Pet Peeve: Non Responses

No, I'm not trying to call anyone out. I know we're all very busy people, but I have noticed that this is becoming a trend with the blog world, lately. I myself have even started getting into the habit of not responding to blog comments. I think a lot of us just get so many comments it's hard to reply to all of them, but how do we counter it?

There are a few blogs I've commented on where I don't even feel welcome. The photographers have a ton of clients and a huge fan base, but I think they only send out a thank you once a year, if that. And on top of it, It's not even remotely personalized so you don't even know if they read your individual comment...

Am I the only person who feels like this?

God Help me if I ever fall prey to this habit in full! and if I haven't responded to your comments here, or at least said hello on your blog in return, please forgive me. I must have just forgotten for a moment how rude it is...
I know that when I get a "thank you" email I'm pretty happy, and usually it makes me want to comment more on their pages. Even if they consistent, I still feel a lot better than not getting acknowledged at all.

Another thing I've fallen habit to is not commenting at all... I think that's the worst fault of all, but sometimes I wonder if the author really wants to know what I think..

Insecurity, is that my problem? or maybe it's laziness. Or, is it that I don't feel it's appreciated.

Whatever it is, please, forgive me - I'm going to try to get better at this(blogging and commenting). With school starting next week I can't promise consistency, BUT I can promise that I'll respond better to comments :)

Thank you for all your continuous support and for listening to me vent - ;)


*Hugs*
Hadassah

Portfolio update

So, thank you for all the comments on that last cry for help. I've been working on it, but I found out that my portfolio isn't needed Monday.
Sometime this semester it will be reviewed, but not now.
I've decided that it was nice to get a kick in the butt, thinking I needed it. I'll continue to work on it, of course, but I'll just take a little more time.

With the help of Sebastian, Yassine, and Hope I think I've gotten pretty far in choosing about 29 pics. I'd planned on 10 but I think with more time it's ok to have a few more pics. I do need to find a place to print them. I'm still not sure what sizes I should use, tho. Hope keeps saying I should do different sizes and mount them at different heights and in corners of mats. I'm not sure if that will become distracting tho. Laurie gave me suggestions on the type of portfolio book/case to get. I guess maybe I should just head over to Blick or something look at what they have.

Of course, suggestions on any/all of this stuff would be lovely (esp from my Chicago readers! :))! Where do y'all shop?

It snowed a lot last night, at least 8inches. I went out this morning and took some pictures with my little sisters and my nephews. I'm hoping that I'll be able to use at least one in my portfolio. I haven't brought them up yet tho, so we'll have to see.

Portfolio, HELP!

As I sit here reading a plethora of webpages explaining portfolios and reviewing professional photography, my thought's can't help but turn to my favorite reviewers. My everyday portfolio, my laid back, online, approach to photography presentation seems so simple and inadequate when compared to even the mental image of what it "should be". Tangible. Matted? in a case, or book? 8x10, really? Is this the only way to show my work?

I find myself thinking, why didn't you take a highschool course, Hadassah? Why did you have to despise that highschool so much?

I'm sure it would have helped, some darkroom experience, light metering how-to, an idea of what a portfolio would look like... But no.

I know I'll learn all this in college, and there are probably people who know as little or less than I do, I'm just not enjoying that feeling of not knowing what I'm doing.

Ok, enough feeling sorry for myself (yes, I wrote the above yesterday, and I was being a bit moody).. Time to take charge and attempt to fix it! Therefore, My project this week is: put together a portfolio of 10 shots for orientation on Monday(Jan12th). So I'm going to ask of you, my lovely blog followers, to please give me an idea of what you interpret a portfolio as (preferably be from a photographer's perspective)? Most of you I know and respect, highly, so I'd really appreciate if you'd drop me a comment here or an email.

I wanna know what you do to make your portfolios successful. I know a few things from listening to a Columbia podcast and reading yesterday, like: it can be narrative, the photos should be organized, face to face and back to back; but what else should I know?

To Morocco and Back

So I've been really bad about posting - my! how many times I've said that... Maybe, I should get over it. LOL Anyway, Thank you all for all the kind comments wishing me a good trip. It was lovely to see all of them and my trip was wonderful! I loved every minute.

Here is my first set of processed shots. I hope you enjoy, and can see a bit of why I love Morocco so much.



Larger Pictures can be Viewed at Fotki.com

Morocco here I come!

So I'm going to Morocco, finally!!
Hope and I, arrive in Casablanca Monday afternoon and I'm very excited.

My head is a buzz with all the details and preparations. I've made lists upon lists, hoping I will not forget anything. Making sure I check everything out for my big sister who hasn't traveled overseas in a good 17yrs... (wow, she is old :P)

I can't wait to get on the plane, but even more, I can't wait to get off of it.

Setting foot on Moroccan soil for the first time :)

A First : Metra

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This was my first time on the Metra. I took the 12:40am train from Union Station to a station near my home. It was a little nerve racking once I got into the station, let me tell you, Union is intimidating and my friend's map of the interior only confused me. I figured it out tho, got on the right train and got home safely. These are some shots I took to document it.

Japanese Garden Stack

View larger photos on FOTKI