# CC on this quick photo.



## JerseyJules (Aug 17, 2012)

Disregard the framing and background.I was just playing around with a laptop as lighting to get a soft look. How do we feel about this photo? Suggestions to make spontaneous shots like this better?? How would I eliminate the dark shadows in her eye sockets without a flash?


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## JoshuaSimPhotography (Aug 17, 2012)

Hmm, there are a few shadow in her face and the background is a bi distracting


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## JerseyJules (Aug 17, 2012)

JoshuaSimPhotography said:


> Hmm, there are a few shadow in her face and the background is a bi distracting


I know the back ground is distracting that why I said in my OP ignore the background. It was a spontaneous unset shot.. I was wondering how to eliminate the shadows in the face if I did the picture over with a better background. I like the look and feel of the photo. The picture seems very soft..She was looking at a laptop, so that was the upward lighting.


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## cgipson1 (Aug 17, 2012)

A reflector above/across would have helped, a light fill flash would have helped (you could even gel it to match the ambient light if you wanted)


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

Telling photographers to "disregard the background and framing" is like trying to tell a race car driver to "disregard the track".


And my advice for 'making spontaneous  shots better' is to quit taking them. When you learn how to take photos properly, 'spontaneous' photos rarely happen.


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## paigew (Aug 17, 2012)

So you see how there is light hitting the top of her head? Light coming from overhead can create shadows under the eyes. Personally if I wanted to do a spontaneous shot in a low light situation I would try to be more creative with the light rather than trying to get a perfectly lit portrait. I would turn off the overhead lights and use the laptop only (metering off her face where the light is brightest)

you should always pay attention to backgrounds! move around and find the best way to avoid clutter.


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## amolitor (Aug 17, 2012)

The laptop light is pretty nice, I guess. There's an overhead light that's dominating it, and creating really unappealing shadows under her eyes, though.

Laptops do make nice light. They're basically a mini-softbox, with color capability. They just don't make very MUCH light.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:


> Telling photographers to "disregard the background and framing" is like trying to tell a race car driver to "disregard the track".
> 
> 
> And my advice for 'making spontaneous  shots better' is to quit taking them. When you learn how to take photos properly, 'spontaneous' photos rarely happen.



Then please explain to me how street photography works? Or photojournalism?

I do completely agree with your background analogy, though.


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## JoshuaSimPhotography (Aug 17, 2012)

Hmm, spontaneous is just kinda like a snapshot but street and journalism photogs put much thought into there pics and turn them from a snapshot to a photograph, ther was a thread about it somewhere around here


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

JoshuaSimPhotography said:


> Hmm, spontaneous is just kinda like a snapshot but street and journalism photogs put much thought into there pics and turn them from a snapshot to a photograph, ther was a thread about it somewhere around here



Perhaps one should not learn to accept that spontaneous shots never happen,but instead be humble enough to admit he is not good enough to capture spontaneous moments well.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> Then please explain to me how street photography works? Or photojournalism?
> 
> I do completely agree with your background analogy, though.





They tell stories, they don't just click buttons.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> Perhaps one should not learn to accept that spontaneous shots never happen,but instead be humble enough to admit he is not good enough to capture spontaneous moments well.




Perhaps one should not speak like Yoda.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

Perhaps one should not learn to accept that spontaneous shots never  happen. --> Proper grammar used by educated folks.

Spontaneous shots never happen, learn to accept one should not. --> Yoda.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

They have education in Virginia? Excuse me, NORTHERN Virginia?


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## paigew (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> Perhaps one should not learn to accept that spontaneous shots never happen,but instead be humble enough to admit he is not good enough to capture spontaneous moments well.



My favorite quote! Of course you can take an awesome spontaneous shots! You have to learn how to tell a story with your pictures. Just because you see something you want to photograph doesn't mean you have to do it right that second. You have to think how this will look on camera and reposition yourself so that your shot tells the story of what you are viewing. Almost every shot I take is spontaneous.

OP I found this pic for you winding down | CMpro Daily Project   photo lit by laptop type thing only


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

As a matter of fact, we do. Actually, why don't you look up education ranks among the states? I'll do it for you, because I'm that sweet! 

