I had some work in Kent a couple of weeks ago, and got to visit my lovely housemates from when we lived in Oxford, who have a great new place together in the area so I got to stay with them. We went out in the gorgeous town of Canterbury for drinks and a fab meal in this great mexican restaurant, tortillas, wraps, dips, crispy duck, Mojito's, great conversation and lots of laughing - so good to catch up with friends :-) My day in Maidstone was really enjoyable, working at Mark G's studio with three photographers throughout the day; firstly Peter Taylor...
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The last one is nice!
ReplyDeleteYou've got to be kidding.........
ReplyDeleteI love your work. I'm just not impressed with the last two. I try to be honest. 99% of your photos are excellent, so don't mind me. I know you are a real talent!
ReplyDeleteyou make it look so easy. the way you point your toes, you seem to float...
ReplyDeleteOkay Mr Pope... thanks again for your thoughts, it's fine if some images are not to your taste, that happens to us all, but I guess I'd rather we focussed on the positives here, as like I said before I don't put images up on my blog for people to critique the photographers - as they have kindly given me permission to use them here and share them with others. I obviously don't expect everyone to like everything, who does? That goes without saying, but I think it's a little rude to state something is 'poor' just because it's not what you would have done. That's why I deleted your first post, sorry, but I thought it was unneeded to write like that.
ReplyDeleteThank you Candace darling :-) x
At the risk of being too wordy, I must state my reason for including negative opinions in my comments.
ReplyDeleteI see way too often excellent models, as yourself, give 100% of their time and talent to photographers only to get less than 100% from the photographers in return. I know you are usually being paid for your work but I don't believe that is justification to give the model second rate photos in a business where cooperation is so important. There is an obvious imbalance in this business. Okay, there, I got it off my chest.
Keep up the fine work.
I will limit my future comments to positive attributes out of respect to you.
Wordy... I'll give you wordy :-) It won't let me find your direct email else I would just message you directly.
ReplyDeleteI know you are trying to be complementary to me, and I DO thank you for your comments on my modelling work, I'm not trying to be ungrateful but I am passionate about expression, and your attitude and statements on how you think photographers should be, actually really offend me.
'Inbalance in this business'? - I don't understand what you mean by this at all? People come from all levels of photography, all have different budgets, experience, skills, aims, styles... How can everyone be awesome to one individual? What is 'second rate' to you may be other people's aspiration and a proud photographers achievement.
The sheer expanse of variation and style in how people capture the world through photography is what makes it such an interesting and amazing art medium.
A huge amount of people book me to improve their photography - whether they are complete beginners, hobbyiests or professionals working on new genres; to learn, experiment, make mistakes, gain confidence... they want me to be part of helping them achieve something. If I didnt get people like that booking me, I wouldn't be able to do this as a job - full stop. There would have been NO Ivory Flame and no blog here right now - FACT. So I'm very appreciative of all work I get as it means I can afford to carry on doing this a bit longer and I'm really grateful they want to photograph me for their work.
So for you to come along and say that just because a picture isn't to your liking, it means the photographer wasn't giving 100% of what the model deserves in return for her 'time and talent' and that the photographer wasn't 'co-operating' properly, and that paying the model is no reason for producing what are, in you're opinion, bad images? Sorry but that makes me very angry.
1. Give people a bloody chance! They may have well have been giving their '100%'! How on earth are people meant to progress, to gain confidence and improve their work if people had your attitude?
2. Like I said before - it's impossible to please everyone, as taste and standards of what is good/bad are entirely personal. And besides not EVERYONE is aiming at ground breaking, award winning, mind blowing photographs - some people are happy with just creating nice simple images - and that is just fine.
3. Just because you may class me as an 'excellent' model (thanks very much) doesn't mean people owe it to me to produce ONLY extremely flattering and perfect 'first class' images. They are paying me and really they can do whatever that want. I don't deserve anything more or better than anyone else, other than to be treated professionally. My job is to do what is required and bring the best out of the photographer, and the best out of myself to give them the images they want. The degree of collaboration varies from me just 'performing' as such for the camera, to being specifically posed for a certain shot, and all the equal input inbetween. There is nothing wrong with any of those ways of working.
You're basically saying if someone is a lower level, in your opinion; they shouldn't be allowed to be making art.. or at least, what?, only with inexperienced models in a studio down a back alley for the pictures to never see the light of day?
And that to me, excuse my english, is a load of bollocks.
Feel free to discuss further my email is holly@ivoryflame.co.uk.
Such language from a lady. I'm shocked. :~)
ReplyDeleteI understand your defense of the photogs with whom you work. It is perfectly logical for you to do so. I was not referring to your friends. I was referring to a wider spectrum in the business who do not share the credit or give the exposure to their "partners," the models. Such as, photographers using pictures and not crediting the model in the photo. No link or name. This is just an example of another abuse. Shame on them.
I just call 'em as I see 'em.
I didn't expect to get such a strong reaction out of you. I feel that it's better I say these things so that you and your peers need not. Maybe the business will clean up its act a little bit.
I'm sorry I got on your bad side. I'm still a very impressed fan of your work......and your hard head.
You can throw stones at me at: givemebeaches@gmail.com from my profile link.
Funny, it didn't seem like you were referring to any of that being as you didn't mention any of that in your earlier posts.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel any need to 'throw stones', and it's a shame if you think I have.
If there is a stong opinion given to me I just sometimes have a strong opinion back, and will defend things if I think someone is being unfair, or narrow-minded.
I still don't quite get some of your ways of thinking, but anyway...
Best wishes,
Holly
Yes, I did change the subject a bit. It wasn't fair to throw you a curve ball in our fight to the death.(teasing) My comment about throwing stones was purely in jest. I was trying to lighten the moment. I am one who can argue a point without turning it into a fight, keeping it a meaningful exchange.
ReplyDeleteBe well. I'll be tuning in.
PS I'm always right! haha
:-) Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to get involved in the 'discussion' above ... though I do have an opinion ... just wanted to say ... after seeing the seated shot of you (red chair) by Peter Taylor - one has to wonder why anyone would ever want to photograph you in black and white (and, trust me, I LOVE black and white photography) ... Ralph Hattersley was always touting finding the 'essence' of your subject ... well, Mr. Taylor certainly found the essence of "the redhead". Very nice work.
ReplyDeleteI'll leave now.
... from Across the Pond.