Hahahaha!!!! Or should I say, hey wait an minute, that's my picture. Ok, maybe both but I'm working on improving my pictures most of the time, really. ;-)
Oh my goodness! My brother and his wife keep using a horrible photographer--first for their wedding, now for their family portraits with their children! I gave a tiny critique on one because they were posted on FB, and it got deleted. It was of my pregnant sis-in-law, sloppy clothes, no shoes, lying on a couch, and her head was gone. Granted it was to show the huge belly bump, but all of the rest of her was there...just not her head. In another photo, sis-in-law is crouched on the floor in a corner (I'm sure it was a difficult position when very preg), sloppy clothes, no shoes, head gone. Looks like a scary ransom photo!
I'm amused by all the start-ups. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad people have passion and drive (which is the direct opposite of me), so I can appreciate that. But people have to be honest with themselves.
I am loving this site! Thanks so much for sharing this gem. I've had similar discussions with others lately about how many people keep popping up selling their services when their photos are missing the basics. I can't claim to be a pro either but then I don't go around charging anyone money for my work either.
I've been asked if I'm professional and I usually say, "Heck no! I'm just a girl with a decent camera!" 10 out of 1000 shots might be ok'-ish. I'm just having fun. These pictures are bad!
Too funny!! I see to many selling blah to bad photos. What I don't get-- don't the people buying the photos know they're not getting good quality? I guess if the costumer is happy.
Part of the problem is those of us who are too polite to point out that this fauxtographer always has someone with an object sprouting like horns from their head at every family function. Not a joke: every one of our family photos has a person with horns (usually in the form of a candle)
Me? I never claimed to be a photographer (I know my limitations better than anyone),
LOL!!! i had such a laugh over this...guilty as charged using the white vingnetting...oh well...at least i have the sense to try and gain experience before ending up on this site:0....too funny! i always tell people i am just another mom with a camera anyway:))
Hahaha! My friend actually asked me to photograph his wedding, a paid gig. I turned him down because I don't want to be the one responsible for memorializing the biggest day of his life with mediocre wedding shots. Like I told him, I'm just a girl with a ridiculously expensive hobby:) I did offer to snap away and he could, at no charge, have any of the shots that turned out amazing, as I'm bound to get a couple of good ones out of 300 or so...... @4stories I totally white vignetted a family portrait I did of us. I'm just as guilty as you:)
Loved the term "fauxtographer"- still laughing over that; but those photos- tears!! I'm not perfectly up with the times, but I do know psycho- (and I do mean psycho) delic flowers went out with bell bottom jeans. I don't fancy myself a professional, but I don't know how these fauxtographers can sleep at night selling stuff like that!
I winced a little when I read about the FB posts. I post mine on my page, but I never claimed to be good nor do I have a desire to start my own "fauxtography" business.
@pwallis I've been asked to do weddings as well. I always say no. I don't want that responsibility! I'm also too shy to just be up there taking pix anyway. My coworker's daughter just got married and oh boy, the 2 pix he showed us...oh my! Crooked, people with orange skin (but their skin isn't orange in both pix --is it bad tanning or bad photography? I was afraid to ask!), odd shadows. I didn't ask how he liked the pix, because he seemed happy and I didn't want to be an ass.
Ohhhhh I am cringing at the thought that people may think of me as a fauxtographer! I guess I am one! UGH> Thanks for sharing this, Dorrena. I am embarrassed to announce that I just had busniess cards made. I think I will send them back :( haha.
@5unflow3r I personally take photos of all my loved ones without any shoes. That way I am showing how grounded they are. You should ask her if you can "practice" on the kids just so you can have some good pictures of them.
@brumbe Oh, I have no problems with no shoes...it's just part of the whole with this situation, I actually don't believe in shoes...LOL I do believe in heads though.
They live really far away anyway, about 2000 miles.
@5unflow3r but the whole image they are going for is the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. I firmly believe in heads. I actually prefer to crop everyone off just above their knees to make it super awkward.
This is what happens when everyone refuses to give or accept constructive criticism, they just go around thinking they are much better than they could be. I imagine it must be very frustrating for those who are professionally trained to have to compete with amateurs.
Luckily I'm not charging for my pictures so I shouldn't make the site...I do however, pretend to be a photographer everytime I have a camera in hand.
@herussell we had a horrible photographer for our wedding and we didn't know it until the prints came back...at that point all we could do was pay way too much for bad photos or have no photos at all. It was (is) heart breaking.
Would it be strange to have a family photo without horns now? lol
Thanks for sharing - great link. I'm just a "Nana" with a camera - no business cards in my future. I am guilty of some horrible editing while trying to be 'creative', including the white vignette. :)
So much for an early night!! Thought I would have a glance and got hooked - so funny!! It is funny about the comments you get on your photos but I am the first to admit that I have sooooooo much to learn. My photos are for fun and to help me learn. I would love to do a real photography course one day but would never consider setting up a business without the qualifications!! Loved it, thanks for sharing :)
@bullion3 me too! It had me re-thinking everything! Then I got slightly depressed because I spend so much time on photography, and was I wasting my life. Pleh! in the end though, I guess it doesn't matter...I mainly enjoy it, and it's a great hobby.
