Photography site-

[imacwalker]

Hello blokes, in no way am I promoting my business (if you could even call it that) just wanted some of your views on my site-


http://chriswalker.co.uk/

feel free to drop me some comments-

[jeyre60152]

Some really good pics........Do you photoshop or are they all 'natural'?

[Juvecu]

I had a quick look, took me a moment of confusion to figure out I need to click the WALKER logo to get the menu. You could make it pop out after 5 seconds by itself to make it more obvious if that bothers you. Scratched round in your blog, the pic of the woman in white immediately got my attention so I clicked it. I was a bit surprised the next page was so blank, only the pic. You might want to see if you can make it look like the rest of the site. Maybe put them on a similar background, centred, with the description and other related blog text showing. Could also add the option to go to the next or previous blog entry. The contact page could use a phone number or indication of how quick you intend to respond to any messages.

Hope that all makes sense and that it was what you wanted.

[imacwalker]

the zoo based stuff and a couple of the portraits are shopped a bit - as are a few of the automotive ones, minor tweaks, like removing some background blemishes,

the mazda 3 on gravel is the most shopped on the site,

to the left there was buildings right there was groups of people hanging around getting in the way -

but a lot of it is natural from the camera.

I know what you mean about the woman in white-
sadly I'm not entirely sure how to tie my tumblr into the site more "fulfillingly" it is a little clunky - but something to work on I guess. thanks for the responses

[Piglumps]

I like this a lot - very arty, nice to see the Strom in there too....

[macvisual]

Hi Chris,

Glad you've a photo site up & running. I used to have my own landscape fine art black n' white fine art prints (self taught web design) yonks ago in another life etc....no longer going due to upheavals in my life.

When you first go to your homepage it's unsure of what to do next? Like a guessing game of how to get into your site, maybe not good as this could put a lot of people off right away, you need to make it easy for folk. Lovely photo's you have, nice! Which Canon model do you shoot with and which lenses do you shoot with?

Check out Samyang range of Canon fit manual focus lenses, cheap as chips and excellent quality, check out a few of my snaps below;

Samyang 14mm f/2.8


Samyang 14mm f/2.8


Canon EF70-200 f/2.8 (non IS)


Canon EF70-200 f/2.8 (non IS)


Canon EF70-200 f/2.8 (non IS)


Canon EF35-105 f/3.5 (Knockhill)


I'm a keen amateur photographer.

Regards;
Peter

[imacwalker]

Hi there Peter,

thanks for the heads up on the Samyang lens's I have had a look at them before, don't often really have much money to spend of camera gear, so its all ultra low end- lens's.

currently lens bag is:
nifty 1.8 (need to get the 1.4)
28-135 is usm (always on the body)
tameron 70-300
and kit 18-55 is surprisingly useful

camera body- is just a 550d, though I have delusions of grandure to invest in a 60d or 7d.
since my bloody hands don't fit in the smaller body 550d,

shopping lists include

70-200 L 2.8 non is (is would be a dream)
the 50- 1.4
7d/60d or an older 5d mk2

as for the menu system on the site, its something I'm going to have to look into- perhaps an auto open after an elapsed amount of time - something for working on

[Gassoon]

Nice photos Ian and macvisual - I remember vividly the Mazda on shingle photo you posted up a while ago now, stuck in my mind - top quality, stunning!

As always it reminds me that I personally am several 'layers' of amateur away from taking that sort of photo! But makes me want to try again! Cheers!

Love the bike and bridesmaid photos of yours macv

[bencav]

I too got lost at the first page, but all is forgiven....There is a strom picture in there, so its a 5Star site!!!

Love some of the quirky Automotive pics, esp the one of the bridge taken from the back seats. Meatloaf Paradise by the Dashboard lights sprung to my mind instantly!!

[macvisual]

imacwalker;

The photo's on our personal website, they're for your own viewing pleasure along with others, but are they going to be for sale via your photographic website eventually?

Just curious...

[imacwalker]

no intentions to sell them-
its intended more as a portfolio for potential to be hired/take on new projects.

