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By bethany (dreadlock girl), September 24, 2009 9:36 pm

Do you ever do something in your little pond and think that maybe you have a gift? What if you do have a gift, but you let others judge you and make you think that you don’t? Yes, call me pensive. Those questions were popping repeatedly in my head yesterday after I got the message below of my denial for entering my photos on a stock images site. I thought I would make it, that I could earn some dough by just having my photos sit on there and lazily earn dough even while sleeping. I guess I should try a different get-rich -quick scheme? HA.

Anyway, what do you do when rejected? Do you consider yourself a failure, or do you toughen up and move on-learning from your mistakes. I guess I do both, maybe at the same time. I first opened the rejection letter below and then scoffed and deleted it. Luckily I have gmail and digging though your trash is one thing it is great at-so I dived the dumpster and re-read. The second time I read it I thought, well, I do agree with some things (although other comments are too vague) and really criticism is good. What is hard is that I shoot for fun, and if I like the shot that is all that matters. When I put my hobby up for people to judge and also to earn money then I no longer am doing it for fun. I am not sure what I think about that either.

Anyway, I wanted you to read my rejection. I may try again, but I still don’t really know if I want to.

Hi,

Thank you for your submission to Shutterstock.

In order for Shutterstock to maintain the high standard of our photography collection, new submitters must receive approval on at least seven (7) of their first ten (10) images to continue uploading. Unfortunately, while some of the images you submitted may meet our guidelines, we are unable to approve the requisite number and have temporarily disabled the uploading function on your account. This decision was based on concerns about quality, composition, lighting, or other features of your initial batch of images and we have listed the reasons below.

We invite you to resubmit in 30 days. In the meantime, you can still post banners, earn money from referring photographers, and participate in our forum discussions. Please do not create more than one account; doing so will result in permanent suspension.

Thank you for your interest in Shutterstock. We look forward to seeing you again in 30 days!

37594939		Not Approved	Model Release–Please re-upload with release. Poor Lighting–Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect. Focus–Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best. Noise–Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size. Composition–Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition.
37594942		Not Approved	Composition–Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition.
37594945		Not Approved	Composition–Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition. Model Release–Please re-upload with release. Poor Lighting–Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect. Focus–Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best.
37594948		Not Approved	Composition–Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition. Poor Lighting–Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect.
37594951		Not Approved	7 of 10 must be approved
37594954		Not Approved	Poor Lighting–Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect.
37594957		Not Approved	Model Release–Please re-upload with release. Focus–Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best. Noise–Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size.
37594960		Not Approved	Model Release–Please re-upload with release. Noise–Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size.
37594963		Not Approved	Model Release–Please re-upload with release. Focus–Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best.
37594966		Not Approved	Noise–Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size.

Regards,
Shutterstock Support

The Basics
Capture Real People, In Real Life Shots
Work That Thing! How to Get the Best Shots
Tips for Group Shots: How to Shoot a Group Session Like You Know What You’re Doing!
Photo Editing, Fixin’ Your Images
Taking the Best Black and White Photos: What to Look For
What does the ISO Do For You?: Learning more about the ISO

Comments (0)

By bethany (dreadlock girl), July 29, 2009 9:43 am

1.) Coordinate. It may sound cheesy to coordinate in matching colours, but it will be worth your scepticism when you see the results. I don’t want you to think, matchy-matchy shirts and pants because that is horrid. Here are some colour ideas for your group:

-Natural Colours: this works really well, really letting the faces stand out of the subjects.

-Primary Colours: I like this especially for kid groupings, but it could work on different ages as well.

-All One Colour: Tell your group beforehand to wear all wear green, pink or red-and not to worry about the shade of the colour, as that will add to the shot. Just say green, any shade of green. This works the best with a large group where there are so many shades that it really pops. If you do green, make sure to shoot outside for an added bonus of green around your subjects as well!

-In Uniform: This works if you are taking a photo of a group of ranchers, pilots, construction workers or Army men. It really shows off the faces because they will be wearing similar dress. Take care to not pose those in a uniform in a very strict pose, as it will just look like they are getting ready to march. Use different heights, some standing, some sitting. Or a pose that demonstrates their comradery, for example a shot of them all praying together, or with their arms across each other’s shoulders. These guys usually go deep, try to bring that out in your shot.

