Your Photography - A Question and Answer Discussion

[tuneful87]

Question 1: What is your personal photography style?

Question 2: How do you feel you have improved in your photography thus far?

Question 3: Where do you think you can improve the most in your photography in the future?


My answers below:

1. I try to keep my style as varied as possible so my work doesn't seem monotonous - new backgrounds, new poses, angles, locations, etc. I dislike centering my models in the photo, and I prefer to capture them at any angle other than straight on. That view just doesn't do anything for me. I also try not to make my photos too bright or too dark unless the mood calls for it. A perfect balance is always nice.

2. Looking back at my early Monster High photography, I'm amazed to see how far I've come. I used to just take my photos against a white blanket background. Some of my photos from Cycle 1 were nothing to write home about either. Now I'm much more interested in capturing a real story or emotion through my photography. To me, that is so much more interesting and challenging than producing a pretty photo without the story behind it.

3. There are so many things I'm working on. One, it drives me nuts when I take a seemingly fabulous photo only to find that upon uploading the photo to my computer, the model's stray hairs are out of place! Now I gently wet the model's hair before a shoot to keep everything from getting too crazy, and on set, I'm constantly adjusting stray hairs as well. I'm also continuously working on bettering my technique, photo editing abilities, and coming up with new poses and story lines to express through photography. What I really need is a toy-sized city to take photos in! OK, I know what I need to work on - becoming a millionaire so that I can acquire a mansion and an enormous photography room chock full of miniature toy sets!

[Gingerbread]

Great idea for a thread! Tuney I've always loved your pics, it's because of them I collect MH and enjoy photographing them so much I love the way you always come up with something different.

Question 1: I don't really have a style, I don't think, I like doing lots of different poses/scenes/backdrops...maybe one day I will develop a style but I don't want my pictures to become boring or cliched.

Question 2: I think I've improved a bit, I've learnt how to manipulate the model and background to best enhance the picture, and to try and cut out those crappy whiteouts from the flash or external lighting.

Question 3: I have so much to improve on - stray hairs (the curse of my existence I swear!!!) Camera shake, focusing, getting the colours balanced within the picture, dressing and posing the doll, angles, what I want to portray in the shot, to try and see the finished picture as others would see it, then of course the editing which  is an entirely new world to me...so much to learn!

[Cate_Dartfinger]

Question 1: What is your personal photography style?
Photo-journalistic. I like to be able to tell a story within the composition of my photos, however, its not always that easy.
Question 2: How do you feel you have improved in your photography thus far?
Taking nice photos of people is always something I've struggled with, so this competition has been great for me in the fact that I'm getting a better feel for the best angles when shooting someones face. Granted, these are plastic monster faces, but I feel that they've helped me improve greatly since their expressions don't change. You really have to know how to work an angle to get the right mood, or else your photos don't come out so good.
Question 3: Where do you think you can improve the most in your photography in the future?
I need to keep improving with the portraiture. I'm getting better, but I'm my toughest critic, so chances are I'll never be satisfied with my skills.

[JigglesTheCat]

I'm not a contestant, but I couldn't resist :3

1. I'm still piecing my style together. But I am starting to see a consistency in my photos, mostly in my backgrounds, because I have this mindset: "Why drive somewhere actually interesting when you could go in your backyard in your pajamas?" Also, since I'm just photographing for the fun of it, I'm a bit lazy with the backgrounds and sometimes clothing. But when I'm doing something for a reason (like the entry photos of Arena's Next Top Doll earlier this Summer) my photos are more unique and thought out. Annnnnd... I'm rambling.

TL;DR: I'm lazy with backgrounds, unless I have a reason to do it.

2. I improved in all areas. I mean, just look at one of my first MH photos:

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and then one of my newer ones:

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And I've learned a lot from the arena - especially ANTM. And overtime, I've figured out what type of editing looks good, and what doesn't.

3. I could really improve in 2 areas: 1. Quality and 2. Organization. I don't plan my photos, and I need to do that in the future, especially since I want to enter Cycle 3 of ANTM.

[Knibitz]

;A; WAAAAAA how'd I end up in here!!!!???


sorry sorry sorry *runs out*

[aellos]

Question 1: What is your personal photography style?
I'm not entirely sure if there are words for it, but I definitely have one. Very much more of a portrait type of photographer. Since I'm more of a painter/drawer I take pictures to showcase the subject.

