Wonderment: Words and Photos of Myla Rocknrolla

9 Tips to Spot the Phony and Learn at Your Own Speed

When I started on Flickr, I had just about two weeks of shooting under my belt without any classes, training, or any knowledge of photography whatsoever. That was almost five months ago. While I’ve learned a little in that short amount of time, I am still as green to photography as you can get.

So I found myself completely disenchanted when I came across amazing photostreams from others who touted themselves as rookies and novices, claiming they were so new to photography they had no idea what they were doing, yet their photos were perfect. Stunning. Brilliant.

My boyfriend is a professional photographer who has twenty years of experience under his belt, as well as a college education in photography. As soon as he saw these “novice” streams that made me feel so ashamed of my beginner attempts, he called fraud. Of course I really thought he was just trying to stroke my bruised ego, surely there are those out there who take to it with ease – those one in a million who have unprecedented natural talent.

As the time goes on and I’m learning photography, I’m gaining insight to photos and I am now able to see that he was right. These are fakes. Not their photography, but their claims that they are just a natural at this photography thing. That somehow, by fluke, they have a perfect shooting space, that’s perfectly lit (with ring lights and soft boxes), with the most expensive equipment and perfectly implement all the textbook rules to a perfect photograph.

They trick people like us, make us feel ashamed and untalented. Why can’t I do that? I’ve agonized as I’ve felt that I’m not getting anywhere with my photography. Based on their curve, I should be shooting nike ads by 5 months!

I’m here to boost your spirits! I will teach you how to spot the beginners who are anything but and start feeling good about your progress.

1. It’s all in the eyes.

Have you ever noticed that kind of square light reflection in the eye? It’s so pretty, adds an amazing “look” to the eye. However, that reflection is that of a soft box light. This equipment gives a soft look to the subject. If it’s more of a circular shape, it’s a ring light or umbrella. Without photography training and/or experience, you wouldn’t be familiar with these professional expensive photography equipment.

2. Too perfect background.

Most budding photographers live in an apartment or house in which there is furniture, curtains or blinds, pictures on the walls, bookcases, and lots of other things that fill a living space but definitely distract from a picture. A perfect background takes talent, money, space, years of experience to set it up or a stylist, and/or a photography studio.

3. Heavy duty photoshop/lightroom

This one might be debated. Graphic arts is it’s own talent. The ability to use programs to manipulate a photo doesn’t take photography knowhow but it certainly helps. I have a shot that I heavily manipulated – but my boyfriend had to help me with the original shot. I had to get the framing and lighting correct so the manipulation would come out correctly. I lean towards heavy photomanipulation on every shot (or most) as taking a lot of photography experience.

4. Using models

Hiring models is expensive, and what do you even do with them? If you don’t know how to light, frame or any of the other million things that has to be done to make a good photo, then hiring a model is a waste of time and money, and the idea of fumbling around in front of one is just too intimidating. Most beginners use themselves or their friends as the model which makes a whole lot of sense.

5. Props

My wardrobe is minimal, my furniture affordable, and my coffee cups are plain. As I’ve looked through countless streams of coffee cup photos (which I can’t seem to do) with heart shaped somethings attached to the tops I wonder where they get these things. Of the millions of photos of cute self portraits wearing crazy socks, balloons, and cute, fluffy animals, I know that I can never take photos like that. I can’t afford all these props let alone figure out how to shoot that rabbit in a perfect cuddle next to my expensive unique socks. Props are tools of the experienced and/or professional photographer, don’t be fooled.

6. How’d you get that focus?

A girl is standing in a field, she is in focus the field is not. As a novice, you have no idea how to do this, yet the beginner stream in question displays selective focus in every shot. This is called depth of field, and it’s all in the aperture – which means it’s one of those terms and functions that you will master in time, but certainly not if you’re just starting out.

7. Where’s the shadows?

I came across a self proclaimed beginner stream that had a beautiful photo of a vase. While all the photos in this stream were perfect in every way, I was excited to try to shoot an antique copper vase  and this photo from another novice like myself gave me the inspiration. What I quickly learned was my photos had shadows on the countertop, and some areas were brighter than others. My picture was horrible! Lighting is essential in photography, but it’s not something you learn early on. Without someone to explain how to evenly light objects and people (and to not use the flash), light is the one ingredient that makes or breaks a photo. Evenly lit = no beginner.