2.) Think Small to Shoot Big. Sometimes a huge group of people can be really intimidating, especially when thinking of how to pose them or get them all in. If you can, think of them in segments. You can group all the kids together, or the families or whatever you are working with, but call one group up at a time pose them as if for their own shoot and keep adding additional groups. This will make for a photo that has different heights, and that is much more visually stimulating than a group of people all standing  together looking confused. I would recommend only adding the kids in for some shots, and maybe doing generational shots. Bring the kids in first or last, but don’t let them be there long…or you’ll get grouchy faces.

3.) Posing is Everything and Then Its Not. Unless you like the look of just a blob of people standing there looking confused, pose them. Sometimes if you have them on a structure of some sort that will do the job for you. Kids sitting naturally all over a play structure( you can shoot them while they are actually playing). I have mentioned before that it is really not fun to boss and bully your subjects, and this stands true here too, but many times in order to get the little ones to cooperate (and oldest) you may need a bribe of Popsicles, brownies, or a swim in the ocean when it is all over.

Posing is also not everything because action group shots are great too. Some action shots are planned, but they can’t be posed. It makes for happier people when you have their minds working on something, and happier people mean happier and better shots. There is a craze lately of the mid-air jumping shots. Also, if you set your group back 100meters from you and then just say “RUN!” the running shots are great too. I saw a wedding shot of this recently were the whole bridal party had their shoes off and was running toward the camera. It was the best shot of that wedding. If a group of ladies is sewing and you are going to take their photo, don’t have them stand up and get in a blob and shoot, if they are sitting, kneel down and shoot them in what they are doing. You will get much more natural shots.

4.) Black and White is Your Friend. Because people don’t want to coordinate outfits, because they don’t always get the memo, because they don’t like to cooperate, because one lady is wearing an obnoxious blouse, and because it really does look better: go black and white when shooting groups. I don’t recommend actually taking them in black and white, but just know, if you throw a group of uncoordinated people (and or clashing colours) into Black and White you will be suprised by how much it changes for you. Also, it is whimsical, it is old fashioned, and really I think Black and White can add a lot to your group shots. So if all else fails – just make the switch.

I always love answering questions for readers. I’d love ideas on future Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips sessions if you have them. Leave me a comment, I love hearing from you!

Previous Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips:
The Basics
Capture Real People, In Real Life Shots
Work That Thing! How to Get the Best Shots

Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips: I am going to do several of these posts, I am not a professional photographer by a long shot, but I love taking pictures and seeing beautiful pictures so I want to share what I have learned with you.

Comments (1)

By bethany (dreadlock girl), July 22, 2009 6:37 am

1.) When you are down, low, low down, you will get some of your best shots especially of kids and animals. I try to be at the level of the being that I am taking a picture of. It looks more natural for kids to be looking straight at the camera when it is level with them, and even if they aren’t looking, get down on your knees to shoot. It really does make a difference.

2.) Flash, what flash? A flash can work, but I think the ones that come with cameras (which is what many of us have) really don’t work worth their existence. Forget you have it! That means, get your camera off of the setting which sets up your flash automatically. Mess with your ISO and shutter speed and ditch the flash for good. One day I will buy an expensive flash to try out, but I have heard it from the best that even those make your victims look, ” like a deer in the headlights”.

3.) Get Closer, there is no 6 inch rule when it comes to photography, get in close and then zoom in further. Most shots I see just don’t have the detail they could because the subject you are shooting is 15 feet away! Walk right up, and then zoom the rest of the way. Your subject should fill up a large part of the picture. If there is something worth looking at around the subject, take that into account, if not, then why do you want it in your picture?

4.) Experiment! If you want to get good you have to waste time in training, it is like so much else out there: some people are naturally just good at it, but that is a rare stroke of luck and doesn’t happen to most of us. The rest of us are just shooting away, hoping to capture something good, once in a while. To get good, try new things. Don’t do the same spot as last time, take your camera with you and try a different location, different lighting than you are used to, try mixin’ it up. If the shots don’t turn out, then try again, adjust the light meter, the shutter speed, try a new angle. If you push yourself you will grow!

Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.

~Ansel Adams

Be sure to come back next Wednesday to Dreadlock Girl for some tips on Group Photo Shoots. Nothing fancy, just what I have learned so far.

I always love answering questions for readers. I’d love ideas on future Dreadlockgirl Photography Tips sessions if you have them. Leave me a comment, I love hearing from you!

Previous Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips:
The Basics
Capture Real People, In Real Life Shots

Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips: I am going to do several of these posts, I am not a professional photographer by a long shot, but I love taking pictures and seeing beautiful pictures so I want to share what I have learned with you.