@bullion3@5unflow3r ---- It should make you think about your photos and what you want out of being a photographer. However, this is no reflection on anyone's personal project.
These are all 'professional photographers' who are trying to make money with their work. Most of them should be ashamed of themselves for doing shoddy work. You know it and I know it.
Looking at these we are shaking our heads and in some cases have been a victim of 'professionals'. I think we can all agree after spending some serious time doing this project we have a better sense of what is good photography and what is not. That too, is part of the learning process.
Checked this out with a lot of anxiety. Then remembered that I wasn't holding out as a professional, then spent who's counting how long looking at every one of them. OMG, as they say - what ever possessed these poor souls to get behind a camera? Thank you @dmortega for sharing.
That site actually made me feel a bit sad. It's a shame that people have spent money on their wedding day or getting photos of their babies and them to be teased.
I have been victim of this... but it also makes me slightly insecure :) Eh, it's art. Sorry if others don't see your vision. The only crime I see is when people are not seeing it as art and seeing it more as "taking pictures". I still say "shame on me" for not looking at my photographers portfolio before hiring them.
Oh boy. I obviously don't know _anything_ about photography as I like many of the photos... O.O I like the shades and selective color and everything. Should I go in the corner to hide now? I don't claim to be a professional, even though some friends and reletives want me to take photos in different occasions - and even offer to pay me! Poor souls, I have to refuse next time. Oh yes, to the corner now.
I have had so much fun with the link you gave! and the links I got in there! Can go on and on....You can't fav or flag a thread on this site, can you? Would be a nice feature.
Many of those were really atrocious. I mean, I think I've done better on a P&S on auto! The "blue" wedding--WOW. Those are bad.
As for all of the disdain for selective color and other gimmicky things, I don't get. I like selective color; I don't use it often (in my playing around with photography life--I don't pretend to be anything more), but at times I do like it. I liked it in prints I bought 20 years ago to decorate my college apartment. Was it OK then and not now, since it's become "gimmicky"?
Also, the negativity about people "stealing" ideas or "overusing" them, such as the hand/heart on a pregnant belly. That's not one I'm crazy about personally, but I don't get the big deal about any fauxtog seeing it and using it themselves. Maybe it's because I was a teacher (special ed), and stealing other's ideas was a way of life, as well as sharing your own. :) If it makes the clients happy, then so what?
Oh my gosh, I just spent the last hour paging through that website laughing! It's great! Too bad you need release forms to submit. I completely and 100% approve of that, but sort of wish it was more along the lines of failblog's anonymous posting design without permission required.
@5unflow3r Scary ransom photo! OMG! You made me spit up my coffee this morning! Cannot wait to peruse this website...I've seen some like it before....funny!
Yeh parts of this make me cringe and chuckle a bit, but most of it offends me. Don't you think this is photographers feeling a bit elitist and superior? I'm not a professional photographer but that doesn't mean I'm retarded and can't see when a picture is blurred or not. I don't like the idea that someone is saying to me I am not a photographer.
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I'm amused by all the start-ups. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad people have passion and drive (which is the direct opposite of me), so I can appreciate that. But people have to be honest with themselves.
Part of the problem is those of us who are too polite to point out that this fauxtographer always has someone with an object sprouting like horns from their head at every family function. Not a joke: every one of our family photos has a person with horns (usually in the form of a candle)
Me? I never claimed to be a photographer (I know my limitations better than anyone),
@4stories I totally white vignetted a family portrait I did of us. I'm just as guilty as you:)
off to check the whole lot mind in case i crop up in there.
They live really far away anyway, about 2000 miles.
Luckily I'm not charging for my pictures so I shouldn't make the site...I do however, pretend to be a photographer everytime I have a camera in hand.
Would it be strange to have a family photo without horns now? lol
Thanks for sharing!!
These are all 'professional photographers' who are trying to make money with their work. Most of them should be ashamed of themselves for doing shoddy work. You know it and I know it.
Looking at these we are shaking our heads and in some cases have been a victim of 'professionals'. I think we can all agree after spending some serious time doing this project we have a better sense of what is good photography and what is not. That too, is part of the learning process.
As for all of the disdain for selective color and other gimmicky things, I don't get. I like selective color; I don't use it often (in my playing around with photography life--I don't pretend to be anything more), but at times I do like it. I liked it in prints I bought 20 years ago to decorate my college apartment. Was it OK then and not now, since it's become "gimmicky"?
Also, the negativity about people "stealing" ideas or "overusing" them, such as the hand/heart on a pregnant belly. That's not one I'm crazy about personally, but I don't get the big deal about any fauxtog seeing it and using it themselves. Maybe it's because I was a teacher (special ed), and stealing other's ideas was a way of life, as well as sharing your own. :) If it makes the clients happy, then so what?