but also want the possibility of ending up with

good quality photos. I generally use Fuji Provia 100F film. Could I

have some advice please? If you don't advise using these then what

should I look for?

 

The lenses are:

 

Zeiss/Jena 50 mm 1.8 MC

 

Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Lydith 30 mm 3.5

 

Aico 200 mm 3.5

 

Pentacon Prakticar 70-210 5.6 MC

 

Thanks