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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> An Unhappy Model Critiques the "Professional".
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12/29/2007 08:51:49 AM · #1
This is an interesting blog post by a young man who was unhappy with his senior picture.

"Rip-Off Photography"

"I am currently enrolled as a senior in high school, and like all parents, my mother decided to fork over ridiculous amounts of cash to have senior portraits taken of me in addition to the ones that end up in the yearbook. In the time between when I got my pictures taken and we got them back, I went out and purchased my own Canon Digital Rebel Xti and started a little hobby of photography myself. I borrowed a few books from the library about portrait composure. To make a long story short, I was less than satisfied with the pictures I got back."

He points out the flaws in the expensive photograph (including an unappreciated eye color change) and takes his own picture as a replacement.
12/29/2007 09:13:55 AM · #2
Thanks for the link - an articulate analysis.
12/29/2007 09:15:11 AM · #3
That is funny.
12/29/2007 09:37:04 AM · #4
I wonder if the mom was actually pleased, or just pretending. I can see where a mother might like a 'boy-band' photo like that, but with different eye colour? I suppose he got a package of many different shots, and maybe this was the worst?

Anyhoo... the subject is definitely not pleased, though apparently the client is.

:-/

Hehe, changing the eye colour, LOL.
12/29/2007 09:43:53 AM · #5
Oh I so want to send him to that woman that replaces the models eyes with dolls eyes, that'd be a great review.
12/29/2007 09:51:20 AM · #6
Originally posted by Wildcard:

Oh I so want to send him to that woman that replaces the models eyes with dolls eyes, that'd be a great review.


Given the lack of facial features in the image as well as the changed eye color ... that's ALMOST what he got! Wow. It's hard to believe someone would deliver a product like that to a customer.

I bet the main reason mom claims to like the pictures is because nobody wants to feel they've made a mistake after spending $700.

I'm surprised by the restraint the kid showed by not calling out the photographer by name (studio or otherwise). Perhaps he just means it as a generic warning to all parents to be careful what they are getting.

I'd never pay money for the image he took of himself (it doesn't, in any way, look professional, nor does he claim that it should). But that image certainly helps make his points about what he should look like. I think he did a great job, both of analyzing the photos he got and in getting his point across.


12/29/2007 10:21:28 AM · #7
Someone should email him a link to this thread - I would, but can't with the system I'm using at the moment.
12/29/2007 10:30:36 AM · #8
Originally posted by Melethia:

Someone should email him a link to this thread - I would, but can't with the system I'm using at the moment.


I thought about doing that.

He's #5 on reddit.com right now, (That's where I found the post) so he may be inundated with correspondence.
12/29/2007 11:01:57 AM · #9
To me it sounds like a made up story. Or a story made up of incidents of other people or kids.

Mike
12/29/2007 11:03:15 AM · #10
[thumb]626859[/thumb]

This is a 5 minute quick and dirty PS of the one he took himself. I suspect his mom would be happier with this one than with the one she paid the $700 for.
12/29/2007 11:08:45 AM · #11
if he didnt have studio lighting, how did he get his catchlights in his eyes... They are square to boot, making it seem like there was a softbox.

EDIT: After re-reading this, he also seems to know a very good amount about lighting... and for someone who doesn't have photoshop nor can afford photoshop, he goes into detail about softening the face, etc.

This is made up just to bash someone I believe. If you pay $700 to a photographer, you have to look at their portfolio first. Chances are that they will produce something similar along those lines unless they have completely stolen their arsenal.

Message edited by author 2007-12-29 11:13:04.
12/29/2007 11:14:23 AM · #12
Originally posted by MikeJ:

To me it sounds like a made up story. Or a story made up of incidents of other people or kids.

Mike


I doubt it was someone else's kid. If you look around in his blog you will see other photos he has taken of himself.

Although, I'm sure the Eagle Scouts wouldn't appreciate one of their own posting ways to hack a Coinstar Machine.

This does make me wonder why he hasn't pirated Photoshop.

Message edited by author 2007-12-29 11:16:02.
12/29/2007 11:14:37 AM · #13
Originally posted by jmlelii:

if he didnt have studio lighting, how did he get his catchlights in his eyes... They are square to boot, making it seem like there was a softbox.


