i open a topic again to ask some question abt photographer,i'm a newbie now,so i'm using a olympus S510uz (is it a semi DSLR??).....so everytime i wanted to be a official photographer for my relative wedding,(without money also can)......but the problem is that my parents always tell me that why people want to hire u although no nid money?? coz i'm still young and no experience.........after peoples wedding pictures becomes a mess.......
Then i keep on thinking,am i need to train myself and then go people wedding folow their OP.....then whats next?? How am i gonna show people that i can take nice photo??
I RELLY WANNA KNOW and i hope that all the sifus and pros here can tell their story or advice me........

THANKS VERY MUCH

i think u should become a trainee first b4 u become OP...
Wedding day is once in a lifetime...if its my wedding day,i will never ask relatives as my OP..
if take it as informal photographer,i will consider about it but not as OP

goodluck for u....me too want to become pro..

everything starts wit a step at a time
mayb u tag along with the sifu-sifu here when they got a shoot
so could learn from them

What kind of photographer?

Event photographer? (weddings, stage performance, official events, etc.)
Photojournalist? (news, travels)
Product photography? (food, watches, perfume, drinks, etc.)
Studio photographer? (portraits, glamour shots)
Wildlife photographer? (go harass birds and insects and all of god's living creatures)
Fine art? (your photos can be of anything, but they are only the blank 'canvases' on which you will do crazy and creative effects, not the end product yet)

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Added on December 27, 2007, 11:28 pmYou can always become a 'busybody' and snap snap snap, unless it is illegal to be taking photographs at a particular event.
Look at your own photos and let others comment. Look at what others have taken before (scour through flickr, other lowyat members' online albums) and wonder how did they manage to do that and what you like about their style. Once you wonder and genuinely want to achieve something, then the rest will come naturally.


This post has been edited by cjtune: Dec 27 2007, 11:28 PM

cjtune,mine i think is probably event photographer and photojournalist..........
comment needed

don't have to think so far ahead.

your first step is to understand the key concept of photography, the art of composition and light manipulation (understanding light and how the camera interacts with it).

IMO if you can't snap decent photos yet, then don't bother thinking so far ahead. Of course you can set it as a goal, just don't day-dream on it.

my advice is... dont take the risk to become OP for your relative..why?
1. you dont have the experience in taking wedding photos...
2. you have yet to fully understand the concepts of photography
3. its a once in a lifetime event, which means messing it up will be unrepairable. Thus wedding events cant be for 'tying/experimenting purpose...
4. you have yet to know where you stand against an experienced photographer..

i hope that helps

thanks for replying and keep it up.......btw can a Olympus S510uz act a semi DSLR??

Olympus S510uz IS a semi-SLR

orenzai,is it?? oh..................hehe u using it??
thx

I think the auto-focus speed and high ISO image quality (both rather important for indoor event shoots) of that Olympus model may not be up to par with those of DSLRs.
But don't let that stop you. Just snap snap snap within the capability of your camera (maybe posed or slowish movement shots with flash) and let others see what you've capable of.

Just don't expect or demand payment for your services yet and disappoint your customers (relatives or not) if your skills are not marketable yet. If you ask, I think some relatives will kesian you and pay you a bit for your 'services' but at this point, most will think it's just better to get skills first. Technical skills as in photo composition, camera settings, photoshopping; event-specific skills like you know what to equipment to set up, what poses to ask for, know the procedures are going on in the event (so you can be ready for the critical moment), etc.

Frankly, after enjoying photography for 1.5 years and nearly 45000 shots later, I am still not comfortable charging anyone for their wedding shoots. The compliments and smiles that I get are good enough. But that policy may change once I succumb to the 'buy buy buy' virus and impulsively get another expensive lens for my DSLR... (yeah, 'pro' equipment price is expensive).

nope i am using d40...

yeah i agree with ctjune..to shoot a couple's most important event of their lifes and seeing them satisfied with the results is priceless

Remember:



So its a long long road.

