Foo - Horror of all horrors

I took some pictures on Saturday of a 2 year old. Her Mom really likes the pictures and has requested a black and white photo with the eyes left in color.:cry: I really dislike this effect and think it looks tacky and amateurish. How can I tell her this without offending her?

Just do it, she wants the picture not you.

Are they paying customers? if not, say that it is against your general principle as an artist. If they are paying then the customer is always right ;)

I have only used this effect once. it was fun doing it but it takes too much work:

http://tuxbailey.zenfolio.com/img/s9/v0/p69516858-4.jpg

Just do it, she wants the picture not you.

Well it is a pain in the butt to do it...

She is paying, but I don't want to end up on www.youarenotaphotographer.com

Here is the picture

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/Blade%20forums/Olivia.jpg

Can you show her photos with and without the eyes retouched? Maybe then she'll see that it's not a good idea.

It's not that hard to do, I just think it looks tacky.



I have only used this effect once. it was fun doing it but it takes too much work:

http://tuxbailey.zenfolio.com/img/s9/v0/p69516858-4.jpg

It's not that hard to do, I just think it looks tacky.


It is since it is overly used...

Maybe you can send her the tutorial so she can do it herself? You know the saying about teaching one to fish ... :)

Great picture!

Which lens?

Great picture!

Which lens?
I'll have to check, it's either the Canon 40mm f/2.8 or the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8.

She is paying, but I don't want to end up on www.youarenotaphotographer.com (http://www.youarenotaphotographer.com)



First time I learned about this site. The examples there are indeed horrible. But you got nothing to worry, I doubt your shots would ever end up there.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/Blade%20forums/Olivia_Ugh.jpg

I think it looks nice :)

not a fan.

but it's certainly no candidate for that website.

She was a handfull to work with, I think she needed a nap.


http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/Blade%20forums/258526_4461208808763_1162800858_o.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/Blade%20forums/217748_4461278050494_1691299707_n.jpg

not a fan.

I'm not, either. It makes her look like she's wearing blue contact lenses.

Some days you educate, some days you accommodate. Deliver the goods. I think it's hokey. Kinda like the "Two Poses in One" or the "Portrait with Giant Floating Head in the Clouds" from the 70s and 80s.

I Belive who cares what others think of the pics you take long as you like them .We all have different taste.Ps i do love all ya pics you are gifted

I took some pictures on Saturday of a 2 year old. Her Mom really likes the pictures and has requested a black and white photo with the eyes left in color.:cry: I really dislike this effect and think it looks tacky and amateurish. How can I tell her this without offending her?

Be honest. Tell her it looks tacky and amateurish.

Couch

Be honest. Tell her it looks tacky and amateurish.

Couch

I think she will like this one

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/couch2-1.jpg

It's not even the true color of her eyes. If you won't tell the client it's tacky, I will.

Be honest. Tell her it looks tacky and amateurish.

Couch

Rude!

It's not even the true color of her eyes. If you won't tell the client it's tacky, I will.
I know, that's a problem. The girl has gray/blue eyes. I had to saturate them just to get them to show up in color.

Just do it, she wants the picture not you.
No. One is know for their worst work, not their best.

Be honest with her, Chris. Tell her that you really dislike the effect and you have to uphold the standard of your work.

It's not even the true color of her eyes. If you won't tell the client it's tacky, I will.

If that is the case, why not choose red?

If that is the case, why not choose red?
I don't think red eyes would look very good:rolleyes:

No offense, but this isn't fine art it's a kid's portrait. If mom would like the eye color effect let her have it. If accommodating a mom offends your artistic sensibilities then you're too artistically sensitive. You aren't going to get famour or infamous from this picture.

I think she will like this one

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/couch2-1.jpg
Who wouldn't , especially if you leave the color for the eyes and make everything else black and white. And add the squirrel.

There isn't even much color in those eyes to begin with.

I took some pictures on Saturday of a 2 year old. Her Mom really likes the pictures and has requested a black and white photo with the eyes left in color.:cry: I really dislike this effect and think it looks tacky and amateurish. How can I tell her this without offending her?

You're right. The selling points for color though would be that in 10 years Mom will want to remember the color of her cheeks etc and that the flesh tones set off the girl's eyes in a way that black and white can't compare with. And as others have noted, the girls eyes are too close to grey to really pop out anyway. If her eyes were green it might work but not this girl's eyes.

Portraits are a strange thing. I took a course comparing motion pictures and still photography. One film we saw explored how portraits were done in rural eastern europe before world war II. They preferred heavily touched up portraits rather than the ones we think are more natural. There's no accounting for taste and changing preferences.

I'd deliver both; or deliver the color, try to sell her on it, explain your feelings and let her find someone else with Photoshop.

Looks f'ing weird to me...

I know, that's a problem. The girl has gray/blue eyes. I had to saturate them just to get them to show up in color.


There isn't even much color in those eyes to begin with.

