lonleylight

St Mark's Summit near Vancouver. Hike I did yesterday.

Hi guys.

 

So as of my recent trip to Hong Kong I believe I've caught a bit of a street photography bug lol. I've long shied away from street photography because I didn't feel my skills were up to the task. But I decided to dabbled in some on my trip and surprised myself with the quality of some of the images I managed to capture (see my portfolio here). This is something I wish to explore more. I've realized though that the lens I have now, while very good, is perhaps not the best for this kind of shot; frankly neither is my camera since it's large and bulky, but it's fantastic otherwise and not changing lol. I would perhaps be better served with a fast wide angle prime. As well, looking through my photos through the years I realized that a lot of my best shots could easily have been shot with a wide prime as well. Thirdly after doing some reading up recently on technique it's occurred to me that if I want to get better at this hobby, which I have a lot of passion for, a telephoto is actually hindering me. I have a good eye for composition and lighting but my technical skill is lacking and a telephoto simply offers too many variables. Often when learning constraining yourself is key, it also often helps greatly with the creative process as well. With a fixed angle a lot of the other variables for getting better shots become fixed as well. As in the title I am shooting with a D7200. The current lens I'm using is the Nikon 16-80mm f/2.8-4E a lens I love and will continue to keep with me of course.

 

I'm looking for something nice and wide, preferably very fast. Also APSC because again I'd prefer not to have to worry about the crop factor at this point in learning. What would you recommend? :P

Thank you for all the input everyone!! Some of the things I suppose I'm also neglecting to remember is that for decades and decades before lightroom and photoshop came along heavy darkroom editing was done by many a skilled photographer and indeed many if not most of the tools in today's moderns digital packages owe their names to the processes they used "in analogue. Things like burning, dodging, heavy cropping contrast adjustments, unsharpen mask and much more were once all dark room techniques. I look forward to seeing what I will be able to capture and produce in the future as my skill and eye grows, with the help of my fellow photographers :) Indeed I'm looking to join a local photographic society in the next week or so and I'm in the process of trying to pick out 4 images to submit. Yes in this case I will have to read over the rules carefully to make sure I know what they are looking for and not. I'm not expecting to win or anything but it's exciting (and more than a bit nerve racking) just to meet other amateur photographers in person and to have a chance to have my work critiqued by judges, and more than anything to get tips and techniques from others!

I have also struggled with mild anxiety, a bit more general than you maybe, (include heights and motion, separate and together). If I was to just use a camera with only a 35mm lens, my anxiety alert would be going off, like a geiger counter, way too much, and I would end up backing off too far to get a decent . So I have adapted. I have found shooting at events like festivals and parades and outdoor concerts are far less anxiety provoking than just cruising the streets so-to-speak. I have also found that using a telephoto lens works for me, otherwise I may not have gotten close enough to get a shot of any kind.

 

Good to hear I'm not alone :) I've struggled with anxiety or depression most of my life but over the last 5 years or so I've made some good progress on these issues. A telephoto is definitely one of the next lens purchases I'm eyeing closely. The other being either an ultra wide or a macro. It's difficult for me to choose because I enjoy a wide variety of shots. Currently I shoot with a Pentax with a fairly good 16 - 80 F2.8/4 lens. I think 16 is probably wide enough that I may not get a LOT more out of an ultra wide so I may go with a telephoto for the reasons you mentioned here. It allows you to be able to get nice and comfortably back from your subject be it people or wildlife without disturbing them or yourself. The other way to do street photography would be to have a much more compact camera or one with a top down viewfinder which I honestly only recently learned about. But of course money being nowhere near infinite I can only restrain myself to a few things. I've found saving for the absolute best I can get in a lens instead of compromising to get more lenses to have payed off nicely with the lens I have now and is something I will continue doing in the future.

[ATTACH=full]1260619[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1260618[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1260617[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1260616[/ATTACH] A nice portfolio. Street photography is an interesting genre. There can be so much cross over with travel or even portraiture. The narrow back streets in Asia are an endless source of images. A few I took in across China a couple of years ago.

