Would you pay for these? If not what would make you?

xpfloyd wrote in post #16478809
Personally I like them both. I have a 21 week old myself so I am just learning baby posing as I go along (not a professional photographer).

The only thing I would say is the second one with regards to composition, I would probably have positioned everything further to the right in the frame but that's just personal taste. What I find when posting photos of my little guy on this forum is you cant please everyone. A perfect looking shot to one person may look average to the next. Some people like certain processing and others don't, you just have to get to a point where you are happy with it. If I had taken those two shots of my son I would be more than happy, good work.

Thanks, I quite like your shots! Your babies eyes are amazing. Keep doing what YOU do.

SJC from VT wrote in post #16479725
I really like the second one, but the first one the head looks detached from the body. Not sure if it is the narrow depth of field, or the fact that the image is so light in color, but something seems a bit off to me. I am by no means an authority on photography of any kind, I just know what I like!
Congratulations on an adorable little sweetheart!

Thanks!

tmoore323 wrote in post #16479070
Fair enough, like said cute kid - but we will leave it at that..

Congratulations!

This is sort of meta/semi-off-topic, but can I just say? Thank you, chubbyone and tmoore323 for showing a good example of being able to strongly disagree but yet remain civil and polite!

chubbyone, I really like the pose on #1, and the tones on #2. I think I would have tried to get more (straight-on view) of the face on #2, although I like how the basket looks. The angles for newborn photography is a great challenge for me, as I am still learning how to position sweet models that cannot "keep themselves" in place without padding/help!

Great Job. You knew what you were getting into when you decided to post something on the "critique corner". Other than a slight increase in contrast on the first shot there is nothing I would change. You are obviously a very competent photographer and I wouldn't think you would have a hard time finding clients!

I actually really like these very much as-is contrast wise. Maybe my screen is calibrated in the same way as the op's (presumably with too much contrast lol) but that edit made me go "eeaagh!"

The first i love. The second is too cutsie for my taste, but it's extremely well done; certainly one of the better interpretations of this kind of shot i've seen, and plenty of people would love one of these of their baby. Well done!

joshuaphoto wrote in post #16481292
This is sort of meta/semi-off-topic, but can I just say? Thank you, chubbyone and tmoore323 for showing a good example of being able to strongly disagree but yet remain civil and polite!

chubbyone, I really like the pose on #1, and the tones on #2. I think I would have tried to get more (straight-on view) of the face on #2, although I like how the basket looks. The angles for newborn photography is a great challenge for me, as I am still learning how to position sweet models that cannot "keep themselves" in place without padding/help!

Thanks! And yes, that could have gone a different way, and all too often does. It's hard to be open minded when you spend so much time on something, but being new to this whole thing makes it easier. That and I really do value others opinions here.

Niccas9 wrote in post #16482325
Great Job. You knew what you were getting into when you decided to post something on the "critique corner". Other than a slight increase in contrast on the first shot there is nothing I would change. You are obviously a very competent photographer and I wouldn't think you would have a hard time finding clients!

Wow thank you much! I am happy to hear that

RMH wrote in post #16482530
I actually really like these very much as-is contrast wise. Maybe my screen is calibrated in the same way as the op's (presumably with too much contrast lol) but that edit made me go "eeaagh!"

The first i love. The second is too cutsie for my taste, but it's extremely well done; certainly one of the better interpretations of this kind of shot i've seen, and plenty of people would love one of these of their baby. Well done!

Thanks! I go back and forth with the contrast. It's so hard to know what is ideal after looking at a photo for so long. I force myself to walk away and come back to it. It's also a whole other thing to be happy with screen versus print. Learning that the hard way too!

co, I like the shot, and as others have said...I'd probably buy a copy if I was the parent and a non-photographer.

Getting into the sideline of photographing other people's babies and young children will be a little different (duh) than photographing your own.