Yep. Leave her eye color natural, convert the rest of the picture to black and white, and the whole picture will basically look black & white. :D Seriously though, that's an excellent photo in it's "normal" form.

You're right. The selling points for color though would be that in 10 years Mom will want to remember the color of her cheeks etc and that the flesh tones set off the girl's eyes in a way that black and white can't compare with. And as others have noted, the girls eyes are too close to grey to really pop out anyway. If her eyes were green it might work but not this girl's eyes.

Portraits are a strange thing. I took a course comparing motion pictures and still photography. One film we saw explored how portraits were done in rural eastern europe before world war II. They preferred heavily touched up portraits rather than the ones we think are more natural. There's no accounting for taste and changing preferences.

I'd deliver both; or deliver the color, try to sell her on it, explain your feelings and let her find someone else with Photoshop.

This. And just B&W. Then maybe then she'll realize her error.

No offense, but this isn't fine art it's a kid's portrait. If mom would like the eye color effect let her have it. If accommodating a mom offends your artistic sensibilities then you're too artistically sensitive. You aren't going to get famour or infamous from this picture.

Do you do anything artistic?

I wouldn't send that out and don't even claim to be a photographer. I don't show people a lot of my drawings because they don't live up to what I want the public to see as 'my work'. I turn down residential work all the time because I know the client wants something cheap and I don't want any connection. All it takes in a design related industry is for one person to link you with a piece of bad work, and your name is down the pipes. A lot of work comes from word of mouth. A lot of work is lost from word of mouth.

I think it looks nice :)

as nice as a 'children of the corn' can look.
http://www.eddecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/children-of-the-corn.jpg

Do you do anything artistic?

Worked as a photographer for a daily newspaper for a few years back when I got out of J-school. Also shot freelance for several monthly publications and some non profit orgs. Editors and other clients payed me, so they got what they asked for. At times I'd offer an alternative. They didnt' always go with what I liked.

My impression from Chris' post is that this wasn't going to be published or widely disseminated. If it's goign in some Mom's scrapbook seems like no harm in giving her something she wants.

If it's a paying client, she should get what she wants or not pay.

Rude!

How is that being rude? When did honesty become such a bad thing? I value chris...'s honest opinions.

El Coucho

I Googled bad portraits and got this:

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqhsCkgS2tqDHXN7nmKrpemzSAdVvRMhZeWVVuaOFiHbY5ZC-A

The photographer didn't feel much like Ansel Adams that day. However, he did get a paycheck.

Yep. Leave her eye color natural, convert the rest of the picture to black and white, and the whole picture will basically look black & white. :D Seriously though, that's an excellent photo in it's "normal" form.

That's my thought. The eye color won't even be noticeable. Then sell her the original color which is far superior anyway. Black and white works for some things, but the rose-y cheeks here are the key point of this picture to me. It's not like it's some timeless thing, this is about capturing a specific moment in the girl's life and color does it so much better - for this picture.

http://youarenotaphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/b2feF.png

I don't think red eyes would look very good:rolleyes:

Not a fan of the demonic look?

I Googled bad portraits and got this:

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqhsCkgS2tqDHXN7nmKrpemzSAdVvRMhZeWVVuaOFiHbY5ZC-A

The photographer didn't feel much like Ansel Adams that day. However, he did get a paycheck.

I betcha that guy wears flip flops. Guys shouldn't wear flip flops.

Couch

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/Blade%20forums/217748_4461278050494_1691299707_n.jpg

The close ups are nice but this shot is just a little off...

I Googled bad portraits and got this:

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqhsCkgS2tqDHXN7nmKrpemzSAdVvRMhZeWVVuaOFiHbY5ZC-A

The photographer didn't feel much like Ansel Adams that day. However, he did get a paycheck.
He got paid that time. I wonder how many of that kid's friends' parents went to a different photographer for their children's senior portraits?

Do exactly what the client wants. Leave the kid's eyes their normal color. Grayscale everything else, then use "Variations", hit the background/gray portion of the image with one click of blue/cyan (the client will never notice). Show them the image, they'll realize the kid's eyes don't stick out and will ask for the color version.

He got paid that time. I wonder how many of that kid's friends' parents went to a different photographer for their children's senior portraits?

Have you seen high school yearbooks lately? They are full of bad portraits. The kid probably wanted to pose like that. With that haircut, I'm guessing he's a jock who wanted to show off his chest.

He probably bought a bunch of wallet-sized photos of that print so he could hand them out to the cheerleaders.

An office mate shows up at work with a Kate Gosslin haircut but likes it. Brags to anyone that will listen where she had it done. You need a haircut. Do you stick with your regular stylist or try where your office mate went?

One is known for their worst work, not their best.

just make sure your watermark isn't on it....

I know, that's a problem. The girl has gray/blue eyes. I had to saturate them just to get them to show up in color.

Tell the mom that her eye color does not work well with the effect. Don't saturate them. When I take photos of my kiddos, I want photos of my kiddos. I don't want to change the color of their eyes & hair to suit an effect.