How can I bring the essence of these photos into mine?

Snapshots? Pfft.....that's some damn fine work. Link us to your galleries that equal it

GtrPlyr wrote in post #11908700
folks are entitled to their opinions but that doesn't automatically make them an informed one.
let me guess, you're probably a rookie at photography. and where do you get the nerve to make presumptions and demands on the photographer as to what he should be doing here or on his website?
if it weren't for the mods having to 'play nice' i'd really be laying into an ignorant no nothing like yourself.
tell you what...grab your camera, grab some talent, and come back with some images that even remotely comes close to that guys work.

I don't understand this -- a client doesn't haven't to be better than the photographer to not like or hire him. It's a matter of taste. If I were getting married now, I would not like his work enough to hire him; that doesn't mean I have no right to make that decision because I'm not a better photographer than him. I read harsh critiques on this forum every day -- why so sensitive about this guy?

YankeeMom wrote in post #11909732
I don't understand this -- a client doesn't haven't to be better than the photographer to not like or hire him. It's a matter of taste. If I were getting married now, I would not like his work enough to hire him; that doesn't mean I have no right to make that decision because I'm not a better photographer than him. I read harsh critiques on this forum every day -- why so sensitive about this guy?

sorry, but this has absolutely nothing to do with what i was saying

GtrPlyr wrote in post #11908700
folks are entitled to their opinions but that doesn't automatically make them an informed one.
let me guess, you're probably a rookie at photography. and where do you get the nerve to make presumptions and demands on the photographer as to what he should be doing here or on his website?
if it weren't for the mods having to 'play nice' i'd really be laying into an ignorant no nothing like yourself.
tell you what...grab your camera, grab some talent, and come back with some images that even remotely comes close to that guys work.

OUCH! Did I touch a nerve? Are you the photographer? I didn't make any demands, I just thought we might like to discuss some photos of his and asked him for permission to post them. I guess rational discussion is now off the table and name calling is on. I will pass on that option.

Again: Play nice. Otherwise this thread will be closed.

Qbx wrote in post #11908518
example of ho-hum photography [...] other snapshot-like photos[...] don't show anything special in the way of talent [...] disposable cameras [...] you will get shots like in this guys gallery.

You sincerely think this?
You're entitled to your opinion of course, but I am really amazed by this.

Qbx wrote in post #11908518
Since the photographer seems to be monitoring this thread

Haven't seen him around?

René Damkot wrote in post #11910891
Again: Play nice. Otherwise this thread will be closed.

Lol...Do it Rene' before I lose it

René Damkot wrote in post #11910891
You sincerely think this?
You're entitled to your opinion of course, but I am really amazed by this.

Like those really atrocious singers that show up at American (or whichever country's) Idol auditions and have thoroughly convinced themselves they are the best in the world, some people actually live in a totally different delusional alternate reality.
I've been taking photographs for 40 years. I was a commercial photographer for over 20. I know quality when I see it....as well as yourself and other posters.

I don't know that photographer from adam and went to look at his website from this thread.

For this Qbx person to actually determine that that photographer is just taking 'snapshots', is just so over the top delusional and offensive to any decent photographers sensibilities that they should be appalled by such statements.

But hey, I'm cool.... hehe

workerdrone wrote in post #11908837
Snapshots? Pfft.....that's some damn fine work. Link us to your galleries that equal it

GtrPlyr wrote in post #11909786
sorry, but this has absolutely nothing to do with what i was saying

Workerdrone made a similar comment. Whether the critics can equal his work or not is irrelevant.

YankeeMom wrote in post #11911445
Workerdrone made a similar comment. Whether the critics can equal his work or not is irrelevant.

I am rarely a fan of the whole 'put up or shut up' thing. I see this on musicians forums as well. Even though I am guilty of saying that here, it was born of sheer frustration.
I don't necessarily believe one needs to be a working artist, photographer, musician or whatever yourself in order to have a valid critique and make value judgments.

