Opinions and Critique Requested: Example Album to Show Potential Clients

VadimOlen · June 12, 2012

Hello.

Here's the deal with me: I've been photographing non-professionally for several years, including doing a bunch of birthdays,etc. and a few weddings (never for money, always for friends or friends of friends). Now, however, I'd like to get into the wedding photography business here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

But, here's the catch: because I was just taking photos "casually", I didn't keep any of the images (which was dumb). So, I only have photos of this one latest wedding to use as a portfolio until I build my business somewhat. I've lowered my prices from what I feel they should be for this year, in recognition of the fact that I'm just starting out professionally.

So, my question is, what do you think of the photos? The editing? Would you advise your (hypothetical) friends to hire me?

Link to the site:

My site: Olen Classic Photography
The Example Wedding page: An Example Wedding

More direct links:

Bride Getting Ready: An Example Wedding - Getting Ready
Ceremony: An Example Wedding - Ceremony
Reception: An Example Wedding - Reception
Posed Images: An Example Wedding - Posed Photos

I'd like some feedback before I start to advertise and market, and with all of the helpful tips I've seen on here, I can't imagine a better place to ask. Thanks in advance, guys.

Qarik · June 12, 2012

okay, so i took a look at your example wedding..I am just going to give it to you straight up.

I wouldn't reccomend you. I would classify you as below average professional. There wasn't a single image that jumped out at me and held my attention. Technically you are just barely there..nothing was really out of focus but nothing was screaming..look at that detail! nothing I saw was framed terribly well but nothing was framed very poorly either. I didn't see much in the way of good lighting but nothing was horrible either. Processing wise..colors are completly flat (no pop), everything was a 1/2 stop underexposed, and tones were very low contrast. Creatively I didn't see much in the way of good posing, details shots, use of DOF, window light, angles, etc. you did capture some good energy in a few dancing shots. I don't think I am telling you anything that you are not somewhat aware of.

I do think you could improve a good deal right now by doing a few thing in editing..

1) 1st of all calibrate your monitor with some kind of HW so we are looking at the same thing
2) increase contrast in general
3) bump your exposure 1/2 stop in general
4) saturate by a few ticks in general
5) add some vignette to posed shots so that your eyes drawn to the couple

This will immediately add some punch to your shots. As far as content wise..that just comes with practice and passion. Some tips? Try shooting with a wide open aperture on occasion to add some artistic blur and to isolate your subject...you seem to be stuck at some middle aperture so you don't miss focus.

In general I think you can go after lower budget type weddings at your skill level..we all need to start somewhere right? In the mean time keep looking at photos and keep posting for feedback. One excercise that helped me was to look at a photo that you really like and then try to recreate it to the best of your ability and equipment..what camera setting were used? Where was the light coming from? how was the posing done? What was the shooting angle, etc

Quincy T · June 12, 2012

In addition to what Qarik has to say, you might be served well by working as an apprentice other another photographer, if that's available. I think there is a significant separation between paid-for professional services, and what you're doing here.

VadimOlen · June 13, 2012

Thanks for your replies.

Qarik wrote: »

I do think you could improve a good deal right now by doing a few thing in editing..

You are extraordinarily right. I made some of the editing changes you described to the images, and it improved matters significantly. I've updated the example images linked in the first post with the edits.
It made me realize how much better my editing could be, so I'm going to devote some time to learning.

Any particular resources you can recommend? My usual approach is to scour forums like this one soaking up whatever info I can, but maybe there's a book or something that covers this topic well?

Qarik wrote: »

..we all need to start somewhere right?

"Start somewhere" is exactly what I'm going for right now. Like with anything else, practice improves the result. My goal, for the first few years anyway, is to target lower budget weddings. I plan on showing potential clients my example photos, and I don't plan on telling anyone I'm a 10-year wedding photo veteran. As the quality of my product improves, I can move up the food chain.

So far, here are my take-aways from this:

Learn proper post-processing
Don't forget the detail shots
Be more "artistically adventurous" with light, DOF, etc.

Anything else you guys can tell me to either A) improve the photos I already have or

remember for the next time I have an opportunity to shoot a wedding?

Kinkajou · June 13, 2012

I think that the same advise applies to everyone getting started - research, research, research, and shoot, shoot, shoot!

When I was just getting started I spent hours and hours looking at every thread I could here, finding photographers whose styles I resonated with and tried to figure out what I liked about it. The more stuff you look at, the higher your standards become and the better your work becomes (in the same way that the more you read the better your writing ability becomes). On top of all that, it helps to give you ideas about posing, etc.

The next half is to just get out there and shoot non-stop. Indoor, outdoor, people, details, wide, tight, bright light, low light, etc. You'll need to be proficient in all of these situations for a wedding, so just shoot as much as you can.

There is a TON of great information in the stickies here in this forum, so do take the time to read through those for more information.

Good luck!

Qarik · June 13, 2012

I looked again and yes many of the images definitely have more pop to them now. btw what are shooting with wrt bodies and lens?

VadimOlen · June 13, 2012

Qarik wrote: »

I looked again and yes many of the images definitely have more pop to them now. btw what are shooting with wrt bodies and lens?

All of these were shot with a D90. The outdoor photos, and photos of the bride getting ready, were shot with a Nikon 18-200 (f/3.5-5.6); for some of the reception photos I used a 50mm f/1.8. (An f/2.8 mid zoom is on the short list of desired lenses, maybe the Nikon 17-55?)

Qarik · June 13, 2012

VadimOlen wrote: »

All of these were shot with a D90. The outdoor photos, and photos of the bride getting ready, were shot with a Nikon 18-200 (f/3.5-5.6); for some of the reception photos I used a 50mm f/1.8. (An f/2.8 mid zoom is on the short list of desired lenses, maybe the Nikon 17-55?)

You are definitely going to need a standard zoom in your collection...17-55mm would be a great choice. The 18-200 is simply never going to give you extremely sharp images especially wide open.

sphynge · June 14, 2012

The main advice I'd like to inject here is that shooting ONLY FOR CLIENTS is the wrong thing to do!!
You won't learn by shooting for pay - you'll have clients who will expect you to know what you're doing and implement what you've already learned. So, you're doing the right thing, shoot and get feedback, but don't try to do it just for paid clients - you'll find that you improve a lot less because you have no time to think on a wedding day.
So, one day that you're free, shoot a bunch of fake detail shots, and get feedback. Another day, get friends and pose them all day, and get feedback. And do that for all aspects of a real wedding, so that the day of the wedding, where people have paid you and are relying on you for the memories they'll keep forever, you are putting in play what you know, and not practicing/failing.
Hope that helps...

Matthew Saville · June 15, 2012

sphynge wrote: »

The main advice I'd like to inject here is that shooting ONLY FOR CLIENTS is the wrong thing to do!!
You won't learn by shooting for pay - you'll have clients who will expect you to know what you're doing and implement what you've already learned. So, you're doing the right thing, shoot and get feedback, but don't try to do it just for paid clients - you'll find that you improve a lot less because you have no time to think on a wedding day.
So, one day that you're free, shoot a bunch of fake detail shots, and get feedback. Another day, get friends and pose them all day, and get feedback. And do that for all aspects of a real wedding, so that the day of the wedding, where people have paid you and are relying on you for the memories they'll keep forever, you are putting in play what you know, and not practicing/failing.
Hope that helps...

ABSOLUTELY! I do my best work when the pressure is off, even though I also enjoy rising to a challenge. But you know what I mean; there's nothing more healthy for your artistic vision than goofing around when you're off the clock. :-)

=Matt=

Opinions and Critique Requested: Example Album to Show Potential Clients

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