Take into consideration that you know your child's sleeping and feeding schedule and you happen to be around your child at opportune times for the candid (and staged) shots...and your baby knows you and feels safe around you. She(?) has probably gotten somewhat use to the camera and equipment, too.

On the otherhand, with a client you will have an appointment and limited time to shoot the client. If you arrive and find the child has suddenly acquired infant version of Montzuma's revenge, well, that (and other unforseen thigns) kind of throws a kink in things. The child will probably view you as a stranger and the camera equipment as something "new" (whether new in a good or bad way is yet to be seen). There are lots of things that are different in shooting non-family subjects. But, all of those can be overcome, as evidenced by many baby/child photographers who make good money at it. It will be a learning curve but if you like children then you'll have a blast figuring it all out...and you will also be well introduced to the concept of "herding cats"...even if it is a herd of *one*.

Looking at these shots of your baby (they're good, the first one's my favorite) I say "Go for it!". Keep the fun in it.

Best wishes,
Ed

Well done, I like everything about these. I prefer the lower contrast style for babies as it gives them a more angelic appearance that I think many parents would find appealing. Wonderful textures in the props that really work well with the tones here. I think if you got a variety of props in other colors and textures you could certainly create a variety of color palettes to create images that could suit about anyone.

Maybe one slight nitpick - the one piece of blanket in the second image is almost laying on the baby's side. It doesn't seem to have the same golden shine of the rest of the blanket and I probably would have removed it. Again, just splitting hairs at this point and completely up to the artist.

I think the one thing i've found here is to take everyone's advise or critique with a grain (large) of salt. You clearly have an excellent handle on the basics of exposure, DOF and composition. Unless it's someone who's work you really admire and feel is at a very high standard, trust in your own judgement and do what you think looks right. This work is much better than many I see posted by "professional" photogs on Facebook or other sites i've come across. I'm sure you'll only continue to get better and better.

Like many others have said here - I wouldn't pay cause I would likely take my own, but - priced accordingly (different topic about which I know nothing) - many would pay for these.

All the best,

Matt

chubbyone wrote in post #16483397
Thanks! And yes, that could have gone a different way, and all too often does. It's hard to be open minded when you spend so much time on something, but being new to this whole thing makes it easier. That and I really do value others opinions here.

Now that a couple days have gone by, I will chime in one more time on this, and this is not to stir the pot Just to give something to think about...

it kinda did go the "other way" you put up a picture for critique, I gave my critique, you didn't like it and went on to attack all of my work and then shut me down completely.

As others have stated, not everyone likes one type of processing over another, you have your style, I have mine, but if you ask for opinion you should be open to all, and not attack the person doing the critique.

Again cute kid and the general consensus is that your processing style and take on these pictures is very good so use that to your advantage

I think they both look great.

I teach a photoshop basics class where I explain all about reading a histogram, then at the end show the histogram of my most widely published image. It's a mess, but the image works.

The photo is properly exposed and lit for what I was trying to do.

What I'm saying is understand the basics, then you're free to ignore them when necessary. But you have to understand them first. If low contrast was what you wanted, then great. If it was accidental, then learn and experiment.

dovate wrote in post #16484650
I think they both look great.

I teach a photoshop basics class where I explain all about reading a histogram, then at the end show the histogram of my most widely published image. It's a mess, but the image works.

The photo is properly exposed and lit for what I was trying to do.

What I'm saying is understand the basics, then you're free to ignore them when necessary. But you have to understand them first. If low contrast was what you wanted, then great. If it was accidental, then learn and experiment.

I for one would love to see this picture, and any links to your classes...

On the histogram point the same thing happens when I shoot stars or the milky way. The shot is exposed as you want it but the histogram is way way over to the left. Low key photography can do this too.

Surely worth paying for.

I think that I'm seeing a little distortion due to a wide lens...yeah, I realize that baby's heads are normally oversize at birth. Perhaps a longer lens would have cured that if I'm correct.
Had to nitpick a little, else you wind up with a big head, because they are good images.

