Colblimp Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Although I don't have one of these new-fangled portfolios, I guess my pics could be ripped to shreds critiqued. No need to be gentle, say it how it is! Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andremichel Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 Considering you made 12 sales from just 2600 images last month, are any of us worthy to give a critique? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 Great newsworthy shots, particularly like RN656R ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 9, 2019 Author Share Posted March 9, 2019 Thanks very much guys. That picture, Bryan, made the front page of the local rag. The only sale I made from it! 😥 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Caram Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 Great story telling...your passion for image making shows....very nice work there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marianne Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Good eye for news and storytelling. I particularly like your photos of people at work - nice mix of closeup and bigger picture shots. I can see why you sell a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 Thanks very much! No criticism? I'm aware of the bad shots and will take them down soon, but I'd like critical feedback from my peers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Convery Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Brilliant portfolio showing real people doing things. The only criticism is too many shots from the same day ie: nurses protest and rally cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 2 hours ago, Robert Convery said: Brilliant portfolio showing real people doing things. The only criticism is too many shots from the same day ie: nurses protest and rally cars. Thank you. The nurses strike was over 3 days. The rally cars were at different locations. However, I am going to delete some of the images you point out . 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marianne Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 8 hours ago, Colblimp said: Thanks very much! No criticism? I'm aware of the bad shots and will take them down soon, but I'd like critical feedback from my peers... Every time I take photos down, or plan to, I find one I planned to delete has been zoomed. Hard to know what will sell. If you really want criticism, I guess I'd say spend more time taking the kinds of photos where you've shown people at work or other actions shots. The posed images are nice and if they have model releases I'd keep taking them but if not perhaps put up fewer of them in future, unless they sell - only you know best what is working in your portfolio. In terms of deleting some live news shots, after shooting several live news shots once the event is old you might want to go back and pare them down to a few of the best. The live news people told me 6-10 images from a news event was the target. This includes weather/day in the life shots as well as events, both on Alamy and the connected venue, if that helps you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 4 hours ago, Marianne said: Every time I take photos down, or plan to, I find one I planned to delete has been zoomed. Hard to know what will sell. If you really want criticism, I guess I'd say spend more time taking the kinds of photos where you've shown people at work or other actions shots. The posed images are nice and if they have model releases I'd keep taking them but if not perhaps put up fewer of them in future, unless they sell - only you know best what is working in your portfolio. In terms of deleting some live news shots, after shooting several live news shots once the event is old you might want to go back and pare them down to a few of the best. The live news people told me 6-10 images from a news event was the target. This includes weather/day in the life shots as well as events, both on Alamy and the connected venue, if that helps you. Very useful, thank you muchly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marianne Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 4 hours ago, Colblimp said: Very useful, thank you muchly! You're welcome. Glad it was better than just saying "good job." Thanks for asking me to look again with a critical eye. It gives you a sense of who the other folks a=on the forum are when we really look at large parts of their portfolios - a fuller picture than just these discussions. Enjoyed getting a little more sense of who you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Ashmore Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Yes, you shoot people.. lots of people and I believe this serves you well.. .I regularly see your name in the images found threads. I wish I had the confidence to take the same kind of pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 Thanks for your kind words. When I'm holding the camera, it's as if there's a wall protecting me from the public, if that makes sense? Additionally, because I use big pro cameras with f2.8 glass, I look the part so 99% of the time people accept my presence. I'm actually a shy person in reality! My advice to you gentlemen would be to just do it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustydingo Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 3 hours ago, Colblimp said: Additionally, because I use big pro cameras with f2.8 glass, I look the part so 99% of the time people accept my presence. With what seems like an almost universal rush to smaller and smaller cameras, I was beginning to think the advantages I have consistently found using a blatantly big "professional" looking DSLR and 2.8 wide-angle zoom were an aberration. I'm generally not one for hiding the fact I'm shooting a person or people (talk about a great way to get the great unwashed to distrust photographers even more), and I have found doors opening and lots of "if you come through here you'll get a better view" simply because I appear to "look the part". Mind you, that tune would change in an environment where photographers and / or the press are simply not welcome (who'd be a press photographer at a certain orange bloke's rallies in the US at the moment?), but using the big gear has certainly served me well, and I am pleased to see it's an experience shared elsewhere in this funny old world 😊 DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 29 minutes ago, dustydingo said: With what seems like an almost universal rush to smaller and smaller cameras, I was beginning to think the advantages I have consistently found using a blatantly big "professional" looking DSLR and 2.8 wide-angle zoom were an aberration. I'm generally not one for hiding the fact I'm shooting a person or people (talk about a great way to get the great unwashed to distrust photographers even more), and I have found doors opening and lots of "if you come through here you'll get a better view" simply because I appear to "look the part". Mind you, that tune would change in an environment where photographers and / or the press are simply not welcome (who'd be a press photographer at a certain orange bloke's rallies in the US at the moment?), but using the big gear has certainly served me well, and I am pleased to see it's an experience shared elsewhere in this funny old world 😊 DD Absolutely! I love the chunk of my gear and have no intention of using smaller gear as my main kit. I do intend to buy an RX100 MK xxx in the near future, but that would not replace my big stuff, rather it would be for sneaky, commando, ninja type stuff! We should form a 'size matters' group!!! 