However, what you DO need is to have much experience, whether it be education or simply 'the school of hard knocks'...IOW, the life experience of being immersed in the subject to which you're talking about.

By all thats holy and all the gods in heaven and earth and to all that is known in the universe...if that photographers photo's are merely snapshots, then I'll have sex with a ten ton elephant in Macy's window in New York City in the middle of lunch hour on a beautiful spring day.

My sort of photos, not wedding photos but capturing 'their' wedding day photos. Different entirely.

I have a friend who is a mechanic, works 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. He showed up for his wedding, as a surprise, in a white suit but mechanics nails are never clean. everyone loved the statement he made to try and be clean, but his hands gave away his trade.

Without photos like this that are unique to their wedding, you miss the point of their wedding and just get wedding pictures.

My 2p

Will

I looked at the site in the initial post and I was touched by a lot of the photos. The working hands shot on the dress brought a tear to my eye, that's real life.

I like the body of work, although as a generalization I would say I preferred the black and whites.

Mr Craig seems to have captured the emotion of those wedding well.

YankeeMom wrote in post #11903252
Ack! The dirty fingers are back! I'm sorry, but looking at that again -- I still stand by my original comment, "YUCK!" Just not attractive and not a photo I would want to showcase in my album (or photography website.)

REALLY? I like the contrast of those dirty fingers against the back of her pristine wedding dress. That photo makes a statement, and I'll bet that if it weren't for the man with those dirty fingers that wedding may not have been possible.
I'm also betting that the image with the dirty fingers was one of that couple's favorites.
-Bruce

I attended a wedding in California years ago where the photographer's assistant offered disposable cameras to guests. I think they had about 2 dozen. Takers were given a few pointers and told to drop the cameras off in a box at the end of the reception party. I thought that very strange at the time; but then realized what a clever strategy it was. The photographer just can't be everywhere at once, so having 24 non-paid assistants taking pictures all over the place mostly during the reception was really brilliant. And of course every "assistant" then wanted to see their pictures which created a larger market for reprints. Imagine that - people paying for copies of pictures that they took themselves. Brilliant! Each camera shot 24 frames I think. And according to the bride some of those candids taken while the photog was off taking the traditional shots were just gems that she loved.
So yes I was quite serious in my opinions. But quoting me out of context is misleading. I said his galleries did not show much talent. I did not say that he had no talent. I acknowledged (earlier) that he had some decent shots. I meant that a photographer should put forth his best photos in his online galleries. I gave specific examples from Gallery 3 that I thought were snapshots and gave reasons for the first one (I think it was #9). But I found similar shots in all his galleries, too many to list. No one has bothered to tell me why I was wrong.
When people resort to personal attacks rather than discussing things rationally I would imagine they really have no leg to stand on.
It is clear that some people felt put off by the "dirty finger" shot. Some like it and I understand that too. But from a professional's point of view why would you want to turn-off any number of potential clients by posting that shot as the first photo they would see? Hopefully the photographer will take note of this discussion and clean up his galleries and maybe see an improvement in his business as a result. I am not a wedding photographer although I have done weddings in the past. But one does not have to be a wedding photographer to critique wedding photos; one does not have to be an artist to critique art; a producer to critique movies, etc.
If I have been too harsh in my critique I apologize. It is not my intent to offend or personally insult anyone. I just call em like I see em. I will bow out of this discussion now unless anyone would like to discuss the photos in question.

Off topic: Ballen, i SO want the QL that is in your avatar pic.

On topic: I think the issue that people have with the fingernail pic is the simple fact that it shows someone's dirty fingernails. This is a personal opinion that really has nothing to do with the artistic merits of the photograph. You really can't argue with the juxtaposition in the shot.... whatever your personal tastes may be.

aaron.dunlap wrote in post #11911953
Off topic: Ballen, i SO want the QL that is in your avatar pic.

You want that old analog camera?
-Bruce

I've looked in the rules, and I can't find anything that says, "Don't say you don't like it unless you can do better."
But I do find, "we do not condone personal attacks on members" and "attacks on a personal level are unacceptable".