I'd like to underscore "...to be able to call myself...".
That's really humble to be able to evaluate yourself truthfully and to strict personal standards.

anyway, i think this is a good thread.
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/596571

you CAN learn by observing OPs. make friends and they'll share tips and tricks with you.

when i was in my early time doing photography, it more like a hobby than a job. i just took a picture, n then study the composition, metering n etc. ask other ppl what is wrong with the picture n how can i improve. post it here in LYN. just be prepared on a harsh comments. that will make u better. challenge urself everyday to take better pictures. i never satisfied with my shots eventhough most ppl said it is a wonderful or nice picture.

it is not easy to become a wedding photographer. i never charge ppl when i was in d early time doing wedding photography. become a taggie, ask n learn from OP. i never charges my relatives for their wedding shots. i do it for free. why? i just consider that i'm lucky enough to take wedding pics. u just try once, took ur relatives pics for free. then u ask urself, are u good enough to cover a wedding.

for me this is a really straight forward question.

how to show ppl that u can take nice photo is u should show them that the photo u took is nice. the way i'm doing it, put it on d web. ask fren to look at it. if u got a very nice photo, print it out n make it big. put it on ur room so that everybody can see it. make a portfolio. when ppl ask, just show it. that will impress ppl more n more.

if you want to be a photojournalist or an event photographer, the main rule is your photo must tell a story

Going by the title of this thread, I'm going to paraphrase the venerable Mr. Miyagi.

Carcraze san... Photography not heah (camera). Photographer heah (head) and heah (heart).

hutattk,i dont really understand le..........can explain ah.......haha
btw,back to topic,regarding to all sifus here,photography is a long way to go for me........hhaha

what he's saying is

Carcraze san... Photography NOT HERE *points to camera*. Photographer HERE *points to the head* and HERE *points to the heart*.

oh................thx

I guess photography is an art... and not just a job or a hobby.
Not everyone can be good at it but at times, satisfying your own self is fun enough.

Regardless of what camera you have, to get nice photos, you first must have some artistic instict. That's why they always say a picture can paint a thousand words or something.

I am not good myself. But seeing nice results just eases you.

Especially capturing people's expression is one of the most difficult thing to do. So, practice with your own friends and strangers on the street. If you have the heart, you will be able to do a good job.

But just in case for your relative's wedding... ask them to let you take photos and at the same time, let them get a pro or semi pro photographer. Those ictures you take, you can just show it to them later on. No harm after all.

oh... with the technology we have today, everybody can be a photographer.

a contemporary museum in swiss recently stage an exhibition of photography that was taken from the public. the public were asked to upload their favourite photo for this exhibition.

so, fancy seeing your camwhoring pic in a reputable museum?

this is indeed, everyone can be a photographer

Don't care about museums. I wanna see it at Sotheby's or some private collector's home.

Can you believe the most expensive photo in the world is that of the inside of a 99-cents-for-anything shop?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_...ive_photographs

lolz...that is not good...

couldnt believe it with my eyes...i should take one also...

this pic was taken by andrea gursky and it was taken with a large format camera. 5x7inches if i am not mistaken. the film size is 5x7 inches... you guys are still talking about 5x7 inches photos and still can't afford it.

and his works are normally in 6x9 feets and still show tremendous details. and he is a genius in the art world. it is not something that you just go there and click with your dslr.

I couldn't care less what he used. There can be a whole thread debating the role and contribution of equipment vs skill and talent of the photographer. Film large format cameras aren't expensive and they are very simple in construction (box, bellows, film back, lens). If I want to get started, I'd order one from Ebay for peanuts compared to digital SLRs. It's using it properly that I must concede lies only within the skill of the expert.

Art genius or not, what is debatable is the subject matter and why it should be worth so much. A 99-cents shop's interior?? It's quite a wonder.

Anyway, price in the art and collectibles market is not governed by the artist's creative vision alone or even significantly by that. Pricing can be manipulated or inflated by certain parties like how the stock market can be played and the recent Wall Street Journal exposé of the Antiquorum auction-house controversy, or maybe by just one rich elite with rather eccentric tastes and lots of money to blow. Bet Mr. Gursky didn't expect that piece of his to fetch what it did. "It wasn't even my favourite work!" (ok, I don't think he actually said that).

But the elevation of Mr. Gursky's piece to where it stands now is definitely encouraging to all of us...

i second that

Note that with US$3M, you could buy your own real 99-cents-an-item store...
Maybe the rich bugger that bought it somehow did so because it relived some favourite childhood memory of his. Pretty much like the critic's experience in Ratatouille. Anybody actually tried a Ratatouille (the food)?

go read up his works and history before giving some bizzarre comments.

why the need to use that particular camera and why this shop and what it signifies.