Best Educated Index statistics - States Compared - StateMaster
VA: 7
TX: 24



Oh, Texas, eh? Let me take a stab at all the stereotypes that come to mind: fat, Bible-beating, homophobic, all about the 'Merican dream and the Dallas Cowboys.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm gay, I don't go to church, and I'm from originally from Louisiana. And I prefer to watch the Rangers.... So stereotype ahead. LOL!!!


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## Designer (Aug 17, 2012)

JerseyJules said:


> How would I eliminate the dark shadows in her eye sockets without a flash?



You could try turning off the overhead lighting.  All of it since it is distracting anyway.  Too bad you don't own a flash.  If you did, you could bounce the flash off the laptop or "laptop simulator" (a sheet of white paper taped over the laptop screen).

So try this again with correct light.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:


> I'm gay, I don't go to church, and I'm from originally from Louisiana. And I prefer to watch the Rangers.... So stereotype ahead. LOL!!!



My point exactly: I'm from VA and very well educated. I graduated with honors from a highly ranked high school (according to Newsweek, at least!) and also attended a prestigious university. Oh, and my IQ is roughly 140.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> My point exactly: I'm from VA and very well educated. I graduated with honors from a highly ranked high school (according to Newsweek, at least!) and also attended a prestigious university. Oh, and my IQ is roughly 140.




Dont stroke your own ego too hard... you might throw your arm out. And I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. This exchange is too much fun and making my morning go by faster.


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## Derrel (Aug 17, 2012)

What's horribly missing is the laptop!!! SHe's working on a computer right? But instead of turning the camera to vertical and SHOWING US the computer, you held the camera the easy way, and snapped a frame off, with all that dead background there in the left. SO, instead of framing that shot with the proper "camera/subject coordination", you did what so,so many people do...you pointed the camera and shot a decently-exposed shot with poor composition.

The prefatory statement, "ignore the background" is understandable...I KNOW what you meant...but it's almost comical to a person who has been involved in photography for more than a few years...the very FIRST QUESTION the photographer MUST answer, and answer correctly, is "What orientation do I need to work with? Is this subject wider than it is tall?" and the second question is, "How do I best frame this subject in order to make a decent picture?"

By NOT showing us "the entire bottom half" of the scene, this picture, as shown, is not really very good. The exposure is good, yes. She's attractive, yes. But the background...not advancing the image...the picture has poor compositional skills, but pretty GOOD TECHNICAL values.Lighting is good, focus is good, color looks "indoor light-like". *Technical values are good. Very,very good! *I think you show good potential here though. You have done what many cannot do, and that is SPOT a good scene, a good picture, and then ask HOW to make that kind of shot better.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

paigew said:


> jowensphoto said:
> 
> 
> > Perhaps one should not learn to accept that spontaneous shots never happen,but instead be humble enough to admit he is not good enough to capture spontaneous moments well.
> ...




That's an awesome photo! Nice find, Paige


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:


> jowensphoto said:
> 
> 
> > My point exactly: I'm from VA and very well educated. I graduated with honors from a highly ranked high school (according to Newsweek, at least!) and also attended a prestigious university. Oh, and my IQ is roughly 140.
> ...




Not ego stroking, only stating facts.

I'm glad you're enjoying this.


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## cgipson1 (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> As a matter of fact, we do. Actually, why don't you look up education ranks among the states? I'll do it for you, because I'm that sweet!
> 
> Best Educated Index statistics - States Compared - StateMaster
> VA: 7
> ...



BEER! You forgot Beer!  (I am FROM Texas, so I can say that! (btw.. I hate beer!)  lol!


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## paigew (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> That's an awesome photo! Nice find, Paige



what?? awesome photo...low light, NO FLASH?? I thought that wasn't possible!


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> BEER! You forgot Beer!




SHINER!!


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

paigew said:


> jowensphoto said:
> 
> 
> > That's an awesome photo! Nice find, Paige
> ...




I did read that on some forum today. You know, if you read it on the internet, it must be true!


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## JerseyJules (Aug 17, 2012)

Designer said:


> JerseyJules said:
> 
> 
> > How would I eliminate the dark shadows in her eye sockets without a flash?
> ...




I own an external flash that mounts to the top of the camera, however Im not comfortable with flash photography yet, it seems to make things too bright when I dont want them.


