I think I made a huge mistake in how I wrote my previous post - oh my goodness I feel awful! I think I offended a super sweet friend that I truly admire. When I said portrait photography is bleh, I meant for me to attempt doing it is bleh. Like frustrating! I get frustrated and overwhelmed whenever I try to get a shot of my three kids together, and I'd like to get better. Taking pictures of blueberries and rainy windshields is great (and easy!), but I'd much prefer some amazing shots of my kids. :-) Ya know?
I would never in a million years mean to imply that I didn't like someone's style. If I really really disliked portrait photography, I wouldn't try to get better...and I really want to! I love candid shots; I think they truly capture a child's personality, but I think they can be incorporated with a professional setting and be beautiful!
I've already sent several emails of "geez, I'm such an idiot" to my friend, and she has so graciously written me back, but I wanted to post this anyway so I didn't offend anyone else.
I soooo hope you didn't misunderstand. I should really keep my writing to a minimum - LOL! :-)
26 comments:
As one who feels the same, I understood exactly where you were coming from. I admire others' portrait work and envy their ability, but when it comes to me doing it? Uhhh...I'm better at "stuff" photography. Well, so far anyway.
Please don't let this stop you from writing...I like reading it...and seeing pics of that doll baby and her brothers.
bek
I, too, understood what you meant. You were expressing your frustration with your own abilities, not 'dissing' someone else's. But, it is good to know that I'm not the only one who puts her foot in her mouth at times :-)
I think anyone who has communicated with you for any length of time at all knows that you would never deliberately insult someone else, even in a generalized way.
I understood your post exactly! Please keep posting "wordy" posts. I love 'em!
Another person who totally knew what you meant! :)
totally got your meaning.
...maybe because I'm there too! :P
;) ~Sharon
Ahhh! Never stop writing!! I LOVE readif your written word because you are sooo interesting and I smile all the way through the post. I know you use a lot of sarcasm and humor and I like it! Exactly how Ithink/talk/feel most of the time!!! Im glad you are gracious enought to come on here though and admit that you may have offended someone, that shows true character!! We love your posts! Have a good one!
hugs - you did nothing wrong karli. if anyone is offended i pray they would realize you are talking about YOUR OWN journey.
love all that you share here!
xoxo jill
Hey, WE ALL LOVE YOU! I dont think you made it sound that way but if others do then they should know that your are AMAZING and not hold you at fault for that. just saying. ;) keep on writing and keep on take those pictures!
Are you kidding me.. Your post was to the point.. and anyone who reads you for very long know that this is a tough area for you ( portrait photography), although you are the only one that thinks that..LOL. My dear sweet friend, your words ROCK, your PHOTOGRAPHY ROCKS!, and I just love ya!!!! now who do I need to go beat up????
I knew what you meant :) It took a lot of courage for me to take the leap into taking photos of people for real. I haven't attempted kids yet, though!
bec@theiheartblog
It's YOUR blog - write whatever you like!! :-D
Seriously, I understood what you meant. You made your statement, and followed up with a clear explanation. I don't see how anyone could get offended by that. Me, personally, totally dislike belly shots - bleh! And not because I don't think I'd be good at it, I just don't like them lol. But we're all entitled to our feelings and opinions. Keep doing what you do!
I knew EXACTLY what you meant. I struggle with it so badly. I was not offended at all.
I totally got you:0 and it sounds like everyone else did too. Blogging is one of those tricky things because in writing we cannot answer any questions right away and no one can hear our tone to fully get us but, I think you were very clear;0. And I am the exact opposite of you. I love portrait photography but, am scared stiff of tackling objects. They kinda bore me in a sense that I don't know what to do with things to make them look good in a picture. You are very talented my dear! These pictures of your daughter are adorable!
You expressed your thoughts very clearly in your original post. I can't imagine anyone would take it in a generalized way.
But I also know how my own typed words crawl around and around in my head until I'm suddenly aware of grammatical errors or extraneous words that I could have omitted or hideously long run-on sentences. :) Anyway, I hope YOU feel better after having posted this.
Karli - first off.... I love your portrait shots. (I just went back and looked because I didn't read that last one!) Seriously, they are beautiful. It seems that you just prefer to work with subjects that aren't as volatile as little tornadoes. Let's face it, even kids that are cooperative are hard to photograph well. Good portrait photographers can do more than just operate their camera, they manage to capture the essence of their subjects. I am really in no position to pass out advice, but my two cents is to do whatever you can to get some genuine smiles going :D
Look at all the love coming your way...we all knew what you meant and love you anyways. :)
I love portraits but I love candids more.Candid photos just seem to capture the personality of my kids better.I take a lot of "portraits" too. None of my photos are really great, but they are of the people I love. I think you are being too hard on yourself. I think most of us understood your post.
I had to go back to read the previous post (time-zones don't become blog posts very well)... I think your family photos are great, you really let your kids personalities come through which is really wonderful. Oh, and I also didn't read your post as an attack on anyone either :)
I think your post was very clear, although I love your family photos because you truly capture your children as they are. I think you are being too hard on yourself. And portrait photography is hard, especially with your own kids. On this, I speak from experience. I love your blog and love your photography. Don't change anything and don't get down on yourself. :)
Yea, what they said. ;)
To me, posed photography is "bleh". I freeze up when a family wants to spend an entire session posing. I don't enjoy it and truly, if they (the clients) are honest with themselves, they hate doing it too. Nobody (excepts models, maybe) enjoys sitting still and giving fake smiles for the camera.
That being said, I see GORGEOUS posed photography all the time. It can be very beautiful. It's just not for me.
As far ideas for posing your kiddos, check out Ashley Campbell's blog..if you haven't already:
http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/
She has three boys and a girl. She's a photographer. She's super crafty. I think you'll really enjoy her blog!
Have a great day, Karli!
Lori
Oh, and those pictures of Livia are adorable...especially the one with her wrinkled nose!
Hi Karli -
I wouldn't have taken it that way - so I'm sure your friend did not :)
I left something for you on my blog ... http://www.juliannabelle.com/2011/01/my-award.html
this site is gorgeous!
I thought your post was pretty clear, and you've talked about it before. I think you are so much better at it than you think you are, but I get what you're saying -- but, I do think people would totally pay you to take pictures of their kids the way you photograph tiny tornado. And, I don't think there wasn't anything offensive in your post, or anything that should have been taken as an indictment of portrait photography. And even if it could be read more than one way (which it only could have been by someone soooo over the top sensitive) - shame on whoever it was for not giving you the benefit of the doubt when you put so much time and energy into this blog on top of the million other things you have to do all day, and how generous you are with sharing your techniques and the things you've learned. If I were you, I'd take the apology post down, leave the original post just the way it is, and just be you, because you're great, and anyone who has read this blog for any period of time would not that you would never intentionally poo poo anyone's work, especially not their life's work.
Sorry for the typos - I was a little worked up, and typing fast!
Oh wow. I'm chiming in a little bit late. I read your previous post and didn't get an impression that you were down-playing portrait photography at all.
I'm only an amateur photog so I don't have any technical advice that I'm sure you haven't heard already except maybe that, if you come across photographers whose portraiture you admire, get chatting with them about techniques and useful websites. I find the blogosphere is generally a friendly, supportive media. Good luck.
I like wordy photo blogs. Keep writing.
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