The *Official Photography Thread*

That's a generous and kind thing to do. Thank you!

 

That is awesome indeed!

 

Ha they would die for me. Dudes have picked me up from airports, bought me lunch, helped me work on my truck, driven long distances to hook me up and even offered up their own money to get me home when I was stranded in Jerusalem this Summer. They have done far more for me than I can for them ha

That's why I miss my Marines People in college are whiney, self-centered, immature, children. It takes a lot of patience to put up with them on a daily basis. I've never seen more disrespect to others and especially professors in my life!

Anyway, photography. How's y'alls photography coming along? Anyone venturing into any new territory or anything?

Oh hey, since we're on the subject of photography, has anyone seen the 5 day deal going on. It's the second photography based one and the content is well worth the cost. Let me go find the link for anyone who might be interested.



CHECK THIS OUT: https://5daydeal.com/

 

Tons of content considering how little it costs. Might be good for beginners and intermediate alike. You pros would have to decide if there's anything in there you want to brush up on maybe. I haven't watched anything in it yet, except I already have Zack Arias' One Light v.2.0, but I'm assuming a lot of it will be addressing more beginner/intermediate level questions. Maybe not. Idk.

 

I find myself using shooting breathing all the time.

Well put about college kids, but back to photography, how's the 100 strangers deal coming?

 

Oh, man. I've taken TONS of photos but I haven't gotten their stories so I can't really technically add it to the collection ha

I need to make time for it, but I've been super busy. I haven't even had time for TW up until recently. Imagine that. ha

I'm still at only 6 people who's stories I have. My last project was Jerusalem, now I'm trying to start up giving classes on the side, hopefully this Spring that will kick off more.

 

I a college kid...and I feel the same way. I go out of my way to avoid school

 

What's this deal about 100 strangers? : )

 

I started a project where I was going to take the photos of 100 strangers. It's not unique, it's actually quite common ha not my idea. Except I called it 100 Somebodies and focus on the more or less downtrodden and proverbial "nobodies" in society. It's still in progress but at the moment only 6% complete.

Originally it was to get me to talk to the people I was photographing since I tend to just take people's photos without asking and walk away. But then it became more about people's stories and whatnot. Nothing fancy.

It's just good to self-assign something meaningful to keep you out shooting. Give yourself some homework ha.

 

Oh I see!!!

That sound like a great idea. It may sound kind of bad but every time I see a homeless person panhandling I always wonder what their story is.

My goal for this fall is to just go to state parks near me and get good pictures. South Texas doesn't have many mountains. Also to get completely familiarized with my camera so that I can get the most out of it. With school and work I really only have weekends to play with at the moment.

 

I have heard in the industry of backlash with these projects being viewed as taking advantage of the less fortunate. For CYA, consider having your subjects sign model releases and offer some kind of stipend. Helps to legitimize your project especially if it turns out well enough to submit for gallery or publish. Just my third party suggestion.

 

Actually Chaz, have you thought of doing a 100 person project on veterans since you see first hand what they go through?

You have the resources to get the subjects and military vets would be an interesting project.

 

Good thinking Mike! That's a fantastic idea.

 

while the 100 strangers thing is meant for the photographer to go out, socialize with their subjects, and hone their skills, doing it for the less fortunate IMHO, is tasteless. it reminds me of people first getting into photography and shooting the homeless in their habitat thinking they are being a photographer and producing "art", but in essence aren't really improving their skills.

the social aspect of the 100 strangers is good, because it makes you learn how to interact with a different subject each time. this is one aspect of portrait photography that I think is the toughest for most, the connection between the subject and the photographer to convey that shot.

 

At louis museum had a galley on this. Was great

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "tasteless" but I talk to whoever I run into. Anyone. Most people don't have a minute for anybody but the down and out people always seem to appreciate someone taking a minute to lend an ear and grab them a drink or some food. One kid I talked to was selling magazine subscriptions to try and raise money for some charitable organization while also trying to make money to support his kid. Only one of the guys I talked to was actually homeless. The other, Melvin aka Chopper, had himself all set up but panhandled when he could to help make money for his daughter who was a single mom. Three others were just what people would call the "dregs" of society, but all they needed was someone to talk to. Out of the six people I've met so far I have seen four of them multiple times again and always stop and see how they're doing. There's a big difference between taking the time to make someone feel like their somebody and just taking advantage of them for a photo. There have been twice as many people I've talked with for however long they needed and when I asked if I could take their portrait they kindly said they weren't comfortable with that.

If you're just in it to get a photo, to take advantage of people, that's detestable. If you genuinely care about people and happen to also like photography and sharing their stories, that's different.


As far as the veterans thing goes, I wouldn't know where to begin ha. I can only relate with combat vets and there are a lot of "story tellers" out there. I have a burden for helping combat vets get over their issues and lead a good life, but I don't know if taking their pictures would make any difference for them. I'm open to suggestions, and if I run into any (Chopper is a Vietnam Vet, he was a Navy Seal Supply Guy) I'll gladly sit and have a drink with them. I wouldn't know where to begin a project like that though. It'd be harder to find combat vets than it is to just find people on the street ha.

I don't do any of my photography for the commercial side of things. I did enter a few photo competitions but I seriously suck at the "paperwork" side of life in general.

I would LOVE to start taking more photos on the side for money. Senior photos, engagement, etc, whatever people want, but I have NO IDEA how to go about the business side of things. I can barely do my own taxes haha I suck at paperwork and legalities. If anyone has any good beginner checklist type things for being a photographer who actually makes money send them my way, because I've been taking people's photo who I know on the 'ol buddy system haha I won't make you sign any release and you just do what you want with the photos. I know that's not smart but I don't really know how else to go about it.

 

I said what I said as a generalization of people new with cameras, trying to find new things to shoot, and sometimes, more often than not, the homeless community, become the spotlight because they are easy targets. frame, shoot, walk away.

I commend the 100 strangers project that a lot of people have done. I've seen it done many different ways. one example, this group of photographers set up a big ass octabox, a couch, on a street corner in the outskirts of a downtown, and just asked people if they wanted their picture taken. this was done in the early evening before the bar/club prime time really came in to effect, but that was, in my mind, a successful "stranger" photoshoot.

hell, there are many instances where it is easy, like at conventions(ex. comic con in san diego. half the crowd really get dressed up and want to show the world their get up), events, etc.

 

When you work with someone to hear their story, take a picture and combine the two, you honor that person by telling their story. I think that's all many want, to be ack'd as people. And so long as you do that respectfully, it's not tasteless. Far from it.

I love the Humans of New York guy for this very reason. He's done a great job of that.

 

Humans of new york is legit

 

I enjoy following HONY, yet admit his project as a whole is a more powerful than his photographs alone haha