8. Flawless self portraits

I’m not sure how it happened, but every girl on Flickr is beautiful and looks like a model. I have a hard time believing there are that many drop dead gorgeous girls with perfect bodies to match taking pictures. I can’t be the only average girl who’s a little chunky grabbing a camera. When I take a self portrait, it’s generally a mess. I’m still figuring out lighting, angles, trying to figure out backgrounds so that it looks halfway decent. If the self portraits are flawless, they are in no way a beginner. Like my boyfriend says, people, including yourself, are the hardest to shoot and takes a lot of time and practice to get it right.

9. Amazing subject, amazing subject, amazing subject…..

A location scout is an actual job. A location scout is someone who is paid to find great locations for photo shoots. So how does this fellow beginner have the perfect location in every shot? Because they’re not a beginner. It takes experience to find locations. I know that I’ve come across a location now and then, of course I’m never wearing the right thing, I’m not wearing makeup, or I’m on my way somewhere and can’t stop. Sure you can plan to return when you have time, but will you know how to figure everything out to get the shot you want with that background? Do you fully understand your subject?

We all learn at different speeds and you should never feel bad about your rate of learning. But you certainly should never feel bad about your progress when someone else is not being honest about theirs. Sometimes unrealistic achievements are just that, and in your own time your photos will be the ones inspiring beginners and you will be able to share what you have learned through your own process of getting there.

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History to inspire: Anne Noggle

Anne Noggle was born in Evanston, illinois on June 12, 1922. Anne started a life documented in photographs at age 43 and said of her self portrait photography, “I photograph the saga of the fallen flesh.”.

Face Lift #3, 1975

Anne Noggle was an Airforce pilot, and then a captain in the US Air Force from 1953 to 1959. In 1970, she became a professor of art at University of New Mexico. This is when she found photography.

Anne passed away in her sleep on August 16th, 2005. She was 83 years old.

I love that Anne Noggle wasn’t afraid to be ugly in her self portraits. In this age where anyone can have a photoshop facelift and look like Halle Berry or Angelina Jolie in their finished product, it’s so refreshing to see a woman who was not afraid to document the “saga of fallen flesh”.

In her own words….
“I did not start to photograph until I was in my 40′s so it was my own life’s experiences that I drew on. Later I discovered Julia Margaret Cameron and knew immediately that we were kindred spirits, for her people are alive today and vibrate that aliveness. The past is not dead, it has just already happened. I want my photographs to be alive forever if I could do that, and I try. Somehow the energy you put into it can make that happen to some extent, and I pursue it single mindedly.”

“Other photographers whose work has affected me to some degree are August Sanders, Disfarmer, Judy Dater and Diane Arbus.”

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16/365 Nostalgia

16/365 Nostalgia, originally uploaded by Myla Rocknrolla.

The Theme of the Week group is nostalgia this week. I had this shot in my head, but finally did it today.

I love this dress. It’s a one of a kind Frida Kahlo dress made by one of the Phoenix Frida’s.

Today I had to learn about aperture for this shot. I learned the lower the number, the more light the shot will have. I wanted this shot really bright, so it I set it to 1/13.

To finish it off with a nostalgia look, I used Lala Mártin Photography free sample actions (the second one), and topped it off with her free textures “for bokeh” number 6.

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History to inspire…

As an aspiring photographer who has not taken any classes on the subject, I decided it was a good idea to study the prominent photographers from the beginning.

My search started with female photographers who did self portraits because I have a strong interest in the self portrait, but I ended up with quite a list of female photographers who shot everything.

I will be posting my own little mini articles on the photographers that inspire me, starting with female photographers. So keep an eye out for some history to inspire!

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Danbo Theater

Danbo Theater, originally uploaded by Myla Rocknrolla.

I didn’t blog my 365 Project photo today because I should have made this my photo for 365 instead of my coffee mug photo.

I’ve had such a problem with inspiration for my 365 project and wasn’t sure what to do. When one of my many talented contacts put up a Bench Monday shot, I became inspired. Starting next Monday, I’m going to participate. That sure makes my Monday shots easier.

But today is Wednesday and the shot I had originally planned was just not possible today. I began to wonder…..is there a group for everyday, like Bench Monday?

Seek and ye shall find. There are groups for everyday, and themes I hadn’t even thought of. What a great idea to have some guidelines or ideas to fall back on every day of the week!