So, the question is really whether or not you should take people on FB up on offers to get paid to shoot?

Sure, why not?

But, beware, paying customers expect things, and it means the photography isn't fun anymore.

Intheswamp wrote in post #16483509
co, I like the shot, and as others have said...I'd probably buy a copy if I was the parent and a non-photographer. ...

...Looking at these shots of your baby (they're good, the first one's my favorite) I say "Go for it!". Keep the fun in it.

Best wishes,
Ed

Thanks! I appreciate you stopping by and weighing in. I certainly understand the cat herding reference. I guess time will tell if I have the patience!

sticknpuck wrote in post #16484270
Well done, I like everything about these. I prefer the lower contrast style for babies as it gives them a more angelic appearance that I think many parents would find appealing. Wonderful textures in the props that really work well with the tones here. I think if you got a variety of props in other colors and textures you could certainly create a variety of color palettes to create images that could suit about anyone.

Maybe one slight nitpick - the one piece of blanket in the second image is almost laying on the baby's side. It doesn't seem to have the same golden shine of the rest of the blanket and I probably would have removed it. Again, just splitting hairs at this point and completely up to the artist.

I think the one thing i've found here is to take everyone's advise or critique with a grain (large) of salt. You clearly have an excellent handle on the basics of exposure, DOF and composition. Unless it's someone who's work you really admire and feel is at a very high standard, trust in your own judgement and do what you think looks right. This work is much better than many I see posted by "professional" photogs on Facebook or other sites i've come across. I'm sure you'll only continue to get better and better.

Like many others have said here - I wouldn't pay cause I would likely take my own, but - priced accordingly (different topic about which I know nothing) - many would pay for these.

All the best,

Matt

Thank you! Really amazing to hear something like that. I have spent hours and hours reading over the last several months, and these last couple weeks it has really started to come together it seems. I had (and often still have) my share of throwaways. Shots that make you think, jeez, what was I even thinking. The ones that come out though, keep me anticipating the next shoot. I'm very much addicted to this photography thing.

dovate wrote in post #16484650
I think they both look great.

I teach a photoshop basics class where I explain all about reading a histogram, then at the end show the histogram of my most widely published image. It's a mess, but the image works.

The photo is properly exposed and lit for what I was trying to do.

What I'm saying is understand the basics, then you're free to ignore them when necessary. But you have to understand them first. If low contrast was what you wanted, then great. If it was accidental, then learn and experiment.

Thanks! I am completely self-taught, so while I have poured over the threads here, I still just go off of what my eye tells me for the most part. It's kind of a slow process, which I'm sure would be expedited if I better understood the basics!

DeeJayTee wrote in post #16487105
Surely worth paying for.

Thanks!

chauncey wrote in post #16488622
I think that I'm seeing a little distortion due to a wide lens...yeah, I realize that baby's heads are normally oversize at birth. Perhaps a longer lens would have cured that if I'm correct.
Had to nitpick a little, else you wind up with a big head, because they are good images.

Well, I do have a rather robust melon, so like father like daughter. I do agree though, I would prefer to have shot these with an 85, but I can't decide whether to get the 24-70 ii or a 35 - 85 - 135 trinity. So while I ponder, I sit with only the 50. (And a borrowed 24-70 mark one that isn't sharp enough for my liking)

Your right. It's easy to swallow up all the praise and feel empowered. My wife has kept me grounded, but is extremely supportive! She wasn't as on board with my Reef tanks, road bicycles, fat-tire bicycles, or audiophile phases. Haha

S.Horton wrote in post #16488628
So, the question is really whether or not you should take people on FB up on offers to get paid to shoot?

Sure, why not?

But, beware, paying customers expect things, and it means the photography isn't fun anymore.

Yep that is more or less the question. And I do fear the latter point. Any incite on how to have my cake and eat it too? I mean, I suppose the easy answer is to consistently deliver wonderful images to everyone; but, I know that there must be more to it than that.