 

Nice shot. Am I correct in guessing that the last 2 were taken somewhere far out west in China? I'm guessing because the Muslim influence I see there is something you see much more of out in the far west of the country. For the first 2 when you captures these did you use a telephoto to remain at a good distance so as not to be seen. Or were you just quick about it? Or I suppose also if you had a very compact camera that makes it easier as well?

Here are some pictures from last year [ATTACH=full]1260332[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1260335[/ATTACH]

 

Nice shots! I particularly like these two! The first for the freeze frame of that moment in time, a joke being told. The second for those neat coils of hose which make nice subject. I could go on about Asia forever. I lived in Asia a s a kid from the age of 2 to the age of 6. My parents taught English and my years in Asia during those formative years instilled something of a love for the "place". I put "place" in quotations because Asia is such an enormous concept as to be almost impossible to categorize. However I lived in Malaysia, China and Taiwan in different cities so I got to see more than a bit of a flavour of different places. Something about the chaos and the culture that arises from it speaks to me, there are aspects of it that feel like home to me. Even though I've mainly lived in NA since the age of 6.

Ok so this isn't a large competition,but I saw a sign for a local Photographic society and I really want to join. Mostly to be in the company of other photographers, to talk about our shared hobby etc. As a member you get to submit photos to their projection and print nights where your work can be seen and also critiques by professional photographers. They also have presentations by photographers about technique and you get to see their work as well. As much as anything it's an interesting social event to try out. But while I'm submitting photos and prints I might as well try to submit my best. You can see the site here and past winners.

 

I am able to submit 4 photos. 2 for the projection night and 2 for the print night events.

 

2018 North Shore Photographic Challenge - North Shore Photographic Society

 

Obviously subject mater wins the day so to speak and that's down to the eye of the judges and my own skill level and not something I can really control. But as far as picking the right shots to submit the main technical problem I see with the shots I actually love the most is a lack of tack sharpness. The problem being those that are technically executed the best may not be the most interesting. The first photo here is actually one of my favourite shots, but then that's often not a very good reason to pick something. I think the subject matter is good but again the lack of tack sharpness and narrow range of contrast may hurt it. I list the rest in my own rather haphazard ranking of what I think might be good ones to submit. Just looking for critiques not necessarily of the photos themselves but of which one of these you would submit if you were choosing them for this reason. Oh and if you have time I have other shots here, maybe I glossed over one that might have qualities I shouldn't have discounted? Also the lack of tack sharpness I mentioned may only be apparent on the larger versions here:

 

The Lonely Light

 

I like them. I will be going to Hong Kong next week and hope to do some street photography.

 

Thank you! Have you been to HK or Asia before? Obviously if so you know what to expect. If not it's a crazy fascinating city! I lived in Asia as a kid from the age of 2 to 6 and developed something of a love for Asia's particular brand of chaos. I'd been to HK before but only as a young kid hence I didn't remember any of it. But I do remember my times in Malaysia and China and it surprised me how much of that flavour this brought back. Although it was more like old school Asia married to an even more chaotic and helter skelter Asian version of New York. The city honestly had blade runner vibes running through it lol.

I've never done any street photography to speak of before but I've always highly admired those who do it. It takes a lot of skill, patience and a willingness to be accidentally seen yourself. As someone who has struggled with social anxiety I have tended to shy away but I've been slowly tackling that and other things in my life. On a recent holiday to Hong Kong that I just returned from I made a conscious effort to take more street shots. I'm happy to say that they turned out much better than I had hoped, once I got into light room with them. This is definitely now something I want to explore more. BTW I would love it if anyone has time to take a look at the other shots I took as well on my trip. :)

 

Hong Kong | Photo.net

 

 

Didn't Khrushchev try? I understand Putin has tried to rehabilitate Uncle Joe.

 

As to the OP: There is no single, correct (or incorrect) answer to the question. Even for me, I will apply one standard to a landscape photo, another to my daughter's prom photo, and a very strict set of criteria to documentary images in my work. For example, the following image was made at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle. The light was very flat, and the original color image contained some very distracting blue painter's tape. Changing to B&W allowed me to emphasize what little contrast was available, and the blue tape becomes just another part of the background. I also heavily cropped this image, since my available perspective was severely constrained by having to stay on the pier. I chose not to edit out the bird droppings, though, as they are part and parcel of the scene and ambiance. (I may yet change my mind on the bird poop.)

