pro vs amateur photos

I am puzzled over the various opinions of professional vs amateur photos of providers.

There seems to be a suspension that professional means retouched beyond all recognition. (Is that rebar like fubar?)

As a photographer, I will admit that with digital one can modify images, a lot! But I also contend that good lighting, a decent lens and a good eye make for so much better images. I mean there is no butt on the planet that can look good when viewed through the fish eye lens of an iphone!

So perhaps the standards could be expanded a bit.

Professional with major editing = pictures that lie, almost as bad as "borrowed" images.

Professional images with minor editing (who wants to look at a pimple or red eye?) = Quality composition, good lighting, excellent detail.

Amateur photos with a decent camera = hit or miss, usually with too much clutter in the image and no sense of where the light is coming from.

Phone pics = sort of like proof of life. Yes that is a girl, but what does she actually look like?

What do ya'll think. What would you like to see in an add or showcase?

Kind of like them both...but leaning towards the amateur pics. Good case: few weeks ago someone took natural pics of Delanie Smith...and to me, they were hotter than the professional shoot (one in particular). The pro pics don't much look like her IMO. The amateur pics will not set you up for disappointment; kind of "what you see is what you get."
But still, the pro pics can really be HOT! (see Carmen St. James' website...wow)

I like both....

People are under the assumption if they see amateur photos in the ad, that its indeed the lady in photos....wrong!

I like a good combination of pro and amateur pics. Im not a huge fan of pro, unless the photos are not airbrushed to death.

I don't have a preference for professional or amateur shots, as long as the pictures an accurate representation of the provider.

Same here, as long as pics are accurate and real, either type will do.

I like them both but I had over editing, I only edit the tatts out, but make people very aware on my site. To each their own!

I have to say that after I had my professional photos done, business did pick up some. But I agree that one has to be careful. I specifically told my photographer to do some minor retouching so as not to end up falsely advertising. She's a phenomenal photographer though! I swear there were at least fifteen good shots of me after the shoot that needed absolutely no work done to them and I was able to put them online that very evening.

I have noticed a few wonderfully attractive women with very obvious FULL body airbrushing. You can't help but wonder what's under it all!

As long as the pics are good, I don't care if it's professional or camera phone. My favorite provider pic is amateur - got hooked on that pic a long time ago - so I will never throw out the amateur pic classification. As for pro - I'm with pretty much everyone else. I understand the tat airbrush so as long as the pic still looks like the woman I'm good.

Glamour shots are in a whole other category, tho'. Just as soon not see those.

all the clients and the guys i meet at events are on my case about getting new pics because they say i am a lot hotter in person (smile) the only thing that had stopped me in the past was being afraid of the pro pics not really giving an accurate take on how i will look in person. i will be getting some pro pics soon but the editing will have to be minimal plus i will still include some personal non pro pics hopefully i can please everyone that way

I think minor retouching is okay but I like pictures that look natural and not rigidly posed. They might be posed but you shouldn't notice that they are posed. Make Sense? Here's one of my favorite pics sent by a provider from 4-5 years ago: sorry if it's too large and I chose to partially block-out her face.



She's wearing very light makeup. You can see some imperfections but she looks casual and not posed. Great smile and you can't tell but she is looking away from the camera off to the side.

That's sexy and I like to see provider pics like that. In my opinion it is the photogs direction and creativity that make a picture like this possible. There are way too many provider pics out there that I call "plastic" because they are unreal and have no feeling besides "Wanna Fuck For A $Buck$?!?".
IMHO

Pro, no contest. Lighting, composition, large format film or (professional digital camera) minor retouching. Good pictures do not looked posed. A photo shoot with a beautiful woman takes hours and is hard work but the results are worth it. Amateur mistakes, poor lighting (dark), figures too small (too far away from the subject), blurs, dirty lenses, the list goes on.

Get some pro pics, though I did enjoy taking the few pics I did of you...you are just too damn pretty...wink.

I think having pro pics would be great for you though, have that photographer capture those pretty eyes of yours. Just request that he keep the airbrushing to a minimal and you should be fine.

Lisa

all the clients and the guys i meet at events are on my case about getting new pics because they say i am a lot hotter in person (smile) the only thing that had stopped me in the past was being afraid of the pro pics not really giving an accurate take on how i will look in person. i will be getting some pro pics soon but the editing will have to be minimal plus i will still include some personal non pro pics hopefully i can please everyone that way Originally Posted by Jules Jaguar

"There seems to be a suspension that professional means retouched beyond all recognition. (Is that rebar like fubar?)"

Yes, rebar is like fubar, just as suspension is like suspicion.

I am slower with professional photos but like them better. With a camera phone, it was easier to update pics monthly but all the poses began to look the same. Having a friend take pictures is fun too. Pics are pics as long as they represent the current look. (My friend took the avatar pic with a normal camera and was not retouched at all. She did a great job.)

And I agree with Lisa. Your avatar pic looks great but I bet a professional would make your eyes pop especially against the dark hair!