All photos belong to their respective owners.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Woow great work, you must have a good camera?
Hello everyone,
Many photographers experienced those moments when people want to give them a compliment and they say "I love your photos, that is a great camera". And you just stand there thinking "HELLO! I'm here, I made those photos not the camera" but you realize there is no point to explain, and you just leave it with a sour smile.
So how really is important to have a good equipment?
This question and my reply refers to people that want to achieve something significant in field of photography.
Many photographers will say its all about the person behind the trigger and I can not agree more but from my experience you really need to have some basic kit that will provide you with the decent quality and starting platform for further improvement. So at the end I will say its 90% for the photographer and 10% for the equipment.
I will clarify this by telling you my experience from beginning till now. My first camera 8 years ago was Fuji S5600. I wasn't choosing it, it was the only camera I could afford. Also I have to mention that I started to learn about the photography trough dark room and first cameras that I was using where film cameras. So this Fuji seemed like a good choice for start, and it was, served me good for many years. In the beginning I was practicing how to observe, how to catch the moments or things that most of people will not notice or to trap the stunning beauty worth to remember.
After some time I wanted more. I made my first solo exhibition that was very successful but I wasn't enjoying it for long. My knowledge about photography expended and my Photoshop skills were becoming better but my photos were somehow the same. I was becoming more and more aware of the lower quality of the picture and my editing skills just couldn't give me that perfect bokeh that is coming from the lens or couldn't repair that frayed edges. Just to add for the people that are not familiar with Fuji cameras, this one can not change the lenses.
I was comforting myself with things like "its all about the person behind the camera, the idea, the story, its about the content of the picture not the quality". But my ideas become bigger and more complex and where ever I was presenting them, people were looking down at my camera and treating me as an absolute beginner. The worse thing, they loved the content of my photos but they would say its not professional.
Now many of you will say "why you just didn't both a new camera"? I have to go back, at the beginning of my story where I said Fuji is the only thing I could afford. So buying a Nikon or Canon camera plus lenses was a privilege not necessity especially at the time of my pricy college. Film cameras became rare in a meantime and their prices also jumped for the collectors. And I wanted to stay in digital era anyway, because that was the future.
My first opportunity came when my boyfriend, now husband bought Nikon D40 and borrowed it to me. I felt like I was reborn, even with the kit lens only 18-55mm my work looked significantly better. I could crop!!! Omg I could crop and still keep great quality of the picture. I could have nice bokeh and 3 focus points without spending days in Photoshop, and even editing became easier. When I wanted to replace the background I didn't have to struggle with those huge pixels on the edges.
After some time working with this camera I felt like I climbed one more step in a photography. Later on I came to Dubai and both Nikon D700 with one wide angle prime, portrait prime and one zoom lens that I'm using today for work.
Still, for most of my studio shots that you can see on my web site I use very cheep studio kit lamps that my parents both me 5 years ago. These lamps are far away from perfect but I became emotionally attached to them and like many times before I yet need to earn for better ones.
As a conclusion to my story, I still think that what you will show with a picture is far more important than any equipment, but even a best ideas can look average if you don't have the right tool to shape them.
Learning, improving, perfecting things is the key to success for any profession and as our knowledge and experience are growing we need tools that can keep up, and save our time of losing it on less important things.
When I look back, I'm actually glad I couldn't start with some fancy camera because I learned so many things by taking a long way and achieved some great results with only compact camera which proved me that my love for this profession is bigger than any problem on the way.
Think about that next time when you think you can not achieve something just because you don't have the perfect lens :)
Many photographers experienced those moments when people want to give them a compliment and they say "I love your photos, that is a great camera". And you just stand there thinking "HELLO! I'm here, I made those photos not the camera" but you realize there is no point to explain, and you just leave it with a sour smile.
So how really is important to have a good equipment?
This question and my reply refers to people that want to achieve something significant in field of photography.
Many photographers will say its all about the person behind the trigger and I can not agree more but from my experience you really need to have some basic kit that will provide you with the decent quality and starting platform for further improvement. So at the end I will say its 90% for the photographer and 10% for the equipment.
