A Note on Content

The purpose of this blog is twofold: (1) to advertise my services as a photographer, and (2) to provide useful information to people who want to take better pictures, particularly when it comes to photographing children.

Although I have not organized the blog posts in any particular order, I have tried to start with basic information and build from there, so those wanting to learn more about photography and visiting the site for the first time may want to start with the oldest posts first.

If you have questions or comments about the blog, please feel free to leave a comment or to email me directly. I hope the photos and other information presented here help you appreciate the art of children's photography, and inspire you to take great photographs of your own.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Disasters in Portrait Photography - Episode 1: "There's No Place Like Home ..."


After reviewing ads for photographers on a local website, I decided I would start a new series called "disasters in photography" highlighting photos that are so deliciously bad they are almost--dare I say?--good. Enjoy.

Though I hope the "badness" of these photos is readily apparent, I thought I'd throw in a serious critique in the spirit of informing rather than merely criticizing. And please know that I'm not trying to make fun of any of these poor models, who only had the misfortune of hiring a photographer of questionable skill and/or taste.

Critique: So, what is this picture about, anyway--is it a shoe ad? Did this bride get lost in the desert and then take off her shoes to recline in the shade of a rock, fending off the vultures with her bridal bouquet? The pose is awkward--the bride looks uncomfortable (not surprisingly) and the props are distracting and compete for attention with the bride herself. Other than that, it's perfect!

3 comments:

  1. But I must take slight issue with your critique: the bride is not reclining in the "shade" of the rock. No, if you examine the angle of the shadow cast by the rock upon which her bouquet rests, you'd see that the shadow is behind the rock, nearly straight behind. The bride is reclining (awkwardly) on the full-sun side of that rock. Hot.

    (How are you? Long time, my yearbook neighbor...)

    Erin Hare

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  2. Ah, Erin. Good to see you, and point well taken. I suppose a better caption might be "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." Either way, uncomfortable, to say the least.

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  3. Besides, who wears red pleather flats with a wedding dress? Dorothy? I wouldn't think so.

    P.S. Sherry Neal directed me here.
    P.P.S. The caption is perfect; just the text I thought was slightly erred.

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