 

...

 

Thank you! I will continue to do what I was doing as it seems fairly in line with what you and Sandy describe. I know the answer should be "just do what you like". But I don't personally like heavily edited works myself and have found myself straying farther in that direction to get the look and feel that I want. But in so doing I've found the quality of my output vastly improved. I used to only allow myself very minor contrast adjustments. But as I've freed myself from those constraints and taken to very heavily cropping photos I've found I've freed up my eye to take most photos from what was shot to what I've seen, or much closer to what my vision was. I just don't want to land up in kitch territory if you know what I mean. Those are great shots btw!

"Where do you draw the line with photo editing?"

 

What line....

 

And who are those folk who decide the line?

 

Point taken :P

Wonderful book on the pre-photoshop 'editing' of photographs in Stalin's Soviet Union

The Commissar Vanishes

[ATTACH=full]1260220[/ATTACH]

 

This all didn't start just yesterday, you know.

 

Sometimes it's OK too, to edit out the odd tin can or bit of tissue, if it doesn't falsify the message, I think.

 

I myself, have posed with many world leaders at historic events, thanks to Photoshop!

 

Lol that's a fascinating looking book!

I don't count myself as a purist but I also don't like to do things to photos that make them look like they could not have been taken naturally. What I personally am usually after is what I had in my minds eye when I took the shot, which is not always what was captured or indeed what was exactly there. It can be a fine line though. For example this photo I just developed I edited more than I normally would have to get the look I wanted. See the original as shot, then only with lighting adjustments and finally what I had in mind.

I've been fortunate enough to turn a hobby into my job, and as time passed, the hobby was gone. It had become work, and the passion I had for it became simple professional dedication to being a bit better at doing that job...

 

Thank you!! What you just said is the ultimate reason I probably can't do pro. It would ruin the passion. Random ironic correlation. The store I said I manage is a retail store selling video games and pop culture merchandise. I find managing this business has rather sucked the fun out of gaming and the like for me lol. As I said I like the people I work with but this connects with what you said. I couldn't have the same thing happen with photography for me. It really for me is about the thrill of seeing a shot I love. It's the skip of a heart beat when I see I've captured something I feel proud of, that I feel is beautiful. While I wish that were commercializable, and it kind of is, I don't want to ruin that aspect of it by getting into the trenches, where the money actually is.

In general, yes.

 

Your work shows that you understand what it is that you are doing. Your photos are not as bold and dramatic as they could be, but we all get better as we gather experience. You aren't excellent with a capital E, but you are better than a few well paid photographers I've seen over the years. You approach some subject matter better than I could, so I tip my hat to you there.

 

Some tips, FWIW, if you want a more rounded, commercial-oriented portfolio: bright, but not obviously exaggerated colour always sells. Fill the frame. Find interesting objects to shoot - they could be toys, stationery, food, consumables, whatever. Have you ever browsed through stock collections? Do that and you'll find new ideas to explore. Even old catalogues by The Image Bank are worth looking through.

 

Another tip, if you want it: learn about cinematography and learn how to use Resolve. You never know if you'll be asked to work on video projects, but if you do you'll have the knowledge that most photographers don't.

 

Most of photography is about business skills, but I am not the one to ask about that. ;-)

 

Two things, though.

 

1. This shot is affectatious and the 1990s is going to call any minute to ask for permanent custody. Be glad that you will not have to pay child support:

 

You Have Mail!

 

2. This one is just not good enough to make the cut - those clouds are just too distracting. And the light is boring. You should have waited for the clouds to disappear and/or waited for nicer light. If you didn't have that luxury, you should have deleted the file as soon as you viewed it when you got home. Not worth it:

 

Mountain Reflection

 

Thanks for the compliments! And actually I rather agree with your cutting of those 2 inages too.