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## Frequency (Aug 17, 2012)

i have a serious doubt... while we look at a single source of light, there is every chance that the nose shadow fall on our face.... that is how a monitor watcher will be seen by others... so if one wants the originality felt, needn't  that shadow be maintained as such? 
Regards


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## JerseyJules (Aug 17, 2012)

Derrel said:


> What's horribly missing is the laptop!!! SHe's working on a computer right? But instead of turning the camera to vertical and SHOWING US the computer, you held the camera the easy way, and snapped a frame off, with all that dead background there in the left. SO, instead of framing that shot with the proper "camera/subject coordination", you did what so,so many people do...you pointed the camera and shot a decently-exposed shot with poor composition.
> 
> The prefatory statement, "ignore the background" is understandable...I KNOW what you meant...but it's almost comical to a person who has been involved in photography for more than a few years...the very FIRST QUESTION the photographer MUST answer, and answer correctly, is "What orientation do I need to work with? Is this subject wider than it is tall?" and the second question is, "How do I best frame this subject in order to make a decent picture?"
> 
> By NOT showing us "the entire bottom half" of the scene, this picture, as shown, is not really very good. The exposure is good, yes. She's attractive, yes. But the background...not advancing the image...the picture has poor compositional skills, but pretty GOOD TECHNICAL values.Lighting is good, focus is good, color looks "indoor light-like". *Technical values are good. Very,very good! *I think you show good potential here though. You have done what many cannot do, and that is SPOT a good scene, a good picture, and then ask HOW to make that kind of shot better.



Thanks for the tips, I will try it the way you mentioned. Im going to try and stage the same photo late on tonight. However she might get a bit mad cause her boobs were kind of hanging out a bit. But then again, I might get better CC then!!!!LMAO!   FWIW she does have very deep eye sockets that tend to not photograph well under most circumstances...There are usually shadows in her eyes no matter what the lighting..I guess manipulating the light and angels could overcome that flaw..


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

Didn't a regular member just leave yesterday due to this nonsense.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> Didn't a regular member just leave yesterday due to this nonsense.



Yep, and another one is about to take the same route.

OP, you can use a reflector to bounce light up into her eyes.


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## baturn (Aug 17, 2012)

Maybe you can return after you get the stick removed?


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

Stick? Oh, the one up my ass, I assume?

If by that you mean when I stop standing up for people who are here to learn, then no, I won't be back. It's really sad how discouraging some of the posters on this site are. Most of them aren't even good at what they do. The ones who are talented are actually pretty helpful.


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> Stick? Oh, the one up my ass, I assume?
> 
> If by that you mean when I stop standing up for people who are here to learn, then no, I won't be back. It's really sad how discouraging some of the posters on this site are. Most of them aren't even good at what they do. The ones who are talented are actually pretty helpful.



Amen to that. I could not have said it better myself


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## JerseyJules (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> Rick58 said:
> 
> 
> > Didn't a regular member just leave yesterday due to this nonsense.
> ...



Where would you place the reflector? under her, or off to one side?


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## KmH (Aug 17, 2012)

The reflector has to be placed to bounce light into the areas you need it. Kind of like shooting pool.

So it depends where the light source is relative to where you want the bounced light to go.

Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting


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## cgipson1 (Aug 17, 2012)

paigew said:


> jowensphoto said:
> 
> 
> > That's an awesome photo! Nice find, Paige
> ...



The whole point of the previous thread you are referring to is that a good photographer can use either Flash or Ambient light.. or both, to get the shots they want. 

If a person chooses to limit their shots to one type of light or another, that is their choice... but there are many shots that can only be achieved with one, or the other... OR BOTH!

Do you really consider that laptop light to be "Natural".... it is more similar to a flash, with a really long duration. (definitely not Natural, by your definition!)


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

I might disagree with the "background" comments. It's been mentioned earlier photo's should tell a story. Well, what a better story then this background. 
I get and page through a lot of trade magazines, and this photo would fit in nicely with many of them. I do agree that a reflector would heal that black eye nicely and, I believe Darrell mentioned the laptop it's self. A glimpse of the back of the screen would tell another big part of the story. IMHO, the photo definitely shows promise.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> I might disagree with the "background" comments. It's been mentioned earlier photo's should tell a story. Well, what a better story then this background.
> I get and page through a lot of trade magazines, and this photo would fit in nicely with many of them. I do agree that a reflector would heal that black eye nicely and, I believe Darrell mentioned the laptop it's self. A glimpse of the back of the screen would tell another big part of the story. IMHO, the photo definitely shows promise.