I will clarify this by telling you my experience from beginning till now. My first camera 8 years ago was Fuji S5600. I wasn't choosing it, it was the only camera I could afford. Also I have to mention that I started to learn about the photography trough dark room and first cameras that I was using where film cameras. So this Fuji seemed like a good choice for start, and it was, served me good for many years. In the beginning I was practicing how to observe, how to catch the moments or things that most of people will not notice or to trap the stunning beauty worth to remember.
After some time I wanted more. I made my first solo exhibition that was very successful but I wasn't enjoying it for long. My knowledge about photography expended and my Photoshop skills were becoming better but my photos were somehow the same. I was becoming more and more aware of the lower quality of the picture and my editing skills just couldn't give me that perfect bokeh that is coming from the lens or couldn't repair that frayed edges. Just to add for the people that are not familiar with Fuji cameras, this one can not change the lenses.
I was comforting myself with things like "its all about the person behind the camera, the idea, the story, its about the content of the picture not the quality". But my ideas become bigger and more complex and where ever I was presenting them, people were looking down at my camera and treating me as an absolute beginner. The worse thing, they loved the content of my photos but they would say its not professional.
Now many of you will say "why you just didn't both a new camera"? I have to go back, at the beginning of my story where I said Fuji is the only thing I could afford. So buying a Nikon or Canon camera plus lenses was a privilege not necessity especially at the time of my pricy college. Film cameras became rare in a meantime and their prices also jumped for the collectors. And I wanted to stay in digital era anyway, because that was the future.
My first opportunity came when my boyfriend, now husband bought Nikon D40 and borrowed it to me. I felt like I was reborn, even with the kit lens only 18-55mm my work looked significantly better. I could crop!!! Omg I could crop and still keep great quality of the picture. I could have nice bokeh and 3 focus points without spending days in Photoshop, and even editing became easier. When I wanted to replace the background I didn't have to struggle with those huge pixels on the edges.
After some time working with this camera I felt like I climbed one more step in a photography. Later on I came to Dubai and both Nikon D700 with one wide angle prime, portrait prime and one zoom lens that I'm using today for work.
Still, for most of my studio shots that you can see on my web site I use very cheep studio kit lamps that my parents both me 5 years ago. These lamps are far away from perfect but I became emotionally attached to them and like many times before I yet need to earn for better ones.
As a conclusion to my story, I still think that what you will show with a picture is far more important than any equipment, but even a best ideas can look average if you don't have the right tool to shape them.
Learning, improving, perfecting things is the key to success for any profession and as our knowledge and experience are growing we need tools that can keep up, and save our time of losing it on less important things.
When I look back, I'm actually glad I couldn't start with some fancy camera because I learned so many things by taking a long way and achieved some great results with only compact camera which proved me that my love for this profession is bigger than any problem on the way.
Think about that next time when you think you can not achieve something just because you don't have the perfect lens :)
Thursday, February 21, 2013
How much of a Photoshop is too much?
Hi everyone,
Last weekend I did low budget bridal photo shoot in Dubai with my friend and colleague Vania Ghassan Attieh. We made an outdoor shoot with classic elegant bride for the first set up and rock and roll bride with the strong love story for second set up. We had two models Sveta and Marina, thanks girls for the great job :) Make up was done by Yhence Sioting, my favorite make up artist :)
Long story short, it was one of these shoots where different circumstances joined against us and by the end of the day we were terribly late so we ended up shooting second set up by dark. I had to use high ISO and one speed lite as a main light so I gained very strong shadows and every second thought was "OUCH I will have to correct this in Photoshop..."!
In general I don't like to use heavy Photoshop on my pictures and when I say heavy I mean getting that unnatural look, like plastic skin or some background that is screaming EDITING!!!
There are some photographers that are so good with editing and each one of their photos looks like piece of art, but its just not my style. I still believe that as a photographer you need to have good photography in a first place. Set a good light and scene, and only after that all this editing make sense.
