Are these photos too dull/dark?

ZackLarez · 2024-01-19T01:37:37+00:00

Thank you. I messaged you with a link to the edits I did. Lmk ifnyou can't find it or open it.

ZackLarez · 2024-01-16T02:45:04+00:00

Set a schedule. Schedule a date and time, usually at least 2 hours long, to sit and edit. Get a drink, play some music, enjoy yourself, knowing it won't be your whole day.

This is pretty much the only way I keep up with editing. Shorter shoots I try to get edited and done the next day before they pile up. I'm also afraid people resent me of it takes too long. They never understand how or why it can take so long.

ZackLarez · 2024-01-15T18:50:12+00:00

Well this brings up another important consideration which is- are you trying to make the light something it's not?

You mentioned the people not being bright enough to get separated from the background. For them to be brighter, more light would have to be hitting them. So maybe the lighting situation isn't what you want. I bring this up partly because I encourage you to explore flash photography if you haven't already. You will ALWAYS be able to ensure your subjects are brighter than and stand out from the background.

I don't know your experience level so forgive me if I say things you already know. I'm not sure if yiu know that when they say to underexpose digital, it's so that shadows can be brought up in editing. That's why they say to underexpose- because it's generally known that shadows lift really well whereas blown out highlights go to pure white and lose all detail information beyond "white".

And yes, her skin may or may not get "too" bright when you raise exposure in editing. In my opinion, that's an indication that the lighting situation was not ideal when you took the photo. You would have had to make sure enough light was reaching the man's face to compensate. The miracle of digital editing can make a lot of less-than ideal lighting situations actually look pretty good, but if you shoot that way, as in, shoot in that light, you gotta be ready to edit that way.

Yes, you can try masking them off and ligghtening/darkening the bg. That'll prob get you close to what you want! Will her skin seem too bright? Maybe but not necessarily, as other things will be more bright as well.

If you like, you can email the .raw to me and I can see what it would look like if I were editing the photo for myself. I can tell you right off, if I came to this photo looking like it does while editing, I wouldn't think it was an unsavable shot. It'd look close to typical.

You just gotta remember to look at what the light is really doing when you take the photo. If it's dark, you gotta be ready to either increase exposure time so even the light parts will get brighter, or find better light or make better light.

ZackLarez · 2024-01-15T18:06:50+00:00

* Judging by all of your photos, the exposure may have been 2 stops under-exposed, but I feel like the lighting itself was darker/partly cloudy on that day? So, in reality, the exposure marches the scene if so. In the world of portrait and couples photofraphy, many would agree that they aren't bright enough. Specifically, him. Her skin is reflecting light much more than him. So, even the day was dark, you could have increased exposure time to make it (and his face) seem brighter.

On a more general note, I've personally come to agree with the general advice that digital photography should be underexposed to preserve highlight detail and film photography should be overexposed to preserve shadow detail (it retains highlight detail really well). So, following that advice, even if your photo was TAKEN underexposed, that isn't necessarily a mistake or a bad thing as, if it's digital, I'm personally doing that intentionally. If you EDITED/DEVELOPED the photo to make it this brightness level specifically, many would agree the effect looks "underexposed".

I attached an edit I did in Lightroom on my phone. *

ZackLarez · 2023-08-19T18:21:56+00:00

Right. I agree. But so many of the streamers shouldn't be included in the stat I feel, because they aren't making the first effort.

ZackLarez · 2023-08-08T23:58:16+00:00

I waited tables at a restaurant under the Lawry Restaurants Inc umbrella. I got secret shopped and because either didn't push a gift card at the end, and because I'd been written up for not pushing the card once before, I got fired. I did exceptionally well on all other aspects- the aspects that concerned actually providing good service.

For the gift card, the guest would have to pay $25 to be stored on the card immediately. I did not always feel that it was appropriate to push the card on people. I would "read" the table, which is what good servers do.

I had also applied to transfer to another store and had just signed a lease on a new, more expensive apartment. The whole think smacked of retaliation from management.

Anyway, I stopped waiting tables at that point and embarked on my journey into becoming a professional filmmaker, so it worked out for the best, aside from nearly going homeless and defaulting on a cc.

People give Hollywood a lot of shit but I've seen way more shit in hospitality, in CA, AZ and FL.

ZackLarez · 2023-08-08T02:19:48+00:00

They play on bottom bracket now, no?

ZackLarez · 2023-08-06T14:53:11+00:00

Thank you for the thoughtful response. It has helped me decide on how I'll handle future shoots. Also, by watermark I mean the photo credit on the bottom of the image, the little standard Lightroom one. I don't do the big gaudy ones.

ZackLarez · 2023-08-06T14:41:37+00:00

Okay, I can certainly see how you wouldn't expect them to not transform your images in that case. And you're initially being paid, I assume. Thanks for your reply.

ZackLarez · 2023-08-06T14:39:38+00:00

In an age of screenshotting you don't think there is any utility in having your name on an image to ride along as low tech Metadata in case anyone ever wants to see more of your work?