Well said, sir!


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> IMHO, the photo definitely shows promise.




Seriously?!? 

The OP stated in other words that it was nothing but a snap shot. And it shows promise? 

THIS is why nobody learns **** around here.


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

I guess you now want to see MY report card to?


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

Nope.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:


> Rick58 said:
> 
> 
> > IMHO, the photo definitely shows promise.
> ...




An idea has to stem from somewhere. There are a million ways to improve upon the OP's photo and OP seems excited to learn: THAT is the promise. We have given her tips on lighting and reflectors as well as composition. 

Constantly beating down newbies and talking **** about their work doesn't help someone learn. Encouragement and pointing out the elements that work, combined with critique of those that don't, tends to help much more.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> An idea has to stem from somewhere. There are a million ways to improve upon the OP's photo and OP seems excited to learn: THAT is the promise. We have given her tips on lighting and reflectors as well as composition.
> 
> Constantly beating down newbies and talking **** about their work doesn't help someone learn. Encouragement and pointing out the elements that work, combined with critique of those that don't, tends to help much more.




Sure it does, and I completely agree. But the particular photograph in question is a snap shot, stated by the OP themselves. 

If I did a math problem wrong, my teacher wouldn't look at the answer and say "that answer has promise". No it doesn't. Its wrong. It will always be wrong. It will never be the right answer no matter how much promise it shows.

I have to go back and rework the problem. 

Continuously reinforcing the WRONG answer is not teaching anyone anything.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

Math is objective. Art is subjective. 

An answer in math is right or wrong. Art can be right or wrong, depending on the person viewing it.

No one is enforcing any wrong answers; everyone gave OP plenty of direction.

Your argument is invalid.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> Math is objective. Art is subjective.
> 
> An answer in math is right or wrong. Art can be right or wrong, depending on the person viewing it.
> 
> ...




And?


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

C&C doesn't fall in the "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all" category. Folks here want to learn how to be better photographers, but there's a way to do it. Throwing rocks and stoning them off the board is not very productive. I guess maturity comes with age.


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## Designer (Aug 17, 2012)

JerseyJules said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > JerseyJules said:
> ...



It is probably time for you to learn how to use off-camera flash.  The flash doesn't have to be extra bright, you can either shoot manual (including flash settings) or get a "smart" speedlight setup.  Either way, the flash power is modulated (by you or by the electronics) to make the exposure correct.

As a side benefit the background can be way underexposed so as not to be a distraction.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> I guess maturity comes with age.




You're response sounded mature, until you added that bit of sarcasm. Guilty as the rest of us.


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## Designer (Aug 17, 2012)

JerseyJules said:


> jowensphoto said:
> 
> 
> > Rick58 said:
> ...



Please go back and re-read Molitor's and my posts. The idea you had is a good idea, you just need to work on the details of how to get it done.


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## amolitor (Aug 17, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:


> If I did a math problem wrong, my teacher wouldn't look at the answer and say "that answer has promise". No it doesn't. Its wrong. It will always be wrong. It will never be the right answer no matter how much promise it shows.



As a former math teacher I can tell you that this is exactly wrong. Your math teachers may have done this to you, and that's a shame, but it's not what a good one will do.

If you showed your work, I can tell whether you were thinking in the right direction or not. If you made some trivial error toward the end, but were thinking in the right direction, I might give you 9/10. If you had the right idea but went about it incorrectly, maybe 5/10. In either case, I point out what's right, I point out what's wrong, and I push you in the right direction.

Kind of like critiquing a photograph. Or ANY OTHER KIND of pedagogy.


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

_"As a side benefit the background can be way underexposed so as not to be a distraction." 

_I went back and viewed this photo again, and I stand by my conviction regarding this background. Without the background, the photo loses all purpose. It would be like missing the last page of a novel.
 It's thrown out of focus just enough to make it undistracting, yet it actually IS the story and purpose the photo was even taken. Without it, she's just another pretty girl with a black eye and a strange blue light shining in her face.


