# I used to SUCK HARD, you guys.



## e.rose (Jun 17, 2014)

I was going through and reorganizing my website/blog and I went the WHOOOOOOLE way back through all the old stuff...

Holy sh*t, I was TERRIBLE.

I know we all start out terrible... but enough time has finally passed for me to see a MAJOR difference.

So for all of the newbies who are just starting out and might be feeling a little discouraged, BEHOLD! My sampling of SUCKERY!

















This was my attempt at trying to make something look like vector art at the request of a friend who wanted their images edited that way:






I mean, but lets talk about this image in general:






And my other attempt at a self-portrait:






 <-------------- This was apparently the last one I ever did. This makes me want to do another one. A more decent one. :lmao:











.
.
.
.
.
.

I still have a lot of improving to do, but I'M SO GLAD, I don't suck THAT MUCH anymore.  :lmao:

So newbies, there is hope at the end of the tunnel! Keep working at it and everything will get better. EVERYTHING.


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## ronlane (Jun 17, 2014)

Emily, I know what you mean. I've went back through my external hard drive looking at photos thinking that I am so much better now at editing that I could make a few of them look really good. BOY WAS I WRONG!


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## The_Traveler (Jun 17, 2014)

ditto


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## Overread (Jun 17, 2014)

Now we need some examples of the fantastic new EROSE to compare!


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## Derrel (Jun 17, 2014)

Wow...those first two shots of the young woman in the...outdoor fireplace is it???...those are particularly awful. Those blown out skin tone highlights....yeesh. Yes, your work is now much more refined and solid.


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## snerd (Jun 17, 2014)

From a year ago.....................





LOL!!!


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## DarkShadow (Jun 17, 2014)

LOL. Oh yes when I started as a newbie I picked Birding as my starting point and man did I suck real bad.My exposure was always pretty good but everything else was pathetic and was getting frustrated but tenacity is paying off. No matter how many times I wanted to smash the camera gear in the pavement I never quite but just kept trying and trying and trying until I got one decent shot and how I got that decent shot and went from there one step at a time.


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## e.rose (Jun 17, 2014)

Overread said:


> Now we need some examples of the fantastic new EROSE to compare!













^^^^^I mean I'm not gonna post a whole sh*tload. I'm linking them from galleries on my site, so once those change, these images will be broken anyway.


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## snerd (Jun 17, 2014)

e.rose said:


> Overread said:
> 
> 
> > Now we need some examples of the fantastic new EROSE to compare!
> ...



I'll have one of each, please.


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## robbins.photo (Jun 17, 2014)

Oh yes, the first couple of pages on my flickr account are a veritable symphony of suckery.



Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


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## minicoop1985 (Jun 17, 2014)

Don't feel too bad.











Those weren't taken that long ago. I'm not the best photographer out there by any means, but my god a little education and experience can go a long way.


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## korreman (Jun 17, 2014)

While I do like the "after" photos better than the "before" ones, I'm a complete newbie, so I have no idea what makes the later ones better save for the little experience I've had the last month or two. Wouldn't it be a fun little exercise if you guys told us newbs what made your old photos bad and your new ones good?


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## manaheim (Jun 17, 2014)

Yup, speaking as a guy who remembers you the day you joined... and watching as you went from pretty awful to faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar superior anything I could produce and beyond... in A REALLY short period of time... it's been fun (and frankly, exciting) to watch.


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## Majeed Badizadegan (Jun 17, 2014)

korreman said:


> While I do like the "after" photos better than the "before" ones, I'm a complete newbie, so I have no idea what makes the later ones better save for the little experience I've had the last month or two. Wouldn't it be a fun little exercise if you guys told us newbs what made the old photos bad and the new ones good?



light.


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## sm4him (Jun 17, 2014)

Yeah, some of us remember when you sucked. :lmao:
Just kidding!! You were NEVER as bad as me!

All I'd really say about my own work is that I don't suck quite as much now as I used to&#8230;but in terms of portraiture, and compared to you&#8230;I still suck pretty hard.


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## snerd (Jun 17, 2014)

korreman said:


> While I do like the "after" photos better than the "before" ones, I'm a complete newbie, so I have no idea what makes the later ones better save for the little experience I've had the last month or two. Wouldn't it be a fun little exercise if you guys told us newbs what made the old photos bad and the new ones good?



Learning exposure, and how light affects everything, are probably the biggest two for me.


