"Can you take a good picture of them for me?"

ZoneV

ZoneV

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I was at quite a large wedding anniversary do the other evening with about 30-40 other guests, sat on opposite sides of a long table when out of the blue one of the ladies present thrust her camera (point & shoot) at me and said "get me a photo of them to frame... don't come back until you get a good one."

:lol:

Anyone had something similar?
 
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All the time.

I'm always asked to take pictures of people at dinners or 'events' with their wee compacts. "You do photography, you'll take a great pic for us, here" and they hand over a pink compact with zero controls of any kind, and expect a miracle in a dimly lit atmosphere. You then feel like you've failed because the photo isn't crystal clear, with no noise to speak of and hasn't removed their wrinkles! Though it'll still be the best image on their card end of the night
 
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Not quite in the same vein but I often get 'Can you take some photos of our kids like the ones you've got of yours?' from 'friends' on Farcebook. A quote via inbox usually results in no further comms, seemingly 'mates rates' translates as 'free' in the minds of some.
 
When someone asks me to do that I go into format memory card.
 
Spot on!

I don't know what they were expecting - for starters, the couple were just sat at the table, each talking to different people. :lol:

Anyway, I said I'd do my best and headed over. The first shot I left the camera as it was (auto mode), obvious disaster. The ISO it chose was so high the picture on the LCD looked like it was snowing lava. Cue sitting down for 5 mins to press a few buttons.... :lol:

After a couple more tries in "manual mode" (the only way I could find of controlling the ISO) with flash I gave-up, saying they were a bit too busy to be posing for photographs and perhaps they'd be better off trying a little later on..... when unfortunately I was propping up the bar (or was that the other way around? :D).
 
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I had the same at a wedding when a friend passed me an old canon DSLR (I shoot nikon and so have no idea of controlling a canon) with a kit lens and then they proceeded to stand in very strong, direct sunlight against a white wall. And we'd already had a few drinks.
 
On a Canon, the M is for Manual. ;)

I tend to get "Is this a decent camera?" or "How do I get my camera to take photo's like yours?" more than being asked to take the photo myself.

I did once get, "Here, you can do all that Photoshop stuff. Can you get a picture of me where I look nice?"
I'm not sure if they were implying my base photography skills weren't up to much, or if they were admitting that they were so ugly that they'd need retouching.
 
I've lost count of the amount of times I've been out shooting and had cameras trust at me, only for me to look like a right prat as stick any DSLR in my hands and I'm confident I can work it, a 50 quid PAS and I'm screwed not a clue
 
john_e said:
Not quite in the same vein but I often get 'Can you take some photos of our kids like the ones you've got of yours?' from 'friends' on Farcebook. A quote via inbox usually results in no further comms, seemingly 'mates rates' translates as 'free' in the minds of some.
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Sounds very familiar that one lol
 
I had similar at a wedding once when a guest randomly handed me their camera (I was the "official" photographer) and said "I will be back in a bit".
When they returned they casually asked if I had got some good shots.
Assuming they meant with own camera, I replied with "Yeah, a good few, bit weighed down with extra kit though"
They took their camera back looked on their card and said "There is nothing new on here".
I really didn't know how to respond......
 
I've had people ask me to take shots of them when I've been out and about . Strangely it was only when I had my slr hung around my neck , seems that it creates some strange kind of confidence in people and my abilities . Sadly I'm alittle bit like Matt , give me a p&s and I have no idea :S
 
Nights out: "Call yourself a photographer and you don't even know how to use a phone camera??"
 
BigJohn said:
I've had people ask me to take shots of them when I've been out and about . Strangely it was only when I had my slr hung around my neck , seems that it creates some strange kind of confidence in people and my abilities . Sadly I'm alittle bit like Matt , give me a p&s and I have no idea :S
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I can relate to that but outside on a nice day, it's sometimes easy - even with a P&S - to get a good, more interesting shot than a "eye-level-head-on-portrait-right-here" with just a little thought and direction. I quite enjoy doing that when it happens.

It's often as simple as "If we turn this way a little, we'll still see the <famous-thingy-me-bob-in-the-background> but the light will be better on your face. :thumbs:

If someone hands you a P&S in poor light expecting miracles though....
 
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PMN said:
"Don't come back until you get a good one".

They'd immediately get told where to stick their camera if they said that to me!
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To be fair, she probably had a different opinion of what constituted "a good one" to me, but I see your point. :)
 
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MWHCVT said:
I've lost count of the amount of times I've been out shooting and had cameras trust at me, only for me to look like a right prat as stick any DSLR in my hands and I'm confident I can work it, a 50 quid PAS and I'm screwed not a clue
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You point and shoot it.
 
Walk about with a DSLR around your neck and protruding like a third t*t from your chest and you are a qualified togger - no further questions asked. Walk about with a P&S flapping on your wrist and you are a wholly unqualified snapper!
 
PMN said:
"Don't come back until you get a good one".
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Alright then. Bye.

Woohoo, got myself a new camera!

Is usually followed by 'Miracles I can do, the impossible takes a little longer'
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I usually say, "What Photoshop stuff do you mean?"