Gotta be on board flash catchlights... :)
12/29/2007 11:18:08 AM · #14
Originally posted by jmlelii:

if he didnt have studio lighting, how did he get his catchlights in his eyes... They are square to boot, making it seem like there was a softbox.

EDIT: After re-reading this, he also seems to know a very good amount about lighting... and for someone who doesn't have photoshop nor can afford photoshop, he goes into detail about softening the face, etc.

This is made up just to bash someone I believe. If you pay $700 to a photographer, you have to look at their portfolio first. Chances are that they will produce something similar along those lines unless they have completely stolen their arsenal.


Yeah, and how did he come up with the composite that shows the 2 different eyes crops without some type of bitmap editing software? The guy may be a troll.
12/29/2007 11:19:01 AM · #15
The guy did a total crap job and needs shooting in the head at point blank range with a potato gun.
12/29/2007 11:19:17 AM · #16
I did an edit on his photo, and maintained his green eyes for him. I think he'd like this one.


12/29/2007 11:27:11 AM · #17
Originally posted by Strikeslip:

I did an edit on his photo, and maintained his green eyes for him. I think he'd like this one.



Ah you beat me to it.
12/29/2007 11:45:41 AM · #18
Originally posted by jmlelii:

if he didnt have studio lighting, how did he get his catchlights in his eyes... They are square to boot, making it seem like there was a softbox.


You mean like the catchlights in these?
[thumb]400201[/thumb]

Some are the sun through a window and others are ceiling lamps in various rooms in our house. To say nothing of onboard flash.

Careful what you assume from looking at a photo.
12/29/2007 12:52:48 PM · #19
Originally posted by senor_kasper:

[thumb]626859[/thumb]

This is a 5 minute quick and dirty PS of the one he took himself. I suspect his mom would be happier with this one than with the one she paid the $700 for.

I'd say.

Five minutes, huh?

Methinks Mike would like to see that!
12/29/2007 01:13:40 PM · #20
Originally posted by senor_kasper:

Originally posted by jmlelii:

if he didnt have studio lighting, how did he get his catchlights in his eyes... They are square to boot, making it seem like there was a softbox.

EDIT: After re-reading this, he also seems to know a very good amount about lighting... and for someone who doesn't have photoshop nor can afford photoshop, he goes into detail about softening the face, etc.

This is made up just to bash someone I believe. If you pay $700 to a photographer, you have to look at their portfolio first. Chances are that they will produce something similar along those lines unless they have completely stolen their arsenal.


Yeah, and how did he come up with the composite that shows the 2 different eyes crops without some type of bitmap editing software? The guy may be a troll.


He said he didn't have Photoshop. The Rebel comes with Canon editing software. As far as knowing a bit about lighting, he said he went and got some books from the library and studied up. Honestly, if he were going to bash someone I would think he would have named them...just because you hang a shingle out, have a killer web page, a fancy presentation and expensive lenses does not in fact make you a good photographer nor an honest business person...as this fellow aptly pointed out.
12/29/2007 01:19:06 PM · #21
I'm not sure why everyone assumes the mother would prefer the more "realistic" shot he did of himself bestubbled. I've known a LOT of mothers who think these smoothed-to-the-nines images are absolutely fantastic. They think they haven't gotten their money's worth if it doesn't look like that. Not everyone has the same tastes we, as a group, do.

R.
12/29/2007 01:22:13 PM · #22
he must have forgot to check the color in the whats your eye color box on the contract
12/29/2007 02:07:08 PM · #23
Wow, I had no idea this article would be so popular when I wrote it. Thank you all for your comments (and especially for your photoshop jobs).
12/29/2007 02:08:58 PM · #24
Hah! He showed up! Hey, Mike, hang with us and we'll get you up to speed pronto! Photoshop will be YOUR friend soon....

R.

Message edited by author 2007-12-29 14:09:40.
12/29/2007 02:09:01 PM · #25
Originally posted by mikerosoftin2001:

Wow, I had no idea this article would be so popular when I wrote it. Thank you all for your comments (and especially for your photoshop jobs).

That will be $700, please. You can make the cheque out to cash. ;-)
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