 

There are multiple reasons why I probably am not cut out for pro work. The people skills aspect as mentioned above being the main one. The other is output ratio which honestly would just come with time. These photos have been collected over years and I tend not to get that many good shots when I go out to shoot. I definitely am not just randomly shooting mind you and culling from thousands of pics those that look good. Indeed I tend to be pretty methodical and sparing with what I shoot, usually not seeing much of anything and when I do almost always realizing to my disappointment that a shot that I'd love is ruined by some element or another. Even on holidays like the 6 days in HK this year I may onyl shoot maybe 200 shots at the most and from that I may only like a single shot, maybe 2. This output ratio would need to drastically improve. But that's really just about getting better and shooting a hell of a lot more which I really should do anyway, even as a hobby.

Yes.

 

***

 

 

 

The "skill" for "Professional Work", is not just about Photographic skill -

 

To sell your work, (and yourself) you'll need to change your pitch and in general, the personality that comes across to your Prospects. (If you are in business, then everyone is a Prospect.)

 

For examples only -

 

> You're asking folk here, some with years of experience, some with a wealth of talent, to take time out of their day to firstly read your post and then to take more time to construct a reply to it - if this is the case why would one add: "Believe me I am not going to make my decision based on anyone's opinions here." Such a statement of fact immediately undervalues and demeans the opinions which you seek.

 

> Think about your business name - sure it might not be a proper business name yet, but, "The Lonely Light" - what thoughts does that place that in the Prospects' minds?

 

> "I'm good at my job and enjoy the people I work with." it is not clear what that exactly defines; managing a store does not necessarily mean being successful in a Sales Manager's Role; enjoying working with your colleagues does not define the depth and breadth of talent that you have to use so you can create quick rapport with Prospects.

 

I think it is important to understand that in any business, especially a small business, mastering People Skills is a crucial element of the skill set.

 

***

 

You've made a first step. That step is always the most difficult step; if you really want it, whatever it is - then don't rest on that first step, but build upon it.

 

Good luck with your choices.

 

WW

 

Thank you. This is a very insightful post. As I've mentioned above I suppose I was asking the question as much as anything to see if people thought I had the professional skill which you and others have helped validate for me. Honestly that is the most comforting thing and validating thing I take away from these replies. What you and others say about the business side itself... Well, I kind of knew about this struggle already. I'm likely to just keep it as a hobby. Although the people skills, that is something I've been working on for many years in general and I've grown leaps and bounds beyond where I used to be, believe it or not given the self depricatory nature of my post. Perhaps in time I will simply reach a point where I myself will know. But like I said... Thank you for answer in the positive the real question I had.

It's very hard to make a living as a landscape/nature photographer. You probably could count on both hands the number of people in the U.S. making a living doing only this. Most photographers who are successful and make a good living solely as photographers shoot people (something which is lacking in your two portfolios you've shown here). Photographing people would be included in fields such as: sports, photojournalism, weddings, corporate and to some extent music (although most music photos end up being shot by friends for next to nothing).

 

I think you have some beautiful photos, but you need to show some people photos if you expect to be able to make a living at photography. Sometimes it's better to keep a fun hobby as just that, a fun hobby.

 

Thank you for the compliment. Indeed many people have told me exactly what you just did. As in my replies above. I was kind of aware of the answer before I posted. I am slowly branching out into photographing people. Truthfully though I have little interest in where the money actually lies in the industry, weddings, sports, portraiture, events etc. For the longest time I didn't photograph people because, we'll probably due to my social anxiety. But that's bebeen changing over the years and I'm branching out into street photography little by little for my own pleasure. As mentioned perhaps in time I can at least suppliment my income here and there with the sale of a print or two or something to make enough side money to pay for the hobby itself.

On retirement I was talking to an old friend about turning one of my hobbies into a business as he had done. Can't recall his neat phrase at this moment, but the gist of it, I would spoil the hobby and soon come to dislike the business. Retail is tough to take after a while, but Freelance Photography can be pretty hand to mouth. Did both in former years. Good luck and happy landings with your decision.

 

Thank you. Indeed I kind of knew this answer but aksed anyway lol. I will keep it a hobby. I suppose what I wish to do really isn't to make a living but to make enough pocket change on the side to fund my development of the hobby.

IDK. Great images in that portfolio! But: The single portrait in there <link> and

trigger alerts in the back of my head.

 

What would professional photography be about?

• 60% + x: "Selling yourself" - 10+ years retail & store manager -> check!
  