Help us then... links you have?

yay,give us the link..............keep it up

the link?

the link!

it can be found at page one klcc too. the bookstore located above kinokuniya in klcc. its cheaper there as well. only rm 70+

enjoy

oppsss: and this as well...

andrea gursky

but i havent read this book yet though. i browsed thru it already and i am having one sent to my house as i type. cheers

This post has been edited by ifer: Dec 30 2007, 12:24 PM

OK, so we can more about Mr.Gursky... (but do we have to go through a book first to appreciate his art?)
Going quickly through Wikipedia already sums up the essence of his work and that of the 99-cents diptych and similar ones, though I feel it's too short to do him justice, and although I understand, I do not have a liking for. Of course, that may change if someone can provide better and more accessible information sources.

But the main bone of contention that hasn't been answered is how his 99-cents shop diptych got to value it commands now. Over possibly hundreds of other notable and famous photographers? How is art valuated? If there is a book on that too, I'd like to read it, unless there is a clear correlation that talent is proportional to art piece price fetched.

Look at pictures in Reuters of Nat Geo for more info on how to capture photojournalistics images.

btw,any sifus got recomeendation of book about photography.....i prefer those with something like teach u how to snap,like experiment.......thanks and keep it up

buy magazine la.

edited : ok la, a bit more guide on magazine -
1. if you can afford, buy all la.
2. if you cannot, then look at the topics covered. buy one that interests you.

oh when i say buy all, i don't mean you spend like RM 30 - 50 per magazine cos that's crazy. photography is an art, it doesn't go outdated like computer magazines. so you can get back-issues for around RM 10 each.

yes, i collect many. btw DCM is pretty cheap, subscribe to them if you may (i haven't!).

This post has been edited by goldfries: Dec 30 2007, 05:06 PM

goldfries sifu,where can i buy those back-issues magazine??
the DCM how much selling in bookstore??
thx

talking about being a pro...is there a course to pick up SLR Photography? Like going into a class..whereby they teach u wat is all the term...White Light Balance...and all the tech words...then maybe go into field to shoot shoot...got such class ah??

I think there are short classes available locally. You can pick up some local mags like DCM, Asian Photo, etc. and look through the adverts or events pages.

But overseas, you can take a Bachelor or Master of Art in Photography. But not sure how those formal degree courses will add value to your photography business/career if you are planning to start one.

Best way for you to start immediately, hands-on, is to follow one of those outings. You can learn quite a lot from the older fellas in one afternoon and you have actual practice. Hey, why not join the upcoming Canon gang (but not limited to Canon DSLR users) outing to Zoo Negara on the 5th? Check out their thread.

Anyone of u can ask our pro portaiture, rad!cal, his doing diploma in photography and perhaps he can give some advise on it.

For me, a photography is not only about capturing images u saw but its more like how u want to show an impact, that touched human senses, to other ppl.

Gear i have o ready...getting my D80 with 18mm - 200mm VR Lens. Photo everyone can shoot...but nice o not nice...is another story. I can take quite a decent picture...but if i look at pro taken in mag...i was like...how the hell they take all this picture...they using the same gear as i....hmm

Is there a diploma for it?? i plan to take part time lor...not to say going serious into this line...much more like an strong interest...

This thread is similar to the pinned thread of what is a pro photographer?

today i went to mynews.com to see got local photography mags or not,but cannot find,where to find??
BTW,we should ask Rad!cal to open a thread as photography class......hahaha........

thanks

ahh. well i got mine at used magazine shops.

where do you stay btw? If you're around PJ area, there's a used magazine shop at Amcorp Mall. they always inform me when my orders arrive.

then there's also Selvan. then there's also this guy from who knows where that sells used magazines at Bangsar Shopping Complex.

goldfries,i stay at cheras..........the shop at amcorp mall whats the name??
thanks

J-One @ Amcorp Mall?

goldfries,is it??
btw,i'm finding one arnd KL town............haha
thanks

aiyoh fren i'm talking about used magazine shop la.

J-one is ground floor. this one is about 2 floors up and on the other side of the arcade.

it's called Re-issued Mags or something. if you can't find it, well it's right opposite an RC Hobby shop.

just bought B&W magazine (december issue) several days ago. most are articles bout great photographers..and their great B&W masterpiece.

Heard J-One is for Professionals. My friend went there and he felt like a mouse coming out...

J-One = camera shop
Re-issued Mags = magazine shop





your friend has inferiority complex or what?

J-one shop is very simple. left side, a bunch of lens. right side also a bunch of lens. back is their office area.

Simple shop. in fact their shop looks very humble.

have a look.....

http://www.shutterasia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=643

This post has been edited by goldfries: Jan 2 2008, 01:16 PM

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Added on January 2, 2008, 3:25 pmI second that

This post has been edited by Xannava: Jan 2 2008, 03:25 PM