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## Designer (Aug 17, 2012)

Designer said:


> JerseyJules said:
> 
> 
> > jowensphoto said:
> ...



In fact, I think I'll try this myself sometime.  It'll be fun.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

Ok. I'm wrong. I apologize. I take back everything I've said.


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## amolitor (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm certainly not going to argue that the critique you get on TPF is all that great. Some of it is downright terrible garbage from people who don't know a damn thing. Some of it is uninteresting commentary from people who can't get past one or two technical defects. Some of it is just annoying snarking off to garner social-awesomeness points from their annoying little buddies. There's wayyyy too much of all that stuff.

Some of it, though, is generous commentary aimed at teaching and helping. I disagree, sometimes strongly, with the content contained in these from time to time, but often the spirit in which the advice is offered is spot on.

The real ***** is sorting through it all. It must be intimidating.


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

amolitor said:


> ChristopherCoy said:
> 
> 
> > If I did a math problem wrong, my teacher wouldn't look at the answer and say "that answer has promise". No it doesn't. Its wrong. It will always be wrong. It will never be the right answer no matter how much promise it shows.
> ...



As my wife is a retired teacher, she insists I "like" this...LOL


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## Designer (Aug 17, 2012)

amolitor said:


> ... I can tell whether you were thinking in the right direction or not.



The darn "like" button has disappeared again.

"like"


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## amolitor (Aug 17, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> As my wife is a retired teacher, she insists I "like" this...LOL



Just tell her what a shocking ******* I am, she might let you off  I can provide examples if you like!

Sorry for the derailing, OP. I hope you got what you needed out the thread before it went careening off into the usual bitchfest..


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## Rick58 (Aug 17, 2012)

Same here OP, I just threw that in there to break off the hostilities. No hijack intended.


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## JerseyJules (Aug 17, 2012)

jowensphoto said:


> ChristopherCoy said:
> 
> 
> > Rick58 said:
> ...



Exactly!! PS.....Im a dude...LOL


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## JerseyJules (Aug 17, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:


> jowensphoto said:
> 
> 
> > An idea has to stem from somewhere. There are a million ways to improve upon the OP's photo and OP seems excited to learn: THAT is the promise. We have given her tips on lighting and reflectors as well as composition.
> ...



Sooooo, Expressing your feelings or thoughts through photos just cause of the mere fact that it might not be a technically perfect textbook photo is  the wrong answer? Perhaps Im getting into photography for the wrong reasons then, cause I thought it was an interpretive form of self expression. As in  ART... I dont like set up shots, I like  capturing spontaneous moments or feelings and preserving them and telling a story.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

JerseyJules said:


> Sooooo, Expressing your feelings or thoughts through photos just cause of the mere fact that it might not be a technically perfect textbook photo is  the wrong answer? Perhaps Im getting into photography for the wrong reasons then, cause I thought it was an interpretive form of self expression. As in  ART... I dont like set up shots, I like  capturing spontaneous moments or feelings and preserving them and telling a story.




You're right. As I said earlier in this thread, or another thread just like it, I'm wrong. I take back everything I've said. I apologize.


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## jowensphoto (Aug 17, 2012)

JerseyJules said:


> jowensphoto said:
> 
> 
> > ChristopherCoy said:
> ...




Ahhhh! Sorry, everyone used to think I was a dude on here


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## Derrel (Aug 17, 2012)

Here's a thought: Why don't the majority of you quit yer bitchin' at one another and simply give the OP the C&C he asked for? Stop posing. Stop trying to be well-liked. C&C the image FROM YOUR OWN POINT OF VIEW, and just STFU on the complaining about what an A-hole "the other guy" is? How about doing that on this post, and on ALL THE OTHER C&C posts on TPF? Maybe???

Gawd...all the whining about C&C given by people who are not "you"...there are about 15,20 members here who make a career out of being whiners...things are "too harsh", or things are "too soft", yadda yadda yadda....it's like a sorority house here...

Give your own C&C. If you wanna' be an "*ATTA' BOY! Good shot!*"C&C'er, that's fine. But please, STFU on the C&C of the C&Cs...mmmkay???


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 17, 2012)

Derrel said:


> ....it's like a sorority house here...





