I Had To LOL When I Found This On Craigslist.

[DavidSR]

Hey guys,

There was a link to someones myspace on Craigslist so I followed it to see this.

"I'm WMC (Woman With Camera), I do on location photography, I love to shoot at local parks, Firewheel Town Center, and will even do a shoot in your home...I am now shooting with a Kodak High Def. digital camera, and load all pix directly onto a laptop as soon as the shoot ends so you can get an idea of what the pictures look like(unedited of course). "

WTH is a Kodak High Def. Camera?? lol

EDIT: This is the photographers myspace.www.myspace.com/leeleesphotos..I didn't want to put her on blast, but thought you guys should take a look..I finally got to see her pics. and WOW..I can't believe people pay her for this.

[Quad]

Possibly a DCS-14N.

[Anke]

WTH is a Kodak High Def. Camera?? lol

http://www.mymemory.co.uk/images/product_shots/11972_1202289030.jpg

[DavidSR]

Possibly a DCS-14N.

I doubt it. I saw her pictures and they seem no better than if they were taken with a disposable or camera phone lol

[Quad]

I doubt it. I saw her pictures and they seem no better than if they were taken with a disposable or camera phone lol

So are you saying that if I buy an expensive camera my pictures will no longer look like they have been taken with a disposable? You don't work in a large retail chain's camera dept. do you?:p

Besides it would be easier to screw up a picture with a high end camera than a camera phone.

[DavidSR]

I just posted her myspace in the 1st post..All I can say is WOW...I can't believe people pay for that garbage.

[mbellot]

I just posted her myspace in the 1st post..All I can say is WOW...I can't believe people pay for that garbage.

Why not?

Its always about better marketing, not a better product.

[Vascilli]

I hope she buys an SLR (Or even just a flash) with the money she makes from that.

[Karl Johnston]

Guys...we really need a dedicated professional standard ...

[DennisW1]

So are you saying that if I buy an expensive camera my pictures will no longer look like they have been taken with a disposable? You don't work in a large retail chain's camera dept. do you?:p

Besides it would be easier to screw up a picture with a high end camera than a camera phone.


Well, maybe....

With an expensive DSLR it's quite possible you'll get a very good photograph, also possible you'll screw it up.

With a disposable it's pretty much a given you're gonna get a crappy image.

[Stocky]

$30 for 90 minutes INCLUDING PRINTS! I think her customers are getting a great deal. I am unemployed at the moment and would just sit at home before I did that.

I would also like to point out that the video industry has defined High Definition as something as small as 1280x720, so I am sure that just about anything that Kodak sells at the moment would qualify. HD is well under 2 mega pixels.

[joedlh]

If people are buying her pictures then somebody thinks they're worth the cost. It might not be up to yours or my standards, but at least she's getting out there.

[cdifoto]

$30 for 90 minutes INCLUDING PRINTS! I think her customers are getting a great deal. I am unemployed at the moment and would just sit at home before I did that.
If I could live with myself and sleep at night I'd do it. That's $22 an hour minus a couple bucks for some prints for no effort whatsoever.

Sadly, I have scruples and can't sell a half-baked product. :(

[DavidSR]

That's true, but I can't even get people to pay $50 by listing on Craigslist..and I'm sure most of the reason is because of people like this lady..People see they can get cheaper elsewhere so don't bother to go with someone like me, which I would believe I can deliver a lot better quality than what she is offering.

[Jared Byer]

If I could live with myself and sleep at night I'd do it. That's $22 an hour minus a couple bucks for some prints for no effort whatsoever.

Sadly, I have scruples and can't sell a half-baked product. :(

I think its actually 20 an hour. You figure in travel time and print cost and you get a lot less than that.

[cdifoto]

I think its actually 20 an hour. You figure in travel time and print cost and you get a lot less than that.
20 an hour is still a helluva a lot better than minimum wage. Jobs are hard to come by these days. Point is, don't be so quick to bash someone just because they aren't charging a boat load or their work doesn't qualify them for WPPI membership.

We're all just trying to eek out a living here.

[DavidSR]

She's in a relatively big town with TONS of photographers. Yes, she is trying to make a living, but so are other photographers who might have lost work due to this lady and her charging so little. I'm sure that before when I wasn't into photography as I am now..this wouldn't have been a big deal, but I think the problem now is that I have set a higher standard now than what I had a few years back...Well, if this is working out for her..all I can say now is more power to her.

[cdifoto]

If people can't tell the difference between two photographers, they're gonna go to the cheaper one.

We do the same when scouring the internet for the best deal on our next lens.

[LeesaB]

Ha, i can't believe you put her myspace here, wonder if anyone went running back to tell her.

Oh, I think people that shop on MySpace for a photographer will like her work.

It's amazingly grainy and really just bad stuff.

Not sure it's a laugh, people hire her, and that is what is really sad!

