tPF members bags as art!

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#271
Great idea to put a book together but here are some pros and cons:

Pros - You CAN print books really inexpensively. Most pro and consumer photo labs now offer thin Coffee Table Style Press Books that are around $20-$30 for 20 pages. If the book was printed through a pro lab there would be discounts for multiple quantities.

Cons - Good photography is ALL about lighting and composition. Vernilover's photos are exceptional. Then there are a few on the next tier down from that. Then come all the other pics with direct flash on camera, or blazing sunlight, or not enough light, or purses on chairs, tables, beds, etc. The "styles" of photography don't match at all, and a bad photo would look even worse if placed on a page next to one of Vernilover's pics. You can't take a pro photographers pics and put them next to an amateur's pics. It just doesn't work visually or aesthetically.

Aside from the actual photography, there is also "styling" that is done on any major photo shoot....which is missing from most of these shots.

I make these observations as a pro photographer who has been shooting professionally for over 30 years. I design over 50 "storybook" wedding albums per year as well and I sometimes can't even use my own photos, next to each other, cause they don't "mesh" together on a page. I can't even imagine trying to bring together all these different levels of photography, bags, looks, composition, lighting, etc., into one book, and trying to make it look cohesive. I don't think the end result would look that good.

This is why Vernilover's "Picture Books" of her collections are so loved and appreciated. She has an unbelievable handbag collection, takes awesome, interesting photos with great composition AND lighting and has a "style" that everyone recognizes. Her photos actually tell a story.

I vote for a book of ALL of Vernilover's bags! That would be a treat!
 
#272
^^^Thanks for your input. This book wouldn't be for the pro photogs. It would be for the people on this forum who love purses and love to take amateur photos of them, styled or not. It would celebrate the joy of a purchase or the story a staged or accidental pic might tell. Check out stuffonmycat.com–a publisher put out a book (and related items) based on photos from their website. Most done by amateurs and it's a wonderful, wacky and warm book. As much as I like Vernilovers pics, I would like a book full of variety of vision and varying picture quality as opposed to one photog only. JMO as a designer.
 
#276
photomj - Obviously, because you are a professional photographer, you do have valid points. Of course most of the shots are going to look amature - they are taken by amature photographers!!

I dont agree with what you are saying though. This idea is not a book to sell for the general public, it was an idea for TPF members only. Like what Patchwork Cat has said, its for lovers of bags - not lovers of brilliant professional photography.

I also think some of your comments were quite rude and felt like you were putting down alot of the members who posted their pics on here. :s
 
#277
I love vernilover pictures they are amazing, but I also adore Jane's picture of her Bottega and the cupcake and so many others. I have purchased professional books on handbags and to be honest they may have clear and sharp pictures but they are boring and remind me more of a catalog. The pictures I've seen here far surpass it and yes when I suggested a book, it was meant for us the TPF members who would oooh and awe over them equally. If we went forward I'm sure we all realize that not every picture could make it in, but there are so many here are that I personally think should be.
 
#278
m1nime said:
photomj - Obviously, because you are a professional photographer, you do have valid points. Of course most of the shots are going to look amature - they are taken by amature photographers!!

I dont agree with what you are saying though. This idea is not a book to sell for the general public, it was an idea for TPF members only. Like what Patchwork Cat has said, its for lovers of bags - not lovers of brilliant professional photography.

I also think some of your comments were quite rude and felt like you were putting down alot of the members who posted their pics on here. :s
Click to expand...

m1nime - Obviously I am entitled to expressing my opinion in this thread, just like everyone else (including you.) I also don't care if people agree with me or not. It doesn't have to be about "brilliant" photography. Who would want to "publish" anything of sub quality work? Seriously, imagine walking into a bookstore and seeing a book of handbags from tpf members....you pick it up and go "Wow! I want to buy this!" Then you see sub quality photos, blurry photos, dark photos, out of focus photos, photos of purses sitting on beds with floral bedcovers, etc., the book would be a joke. No one is going to buy anything that doesn't hold up to any sort of general publishing standards.

Even if the book was limited for purchase to tpf members...why would anyone pay for a product that wasn't up to any sort of "professional standard?"

I wasn't putting anyone down and I was not rude at all. I'm simply pointing out the facts. I know that everyone wants to think of themselves as a professional photographer but unfortunately they aren't. We see this everyday in our line of work. Some people even "accept" sub quality photos for their wedding photos by hiring people who are not qualified to do the job. Is it their right to do so? Absolutely. Will the end product look good? Absolutely not.

I'll stick to my guns. Photography is an "art" form. There are those people who are good at it and those who aren't. Images shot on a cell phone or point and shoot camera are in no way as good as a pro's photo. It goes beyond the photo....composition, lighting, etc., all take a part in creating a good photo.

Is it fun to see all the member's images of their handbags? Of course it is. Everyone shares the same passion and love, which is what makes it fun. The forum is a good place for it. Publishing those images? That's another story altogether!
 
#279
patchworkcat said:
^^^Thanks for your input. This book wouldn't be for the pro photogs. It would be for the people on this forum who love purses and love to take amateur photos of them, styled or not. It would celebrate the joy of a purchase or the story a staged or accidental pic might tell. Check out stuffonmycat.com–a publisher put out a book (and related items) based on photos from their website. Most done by amateurs and it's a wonderful, wacky and warm book. As much as I like Vernilovers pics, I would like a book full of variety of vision and varying picture quality as opposed to one photog only. JMO as a designer.
Click to expand...

I just went to this site...very funny! The captions are actually funnier than the photos!

This has already been done though...i.e., the "Bad Cat" or "Bad Dog" books, calendars, etc.