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## gsgary (Jun 17, 2014)

I bet your husband is not happy you suck less


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## rexbobcat (Jun 17, 2014)

snerd said:


> korreman said:
> 
> 
> > While I do like the "after" photos better than the "before" ones, I'm a complete newbie, so I have no idea what makes the later ones better save for the little experience I've had the last month or two. Wouldn't it be a fun little exercise if you guys told us newbs what made the old photos bad and the new ones good?
> ...



Also getting better at Photoshop. Those first two photos seem to be heavily edited.


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## Overread (Jun 17, 2014)

I'd like to take the prize as worst








For those wanting an idea of what's wrong:
1) Bottom of the primary subject (tree) missing

2) Details are hazy and not as crisp sharp as one would expect given that the tree isn't moving

3) Incrased hazyness as a result of shooting through old window glass instead of opening the window (or going outside )



On the plus points;

1) "golden hour" style lighting (as I recall this was lunchtime so not the true golden hour, just a happenstance of the weather

Neutral points:
1) Composition - a bit central and could be more interesting, but not a total disaster, its more subject clipping off of parts that's detracting. 

And I'm sure if I thought about it for more than a few moments there'd be a few more wrong things that annoy me in the shot (beyond the desire to want to re-take it with one exposure for the whites and one to get the tree full silhouette and then, if needed, blend results together - or do the opposite and have one well exposed for the tree and one the sky and then blend).


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## e.rose (Jun 17, 2014)

snerd said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > Overread said:
> ...



One of them is not old enough for you to have. 



minicoop1985 said:


> Don't feel too bad.
> 
> [snip]
> 
> Those weren't taken that long ago. I'm not the best photographer out there by any means, but my god a little education and experience can go a long way.



Oh, I don't, haha. I just think it's funny.



korreman said:


> While I do like the "after" photos better than the "before" ones, I'm a complete newbie, so I have no idea what makes the later ones better save for the little experience I've had the last month or two. Wouldn't it be a fun little exercise if you guys told us newbs what made your old photos bad and your new ones good?



I don't have enough time to self-critique right now on my 15 minute break. Maybe later when I'm off work. Stay-tuned...

However if I had to sum it up:



Majeed Badizadegan said:


> light.





snerd said:


> Learning exposure, and how light affects everything, are probably the biggest two for me.





rexbobcat said:


> Also getting better at Photoshop. Those first two photos seem to be heavily edited.



^^^Those are all accurate summations.

Also, Rexbobcat: You're right. And the worst part? I thought that looked good. uke:uke:




manaheim said:


> Yup, speaking as a guy who remembers you the day you joined... and watching as you went from pretty awful to faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar superior anything I could produce and beyond... in A REALLY short period of time... it's been fun (and frankly, exciting) to watch.



Awww, thanks. :hug:: :heart:



gsgary said:


> I bet your husband is not happy you suck less



Yeah, we've been working through counseling about it.


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## PropilotBW (Jun 17, 2014)

I agree, your shooting technique has definitely improved 10 fold. 

I think this site has helped me immensely in understanding my faults, and applying them to future shots.


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## CAP (Jun 17, 2014)

*Interesting how sexually selective topic titles, using sexual innuendo's gets lots of attention.
*
 :hail:


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## Ilovemycam (Jun 17, 2014)

Op  You are a pretty gal...old or new.


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## Ilovemycam (Jun 17, 2014)

sm4him said:


> Yeah, some of us remember when you sucked. :lmao:
> Just kidding!! You were NEVER as bad as me!
> 
> All I'd really say about my own work is that I don't suck quite as much now as I used tobut in terms of portraiture, and compared to youI still suck pretty hard.



Well, we all have our specialties. Being a great studio photog does not mean you are a great street photog and vice versa. 

Your birds are very nice. Probably better than I could do. (I don't shoot birds, so I don't know,  but just guess.)


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## Ilovemycam (Jun 17, 2014)

CAP said:


> *Interesting how sexually selective topic titles, using sexual innuendo's gets lots of attention.
> *
> :hail:




Sex  runs the world. Have a shot of 2 gals in the street and it is a snapshot. Have their boobs out and it is noteworthy.


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## snerd (Jun 17, 2014)

Ilovemycam said:


> CAP said:
> 
> 
> > *Interesting how sexually selective topic titles, using sexual innuendo's gets lots of attention.
> ...



Noteworthy?! LOL!! That would be a work of art!!!


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## manaheim (Jun 17, 2014)

If this is a show your worst contest, I will pwn all of you.


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## pgriz (Jun 17, 2014)

Sorry Chris, you'll lose.  I cannot show mine because the internet will disown me.  Yes, that bad.  In fact, trying to upload to prove the point, the connection went down and I got the message "Do NOT do that again.  Ever.  Microsoft error number 03880fa12".  I don't have an Apple to try this on, but I suspect it may be something similar.