"You know", they reply, waving their hands about as if they're solving an invisible Rubic's Cube. "Photoshop stuff. Like they do in magazines".
 
I always get asked when travelling. I don't mind and am usually happy to help. Usually they want a portrait, force the flash to fire for some fill and take the shot nice and tight and they're always delighted. The controls on most point and shoots are very similar so it doesn't take long. Once I've taken the shot for them I card them telling them if they want some landscapes of wherever we happen to be to have a look. I've sold plenty of prints off the back of helping out, and in the process given them a nice portrait. Everyone's happy.
 
A simple "NO" usually suffices.

I get it fairly often on holiday and generally oblige - after all, it usually only takes a second or 2 tograb a 1/2 decent snap and a quick glance at the rear screen usually shows enough WRT exposure to tell if it's useable. I don't thing anyone expects perfection from their P&S even from someone they see as a good photographer (after all, that person [you] have a good camera so must be a good photographer!) so "good enough" will be good enough! I have thought about getting a T-shirt printed to read "Have your photo taken with your camera - &#8364;2=" but CBA!!!
 
justinminns said:
Hang on, I thought everyone was always saying it's not the camera, it's the person behind it that makes a good picture?
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On the whole, I'd say that's correct but there are exceptions depending on what you're trying to shoot and the conditions you're shooting in.

The trouble is, many people think that just because you're interested in photography, you can take a frame-worthy picture of an unprepared subject across a table in very poor light with their P&S at the drop of a hat.

Like handing a mechanic dinner guest a Swiss Army knife and pointing him at your broken-down car. :D
 
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ZoneV said:
I was at quite a large wedding anniversary do the other evening with about 30-40 other guests, sat on opposite sides of a long table when out of the blue one of the ladies present thrust her camera (point & shoot) at me and said "get me a photo of them to frame... don't come back until you get a good one."

:lol:

Anyone had something similar?
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Yes. I say, "No.. it will be no better than if you do it yourself".
 
I thought the whole point of being a photographer was being able to create a photograph. I'm no David Bailey, but when someone asks me to take a picture with their P&S, if I can't get a better picture than they can it's time for me to give up :help:.

I might have minimal control over the camera, but I have more control over light (by positioning them) of the background and of their pose. If I then frame a decent shot - surely that's better than they would have done?

And the only time I'm not happy to do this with a smile is if I'm extremely busy (when I would politely decline and explain), it might just be a Northern thing, but why wouldn't you be nice to a stranger?

If someone does this and plonks themselves in crap light we can politely invite them to move somewhere more suitable (to get a good picture).

At a mates house over Christmas, one of the guests needed a headshot for a social networking site, someone gave me an iphone and said 'you're a photographer'. I took the subject to the landing, the only place in the house with a clean background and clear(ish) light, posed her and rattled off 5 frames. It's the 'best photo she ever had taken'! Seriously, it's garbage, noisy and all the other things you expect from a phone pic in lousy conditions. But no-one else in the house would have done got a shot anywhere near as good - because, apparently 'I'm a photographer';).
 
All good points, Phil. :thumbs:

Often it is possible to take a decent impromptu shot with a little thought - I enjoy doing that too. Unforunately it's not always possible, though.
 
I don't have a problem with it, it comes up quite often.
I just take as good a picture as I can without spending too long faffing around trying to work out they controls. Then take another shot with my own camera, show them on the lcd and give them a card.
 
bass_junkie83 said:
I don't have a problem with it, it comes up quite often.
I just take as good a picture as I can without spending too long faffing around trying to work out they controls. Then take another shot with my own camera, show them on the lcd and give them a card.
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Ah, I was there as a camera-less guest and had just finished eating. I know the lady well and with hindsight, I think she sensed I was about to head for a return visit to the buffet tables and chose her moment to pounce! Still, I managed to get a couple for her that she was pleased with and they were the best I could do with what I had and without inconveniencing the couple too much. Didn't get any bbq sauce on the lady's camera either which she was quite pleased about. :)
 
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I was at a wedding last weekend and the bride said she wanted a photo of all the kids there looking at the camera and looking good. There was about 20 kids from around 1 to 7 and they were all running around like mad. My reply went along the lines of "Hell, I'm a photographer, not a bloody miracle worker." I got a couple of shots of all of them and there was only 1 looking the wrong way entirely and a couple not looking at the camera, which wasn't too bad. After the second shot clicked they were off like rockets again.
 
ZoneV said:
I was at quite a large wedding anniversary do the other evening with about 30-40 other guests, sat on opposite sides of a long table when out of the blue one of the ladies present thrust her camera (point & shoot) at me and said "get me a photo of them to frame... don't come back until you get a good one."

:lol:

Anyone had something similar?
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I suppose it makes a nice change from "ooh that's a nice camera - I bet it takes nice photos" ;)
 
The answer to the original question should be:

"well if I can get a decent picture of them, then I will definitely be buying a lottery ticket tomorrow!";)

:D
 
PMN said:
"Don't come back until you get a good one".

They'd immediately get told where to stick their camera if they said that to me!
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Charmer.
 
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