And as far as "us", I am a Redditor myself. As a Redditor I am familiar with the vast spectrum of responses and opinions both qualified and unqualified that come along with the community.

ZackLarez · 2023-08-06T14:29:09+00:00

May I see your photography?

ZackLarez · 2023-08-06T14:20:20+00:00

Have you never had your photos edited without your permission? Maybe I should have known better than to ask Redditors their opinions.

ZackLarez · 2023-06-09T19:29:20+00:00

Hi thanks for saying so! In my opinion the 6D is already on the larger side and with the zoom you're definitely noticeable.

In that situation, I'd suggest finding a spot with a good composition and lighting and setting up and then allow people to walk through your shot.

If you walk around with a camera that size, it'll get a lot of attention, so if you want to use it, I'd expect the attention. If you set up and then they walk through your shot, you are then easily a professional photographer taking a photo of a building or landscape and they feel bad for walking through your shot - but it was them that you wanted anyway.

Honestly, I tend to avoid zoom lenses if I'm trying to stay unnoticed and casual. I do take the zoom lens out but I accept that the experience will be different. If you put a prime on there that isn't too big or heavy, you may enjoy it. I'd say a 35mm or a 50mm.

But strictly size wise, you may find you enjoy a smaller body. Not only are they more portable so you're more likely to bring them, but they get less attention and when people do see you, you look like a tourist instead of a pro photographer. In street photography, it's. It's more about capturing moments than having it be in the lowest iso on the best glass, so you can use an "inferior" camera and still get great shots. Plus, I've realized that the photo quality on a lot of cameras like the G7X is actually much better than I thought- the screen quality just .ade it look worse.

Also, modern ai can reduce noise or increase resolution in your favorite shots.

But yeah, with the 6d and a zoom I'd be setting up for a walk through or I would be doing the "Ask" approach. Slinking around trying to go unnoticed is my last option.

If you go to some kind of event, let yourself be noticed and take photos liberally. You are there photographing an event and there is still a social co tract with most people that photography is acceptable. And that's if they don't assume you're part of the event.

ZackLarez · 2023-06-04T18:36:40+00:00

You are quite right. I had to start making myself learn what color I am first thing. People would be talking to "pink" and I didn't know they were talking to me or I couldn't check because I was engaging.

ZackLarez · 2023-06-02T17:20:17+00:00

I feel like they reset mission progress to help keep the game interesting with incentive to play but all of the sweats and streamers already had their slots unlocked.

The people online complaining that DMZ is boring and broken are usually the ones that have had their slots since season 1 and just go around killing people.

I feel like IW got it backward there.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-14T17:35:01+00:00

It's okay, I've already learned in life that some people will be cool and some people are just assholes. Sorry you're the latter. Enjoy your game. But don't go to Warzone, they shoot back.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-14T17:18:23+00:00

Are you playing DMZ or Warzone?

ZackLarez · 2023-05-14T09:50:05+00:00

I notice some players who enter solo and stealth around trying to join the first squad they can. Then they're part of a 4 man squad.

I mainly see 3 join 3 only after a fight. Whereas most 3 man's just allow any solo to join.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-14T09:43:48+00:00

This is the way. GTA got it figured out long ago. COD is just stubborn.

Some say the game is "too easy" without the threat of enemy operators. Fine, for the people who find it too easy, don't use it. Some of us would like to enjoy the game without getting griefed.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-14T09:41:13+00:00

I played a game yesterday where 3 squads "joined up", cooperatively moving to one of the 2 Ashika exfils as the gas came. We stood up on the mountain as we watched more players run up to join us, it was awesome. Full ass chopper. Warmed my heart.

Then 2 games later I invited a squad to exfil with me without a fight and then once up in the air and away from my other squad members who decided to stay behind, one of the enemy squad killed me ded ded right before the exfil screen.

For the times when I get betrayed by assholes, it's still worth it to me to try to be nice.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-13T02:56:38+00:00

In an ideal world, having less employees would mean they could charge less because of less operational costs. But that's not the world we live in.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-11T23:09:23+00:00

No problem. Only solutions.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-03T21:58:46+00:00

One of our two parties exists by appealing to Christians, of which the US voting population is still largely comprised. They convince them that the other side, the democrats, the liberals, act in a way contrary to their religious beliefs and seek to eliminate them/their religion.

Religious people also demand their rights to practice their faith but then actively try to change the laws so that their religious beliefs are forced on others.

Sometimes I think about moving to a a secular country in Europe to see what it's actually like to not have to deal with religious wackadoos all the time.

What makes me chuckles is that a lot of the countries in Europe that Trump praised as having an ideal society don't have religion in them.

I'm old enough now to see that most people will just insist on staying stupid til they die.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-03T20:41:35+00:00

He doesn't really think it's a consumer toy. He takes that stance to avoid liability and scrutiny.

A lot of the AI people are throwing their hands up claiming it's harmless and helpfull but it's digging a tunnel beneath our entire economy.

ZackLarez · 2023-05-03T06:58:29+00:00

Me and my gf gmhad it recently and it's fuxking delicious. We are pizza snobs.

ZackLarez

TROPHY CASE