Here’s a quick list of Flickr week day groups I put together:

Sunday:
Diptych Sunday
Sunshine Sunday
Scarlet Sunday

Monday:
Bench Monday
Macro Monday
Blue Monday

Tuesday:
Totally textures Tuesday
Self Portrait Tuesday
Pretty Pink Themed Tuesday
T-Shirt/Teez Tuesday

Wednesday:
Bokeh Wednesdays
Pugly Wednesday (shoe shots)
Whispery White Wednesday

Thursday:
Self-Portrait Thursday
Gorgeous Green Thursday
Desk Thursday

Friday:
Sad bokeh friday
Furry Friday
Friday Food Fiesta
Happy Flowery Friday

Saturday
Saturated Saturday
Perfect Purple Saturday
Stripey Saturdays

There’s also a group I just joined that gives out an idea once a week, Theme of the Week. This week is nostalgia.

A couple of these groups aren’t accepting new members and some of them don’t have recent activity, so join or attempt to join these groups at your own risk.

The main idea is no matter what your subject or lack there of for your 365 project, it’s nice to have another approach to your daily photograph if you get stuck.

I’ll continue to gather and join tips for your 365 projects.

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13/365 Delete

13/365 Delete, originally uploaded by Myla Rocknrolla.

“Accent your positive and delete your negative.” -Donna Karan

This photo was all about perspective and I shot it with the sole intention of converting it to black and white.

Instead of messing with the saturation and the blacks, I used the free Seim B&W Effects, specifically the 7-Siem B/W Snappy Light preset. It not only sets your image to a rich black and white conversion, but it will you give you grain if you shot a bokeh image; the bokeh (blurry) part will turn grainy and it’s absolutely gorgeous!

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12/365 Tricycle Terror

12/365 Tricycle Terror, originally uploaded by Myla Rocknrolla.

There are only 450 Tricycle Terror’s made. I have #228 which means I had to photograph it.

Since she’s an interesting collectors doll, and a rare one at that, I really wanted her personality to come out through the photo.

For this one I ran it through the Matt’s Sin City – Dark Red free preset which then isolated the reds, and punched up the blacks for more drama.

I really love how this photo turned out. I think it has a definite presence to it. If I were to change anything, I would make the vignette thicker and darker and had I known I would run it through this preset, I would have made sure to get more red tones in the background for some subtle background color.

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11/365 Nervous Habit

11/365 Nervous Habit, originally uploaded by Myla Rocknrolla.

This is a pretty straight forward shot. I tend to chew on my necklaces when I’m bored and nervous – in this case it was because I was bored in the running car while the boyfriend picked up a couple things at the grocery store. Set my Canon to Macro, and voi la!

However, this shot needed *something*. Instead of a lightroom preset, I just played with the settings. I worked on a coolness for this photo, more in the blues.

I started by dopping temp to -21 to give it that cool blue. Next I upped the saturation to +42 which brought up the pink in my lips, and upped the tint to +17 to pop the pink even more. I then upped vibrance to +13 to give the colors a bit more cool feel, dropped the clarity to -50 to give it a slight blur. Lastly, I upped the contrast to +6 and the blacks to 6.

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10/365 Mr. Toast

10/365 Mr. Toast, originally uploaded by Myla Rocknrolla.

For this photo, I used my new 60mm Nikon Macro Lens so that Mr. Toast was in focus, and I was blurred. It took several attempts to figure out the right facial expression, and, since Mr. Toast is bigger than he looks in the photo, making sure you could even see my face was difficult.

In Lightroom, I used Alan Miller’s Cross Process Preset, which you can download for free HERE. There’s quite a few cross process presets, and I’ve used most of them in some of my photos.

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9/365

9/365, originally uploaded by Myla Rocknrolla.

“Cats are notoriously sore losers. Coming in second best, especially to someone as poorly coordinated as a human being, grates their sensibility.” – Stephen Baker

I was having some trouble with inspiration for my 365 project, but since there is a total of four cats and a dog in my animal family, there’s always something chaotic going on. Thus, I can usually end up with a photograph, planned or not.

This photograph was planned, somewhat. I knew if I put my feet up to relax, our older, very obese cat, RC, would throw a bit of a temper tantrum. She does not play well with others. I was very pleased that she almost posed perfectly for the photo and decided she’s earned her keep for now.

After I downloaded all my images into Lightroom, the real work began. For this photo, I dropped the saturation to -52, upped the clarity to +33 and dropped the vibrance to -33. Finally I did a vignette setting the Amount for -58.

If I had this to do over again, I would have paid more attention to the background and wore some kind of strange, colorful socks.

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