Two things I have noticed....

[NicoleScraps]

about me lately that lets me know that I may or may not be taking photography a little bit seriously.
1. I was sitting in the waiting room of a Dr office yesterday for over an hour looking at magazines. I did not read one single article, but instead I looked at all of the photos in the ads thinking about how the photographers took them and gathering inspirational ideas in my head.

2. I got my kids spring photos back today that were taken at school. I refuse to buy any!!. They are absolutely horrible and I know for a fact that I can do much much better. These are the spring photos where they have a fake scene set up, not the mug shots photos that go in the yearbook. I always buy those no matter how bad they are, just because I feel like I need to.

Yeah

[Jim Bryant]

Depressing to know you can take better pictures. Got to market oneself.

[NicoleScraps]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Depressing to know you can take better pictures. Got to market oneself.

Yeah, I have considered approaching schools to do photos but I don't think I am very much interested in that. I know I could do better as far as quality, but I could never beat the prices that those school photography companies offer. They usually give half back to the school so I'd only make around $7 per package sold. Seems sort of walmartish....and the schools don't want to change things because they make so much money off of the deal.

[scootermcq]

I know what you mean.... I have found myself checking out page 3 and looking at lighting and composition before I realize it is a picture of an attractive young lady. It might be time to hang up the camera.

[candidrachel]

I so know what you mean about the school photos! I always end up buying them just so that I can look back in years to come and say "well this is year 1 with Chloe's pony tail all skewiff" "Here's Dominic in year 2 crying his eyes out (yes that really did happen ) and now he wears glasses and they have no clue how to deal with that and sometimes they lower his glasses so he looks like he's peering over the top of them.

[RLucas]

It's the same old song and dance for me I'm afraid. Too much time reading, and no shoot time. Just like it was with my music. At least I'm still immersed in it.

[nickbedford]

This would be about the time to turn this thread into a "You know you're a photographer when..."

• When watching films, I think about where the camera is, the lighting, what gels and/or diffusers they used.
• When I see a gorgeous girl walking down the street I wonder how I might take a portrait. Lighting, composition etc
• When I see a sunset or sunrise, I wonder how I would be able to overcome the dynamic range of my camera and how I might process a raw to make it look stunning.

[DivotMaker]

Originally Posted by scootermcq

I know what you mean.... I have found myself checking out page 3 and looking at lighting and composition before I realize it is a picture of an attractive young lady. It might be time to hang up the camera.

+1

I was waiting for a haircut tonight and suddenly realized I was looking through InStyle and Glamour.(definitely not something I would have done in the past)...when I realized I hadn't SEEN a single sexy female...but had noticed the lighting and setup of every model...

{shakes head in disbelief}