Awesome inspiration for aspiring photographers!

Original blog post here:
http://blog.amycookphotos.com/2012/07/30/then-now-never-give-up-a-revealing-personal-blog/


All ©Amy Cook Photography






7.30.12
THEN & NOW – NEVER GIVE UP! A REVEALING, PERSONAL BLOG



So…I may have been putting this off. Because it’s kiiiinda embarrassing. But I know it needs done. And mostly because it’s a LOT of work. And I know that I have such a wonderful audience of photographers both new and veterans…parents…all kinds of amazing people. So I’m doing it.

This is the “Then & Now” Blog. 2012 version.

This is where you will view my embarrassingly old work. This is where you may gain hope. Because let me tell you. I WAS once where you are. Or wereAnd if it helps somebody not give up..or give them the motivation to better themselves instead of just cruising along…then it’s worth the embarrassment
My business was born in September 2009.
I’m not going to talk this thing to death. So just enjoy.

First session ever. I charged her $20 and gave her like 120 images lol. For experience. I had a Nikon d60 and I THINK this one was shot with an 18-135mm lens..but I don’t remember. I pulled it from the web so I can’t even check the metadata anymore. Totally shot in auto. And used pop-up flash. Ugh. Sorry. The session was seriously fun though. I remembered having all the poses I wanted to do written down on a sheet and scratching them off as I went. I was nervous even though she was a friend. But I had a great time. And Kenzie was SO good and did everything I asked. She was a natural model of course! Even though the images are super posed and cliche and aren’t all properly exposed etc…I love them anyways.
SELECTIVE COLOR YEAH!


My first newborn session as a business…January 2010 – Nikon d60, 55-200mm f/4-5.6 lens
He is seriously the cutest thing. EVER. I was so nervous to do this session! I had been working with newborns for MONTHS in the hospital as part of the company Our 365 Newborn Photography…but being on my own….yeah. Scary! Again, still love this session even though looking at them now I don’t think they are “awesome” work. But the memories made are priceless. And this family is so amazing.


Right up the nose…


Baby acne I didn’t know how to fix


Dramatic lighting fail.


And this one…I have no idea what I was trying to do here in post. Seriously. I’m sorry Katie & Joe for this. lol.


Feb 2010…Hey let’s stick a baby in a tree. Because that would be cute. At least I wasn’t *totally* stupid and mom was holding him. It was also actually a super low limb. But still. Oy. D60, 55-200mm f/4-5.6 lens (basically a kit lens) At least the baby is cute

I was going for high-key lighting (bright) with a colorful pop. I was also on an uncalibrated laptop, meaning my color was WAY off. Shudder. Still d60 and 55-200mm lens here. Man I can’t believe how much this pretty girl has grown since then! This is the same lovely girl from the first image up top. Again, she was SO good!

But I like this oneEven if it’s still too bright for my liking now. At least it’s not totally God-awful. And it’s sweet


March. Because what’s a senior session without a cliche RR shot? At this point I had traded up for a Nikon d90, and an 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Sigma lens. It was crap (the lens). But I was getting better anyways, slowly
But the girl was gorgeous, yes?


WOOOOOOOAH don’t fall out of the frame! And what’s the blue coloring? Oy. My problem, is that I watched what too many other “photographers” were doing, instead of focusing on my own thang. I was nervous to just do my thing.


First maternity session. Full of cliches. May 2010. But again…I love this session. Because we had a good time…and I met one of the most amazing families I know. There are actually some from this session that I still really like
It doesn’t matter how beautiful your subject is and how amazing they look…you just don’t shoot a pregnant woman at this angle. Duh. Headsmack.
Nikon D90, Sigma 18-200mm lens


A session full of cliches. But to this day, I’m still honored that they stayed with me…I hope the images I have been giving them since are worth this horrible work. lol.
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A 3 month old session that same year…decent shot…crappy edit. May 2010. Nikon d90, 50mm 1.8D
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Poor use of bounce-flash..right up at the ceiling behind me..which made it spill right back directly at her..looking like direct flash :p Overly softened skin too. Does make those little lips pop right out there though! What a doll baby.


Because a creative shot looks good with a patch of dirt as your main focus..d90 and 18-200mm for these 3 pictures


Neon grass. I was still uncalibrated. I swear I didn’t prefer neon! lol
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I don’t even know why I did this (the edit)- sigh. Love the moment though.