[LeesaB]

If people can't tell the difference between two photographers, they're gonna go to the cheaper one.

We do the same when scouring the internet for the best deal on our next lens.

HA! Oh how your title fits you now! :-)

You are correct.

See, i can agree with you!

[Jared Byer]

20 an hour is still a helluva a lot better than minimum wage. Jobs are hard to come by these days. Point is, don't be so quick to bash someone just because they aren't charging a boat load or their work doesn't qualify them for WPPI membership.

We're all just trying to eek out a living here.

I wasn't questioning the quality of her work, I was pointing out the quality of the math in the comment.

[tharmsen]

OMG, that's funny.

The wedding pics on her MS account are classic.

[I26]

I see it this way. She already has pics up for potential clients to view. If they see them and still choose her as their source then she is foolish to turn them away. Some people I am sure are happy with them considering the costs involved. I am sorry, I just can't bash someone who is trying to make ends meet.

[tharmsen]

I see it this way. She already has pics up for potential clients to view. If they see them and still choose her as their source then she is foolish to turn them away. Some people I am sure are happy with them considering the costs involved. I am sorry, I just can't bash someone who is trying to make ends meet.
I don't think anyone is bashing her for trying to make ends meet.

You don't find it kind of interesting, if not slightly funny, that some of her pics are that awful?

I suspect she hasn't been paid for any of those pictures, that they are nothing more than snapshots of friends and family.

I can appreciate her desire to get into the business. Lots of people do want in. But I can honestly say it looks like she bought a camera yesterday and without reading a single book, or tagging along on a single shoot with a pro, has decided she's ready to sell her services.

That would be akin to me buying a $20 tool set from Walmart and announcing to the world tomorrow, without any prior experience, I'm opening a BMW repair shop in my garage.

I don't mean to be callus, but it is kind of humorous.

[Jaymz]

In the end all that matters is if the customer is happy.

I have learned more often than not, non-photogs look at the subject and/or the emotions the image creates, not that it may be under/over exposed, poor comp, or slightly oof.

[I26]

I don't think anyone is bashing her for trying to make ends meet.

You don't find it kind of interesting, if not slightly funny, that some of her pics are that awful?

I suspect she hasn't been paid for any of those pictures, that they are nothing more than snapshots of friends and family.

I can appreciate her desire to get into the business. Lots of people do want in. But I can honestly say it looks like she bought a camera yesterday and without reading a single book, or tagging along on a single shoot with a pro, has decided she's ready to sell her services.

That would be akin to me buying a $20 tool set from Walmart and announcing to the world tomorrow, without any prior experience, I'm opening a BMW repair shop in my garage.

I don't mean to be callus, but it is kind of humorous.

To be honest, I did not even smile looking at them. I look at it differently I suppose. I may think some of my best shots are good but then again someone may see my pictures the same way you see hers. I would however like to see the (before) edits.

[tharmsen]

To be honest, I did not even smile looking at them. I look at it differently I suppose. I may think some of my best shots are good but then again someone may see my pictures the same way you see hers. I would however like to see the (before) edits.
I look at my own pics and I think "you're no where near ready to sell your services".

I look at her pics and I think "wow, that's bad". It's only bad in the context that someone would pay for them that aren't friends or family.

Example:

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=386887848&albumID=1266502&imageID=9178430

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=386887848&albumID=1266502&imageID=9178444

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=386887848&albumID=1266502&imageID=4793650

There's nothing about those pictures that's just slightly out of focus. Even if all you're looking at is the emotion, the composition and horribly out of whack exposures prevents you from seeing anything but a really bad picture.

[fubarhouse]

Just my 0.02c, WTF, looks like a standard $150 digital camera, but more than likely a disposable :P, no signs of any brokeh either.
How stupid, a newbie could get much better shots on any occasion.

*rolls eyes*, it's ALWAYS the bad photographers that make the most... lol.

[sevillafox]

Sadly, I have scruples

:shock:

When did THAT happen? ;) :lol:

She's in a relatively big town with TONS of photographers. Yes, she is trying to make a living, but so are other photographers who might have lost work due to this lady and her charging so little. I'm sure that before when I wasn't into photography as I am now..this wouldn't have been a big deal, but I think the problem now is that I have set a higher standard now than what I had a few years back...Well, if this is working out for her..all I can say now is more power to her.


I doubt anyone has lost any business to her. She caters to a niche market: people that don't really value photography and think cheaper is better. Those other photographers should thank her for taking the bargain shoppers and saving them the time to give out their price lists.

[SirStuey]

The myspace points to a standalone website as well. I took a look at the "wedding photos" in the gallery.

One of the showed a bride and groom looking away, with sour expressions on their faces, with the bride's body mostly obscured by what some would call a cake.

I don't really find it funny. This woman is likely just trying to earn a few extra bucks. Instead of ridiculing her attempts, someone could/should send her a link the forum or just offer her some helpful pointers.