Question 2: How do you feel you have improved in your photography thus far?
I know I have. I've been trying to make things more dynamic and interesting.
Oh, and backgrounds. I have learned to make a much more interesting setting for my dolls.

Question 3: Where do you think you can improve the most in your photography in the future?
Making sure I have the details down. Little things like an out of place hand and a twisted foot have broken a good photo. So I need to pay more attention!

Everyone should post their first and recent photos! I wanna see the improvement!

This is about around one of my first photos I did when I realized I liked taking pics of my ghouls:
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Lagoona Ponders by aellosferrin, on Flickr

For the sake, my first Rhonda pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aellos_ferrin/7244870590/

And my most recent!

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Challenge 5 1 by aellosferrin, on Flickr

I'm still very much an amature, and my frame of mind is more from a painter's knowladge, but I know I have improved!

[Heliodor]

Let's see more first pics with most recent ones! These are helpful!

[JigglesTheCat]

Aellos: I love that photo of Lagoona - and yours was so much earlier than mine. I took that really bad photo of Rochelle in late june. >.<

And since you asked, here are some more earlier photos.. Into the time machine! 8D
(I warn you, though.. It's pretty bad down there.. )

Spoiler

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Chickens are a girls best friend...?
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(She only had one hand at the time, so thats why her arm is behind her back..)
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And for recent, just go through my Flickr Photostream.

[Heliodor]

Chickens are a girls best friend...?

You've really improved!! You can see it even in some of the early pictures. That is so cool!

[Gingerbread]

One of my first MH photos *cringes*

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And a recent ANTM one
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Lilitha Vamp by *Pinkamena*, on Flickr

[Colorscapesart]

Question 1: What is your personal photography style?
This is a toughie.  I *think* my personal style tends to be warm, softer images.  The monster dolls (Abbey in particular) can seem a bit harsh and I like to add softness to the lighting and design to add personality to my dolls.

Question 2: How do you feel you have improved in your photography thus far?
I've learned a few things (with wayyyyy more to learn).  Anything I can dream up is possible (Mermaid Kiss Challenge and now the Sci Fi one), it just takes good planning.  Like so many others, I've learned that 200 shots can be meaningless without the magicks.

Question 3: Where do you think you can improve the most in your photography in the future?
Push some boundaries, take MORE pictures, and just practice practice practice.

Beginning:
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Recent:
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[Icicle]

Question 1: I seem to go with angles. I lovelovelove angles and trying to make images look.. hipster-ish..? I dunno how to really explain it. I enjoy kinda processed images and I try to take pictures that would lend themselves well to that sort of editing.
Question 2: I'm getting a bit better with posing and lighting... and have kind of taken to doing my most serious 'shoots' outside, so long as the weather permits because I feel I get my best work that way.
Question 3: More backgrounds, more props, that sort of stuff. Otherwise I feel like I'm just taking pictures of my toys/dolls like they're posing for their yearbooks or for something for mommy/daddy to shove in their wallet.

And some first shot/most recent. I really don't know where my first doll shots are... but I do have the first one I put on flickr from after I got my Toralei so...

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Toralei Stripe by piichihime, on Flickr

And my most recent (from last night, even!)... it's also amusing that it was Toralei that I took a picture of xD

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Hipster Kitty by piichihime, on Flickr

[Icecrystalline]

Question 1: What is your personal photography style?

Well, I tend to stick rigidly to dark themes but I am also experimenting with lights. I intend to experiment more, but for the moment I love the backdrop I have currently, it gives me good images, and I enjoy using it.

Question 2: How do you feel you have improved in your photography thus far?

Actually, a huge amount (not blowing my own trumpet or anything, just saying how I feel about my progression!) I started out playing around, and I have since fallen in love and have decided to take AS Photography (for those in the USA, this is part one of A-Levels, year one is AS level, year two is A2, and together they make A Levels) I think I really have improved, and it brings me great joy.

Question 3: Where do you think you can improve the most in your photography in the future?

I'm experimenting. I think by experimenting, I personally can achieve better things. I'm not going to let the cat out of the bag yet!

This was a photo taken on June 16th 2012:
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Nature Loves You. by dropdowngorgeous, on Flickr

And these are from yesterday:

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I Know I Shouldn't Have Kept You Waiting, But I'm Here Now. by dropdowngorgeous, on Flickr

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If You Can Give Me All Them Dollars Baby, You Can Have Me. by dropdowngorgeous, on Flickr