How do I get a Professional level Portfolio Critique

[bibowj]

Hi- I wasnt real sure where to post this, but it seemed to fit the best here, so please forgive me if Ive posted in error.

Ive recently started a go at doing the portrait photog thing as a part time career. Back in the film days it was my thing and got a little overwealming for me, but now Im manageing. I restarted the way most have, and have built up a client base faster than I expected. At the moment, Im shooting 3-4 paying gigs a week after my regular job, which Im quite happy with. However, Ive noticed that my "eye" might be out of calibration. What I mean by that is that I cant always tell which Images are the best ones for me to post/display. I know Im hitting the nail on the head a few times, but rarely do people love the ones that I do..
So what Id like to do is to find someway to get some honest critique from people who know what theyre looking at and can tell when Im making errors in composition or exposure etc. Not that the average consumer is blind to these things, i just need more specifics... If any of you have seen Zack Arias's Critique Series, thats exactly what I need... I would even be willing to pay for such a service if it was affordable and was value added.


I exist in a creative vaccum at the moment, and I need direction. Any advice?
PS: Please dont flame about the willing to pay thing... Im just voicing that Im interested in forwarding my work, and I dont have access to anyone in my area ( i live in a remote area of Japan, and as of now, Im the only one doing something different)

[FlyingPhotog]

Why not share images here?

You can get Regular, Crispy or (if you really want it) Extra Crispy critiques from some very knowledgeable photographers.

Post up in the appropriate Share section and ask for C&C or there is a specific Critique section.

[bibowj]

Im sorry, what I meant was more of my overall vision as a whole and even on my branding (ie if my images are fitting what Im thinking of a brand)...not just individuals (but those as well).

[FlyingPhotog]

Im sorry, what I meant was more of my overall vision as a whole and even on my branding (ie if my images are fitting what Im thinking of a brand)...not just individuals (but those as well).

Ah Ok, I see where you're at. Sorry I can't help on that.

Good Luck though! :D

[jonwhite]

Quite a few of the very high profile photographers do professional critique sessions, either as part of a workshop or one to one (on the phone), just contact the photographer that you most admire and see if they do this sort of thing.

Seen people like Becker, Dane Sanders, Jessica Claire and others doing this but I am sure many photographers would do it, just find one you like within your price band.

[OdiN1701]

You can send me your portfolio or link, etc. and I would be happy to do it.

I have graphics design experience as well as shoot photos professionally.

Do know that I am often brutally honest and do not beat around the bush, so if you want something sugar-coated I'm the wrong guy.

Now I'm not Ansel Adams or anything but I'm pretty good.

[Mark1]

Im sorry, what I meant was more of my overall vision as a whole and even on my branding (ie if my images are fitting what Im thinking of a brand)...not just individuals (but those as well).

That is not a port review, that is a business plan review.... but what you want can be had here as well. And we would be glad to help!

But honestly I would join a business forum and ask there. "Vision", "branding", are not photo specific. They are general business principals. And people from all backgrounds can have a better way of seeing things at times.

(ie if my images are fitting what Im thinking of a brand)

Quick question. Are you trying to warp and fit your vision into a idea you have for branding? Or are you trying to brand your vision? HUGE difference there.

[AZAlphaDog]

Can I ask why you haven't submitted your web site to Zack for a critique?

You do have a professional web site that would be applicable for Zack to critique, right?

If you post images on these forums its going to be 1 or 2 at a time and not the 20 to 40 images that I assume you are looking to have an "overall" critique on, so I can understand you might not want to go that direction.

You could try looking for pros in the nearest large city to where you are and contact a few of those people asking them if you could bring your portfolio to them for critique.

You should also realize that photography is very subjective and if you show 1 photo to 7 photographers you are likely to get 7 different opinions as to if your work is good or not.

[MageProductions.com]

I exist in a creative vaccum at the moment, and I need direction. Any advice?

Yeah. Forget about this. It won't work.

Go look at a rack, filled with postcards, in any tourist trap. What will you see? Over-saturated, unimaginative views shot will little creativity and/or photographic acumen.

THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE BUY. And if you put shots that would be lauded by pro togs and/or those with art degrees in the rack, well, that's where they would stay.

I used to shoot weddings. I realized that my efforts to do well, IN MY PERCEPTION, were completely wasted, because the shots I liked (that conveyed feeling) were seldom selected by the clients, for their albums. They may have perceived those shots as embarrassing...

"Good" and "Bad" (like "Right" and "Wrong") are perceptions, and that alone; absolutes, most certainly not! Predicting the preferences of another is the errand of a fool... to put it mildly.

There is no good - no bad - just what you like. Don't hide behind the perceptions of another. That can never work. Let yourself be seen, in your photography. Then it will be genuine, and real, not put-on, and fake.

my 2 cents...

[Karl Johnston]

There's some pretty high profile photographers on here who can give you a lot of critique :D..

[T2000]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/eventDetails.jsp/id/524

[bibowj]

I wanted to thank everyone for their input so far, its been very informative. I'm glad that most of you understand what I mean by not really wanting to submit individual images, although I guess I COULD just throw say the best 50 on a rating site and see which ones get the most comments, but Im looking for something different.
I have to admit that Ive specifically liked what Zack Arias has done with his series (and yes Ive requested a review) is that he talks about how a port can be ordered and how your images should be focused and not random (ie having product work and portrait work combined). So its not only technical details like exposure or composition, but more how your collections represents who you are (thats kinda what I meant by branding).
What brought this along is that recently I think Ive found my niche, or the style I think sets me apart (at least in my area). The difference is that Im just a portrait photographer, but I like using studio lights on location ala Martin Phiroda's Big Lights Far Away series. The style Im finding that fits me is very dramatically lit, with a decent amount of post going on. What I'm worried about is going to far, or going in too many directions and losing any consistency.


James

[Mark1]

Keep in mind that EVERYTHING has a market. How big of market, that, is another question. But if you live near a major city you may have enough to sustain a unique style. If not, simply sell it to those who will buy it, and make the plain stuff for everybody else.

Also commercial ports need to be focused to a fine point, but retail ports are far from the same thing. Art/Creative directors are the ones that have made the need for one topic portfolios. Not mom looking for some snaps of her kids. She would rather see a nice range of abilities. So depending on your intended client base, you may not want the type of port that Zack is mentioning. Or possably have multiple ports.

[airfrogusmc]

One of the HARDEST things in my opinion is editing. Whether its a portfolio or putting images together for a show or trying to a body of work together for a website the biggest mistake we photographers usually make is trying to show to much. Its usually more about what to leave out than what to put in.

I think its going to be even more important moving forward to have a style or look in whatever your field. You need to find a way to separate yourself from the crowd and a clear and pointed style in the work thats in your portfolio is the first chance to establish this to your potential clients.

Don't try to be everything to everybody because then the herd will be your competition and in my opinion you need to separate yourself from the herd.

Look for images that work well together and express the uniqueness of YOUR vision. Sounds like you understand what you style is so once you have that established find work the represents that style and images that work well together.

[AZAlphaDog]

Why not post up a link to some of your work so we all can see what we are dealing with?

[bibowj]

ok heres my website and my blog...
www.jamesbibow.com
and www.jamesbibowblog.com

Some of the images on the site are dated from when I used to do this so theyre film scans...but the blog images are all from paid gigs done in the last 10 weeks. I know that alot of the styles are mixed, im very aware of that and thats my problem. Also, the images i place on my blog are the ones from the series that I consider the better ones , but are not often the ones that the clients buy... I realize that i have a long way to go...a LONG way to go, but something in what ive done lately (like from the last 3 shoots listed on the blog) has started something that has me enough gigs coming in that I have to turn people down. I know that the last few sessions are probally over 'shopped but thats what people are asking for. Im doing TWO shoots tomorrow of volley ball teams that want their images like that...So im a little lost on what works and what doesnt...

[AlexMoPhotography]

Just checked out your blog, and I must say you do a very, very good job, although your latest post has your couple on the right side of all the photos. Maybe get some more shots of the camera tilted at different angles. Hope this helps.