Everyone seems to have 'synced up'... if you know what I'm sayin..... LOL LOL LOL!!!


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## Ballistics (Aug 18, 2012)

amolitor said:


> ChristopherCoy said:
> 
> 
> > If I did a math problem wrong, my teacher wouldn't look at the answer and say "that answer has promise". No it doesn't. Its wrong. It will always be wrong. It will never be the right answer no matter how much promise it shows.
> ...





> I'm certainly not going to argue that the critique you get on TPF is all that great. Some of it is downright terrible garbage from people who don't know a damn thing. Some of it is uninteresting commentary from people who can't get past one or two technical defects. Some of it is just annoying snarking off to garner social-awesomeness points from their annoying little buddies. There's wayyyy too much of all that stuff.
> 
> Some of it, though, is generous commentary aimed at teaching and helping. I disagree, sometimes strongly, with the content contained in these from time to time, but often the spirit in which the advice is offered is spot on.
> 
> The real ***** is sorting through it all. It must be intimidating.



While I don't always agree with your posts, I agree with the majority of this. :thumbup:


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## Stradawhovious (Aug 20, 2012)

Derrel said:


> Here's a thought: Why don't the majority of you quit yer bitchin' at one another and simply give the OP the C&C he asked for? Stop posing. Stop trying to be well-liked. C&C the image FROM YOUR OWN POINT OF VIEW, and just STFU on the complaining about what an A-hole "the other guy" is? How about doing that on this post, and on ALL THE OTHER C&C posts on TPF? Maybe???
> 
> Gawd...all the whining about C&C given by people who are not "you"...there are about 15,20 members here who make a career out of being whiners...things are "too harsh", or things are "too soft", yadda yadda yadda....it's like a sorority house here...
> 
> Give your own C&C. If you wanna' be an "*ATTA' BOY! Good shot!*"C&C'er, that's fine. But please, STFU on the C&C of the C&Cs...mmmkay???




A Freakin' Men.


To the OP.... assuming they will wade through all the BS and find this post.......

It's dificult to isolate the lighting provided by the laptop through the busy background and ambient lighting.  Try again with just the look you're going for, not the look you're going for plus a bunch of random distraction.

I've said this before, here, today......  If the photo isn't good enough to your standards, you already know the majority of what's wrong with it.  You will get more meaningful, helpful feedback if you post your best, and let the seasoned vets here pick it apart.  If it's a new theory on using a laptop as your primary lighting source, make the laptop your PRIMARY LIGHING SOURCE.

Give us your best, and most the folks here will return the favor.


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## Rick58 (Aug 20, 2012)

Would someone PLEASE nail the lid shut on this coffin...geez...enough already


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## charlie76 (Aug 20, 2012)

jowensphoto said:
			
		

> An answer in math is right or wrong. .



Actually 1+1 does not equal two ... I've seen the proof


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## laynea24 (Aug 20, 2012)

I'm not going to read through every post so I'm sorry if this has already been suggested.. Maybe try turning off all the other lights and set up a small behind the laptop screen and bounce it off of it. Like put it in its mini stand and sit it on the keyboard facing the screen and put it on a low enough output so that it doesn't blow out your subject. You may also need a blue gel to mimic the light that usually comes from a laptop. Maybe not though. Especially if you have the laptop on so it bounces off the colors that would be shining on your subject. Just a thought. I've never tried it so I don't know if it would work or not.


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## Designer (Aug 21, 2012)

laynea24 said:


> I'm not going to read through every post so I'm sorry if this has already been suggested.. Maybe try turning off all the other lights and set up a small behind the laptop screen and bounce it off of it. Like put it in its mini stand and sit it on the keyboard facing the screen and put it on a low enough output so that it doesn't blow out your subject. You may also need a blue gel to mimic the light that usually comes from a laptop. Maybe not though. Especially if you have the laptop on so it bounces off the colors that would be shining on your subject. Just a thought. I've never tried it so I don't know if it would work or not.



Um, actually, yes it has been suggested, however the OP has said he wants to do only "spontaneous" photos, which I take to mean that he doesn't want to "set up" a photo, just sort of wants it to happen, if I understand him correctly.

But I'm going to try it using the suggestion that I made to him.


