WEDDING FORUMS
Boards address specific, sometimes frivolous subjects, many times over, ad nauseam. In many cases with answers having no bearing whatsoever to the specific question as it is posed or how it affects the asker.
We all suffer from Demographic Dyslexia. Differing opinions and responses formed because of differences in tradition, ethnicity, location, experience, education, training, etc. So we get answers on different subjects to our perceived problems and then we act upon them upon the advice of someone who… is not us…
The topic that blows me off the most is the ‘Second shooter”. The whole concept
of a second shooter only came about with PJ and somewhat of an increased and
sometimes worthless, self imposed workload. Somehow we went from 120-180 good
shots on film to one who shoots 3500 images shot in an epic Cecil B. DeMille size program.
If I went to someone’s house and sat through 3500 images of a wedding, I
would probably leave right after I got a headache, or some other form of
illness. More bragging rights for
the shooter than common sense would dictate you would hand a bride.
In the pre digital days when
you sweated each wedding to know if you got image… a big wedding, called for a
helper, AKA a schlep, a loader, an assistant, the hired help. This is what you
get paid, that’s the end of discussion. You load, I shoot. In a year, I give
you a shot at things. First prove
your loyalty and value to me. One of the differences was he worked full time
for me. Today some shooters at one
wedding per month can’t afford paying someone for forty hours a week plus comp
and overtime. Some can’t afford to
pay themselves.
Some information is as frivolous as the question:
You see with so many newbies
on forums, at least a very high percentage of the information comes from those
with under X amounts of weddings.
These may be low timers, haven’t realized yet the agony of defeat. I
call it the luck roll. Three weddings and they self proclaim themselves a PRO.
Maybe. Got to respect that word PRO. It’s popular, it’s on every cheap Chinese knockoff imported gadget made.
Copy all the things a pro does, and officially that makes you a pro. Walks like
a duck, talks like a duck, thus you might be a duck. Then your camera dies at a wedding, you know nothing about film or backups,
and praying that Wal-mart is open and you can buy a Rebel or D50 10PM at
night. It just happens that this
isn’t your bother in laws freebie and her Daddy is an Attorney. You are a duck
all right, a dead duck. I know one guy this happened to.
What you can learn from the
pro who is willing to teach you, is the art of CONTROL at the Wedding. Doing
what others do is the tip of the iceberg; handling years of mistakes and
problems that arise separates the wheat from the chaff.
Sometimes you have to endure really dumb stuff.
Excuse me but the strongest questions I usually see on most forums concerns light. Stuff like “where do I plug my Fugazi Strobe that I just ordered into ”. And can you send samples of your pictures you shot because it's just like mine. Like the shots taken thousands of miles apart at a different time, weather conditions, lighting, etc will have something in common. Too stupid to comment on. About as dumb as What F-stop did you use?
PICTURE
CRITIQUEING
What do you do when someone asks for a critique of their photo? Maybe, just
maybe, the answer to this quandary is quite simple but being mortal we look to
our parents and at our upbringing. We were always told to "tell the truth
even if it hurts".
So the problem doesn't lie with the pictures, nor the critique, it lies with
US. We don't want to paint ourselves as being the bad guy in front of others.
We don't want to criticize someone else’s pleasure, dream, world, creation,
inspiration, manipulation or imagination but we have the choices to make.
Follow what our parents taught us or just lie…of course its a little white lie
and not perjury.
So the compliments are understandable. Almost every picture is wonderful and
possibly a small correction would make it perfect but that is the usual extent
of the strangers critique.
It’s a religious thing…The Twelfth Commandment. "Thou shalt not bust
another’s bubble". The Eleventh?
“Learn to laugh at thyself, you might just be hilarious”. Maybe the best bet is to respond with the following before or preclude your
opinion with something like this.
SUGGESTED LEAD LETTERS
"It's only professional to respond with the truth about the work you
presented to this group" . Photography is about as diverse as the
universe. You ask to be judged by those with differing opinions as to concept,
quality, artisticness reality, message, lighting, composition, subject matter,
position, and movement. Compliments may be either positive or negative and it
is nothing personal. It is just one persons opinion."
-OR-
Concerning judging your work. Be it known that most forum or internet groups consist of semi - professional photographers, advanced amateurs, budding alcoholic enthusiasts and a large congregation of dorks and weirdo's with differing skills and backgrounds some known to the FBI.
Thus opinions and estimations will differ even those that are semi-coherant. If they didn't this would be an awful dull place. Like most large families, squabbles and beliefs run hand in hand, sometimes right off the end of a cliff. But the next day all is forgotten because no one really gives a shit".
CONCLUSION
The negativity on some forums is so bad; I actually find it emotionally disconcerting. Cowards like to hide behind anonymous names. Some folks will never grow up and some folks embarking on something new get discouraged too easily. Just an aberration of the web, sites turn that way. BUT with that said the failure of some of the Usenet photo sites if any of you remember the battles, threats, a few actual law-suits and black-eyes when some egos followed up on things .
One thing I will say about the contributors is while there are raging debates concerning equipment, everyone seems really positive when they make comments about other people's posted photography. There are certainly criticisms, but they are all well-intentioned and respectful.
SOME RECOMMENDED COMMENTS:
1- I saw your work, I guess doing
portrait work for the Ukrainian Police Department really was good experience.
You’ll have to work on getting nicer smiles though and a few wooden teeth might help.
2- I saw your work hanging in the Louve in Paris. Nice touch, stapling it to
the body of the guy who hung himself....
3- I just received some of your pictures, just wondering were they meant for me
or if you missed the delete key?
4- Your work is outstanding. It's raining heavy here and I have it OUT standing
in the rain.
5- Your work is a breath of fresh air... in a garlic factory. No one will
notice it....
6- The workers in the salt mines really appreciated the contribution of
photographs you made. They really spruced up the caverns and the Gulags ….
7- Gosh, why did you wait so long, the magazine that prints this stuff went out
of business?
8-
It's not what
you say, it's how you say it!
Yaaahhhggghhh-poooooey!
9-
Work like this
is an inspiration to everyone who thought of cutting their ear off.
10-
What colors in
your photos, you were serious about that job offer at CRAYOLA
11-
Your work exemplifies
the meaning of “starving artist”.