Comments (0)

By bethany (dreadlock girl), July 10, 2009 2:28 pm

There are so many wrong moves we make when taking shots of other people. What I love to do most is capture real people, real faces that they make, and doing what they really do. Kids play, they don’t generally stand still in a dress shirt with their feet pointed slightly to the left, arms crossed, head slightly tilted, wearing what could be a plastic smile. But we try to capture that moment to keep? Sorry, but posing people unnaturally is probably my biggest nightmare. I am not a professional, I like to get real shots, I don’t need to pose people, when I do have to pose them I do it so that they hardly know they are being posed. If these tips work with my 3 and 5 year-old boys it seems they would work (with slight variations) on most people.

1.) You do the work: Let your subject (victim) be while YOU do the work of moving around to get the best shot. Call it the photographer’s diet– it works for me. You are the one trying to get the good shot, so when you force your kids to do all the work, you really will get only mediocre expressions from dissatisfied subjects. Let them play, let them throw sand, let them cry…real pictures work best and they are the most memorable ones.

2.) Work (read: play) with your subject: Ask the person what their favourite thing to do is, and get pictures of them doing that. If you are taking pictures of your children you probably already know what they like to do, so instead of telling them you are going to take pictures just ask them if they want to play pirates, or if they’d like to go outside and shoot their cap guns. While they are doing it, take pictures.

3.) Don’t give commands: Try as little as possible to say things like,  “wait, just stay like that!” or “don’t move!”…those kind of comments clue them in and they won’t want to cooperate. There are moments that you would like to capture, and you can avoid sounding like you are only interested in taking pictures say things like, ” I think that gun has some caps left in it” or ” ” do you think you can shoot the top of that tree over there?” — again be real, this isn’t about manipulation, but working with them to get a good outcome. Don’t lie to get them to do what you want, but it is okay if you use your imagination. This works well for little kids. I don’t have teens yet, so I’ll give you tips on that when we get there.

A shot of how chaos, can be better than organization- let it be, and SHOOT!

4.) The magical window of picture perfectness: There are times when you need a specific shot and the subject just has to cooperate. These shots are rare, but still  they happen. When this is the case, get your shots within an age specific amount of time. My kids are 3 and 5 years old, they can sit and look happy for about 2 minutes without touching something or acting grouchy. That means I have 2 minutes. I need to have my camera ready, have the light meter set right, and everything just set so that I can shoot pictures for that whole time. When they are done, YOU are too. Resist the urge to beg, bully, and boss them into anything once the magical window is closed. You will all have a better day.

A necessary posed shot, I gave myself about 5 seconds, the equivalent of two shots to get this one right..the little feet weren’t going to stay still for long. (It was a no-nap day)

I always love answering questions for readers. I’d love ideas on future Dreadlockgirl Photography Tips sessions if you have them. Leave me a comment, I love hearing from you!

Previous Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips:
The Basics

Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips: I am going to do several of these posts, I am not a professional photographer by a long shot, but I love taking pictures and seeing beautiful pictures so I want to share what I have learned with you.

Comments (1)

By bethany (dreadlock girl), June 9, 2009 1:48 pm

1.) Go digital this should be completely obvious, but some are probably hanging on to those dear relics of the past. Take the plunge, you will never go back.

2.) Take a ton of pictures. my photography teacher in highschool said “Take a million pictures, one is bound to turn out”. I still take a lot of pictures, and even when I think I have it I take some more. You never know what is a little out of focus or when someone has their eyes closed. If you have a camera where you can mess with the settings, mess every shot, you never know the experiments that will stun you!

3.) Know your camera. This is a big mistake, you get a camera and just start shooting, you don’t know what half the buttons are for or why your pictures are all dark or yellow. Read the manual!!! If you don’t you’ll really be missing out.

4.) Keep your camera with you always. Don’t be afraid of shooting all the time. I take my huge camera everywhere, and it is annoying to bring (and keep track of) but the images I get that I never even thought of are priceless.

5.) Don’t be shy. This one I have a hard time with, there is a fine line between shooting unobtruseively, and taking pictures and monopolizing the moment with your clicks and beeps. Be natural, let them be natural the pictures end up way better than you could have imagined. But, don’t be too shy to get your camera out at all times, I have to fend off shyness when it comes to shooting, but I don’t regret the pictures I get.

Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips: I am going to do several of these posts, I am not a professional photographer by a long shot, but I love taking pictures and seeing beautiful pictures so I want to share what I have learned with you.

Do you have questions? Post them below and I will answer them.