A "Pet Peeve" from Blaine Franger
I just posted this note to my Facebook account, thought I would post it on my blog too.
I've been thinking lately about a new pet peeve of mine. When folks say "Wow the photos turned out great!" or even worse "Wow your camera takes great photos!"
I always wanna respond the following (but usually just grin and say thanks)
"Actually, it's the photographer who takes the photo, and not the camera.... and the photos didn't just happen to "turn out" great, but rather, they are great because of dozens (maybe even hundreds) of small and large decisions I made before, during, and after the shutter was clicked."
A few examples- moving the subjects in shade rather than sun, or the opposite, moving them into the sun rather than shade - adjusting the angle of the face for the lighting - choosing the ideal combo of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO for every single image - choosing whether to shoot in Manual, Aperture priority, Shutter Priority - white balance - selecting interesting & non distracting backgrounds - choosing auto focus or manual focus mode, and if autofocus, what mode depending on movement of subjects, and what focus point in the frame to use - lens choice, wide angle? normal? telephoto? - zoom lens with 2.8 aperture or prime lens with 1.2 aperture? - over expose? normal expose? under expose? bracket expose? - low angle? normal angle? high angle? - interacting with and engaging the subjects for genuine and fun expressions - lens cap on or off? (that was a joke, haha, ha...... ha... ok lame joke).....
Those are just a few of the things that run through a photographers mind before & during the image making process, and don't even get me started on POST PRODUCTION!!!! So, next time you see wonderful images and want to compliment the photographer, remember they don't just go POOF and turn out well.... and the camera did not take the photos, the photographer did, so say something like "Wow, I can't imagine all the things going through your mind while making those images, you really know how to do it well, I applaud your image making abilities! Now that would be music to every photographers ears.... haha!! Anyone who said that to me I think I'd give them a 75% discount on the fee! Not really, but it would make my day. :)
Another pet peeve of mine- is the term Pet Peeve. How stupid is that term! It sounds so lame. We need to invent another name for it.
Ok enough said.... comments welcome from all, especially from the fellow photographers. :)
Blaine Franger
http://www.blainefranger.com/blog/
http://www.blaineandbethany.com/
I've been thinking lately about a new pet peeve of mine. When folks say "Wow the photos turned out great!" or even worse "Wow your camera takes great photos!"
I always wanna respond the following (but usually just grin and say thanks)
"Actually, it's the photographer who takes the photo, and not the camera.... and the photos didn't just happen to "turn out" great, but rather, they are great because of dozens (maybe even hundreds) of small and large decisions I made before, during, and after the shutter was clicked."
A few examples- moving the subjects in shade rather than sun, or the opposite, moving them into the sun rather than shade - adjusting the angle of the face for the lighting - choosing the ideal combo of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO for every single image - choosing whether to shoot in Manual, Aperture priority, Shutter Priority - white balance - selecting interesting & non distracting backgrounds - choosing auto focus or manual focus mode, and if autofocus, what mode depending on movement of subjects, and what focus point in the frame to use - lens choice, wide angle? normal? telephoto? - zoom lens with 2.8 aperture or prime lens with 1.2 aperture? - over expose? normal expose? under expose? bracket expose? - low angle? normal angle? high angle? - interacting with and engaging the subjects for genuine and fun expressions - lens cap on or off? (that was a joke, haha, ha...... ha... ok lame joke).....
Those are just a few of the things that run through a photographers mind before & during the image making process, and don't even get me started on POST PRODUCTION!!!! So, next time you see wonderful images and want to compliment the photographer, remember they don't just go POOF and turn out well.... and the camera did not take the photos, the photographer did, so say something like "Wow, I can't imagine all the things going through your mind while making those images, you really know how to do it well, I applaud your image making abilities! Now that would be music to every photographers ears.... haha!! Anyone who said that to me I think I'd give them a 75% discount on the fee! Not really, but it would make my day. :)
Another pet peeve of mine- is the term Pet Peeve. How stupid is that term! It sounds so lame. We need to invent another name for it.
Ok enough said.... comments welcome from all, especially from the fellow photographers. :)
Blaine Franger
http://www.blainefranger.com/blog/
http://www.blaineandbethany.com/
posted by blaine at
7/24/2009 01:52:00 PM
9 Comments:
haha,quite agree with you,i often come up with the same problem,i'm a photography amateur,a colledge student in China,study industrial design.
know you through one of your friends' PS tutorial on Lynnda.com
My Pet Peeve, When people ask me what I do for a living, and I reply "Oh I am a photographer." Their stupid reply, "Oh no way, I have a camera and have taken some pictures before, me and you are on the same level. It makes me want to go to a doctor and say, "Hey, I have taken medicine before, you and me should open a doctors office."
it's only one thing that goes through my mind when i shoot: "how will this look as i see it?" the rest are details. but hey, nice post Blaine! You are an inspiration (not as much with words but with your amazing shots)
Blaine, Blaine, Blaine, - the camera has skills - don't lie. Your camera is like 16.39 megapixel. With that many megas you can do damage, it's hard to take a bad photo. So just remember next time your taking a photo, how fortunate you are to be able to afford a camera with real megapixels. I'm saving up for that 21 megapixel camera right now. Dude it's going to be gnarly when i get that camera. Hey and lucky i know photoshop cause, well don't get me started on that, i don't want to give out the secret to my success.
this is SO great - i posted it ( quoting you, naturally) on my blog as well! more people need to consider this way of thinking!!
http://robertnormanphotography.blogspot.com/
I quite agree with you, however it doesn't really bother me too much when people make comments like that. I'm sure I've made some similar stupid comments to other people who have talent in some area that I will never come close to. People generally don't fully appreciate things that they are ingnorant about. That's why, when I hear a violinst play or see a beautiful painting or touch an amazing quilt, even though I can't come close to that talent I know what's gone into it and can appreciate it fully (though ignorantly) because I put that into my photography. My photos are an extension of me and so when I hear comments like that I take it as a compliment.
Having said all that...we all need to vent. And since this is your blog you go for it! LOL! You could always challenge someone to rent a camera like yours and get an amazing photo from it like you do. They never would.
Great points Carrie. I fully agree and should have made it more clear that I don't in any way get annoyed or bothered by the compliments, I just get a chuckle from them.
I greatly appreciate a compliment however way it may be said and totally understand that everyone doesn't know the perfect way to communicate what they are trying to say...
Thanks for your comment!
Cool post, but where are the pictures?
Did they turn out?
Well at least 1 ameature respects the skills. The best was comparing your shots to Chad's even as you were directing how to set it up with the same kind of camera. Either way you already know that we love your eye and creativity. In the end take the compliment b/c you know someone else would never have been able to capture / create the imagine - who cares if they fully understand that.
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