And another newbornawkward posing. Totally not a composite. Yeah, I know. d90 and 50mm 1.4D (lens upgrade)
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2010 still….improper metering. White shirts are WHITE WHITE. And the boy’s foot sticking out is really distracting. I did crank out some great images from this session thoughD90 and 18-200mm Sigma lens
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Another newborn…chin in hands pose failed. At least the edit was pretty? And the baby was prettierD90 and 50mm 1.4D .jpg" />

All on the same bench..WHY?? Nikon d90 and 50mm 1.4D
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And end of 2010..D90 and 50mm 1.4D
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I was getting better I just looooved this precious little blondie! eek!!




January 2011 – still using my Nikon d90 and 50mm 1.4D. I upgraded to the d700 and 50mm 1.4G in February.
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June 2011…

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November/December 2011…




Amy Cook

That's awesome

That is very cool seeing your timeline... I bought a nikon a few weeks ago, and I'm just a giant fail. This is what I got out of it:




(yes my little one is always naked.. lol )

I'm so glad you posted this. I've been thinking about getting into photography, but I'm scared I'll just suck.

ThT is super cool.. Gives me hope when i get a new lens soon! I have a Nikon d3100 and i feel like my pics suck so bad and i need a lens to make them better.. I try to learn...lol i just suck

I've been going back to what my pictures used to look like too. haha. I'm NOWHERE near Amy's level, but I'm getting better. haha.





and yes, lenses help a lot. The one the camera comes with is smurf. haha. But good lenses also don't matter if you don't learn. haha. It's a LONG learning process but very worth it.

Quoting Legendary Bonnie Beaver:" I've been going back to what my pictures used to look like too. haha. I'm NOWHERE near Amy's level, but ... [snip!] ... is smurf. haha. But good lenses also don't matter if you don't learn. haha. It's a LONG learning process but very worth it. "

I have watched tutorials on youtube and stuff, and im just like O.O
its like a foreign language to me! my friend is gonna help me one of these days. i try to mess with the shutter speed and apature and stuff like that.. mine stil suck so bad, i wont even post any to save the embaressment!

Quoting ☮ Phuket:" I have watched tutorials on youtube and stuff, and im just like O.O its like a foreign language to me! ... [snip!] ... with the shutter speed and apature and stuff like that.. mine stil suck so bad, i wont even post any to save the embaressment!"

haha. Yeah. It's definitely a different language.   I was like that at first too.

Quoting Legendary Bonnie Beaver:" haha. Yeah. It's definitely a different language.   I was like that at first too. "

did you take classes? how did you learn?

Quoting ☮ Phuket:" did you take classes? how did you learn?"

Lots of practice and researching and my idol helped me haha

Quoting Legendary Bonnie Beaver:" Lots of practice and researching and my idol helped me haha"

okay , so its totally possible for me to just slowly teach myself! i have hope! i cant wait to get a new lens. what camera do you use?

Quoting ☮ Phuket:" okay , so its totally possible for me to just slowly teach myself! i have hope! i cant wait to get a new lens. what camera do you use?"

Canon EOS 7D.
And I have the 50mm 1.4 lens (LOVE), 35mm 2, and 28-200 3.5. I'll be getting the 85mm 1.8 and 100mm 2.8 macro soon.

Quoting Legendary Bonnie Beaver:" Canon EOS 7D. And I have the 50mm 1.4 lens (LOVE), 35mm 2, and 28-200 3.5. I'll be getting the 85mm 1.8 and 100mm 2.8 macro soon. "

i sorta wish i got canon instead of a nikon. i didnt know better at the time.. i feel like they take better pics... would it be wise to just jump to a 100mm lens?

Quoting ☮ Phuket:" i sorta wish i got canon instead of a nikon. i didnt know better at the time.. i feel like they take better pics... would it be wise to just jump to a 100mm lens?"

Not really. My suggestion for your next lens would be a 50mm. It's my favorite. Which nikon do you have?

Quoting Legendary Bonnie Beaver:" Not really. My suggestion for your next lens would be a 50mm. It's my favorite. Which nikon do you have?"

D3100... that is what i planned on getting. I just want to be able to take good shots of my kids and be able to zoom more than i can now.. i just have the lens it came it.