• 40% "creating the images a customer might demand in a sufficiently competitive way." - No comment; your portfolio tells too close to nothing about those for most fields of photographer employment.
  

I am not primary a photographer by trade, although my employer files me as "our shutterbug" and uses me to get the corporate "grab & grin"s and product shots taken.

 

Ask yourself: Could you do your current store's website?

• Shoot every employee to proof you have the friendliest & nicest staff and make all those pictures look similar enough to put them on one page?
  
• Every product in a studio?
  
• Help every customer you encounter with their online dating &/ job search?
  

Also:

• How good are you at documenting events? Can you nail highlights of a concert or theater rehearsal? Sports?
  
• Can you stage something; i.e. hire models bring lights and pick a location to materialize a pre-visualized shot?
  
• Do you have an eye for fashion?
  

You 've been a fortunate wanderer with your camera so far, according to the linked portfolio. - Professional photography seems a lot about creating what somebody wants to see imaged Involves lighting and frequently also people skills.

 

Maybe you could create a personality cult on YouTube that makes Patreons finance you living your dream. Getting hired by national geographic & similar seems even harder (but I am no expert!).

 

From what I heard from my peers / encounters: Photography is a tough field. Wannabes try to out-starve each other. For that reason employees don't get paid well. German late 80s stats: 70%+x of apprenticeship survivors ended migrating into different fields of employment.

 

In doubt: Most shiny jobs are taken. - How appealing is photographic grunt work to you? Elephant in the room: How good are you at post processing? Taking shots is one thing, culling and polishing them might consume enough time to break a business' neck. - I've been on anti depressants too. - I know I can "catch the flow " somewhere behind my camera but I am freaking glad that I don't need to weed out 100s of images every night, to see half a dozen in my newspaper or spend 24h in front of my screen after a wedding. - YMMV

 

Lol thanks for the sobering reminder. In truth I knew these answers when I posted my question. I suppose I was simply in something of a mood when I posted. I will continue this as a hobby however. Herhaps I can make enough money on the side from selling the occasional print here and there locally at cafes and the like or online to find some equipment purchases.

 

When you mentioned the single portrait in my portfolio I'm assuming you mean the fact that aside from it I have no shots of people? That the insutrt, where the money is be made, is in photographing people? Or were you referring to the photography itself?

 

The idea of grwating a YT personality cult sounds rediculous and ego filled to the extreme lol. An ego being something I very much almost totally lack... Which honestly is probably another red flag because photography as a business is about selling yourself and your work, which is a lot about ego boosting.

 

I have no designs or interest in the soul sucking world of wedding and portraiture photography, which I am aware is where the money lies.

 

Basically I guess I'm saying I'm aware that professionally this is not an industry for me. Which is too bad but it is what it is.

 

Thank you for the initial compliment regarding the images in my portfolio. That is what ultimately mater's to me. Nothing else.

So I've been am amateur photographer for quite a few years now off and on. It's become a very important passion for me as the years have slipped by. I will admit to not being the most skilled of technical photographers but I like to think I have a pretty good eye for what I like. I've found the hobby amazingly rewarding and meditative. It's helped me through some dark times in my life, I have struggled life long with depression and other issues. I find myself now at a bit of a crossroads in life. I've made a lot of progress against some of my personal demons and I now want to focus on what I want to do with my life with a bit more zeal. I've worked retail the past 10+ years and now manage a store. None of this is bad and I'm good at my job and enjoy the people I work with. But I'm also burned out and need to find something that fuels me with passion.

 

Photography is one such thing. I am a lonely person, have been most of my life and there is something uniquely fitting about this hobby that speaks to something within me. However the other road that I am looking at perusing is academia, to return to school to get a degree in the sciences, likely physics or math. I can of course always keep this as a hobby, and will! I also realize that asking people on an online forum should not be how anyone gauges what they want to do with their life. Believe me I am not going to make my decision based on anyone's opinions here. But I don't get many chances to show my work to people other than my friends and the occasional person who stumbles across it online. I know most people here are amateurs as well, but I'm curious to know what people think of the work I've done. Do you feel I have a good enough eye for the work to possibly find professional work?

 

My portfolio of just my favourite shots is here:

Favourites

 

And my slightly broader portfolio here:

The Lonely Light