But... (there is always but) that doesn't mean you don't need to practice to be more advanced in these editing programs because you will be in situations when you need or just want to make an exception like I did on the photo below.
For most of my work, editing is based on cleaning the skin (leaving the texture), color correction, sometimes bit more sharpening but not changing the bones or anything that disturbs face expression. And that's it. If I think of anything else I will add :)
On this photo I wanted to change complete background which required some shadow painting and some serious changes to make dark scene instead of the day. Sky and sea are different pictures so it required some color matching as well. While browsing for different solutions I found this tutorial that inspired me and helped me a lot. Thank you Andrei, amazing work.
Many times I was discussing with colleagues on this subject. In the end, some of them like to edit more, some of them like it less and I don't think this subject is worth of arguing because it's about the taste. Photoshop or any other program is just a tool, like your camera, lenses or filters and all these equipment are just a tool that helps you create your vision.
Two photographers who work in a completely same circumstances will deliver different end result, because their minds will focus on a different things. Editing is part of our profession so there is no one right way to do it, there is only your way and that's it :)
Last weekend I did low budget bridal photo shoot in Dubai with my friend and colleague Vania Ghassan Attieh. We made an outdoor shoot with classic elegant bride for the first set up and rock and roll bride with the strong love story for second set up. We had two models Sveta and Marina, thanks girls for the great job :) Make up was done by Yhence Sioting, my favorite make up artist :)
Long story short, it was one of these shoots where different circumstances joined against us and by the end of the day we were terribly late so we ended up shooting second set up by dark. I had to use high ISO and one speed lite as a main light so I gained very strong shadows and every second thought was "OUCH I will have to correct this in Photoshop..."!
In general I don't like to use heavy Photoshop on my pictures and when I say heavy I mean getting that unnatural look, like plastic skin or some background that is screaming EDITING!!!
There are some photographers that are so good with editing and each one of their photos looks like piece of art, but its just not my style. I still believe that as a photographer you need to have good photography in a first place. Set a good light and scene, and only after that all this editing make sense.
But... (there is always but) that doesn't mean you don't need to practice to be more advanced in these editing programs because you will be in situations when you need or just want to make an exception like I did on the photo below.
For most of my work, editing is based on cleaning the skin (leaving the texture), color correction, sometimes bit more sharpening but not changing the bones or anything that disturbs face expression. And that's it. If I think of anything else I will add :)
On this photo I wanted to change complete background which required some shadow painting and some serious changes to make dark scene instead of the day. Sky and sea are different pictures so it required some color matching as well. While browsing for different solutions I found this tutorial that inspired me and helped me a lot. Thank you Andrei, amazing work.
Many times I was discussing with colleagues on this subject. In the end, some of them like to edit more, some of them like it less and I don't think this subject is worth of arguing because it's about the taste. Photoshop or any other program is just a tool, like your camera, lenses or filters and all these equipment are just a tool that helps you create your vision.
Two photographers who work in a completely same circumstances will deliver different end result, because their minds will focus on a different things. Editing is part of our profession so there is no one right way to do it, there is only your way and that's it :)
Friday, February 8, 2013
Introduction
Since this is my first blog post I will try to introduce you the idea that will lead my future posts.
As you can read from "about me" section my first love and primary profession is photography so I will right about it a lot :)
Right now I'm exploring and working in fashion and wedding photography but my interest for this field started 8 years ago.
For a long time I was inspired by conceptual and abstract photography and I left one solo and few group exhibitions behind. You can see some of the exhibited works here: Facebook Gallery (The link will open in new window)
Today my focus is shifted towards people and I'm trying to apply all my previous experience to a completely different direction in photography at the end hopefully make unique distinct style.
With this blog I would like to bring you closer to the process of my work and share with you new things that I learn on the way, beside photography I will also write about painting and sculpting since this is my passion and part of my life as well.
Hopefully going trough my experience some of you will find useful information's or inspiration that will guide your ideas and help you with your carrier path.
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