Animals bring something else to the mix though....
 
#280
photomj said:
m1nime - Obviously I am entitled to expressing my opinion in this thread, just like everyone else (including you.) I also don't care if people agree with me or not. It doesn't have to be about "brilliant" photography. Who would want to "publish" anything of sub quality work? Seriously, imagine walking into a bookstore and seeing a book of handbags from tpf members....you pick it up and go "Wow! I want to buy this!" Then you see sub quality photos, blurry photos, dark photos, out of focus photos, photos of purses sitting on beds with floral bedcovers, etc., the book would be a joke. No one is going to buy anything that doesn't hold up to any sort of general publishing standards.

Even if the book was limited for purchase to tpf members...why would anyone pay for a product that wasn't up to any sort of "professional standard?"

I wasn't putting anyone down and I was not rude at all. I'm simply pointing out the facts. I know that everyone wants to think of themselves as a professional photographer but unfortunately they aren't. We see this everyday in our line of work. Some people even "accept" sub quality photos for their wedding photos by hiring people who are not qualified to do the job. Is it their right to do so? Absolutely. Will the end product look good? Absolutely not.

I'll stick to my guns. Photography is an "art" form. There are those people who are good at it and those who aren't. Images shot on a cell phone or point and shoot camera are in no way as good as a pro's photo. It goes beyond the photo....composition, lighting, etc., all take a part in creating a good photo.

Is it fun to see all the member's images of their handbags? Of course it is. Everyone shares the same passion and love, which is what makes it fun. The forum is a good place for it. Publishing those images? That's another story altogether!
Click to expand...

Wow. Well, I wasn't going to say anything...but to be quite honest, your comments almost made me laugh. Seriously..if you can't see the fact that your comments were rude to many (if not all) of the posters/contributors in this thread, then I think you have some serious issues.

For the record, no one here thinks they are professional photographers; I don't know where you got that idea. People just though it would be nice to put together a book of some of the photos on here, to have on their coffee table or something (so they wouldn't have to go online and log on to PF and scroll through dozens of posts here to see all the pictures). The book would be available only to tPF members (as my understanding), just so we can appreciate various artistic-looking pictures of our bags. That is all.

You see to be very dead-set about proving to all of us that most of the photos here are sub-par and that a book of all our pictures would be "a joke." I am really confused by that. I really don't see the need for it, because like I said before, none of us ever claimed to be pros. I understand that everyone has the right to express their opinion on here, but I really didn't understand what your point was, other than to make some of us here feel bad. :shrugs:
 
#281
IMO, the digital cameras that are easily accessible to us "amateurs" now level the playing field with the pros. In fact, my photos, taken with a point and shoot digital camera, have been published in books worldwide! One such pick was even in the NY Times!
 
#282
photomj said:
m1nime - Obviously I am entitled to expressing my opinion in this thread, just like everyone else (including you.) I also don't care if people agree with me or not. It doesn't have to be about "brilliant" photography. Who would want to "publish" anything of sub quality work? Seriously, imagine walking into a bookstore and seeing a book of handbags from tpf members....you pick it up and go "Wow! I want to buy this!" Then you see sub quality photos, blurry photos, dark photos, out of focus photos, photos of purses sitting on beds with floral bedcovers, etc., the book would be a joke. No one is going to buy anything that doesn't hold up to any sort of general publishing standards.

Even if the book was limited for purchase to tpf members...why would anyone pay for a product that wasn't up to any sort of "professional standard?"

I wasn't putting anyone down and I was not rude at all. I'm simply pointing out the facts. I know that everyone wants to think of themselves as a professional photographer but unfortunately they aren't. We see this everyday in our line of work. Some people even "accept" sub quality photos for their wedding photos by hiring people who are not qualified to do the job. Is it their right to do so? Absolutely. Will the end product look good? Absolutely not.

I'll stick to my guns. Photography is an "art" form. There are those people who are good at it and those who aren't. Images shot on a cell phone or point and shoot camera are in no way as good as a pro's photo. It goes beyond the photo....composition, lighting, etc., all take a part in creating a good photo.

Is it fun to see all the member's images of their handbags? Of course it is. Everyone shares the same passion and love, which is what makes it fun. The forum is a good place for it. Publishing those images? That's another story altogether!
Click to expand...

I agree with m1nime and sweetneet that there are some rude undertones in both your long posts.
I don't think that any of us ever claimed to be either an artist or a pro photographer. And suggesting that we do think that way (see above post) and claiming that the photos are sub quality imply that we do overvalue our photography capacity.

I for myself just post the pics because I liked them and thought maybe others also have fun looking at them. I didn't mean to imply that I am a photography artist as I am not, but a physician. I think most other posters had the same thing in mind when posting their pics.

I also don't think that there is a need to discuss whether a tpf "art" book would ever be published or not. If there is, fine, if I like the pics I would buy one. If I don't like those pics or prefer professional art books, I won't buy it but get something else. You should do so, too. I personally think there are some awesome pics in this thread and I like following this thread. If one is not very skilled with the camera yet, he/she might even get some good ideas to try out. Just leave it at that. This should be fun and people should not be ashamed to post their pics. Maybe we will miss some great pics that way. :yes:
 
#285
patchworkcat said:
IMO, the digital cameras that are easily accessible to us "amateurs" now level the playing field with the pros. In fact, my photos, taken with a point and shoot digital camera, have been published in books worldwide! One such pick was even in the NY Times!
Click to expand...

Oh Lordie! Please! This is another topic altogether! No, sorry, amateur digital cameras do NOT "level the playing field" at all!

It's not about the cameras at all....Our lenses cost more than most handbags do! Our zoom lenses cost $1,700 each!
 
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