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanDavidson Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 On 10/03/2019 at 18:32, Marianne said: Every time I take photos down, or plan to, I find one I planned to delete has been zoomed. Hard to know what will sell. If you really want criticism, I guess I'd say spend more time taking the kinds of photos where you've shown people at work or other actions shots. The posed images are nice and if they have model releases I'd keep taking them but if not perhaps put up fewer of them in future, unless they sell - only you know best what is working in your portfolio. In terms of deleting some live news shots, after shooting several live news shots once the event is old you might want to go back and pare them down to a few of the best. The live news people told me 6-10 images from a news event was the target. This includes weather/day in the life shots as well as events, both on Alamy and the connected venue, if that helps you. There are very mixed views on the subject of the number of live news photos to submit and deleting old live news stories. Given that Live News stories drop in to stock the number of photos are not really relevant. My understanding is that the Live News team will decide how many and what photos they circulate to the press in any case. I try to pick out my best shots of an event; that may be five or it may be thirty. I covered a big march in Romford following the murder of a 17yr old girl (I also covered the murder scene). There was a lot of very moving pictures (effectively the march had three different parts) so I decided the submit the best or most effective (not always the same in my case) and ending up sending thirty; but to be honest 6-10 is more normal for me. Tomorrow I am providing live news coverage of the wearable technology show and will probably submit between twenty and thirty photos as there are many highly relevant and newsworthy activities going on. I take a lot of pictures of cabinet ministers in Downing Street and I have, from time to time, thought about deleting the old ones. But, I have noticed, as an earlier poster had, that quite often old live news images of ministers sell; either because they have come back in to the news (Ester McVey for example) or because they are needed to illustrate a particular story To return to the topic I most admire Colblimp's portfolio. Live news is hard work with far more misses than hits and as noted he has a high level of hits - the ultimate arbiter is the market place!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 1 hour ago, IanDavidson said: To return to the topic I most admire Colblimp's portfolio. Live news is hard work with far more misses than hits and as noted he has a high level of hits - the ultimate arbiter is the market place!!! Thank you very much, Ian, high praise indeed. 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Rosenthal Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 14 hours ago, IanDavidson said: I take a lot of pictures of cabinet ministers in Downing Street and I have, from time to time, thought about deleting the old ones. But, I have noticed, as an earlier poster had, that quite often old live news images of ministers sell; either because they have come back in to the news (Ester McVey for example) or because they are needed to illustrate a particular story This makes sense to me. I would think that there is a strong argument against taking down images unless they are flawed. In my day job I interact with the other side of the picture desk, selecting images that will be used to illustrate print articles. It is useful to have a good selection to fit the crop (horizontal vs vertical, and over 1, 2 or 3 columns) as well as the placement on the page (ie drawing the eye left or right into the page). I find it most useful when my pic desk gives me a lot of options, even if many of them are similar. The caveat to all of this is that my picture-taking skills have a long way to go and I still don't have a great sense of what sells in stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 You're really getting "in there", with your images and finding shots that grab the eye Andy. So much better than the ports I see of building exteriors and shop front signs! (I'll forgive your Paddy Power shot, as gambling is in the news in Ireland). Great work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 12, 2019 Author Share Posted March 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Steve Valentia said: You're really getting "in there", with your images and finding shots that grab the eye Andy. So much better than the ports I see of building exteriors and shop front signs! (I'll forgive your Paddy Power shot, as gambling is in the news in Ireland). Great work. Thanks Steve, really appreciate it. I do shop signs whenever I'm passing something that rings a bell having seen it lately in the news, and Paddy Power always features! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 On 11/03/2019 at 06:25, Colblimp said: Thanks for your kind words. When I'm holding the camera, it's as if there's a wall protecting me from the public, if that makes sense? Additionally, because I use big pro cameras with f2.8 glass, I look the part so 99% of the time people accept my presence. I'm actually a shy person in reality! My advice to you gentlemen would be to just do it!!! Everything looks very good to me. Maybe with the exception of the oof foreground on two of the sailboat pictures. The blurry foreground is jarring to me. Now you’ll tell me they’ve sold! 😀 I know what you mean by looking through the viewfinder seems to set you apart...like a wall. I’m very afraid of spiders, but I somehow have been able to get close with my camera without fear. Strange, that. Same thing with people. Only I’m not afraid of them! Usually, if you behave like you belong there, you are accepted. Betty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 12, 2019 Author Share Posted March 12, 2019 3 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said: Everything looks very good to me. Maybe with the exception of the oof foreground on two of the sailboat pictures. The blurry foreground is jarring to me. Now you’ll tell me they’ve sold! 😀 I know what you mean by looking through the viewfinder seems to set you apart...like a wall. I’m very afraid of spiders, but I somehow have been able to get close with my camera without fear. Strange, that. Same thing with people. Only I’m not afraid of them! Usually, if you behave like you belong there, you are accepted. Betty I was trying to be clever with the foreground of the sailing pics, they're rocks. However, I've never been happy with the pics so I will be deleting them, today actually. I hate spiders, camera or no camera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 Just now, Colblimp said: I was trying to be clever with the foreground of the sailing pics, they're rocks. However, I've never been happy with the pics so I will be deleting them, today actually. I hate spiders, camera or no camera! 👍👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted March 12, 2019 Author Share Posted March 12, 2019 1 minute ago, Betty LaRue said: 👍👍 Deleted them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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