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## JerseyJules (Aug 22, 2012)

Designer said:


> laynea24 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not going to read through every post so I'm sorry if this has already been suggested.. Maybe try turning off all the other lights and set up a small behind the laptop screen and bounce it off of it. Like put it in its mini stand and sit it on the keyboard facing the screen and put it on a low enough output so that it doesn't blow out your subject. You may also need a blue gel to mimic the light that usually comes from a laptop. Maybe not though. Especially if you have the laptop on so it bounces off the colors that would be shining on your subject. Just a thought. I've never tried it so I don't know if it would work or not.
> ...



Thats correct, I dont want to "set up" a photo, I just want it to "just happen". Same way life just "happens" and things just "happen". IMHO photos that just "happen" while not technically perfect in every aspect make the best stories in life. I dont like to take set up studio shots, thats not my goal. My goal is to learn to recognize and take photos of special moments or emotions in life that mean something to someone or might express feeling to someone else, a little bit better than the average person. 
  Tha particular photo that started this thread was one as such. I was lying on the floor playing with my kids and taking pictures of them, when I looked at my wife who was on the computer lying on the floor next to me and thought to myself "wow, look how pretty she is, and how nice the light looks on her" and I shot several photos, forever recording that moment in my life and that emotion I felt at that time. Thats photography IMHO.Not setting up a soup can in a studio to perfectly photograph it for a commercial.

Anyone can take photography classes, learn everything there is to know about the camera, lighting,framing ect ect, become a master of technicality and methods and still not recognize what might make a good photo or have artistic value. That type of stuff can not be taught or learned, you either have a creative imagination or you do not..Some of the greatest moments photographed in history have not been scripted or "set up", and would be torn to pieces on here by photo critiques....


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## Stradawhovious (Aug 22, 2012)

Ah. I see.

Good luck with all that.

:meh:

If you want your pictures to turn out better on the fly, then learn how to take better pictues. In order for that to happen, you either have to take classes (which it seems you're against) or learn from others who have been there and done that and take away the knowledge from them what will work for what you want to do. It won't happen (forgive the pun) spontaneously.

Also, you have to realize that the people who "take pictures of soup cans in studios" have an awful lot to teach other folks about all aspects of photography.... and you might do well not to take shots at their craft. If they can afford to continue photographing soup cans in studios, chances are they're doing _something_ right.

Just sayin'.

Have fun learning.


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## paigew (Aug 22, 2012)

JerseyJules I totally see/understand/agree with you. What you want is to be able to document real life...artistically! You saw how beautiful your wife looked with the light illuminating her face; now you need to learn how to translate that into a photo you will cherish forever. I am just like you in that I don't want to 'set up' photos, I want them to just happen. I want to look at a photo and remember the memory, not how I ran around the house moving crap around and getting my lights set up. This is why photography has helped me to become a better housewife . You will get better at isolating your subject and creating pleasing images 'on the fly' if you practice.


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## JerseyJules (Aug 22, 2012)

paigew said:


> I am just like you in that I don't want to 'set up' photos, I want them to just happen. I want to look at a photo and remember the memory, not how I ran around the house moving crap around and getting my lights set up. .


Exactly...Dont get me wrong, there are times I will want to set up a photo,for instance of a still object like a car or scenery, that goes without saying...However when I see a moment I think would make a good photo, I dont want to lose the moment setting up the photo and yelling at my kids to do what they were doing again..lol..Then you have to fake the moment to get it captured on a technically perfect photo..I think there are multiple layers to the art and science of photography, you just need to see which layer you feel most comfortable on..then occasionally, stretch your legs and take a run at something different..


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## paigew (Aug 22, 2012)

JerseyJules said:


> paigew said:
> 
> 
> > I am just like you in that I don't want to 'set up' photos, I want them to just happen. I want to look at a photo and remember the memory, not how I ran around the house moving crap around and getting my lights set up. .
> ...



there are for sure multiple layers  but they all have the same basic principals. So what you have to do is learn how to use what your surroundings offer. I find looking at other photographers work to be very inspiring. It helps to see how others capture every day moments. This is one of my favorite blogs to check out, they post daily images. They are not always technically perfect, but most are surely treasured family photos. 

CMpro Daily Project | passion + artistry + inspiration


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