Man, there are some raw opinions out there, might as well ad my $0.02.
For starters (and this has been said), first and foremost Sergio is running a business. His business is built on his photographic style, and clients pay him to shoot their events with his unique style. I think it's one thing to offer constructive criticism on the images he posts, but it's highly inappropriate, insulting, and arrogant IMO to say his style is "gimmicky" or bad photography.
I didn't get a copy of the rule book either, so you can add me to the list of people that didn't know if you shot someone's wedding today you have to do it in a fashion that will be culturally accepted in 20 years. Here I just thought my job was to be a better photographer than my competition, and satisfy the requirements of my clients now. Do brides need a big brother to tell them what to like now, so they can thank you in 20-30 years?
When you are running a business you can either choose to be the best of the contemporary's or focus on selling to a niche group. The latter might be a higher risk, but I'm sure it's highly rewarding when it works.
You shoot Nikon, your not allowed those privileges. <---- sam
i shoot with a leica d-lux4 now cause i couldn't afford the M series. i gave my nikon to my wife. it was one of the most heart breaking moments in my life sam. of course you wouldn't know about that huh? same as when people don't know that sergio probably lived a tough young adult life.
Serg.. man you are just a catalyst for crap! Most of it is undeserved in my opinion. I think, out of everything I just read, "in my opinion" has been grossly underused.
Serg - Your work is certainly not my style. However, I will say this openly, freely and I don't think anyone can disagree. It is unique to you and you will get clients because of it. I really appreciate your work and it grow on me every time I see it. Just because I don't think its my style doesn't mean I can't look at it and say "damn, that's cool". At the end of the day all you can do is be true to yourself and don't let other people change you.
People may call it gimmicky, acid trip induced, etc... it doesn't matter man. None of it does. If this is who you are then go with it. If you are a raging success you can give everyone the finger, is you fail you can try again, but if you ever shoot in a fashion that is not something you feel down in your soul, then you are ying to yourself which is worse then anything.
I am not a member of the Sergio fan club, but shame on EVERYONE in this thread for taking personal pot shots. This is probably the most ridiculous example of petty behavior amongst wedding photographers on FM I have ever seen. Comment on the work and style.. make it one liners or fully constructive... but dividing along "party lines" and calling it the "boyz" club is shameful and disrespects the entire business.
Tony Brown wrote:
its creepy you are thinking about my package.......idiot.
i haven't said one thing about the images. i will if you want, but you may not like what i say.
You follow serg posts just to come in and toss a few jabs, nothing new. at you dodging the subject and trying to be insulting every time Sam has you dead to rights, though.
Man, I love that shot of mine! Tacky, over the top and just what he wanted as he sat in over my shoulder. There was an inside joke there too, but thats not the point. What Jeremy, you did't notice how I was making fun of myself when I posted it? English is not that hard a language. "Is it art ... Is it even photography". What VickiB said in her post was far more subtle and with intent to guide than the comments I made on my own frankenstein creation. That picture is as gimmicky as any - don't you agree? Kind of interesting as something different too. But I will let you in on a tidbit that you may have missed. It was not his wedding and it ain't "my style - dude".
So you believe in him eh Sam. Spoken like a true megalomanic. Have you lost touch? You are the arbiter of exactly what? What kind of photographer are you? You have a nice eye, probably intuitive rather than trained for composition and spacial rules. You follow them but loosely and so your stuff works. And every one of your shots is done with the same look, the one that was fresh in 2003. I guess I should just be relieved that star filters are no longer in.
One more guess would be that you are rather young. Probably been at this game less that five years - right?
His shots are original just like everyone else new to it. And it is a process, I understand that. The camaraderie here as morgan alludes to is the problem. Camaraderie to a few, a myopic clique to everyone else. This isn't about weddings as much as a group of little guppies in a small pond. How does Someone like the ultimate follower Jeremy_clay have time to take a shot. One year in (almost) - and running on six thousand post. You da man! That says much - this is a social support society.
But ya know what boys, this ain't your forum. It is Fred's.
If he is 19 and just starting - do him a favor and send him to art class. Before his well worn originality ruins another wedding.
As for my websites - my employer (yeah I'm full time and salaried) had me sign a contract where I have no commercial websites. So ya missed it dude. But no harm, I realize you just got here less than a year ago.
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So now; to clear up my opinions about Sergio's work, which got lost in the shuffle. There are two I like. But the rest seem to be helter skelter. I'd like to ask (genuinely) what the intent was? Was it a stylistic approach the way bodies are cut off in various ways. These does not seem to be any consistent intent with the cropping and thus it is hard to see a style. What was the color theory behind your choice of the unusual colors. I'm no longer up on it but it does not seem to fall into the use of any color approach so perhaps erroneously I missed the intent an thought color was applied simply to be "different". But even if that is the case - why is there no consistent use of color.
I don't mean to be rude but when it is close thematically like that - but yet not with any balance it usually shows someone either not gifted artistically or simply brand new. What was the intent with the use of color, Sergio?
I see no use of space or lines (except in two shots) that would suggest thought, as to leading the viewers eyes anywhere. Again randomness rather than any apparent control or intent. I apologize how I've helped take this thread, but I do feel that VickiB was trying to be constructive. Whether she was trying or not though, he comments were firstly; obvious, secondly: needed and lastly had there not been this reaction towards her, could have been constructive.
The fact that your shots are over the top does not make for a style nor for Originality, unless there was an intent. I don't see it and those who are your supporters are right that it is catchy because it is extreme but that still suggests "Gimmicky" To pour too much spice into a dish may be original and a few friends may go "whoa man ... that was HOT" but the more potential a starting photographer has the more it is a shame not to build a solid foundation before adapting the rules.
Dagas, Picasso and all those other rule breaks DID follow the rules. Simply later their hallmark styles were much more complex. But the rules were still there. Invisible only to those that don't bother to learn. And so they go on about how they don't use the rules.
Shame.
Anyhow, once more, my apology for helping make the issue worse rather than better. Nothing personal. And feel free to critique my stuff. I regularly tear it to pieces myself. Not you Jeremy. You don't seem to read well enough to get that you were making my point for me. (Ooops there I go again ) (actually your stuff is pretty good)
what's most amusing to me are the assumptions that serg isn't interested or involved in advancing his technique/ learning the "rules"
have any of you naysayers spoken to him outside of belittling his work in a thread? doubtful. or you would be aware that the guy is always looking for feedback on his work - and when delivered without the you-suck-attitude - is quite receptive and has grown tremendously in the last year.
by the way. i have boobs. so i don't think that qualifies me a member of the "boyz" club - but i sure as hell am a serg supporter and find the attacking absurd.
Pavel wrote:
As for my websites - my employer (yeah I'm full time and salaried) had me sign a contract where I have no commercial websites. So ya missed it dude. But no harm, I realize you just got here less than a year ago.
So many jabs, insults, and insinuations. But, of course, the photos speak for themselves:
Now .. I don't mind any of this except one so you need to remove it. That lady in the first picture is several weeks now away from dying. She has terminal cancer and wanted to get some pictures of her between chemo while she could walk. She picked it and likes it - so who cares. There is a rule here about posting other peoples work. You did read that when you signed up. Now feel free to put up more but that first shot better be down fast.
Those wedding pictures are not mine. I went to my fiancé's brothers wedding. Their photographer used film and had no light so I went to the car and got mine and handed it to her. Then I processed the shots and put them up. Duh!
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) (actually your stuff is pretty good)