That said, I imagine that there could be a market for her services.

[powerslave]

Its better than adding to the credit crunch by sitting at home and hoping the debt vanishes.

[tharmsen]

Its better than adding to the credit crunch by sitting at home and hoping the debt vanishes.
Do you mean that doesn't work?

[powerslave]

Well, I think it just did with the bailout money. :D

[neil_r]

Well that's it guys all my kit is going on ebay, i simply can't compete

[I26]

Those wedding pics are awful. I hope she is showing samples of what she took and not someone elses. Personally I would think the person paying for her services is a tad more out there.

I agree, someone should contact her from here and invite her to the forum for some constuctive criticism as well as some pointers. I dont do myspace, facebook, twitter, or any of the liking.

[tharmsen]

I aspire to shoot weddings (to see if it's for me), but I took a different tact. I joined local groups, networked and found a pro (13 years experience who does AMAZING work) to take me under his wing. I will be a second shooter, not getting paid, for the entire summer. I'll be carrying gear, setting lights, staging people and doing some shooting now and then. I anticipate this will be a busy summer, but by the end I will have the beginnings of the skills necessary to be a quality wedding photog that will hopefully make my future clients happy and offer a service for a fair rate. I won't grossly undercut photogs in my area by giving my services away either.

I am at least one year away I believe from putting my shingle out. We'll see. I may decide against the whole idea after I get a few large weddings under my belt.

But the point is, there's a right way and a wrong way to go about things. I admire her drive and desire, but just because someone makes a half-assed attempt at something doesn't mean they're worthy of critiqueless praise. I'm sure after I post my first wedding shots here for review I'll get hammered on all sorts of technical issues, and I expect it. I won't look down at those pointing out my mistakes or areas of improvement. If someone says an image is aweful, I won't cry foul and demand an apology. I'll accept their advice and say "thank you".

You have to take your lumps when you're the noob.

[hooookup]

If people are buying her pictures then somebody thinks they're worth the cost. It might not be up to yours or my standards, but at least she's getting out there.

I agree. Good for her for trying to make $. Her pictures may not be on the level of most of you guys on here but at least she is trying.

[Bill Roberts]

I think in general most peoples expectations from a photograph are an awful lot less than they used to be in the past.
I'm not counting the people on here at all, it's a photography forum and some of the best stuff around can be seen on here at times. Nevertheless, with the advent of camera phones and disposable cameras and digital "point and shoots" that you have to hold at arms length to frame a shot, most people will accept an absolutely awful quality image as "normal". I'd guess that's the market she's catering for.

I can't blame her, and if she can make a living from it then good luck to her.

[Stealthy Ninja]

Are we sure this isn't a very well planned joke?

I really wasn't prepared for the "quality" of her photos. I think my mobile phone takes better photos...

Yeah, she's trying, but seriously. You can't ask people to pay for what they could get for free by asking... well... anyone to take the photo for you. Even though she's cheap... I just couldn't charge people for photos like that.

Well, good luck to her I say. If she's making money and people are happy. Who am I to judge.





But... darn it... you can't help laughing...

[I26]

I aspire to shoot weddings (to see if it's for me), but I took a different tact. I joined local groups, networked and found a pro (13 years experience who does AMAZING work) to take me under his wing. I will be a second shooter, not getting paid, for the entire summer. I'll be carrying gear, setting lights, staging people and doing some shooting now and then. I anticipate this will be a busy summer, but by the end I will have the beginnings of the skills necessary to be a quality wedding photog that will hopefully make my future clients happy and offer a service for a fair rate. I won't grossly undercut photogs in my area by giving my services away either.

I am at least one year away I believe from putting my shingle out. We'll see. I may decide against the whole idea after I get a few large weddings under my belt.

But the point is, there's a right way and a wrong way to go about things. I admire her drive and desire, but just because someone makes a half-assed attempt at something doesn't mean they're worthy of critiqueless praise. I'm sure after I post my first wedding shots here for review I'll get hammered on all sorts of technical issues, and I expect it. I won't look down at those pointing out my mistakes or areas of improvement. If someone says an image is aweful, I won't cry foul and demand an apology. I'll accept their advice and say "thank you".

You have to take your lumps when you're the noob.

There is something your not seeing correctly. You will put your pictures here looking for someone to critique them, not buy them. She on the other hand is saying that if you like my pictures, pay for my service, and you will get them. She is not looking for someone to critique her work, you are/will be.

[Stealthy Ninja]

You have to admit something. If you weren't thinking of being a pro photographer before. You all must be now. :lol:

I'm off to look into some marketing... just living by word of mouth and the quality of my work isn't good enough. I want some awesome marketing!

How much is a myspace page? ;)


Also, Canon sucks... I want one of these: http://digitalcameras.kodak.com/

Well, she has found her niche, I'll credit her for that.