Snap Away

[planetTU]

I find photography to be one of my most favorite pass time. It's an enriching fulfillment especially seeing the client's faces, knowing you did a good job. But I've learned that shooting under contract is not the road I want to tread. I find it to be tiresome and the pressure kills my sense of joy for photography. I lose my zeal for the art. I've learned that when I shoot for myself, under no time constraint nor contract, is when I am at by best. And not just that, but when I am most happy.

I was down town with my camera, just trying to get a feel for street photography, when this man asked (nay, I should say demand, I take his photo). Sir, you have yourself a photo.



 

[violet]

I agree with your sentiments... getting paid for photography kills the joy for me. It becomes just another job. I truly admire those who are able to combine both the business side with their creative outlet because they've learned to balance it. But for now... I only have two rules when taking photos of people:


1. I never ask for money or accept payment (unless it's food)
2. I must know them personally before I take their picture.


Great photo and you captured his spirit very well. Share more when you have time.

[planetTU]

I was in San Francisco (haven't been there in years since school). The Fine Arts Palace in Hayes Valley (in the Marina) always feels like home. I feel like 'all artists belong here. Here we can be in awe.'

A great way of showing scale and size is to compare something we all are familiar with. In this case, some random people (fellow artists, I assume...most likely, probably tourists  ), were taking photos. I decided to snap at it with 2 exposures (later stitching it together in CS5) hoping it will reveal the magnitude of the dome. I decided to go sepia because of the ancient Roman and Greek architecture inspiration. 

(this dome was ginormous!)

[planetTU]

I agree with your sentiments... getting paid for photography kills the joy for me. It becomes just another job. I truly admire those who are able to combine both the business side with their creative outlet because they've learned to balance it. But for now... I only have two rules when taking photos of people:


1. I never ask for money or accept payment (unless it's food)
2. I must know them personally before I take their picture.


Great photo and you captured his spirit very well. Share more when you have time.

thank you very much. I find it difficult to shoot for money. I mean I don't mind getting paid, c'mon now, photographers go through hell and high waters to get some of those incredible shots. Problems is, as you said, once you're contracted to shoot, it becomes work and not and no longer is it fun. I do hope in the future i can find that perfect balance where i can instill art into these 'jobs'. If not, I'll probably put my camera down for good.

[zena]

What a great black and white shot.  Love it! 

The second photo is nice too.  I'd go a little less on the vignette though.

[zena]

I meant to also add that, yes, photography is more enjoyable when done freely without the judgements (and pickiness) of paying customers.  Even though maybe most the time it's not them but me judging myself.  I've not done many photoshoots but the ones I've done, I always feel as though they are not good enough and not exactly my style, but hope that they like it anyway for what I think they might like. 

[planetTU]

What a great black and white shot.  Love it! 

The second photo is nice too.  I'd go a little less on the vignette though.

yeah i'm trying to break that bad habit of vignetting. but i love it. it's just delicious looking.

I meant to also add that, yes, photography is more enjoyable when done freely without the judgements (and pickiness) of paying customers.  Even though maybe most the time it's not them but me judging myself.  I've not done many photoshoots but the ones I've done, I always feel as though they are not good enough and not exactly my style, but hope that they like it anyway for what I think they might like. 

I had a talk with a good friend of mine, he's not a photographer but more of a business type. to sum up our conversation he said that it doesn't matter what YOU (the photographer thinks) what matters are the clients. Which i do agree to some extent. I rather have happy clients than pissed off clients. But in my defense, what matters to me is my art. my self expression of the world around me. It's my name that the art will forever be endowed with. that's why i told myself I will not shoot for anyone other than myself this 2013.

[zena]

yeah i'm trying to break that bad habit of vignetting. but i love it. it's just delicious looking.

I had a talk with a good friend of mine, he's not a photographer but more of a business type. to sum up our conversation he said that it doesn't matter what YOU (the photographer thinks) what matters are the clients. Which i do agree to some extent. I rather have happy clients than pissed off clients. But in my defense, what matters to me is my art. my self expression of the world around me. It's my name that the art will forever be endowed with. that's why i told myself I will not shoot for anyone other than myself this 2013.

I like vignettes too and use it a lot in almost all my photos...I just use it subtly so it's not very noticeable but it does make the image look better (in my eyes).  In your photo, my eyes were automatically drawn to the dark corners at bottom before I even noticed the beauty of the pillars and the dome.

I agree, you have to give what the customer wants.  I think that's why I too don't advertise myself out there for photoshoots and get hesitant when someone wants me to shoot them.  I love the art of photography and I have a strong urge toward creating something that is from inside me that I want to share with the world.  I'm glad we agree on these terms.  It seems most artists do.

[planetTU]

I like vignettes too and use it a lot in almost all my photos...I just use it subtly so it's not very noticeable but it does make the image look better (in my eyes).  In your photo, my eyes were automatically drawn to the dark corners at bottom before I even noticed the beauty of the pillars and the dome.

I agree, you have to give what the customer wants.  I think that's why I too don't advertise myself out there for photoshoots and get hesitant when someone wants me to shoot them.  I love the art of photography and I have a strong urge toward creating something that is from inside me that I want to share with the world.  I'm glad we agree on these terms.  It seems most artists do.

maybe i should've pulled away from the vignette a little more. thanks.

I find it exhausting to defend my own creativity. It's like, I'm trying to be 'awesome' here! but sometimes, clients don't see the creativity behind the work. Sometimes, it's just them wanting a simple picture of them and their dad. I guess as artists and photographers alike, we're all a little too harsh on our work but I can't blame us. We need to be the best at what we do. What I don't like is normality; repetitive, boring, uncreative work. I always try to do the most radical and opposite of what i see. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it fails. At least, i can say that I stayed true to myself and my art. I can honestly say that I have done one or two shallow work, and I feel like crap. As though I've sold my soul for a cheap buck. Never going down that road again.