I have a few video projects to put up there- too, in good time-

[Sea-Strom]

Hi Chris,
              Some nice images (I like your automotive work best). From your 'sort of business' comment I imagine you are in the transition phase between amateur and starting to look for photo markets, This is a route many, many people go after they get a few hundred images under their belt and acquire some tasty equipment. I spent about 5 years as a keen amateur in my late twenties and then  spent the next 30 years in the 'pro' arena - high street studio, weddings portraits, model portfolios,CD covers, magazine commisions etc. My early years were with film and the last 10' digital, including many many hours air brushing ladies' faces! I am now retired. The competition out there is fierce and the standard of photography, even from many amateurs is often fantastic. The old advice of going to work for a top London studio/agency as a junior and then after learning the trade, branch out on your own is still partly true. However an intelligent web presence is now almost as valuable. One thing I will point out is that my most enjoyable images were probably made before I turned pro. The competitive world will hit hard - make sure you want dog eat dog and if you are OK with that then.....go for it. Too many amateurs give up their day job and think going pro is all they need to do. Very few make it because photography is such a pleasant activity and so many want to be 'photographers' rather than do 'ordinary' jobs. My best advice is to 'study' with a specialist (wedding, advertising, medical.... whatever) - you will learn so much so quickly. Study the best online images and find out how they did them and aspire to these standards. Study with those who 'know how to make cash from their camera' - there are many who give advice but earn very little. Having said this many amateurs never seek to sell their photographs and yet produce work of staggereing quality. Commercial photography is not always the best but it connects with a market and that is the crux of professionalism. I wish you all the best and even if you do not decide to go down the business route....enjoy.

[Sea-Strom]

Samyang 14mm f/2.8

I like that pic a lot - nice use of thirds and the pleasantly lit masonry is balanced well by the large area of sky. The 'distortion' adds to the impact of the composition.  Would work well with copy (text) dropped into the top right but stands up equally just as it is.

[macvisual]

Thanks Sea-Strom;

Yes the Samyang 14mm wide angle on a full frame is very wide but good fun.

Here's a shot from earlier today using the Samyang 35mm lens;




Water droplets on flowers.

[mr_mal]

Hi Chris,
              Some nice images (I like your automotive work best). From your 'sort of business' comment I imagine you are in the transition phase between amateur and starting to look for photo markets, This is a route many, many people go after they get a few hundred images under their belt and acquire some tasty equipment. I spent about 5 years as a keen amateur in my late twenties and then  spent the next 30 years in the 'pro' arena - high street studio, weddings portraits, model portfolios,CD covers, magazine commisions etc. My early years were with film and the last 10' digital, including many many hours air brushing ladies' faces! I am now retired. The competition out there is fierce and the standard of photography, even from many amateurs is often fantastic. The old advice of going to work for a top London studio/agency as a junior and then after learning the trade, branch out on your own is still partly true. However an intelligent web presence is now almost as valuable. One thing I will point out is that my most enjoyable images were probably made before I turned pro. The competitive world will hit hard - make sure you want dog eat dog and if you are OK with that then.....go for it. Too many amateurs give up their day job and think going pro is all they need to do. Very few make it because photography is such a pleasant activity and so many want to be 'photographers' rather than do 'ordinary' jobs. My best advice is to 'study' with a specialist (wedding, advertising, medical.... whatever) - you will learn so much so quickly. Study the best online images and find out how they did them and aspire to these standards. Study with those who 'know how to make cash from their camera' - there are many who give advice but earn very little. Having said this many amateurs never seek to sell their photographs and yet produce work of staggereing quality. Commercial photography is not always the best but it connects with a market and that is the crux of professionalism. I wish you all the best and even if you do not decide to go down the business route....enjoy.

Some wise advice from Sea Strom there Chris.  

I have a side-line of photography, but in all honesty I wouldn't want to do it as my full time day job.  Like many things, when you 'have' to do something to earn money (rather than for enjoyment or altruistic purposes) it changes things.  I've noticed that I am more loathed to shoot for fun nowadays (which is sad and partly due to my heavy camera equipment!) but I leave it until I am doing a job for someone else - but that's just me I guess.

My advice would be that if you want to get into photography as a business, then you specialise in something, rather than simply being a jack of all trades.  I like shooting people, and do a fair bit for overseas children's charities, so that's my focus (no pun intended!)

Anyway, good luck, and if you want to see the sort of thing I do then check out http://www.malhoward.com

Mal

[imacwalker]

Thanks for all the advice,
I'm needing to get out there, want to try some stuff with the bike & me , - with me taking photos, could be challenging but ill let you know of the result.

[Dr.Gonzo]

If you're at all interested, I use Lightroom to dispaly images on my site - http://www.duncanmoore.myzen.co.uk/Lightbox/The%20wheel%20world.htm

[SimonW]

If you're at all interested, I use Lightroom to dispaly images on my site - http://www.duncanmoore.myzen.co.uk/Lightbox/The%20wheel%20world.htm

+1 for Lightroom - brilliant application. If you're interested in how it came about check out the early podcasts.