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## robbins.photo (Jun 17, 2014)

Ilovemycam said:


> Op  You are a pretty gal...old or new.



She's already got two husbands - don't think she needs much more than that.. lol


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## robbins.photo (Jun 17, 2014)

pgriz said:


> Sorry Chris, you'll lose.  I cannot show mine because the internet will disown me.  Yes, that bad.  In fact, trying to upload to prove the point, the connection went down and I got the message "Do NOT do that again.  Ever.  Microsoft error number 03880fa12".  I don't have an Apple to try this on, but I suspect it may be something similar.



Actually I think apple dispatches a squad of highly trained sword wielding anime characters to have you slain before you can make an additional attempt.


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## snerd (Jun 17, 2014)




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## limr (Jun 17, 2014)

snerd said:


>



Peanut butter jelly time! Peanut butter jelly time!


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## robbins.photo (Jun 17, 2014)

Ok, so here's my entry into the shots I'm embarrassed to admit I took sweepstakes:



IMG_3176 by robbins.photo, on Flickr

Wow, where do I even start - color and contrast?  The horrible crop?  The complete lack of composition on top of the horrible crop?  The heavy shadow obscuring the eyes that only draws even more attention to the lack of composition further complicated by the horrible crop?  

Yup.. just lucky most of the fellas don't have internet access because if they'd seen this I seriously doubt they would have let me take their pictures anymore.. lol


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## limr (Jun 17, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> Ok, so here's my entry into the shots I'm embarrassed to admit I took sweepstakes:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Don't worry, I've seen worse selfies


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## robbins.photo (Jun 17, 2014)

limr said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, so here's my entry into the shots I'm embarrassed to admit I took sweepstakes:
> ...



Yup, pretty much the only saving grace here is I wasn't making one of those stupid kissy faces at the time.. rotfl


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## limr (Jun 17, 2014)

snerd said:


>



Oh, and it's 15 minutes later and guess who has that song stuck in her head now???


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## DarkShadow (Jun 17, 2014)

Robbins your gorilla is at least a clear close up. I was shooting birds with a 18-105 Nikon @ 100 yards away then cropping it to a little itty bitty box and then after post processing was done by my hand it looked like a bad comic book that got wet in the rain.


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## limr (Jun 17, 2014)

I've posted this before - it was a while ago, can't remember the thread. It was taken...damn it...about 23 years ago. In my defense, I know what I was _trying_ to do and I also know _now _that the camera I was using (crappy Vivitar point and shoot) wasn't capable of producing what I had in mind. I have to take the blame, however, for the composition and horrible lighting. God, you can hear the suckage in space!




In comparison, here's a shot from last year. As someone already said here: it's about light. Yeah, there's other stuff involved - composition, depth of field, focus, yadda yadda. Follow the light and get that part right and these other things can fall into place if you know what you're doing. Have perfect focus, dof, composition but get the light wrong? No bueno.



Plus, martini


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## snerd (Jun 17, 2014)

limr said:


> snerd said:
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Hopefully you can get it out of your head soon.


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## e.rose (Jun 17, 2014)

Ilovemycam said:


> Op  You are a pretty gal...old or new.



D'awwwwww 



robbins.photo said:


> Ilovemycam said:
> 
> 
> > Op  You are a pretty gal...old or new.
> ...



Two?

Keith aaaand.... who else? Are you counting Schwetty? Cause he hasn't been by to stalk me in the longest time soooooooo.

I'm back down to just Keith.   :lmao:



robbins.photo said:


> pgriz said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry Chris, you'll lose.  I cannot show mine because the internet will disown me.  Yes, that bad.  In fact, trying to upload to prove the point, the connection went down and I got the message "Do NOT do that again.  Ever.  Microsoft error number 03880fa12".  I don't have an Apple to try this on, but I suspect it may be something similar.
> ...



It's true. Can confirm. We had a whole day of training devoted just to that particular occurrence. &#63743;


limr said:


> snerd said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...



Whe'e at? Whe'e at? Whe'e at? Now there'ee go, there'ee go, there'ee go. 

:lmao:


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## frommrstomommy (Jun 18, 2014)

thanks for sharing! no, really. lol I too am embarrassed by photos I took less than two years ago. ;\


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## frommrstomommy (Jun 18, 2014)

.. yeah.


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## Derrel (Jun 18, 2014)

frommrstomommy said:


> View attachment 77221
> 
> .. yeah.



Wow...turning their kid upside-down and shaking him to get coins for the parking meter....awful...just...awful...


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## frommrstomommy (Jun 18, 2014)

him=her..


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## Derrel (Jun 18, 2014)

Awww,him, her, whatever...her nickels and dimes will work in the parking meter just fine. Little girl money is just as good as little boy money.


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## Overread (Jun 18, 2014)

manaheim said:


> If this is a show your worst contest, I will pwn all of you.



Pfft prove it bunny ears ;P


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## runnah (Jun 18, 2014)

e.rose said:


>




Well you know what they say, having a hot model helps!


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## LCLimages (Jun 18, 2014)

Oh no guys... I win  Here's my past embarrassments.  I look back on these and wonder how the hell I ever thought they were good.

Umm.. OOF much?





Hello direct blinding flash!




















I can see what I was going for...





So yeah.  Just... no no no. I still have things I struggle with, but I'm so thankful for many more years of experience and practice, a couple of real inspirations/mentors along the way, and all the great critique I get around here!


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## robbins.photo (Jun 18, 2014)

e.rose said:


> Two?
> 
> Keith aaaand.... who else? Are you counting Schwetty? Cause he hasn't been by to stalk me in the longest time soooooooo.
> 
> I'm back down to just Keith.   :lmao:



Ok, told you last time that you've got the other husband to talk to about your "emotions".  Sheesh woman, your interrupting the game.  Again.


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## Braineack (Jun 18, 2014)

runnah said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...



need more reference points to make this determination...


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## CmazzJK (Jun 18, 2014)

PropilotBW said:


> I agree, your shooting technique has definitely improved 10 fold.
> 
> I think this site has helped me immensely in understanding my faults, and applying them to future shots.



Can't agree more, having random internet people I have never met tell me that my pictures are "not their cup of tea" has made me work twice as hard to get better. If not for any other reason then just in spite of them.   :greenpbl:


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## e.rose (Jun 18, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > Two?
> ...





PropilotBW said:


> I agree, your shooting technique has definitely improved 10 fold.
> 
> I think this site has helped me immensely in understanding my faults, and applying them to future shots.



Sorry!


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## Derrel (Jun 18, 2014)

e.rose said:
			
		

> Are you counting Schwetty? Cause *he hasn't been by to stalk me in the longest time* soooooooo.
> 
> I'm back down to just Keith.   :lmao:




ummmmm...I wouldn't be so sure about that...


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## robbins.photo (Jun 18, 2014)

e.rose said:


> Sorry!



Lol.. it's all good.  At least you didn't run off with the remote.


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## jowensphoto (Jun 18, 2014)

Okay, I'll play.

First engagement shoot I ever did.



ETA: I remember having some WAY worse than this, but deleted them forever a long time ago because they were just too painful to look at.


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## DanOstergren (Jun 18, 2014)

Here's one of my first from when I started in 2010. Glad I got better at editing.


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## e.rose (Jun 18, 2014)

jowensphoto said:


> Okay, I'll play.
> 
> First engagement shoot I ever did.
> 
> ...



And GIIIIIIRL, look at you now!



DanOstergren said:


> Here's one of my first from when I started in 2010. Glad I got better at editing.
> View attachment 77283



Yeah, Dan! What an improvement you've made since then! Haha!


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## rexbobcat (Jun 18, 2014)

According to my Flickr (which is pretty accurate since I used to be pretty active there in the beginning), this was my first portrait masterpiece in 2010. Junior year of high school was an interesting time for photographs.


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## danicali (Jun 18, 2014)

From the depths of my computer...


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## snerd (Jun 19, 2014)

It's not often photographers are willing to show their duds. You people rock!!


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## jowensphoto (Jun 19, 2014)

Oh god. What the bleep is this bleep?


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## AggieBecky (Jun 19, 2014)

This is the picture I used to announce on FB that I was going to start shooting professionally.  Can you believe people actually contacted me wanting to hire me?!  Yikes!


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## jowensphoto (Jun 19, 2014)

AggieBecky said:


> This is the picture I used to announce on FB that I was going to start shooting professionally.  Can you believe people actually contacted me wanting to hire me?!  Yikes!
> 
> View attachment 77385



I can see why folks without "insider knowledge" would like this.


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## jowensphoto (Jun 19, 2014)

Weird. Look how much the thumbnail changed in terms of color when I quoted you.


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## FITBMX (Jun 19, 2014)

Great thread!
I would post some of my worst, but I'm still taking them!!!


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## Braineack (Jun 20, 2014)

DanOstergren said:


> Here's one of my first from when I started in 2010. Glad I got better at editing.
> View attachment 77283




This gives me hope...


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