Wedding - July 26, 2008 (9 images)

Scott_Quier

1. The bride wore an off-white dress and asked for a special treatment. So, I thought, let's do something a little different.


2 & 3 - They wanted to do something a little different for the bridal portraits (note who's holding the flowers in #3), so...

BTW - I also did some of without the goofy leaning and sunglasses - but I like these much better!

4. I don't know where this came from. Someone thought it would be cool to give the groom a spanking!


5. My son (and second shooter when he's available) likes to get creative with the ring shots. This was done from under some shrubs, amongst the mulch, in such a way as to catch some of the setting sun.


6. The groom actually helped with the design of the carrier in the background. You know you throw some serious weight when you can disrupt Naval operations to have the CVN 75 go back and forth across the background just for the wedding portriats! Oh, and if you believe that, I've got a bridge ....


7. The flower girls, getting bored with things at the reception, pulled out this toy and started playing in front of an east-facing window just before sun-set. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity.


8 & 9 - Different people "enjoy" the reception in different ways:

nicoleshilliday

Hey Scott! Great Job.

Number 1 is my fav! The dress looks beautiful!

I'm not to fond of the harsh bars in the bridal party portraits. I'm sure that the bride didn't want to venture out in the sand with her dress, but i think it would have helped!

#7 is super cute! Love the glow worm, i had one when i was little

Great job! I am sure they will be happy with every shot!

Scott_Quier

nicoleshilliday wrote:

Hey Scott! Great Job.

Number 1 is my fav! The dress looks beautiful!

I'm not to fond of the harsh bars in the bridal party portraits. I'm sure that the bride didn't want to venture out in the sand with her dress, but i think it would have helped!

#7 is super cute! Love the glow worm, i had one when i was little

Great job! I am sure they will be happy with every shot!

Thanks for stopping by and dropping a comment - appreciate it.

There really wasn't much choice for the "formals". B&G were not too excited about the prospect of doing it on the beach. I have to admit I wasn't either - wind was kicking up sand pretty good and I wasn't looking forward to having sand trash a camera.

heatherfeather

Hi Scott! I love #1 of course. Great job on your lovely warm conversion. Care to share your processing?

Also, I really enjoy the ring shot and the chimping #9ers. Really fun stuff!

(funny about the battleship too)

Scott_Quier

heatherfeather wrote:

Hi Scott! I love #1 of course. Great job on your lovely warm conversion. Care to share your processing?

Also, I really enjoy the ring shot and the chimping #9ers. Really fun stuff!

(funny about the battleship too)

Working from memory, I think I did the following:

• Ambient light photo and a little over exposed - 'cause I wanted the light to come through the gown.
• Develop it in ACR a little dark.
• Clean up the walls, doors, etc
• Erase the outside clutter seen through the windows with a white (or nearly white) brush on a copy of the background layer - I case I screwed it up, I could just delete that layer and start over.
• Boost contrast and fix color - gotta make a good color photo out of it before the B&W conversion
• Run the Greg Gorman B&W conversion action (you can get it from Action Central)
• Fiddle with the sliders a bit to get the contrast, levels, etc that you want
• Create a new layer, a photographic filter; make it sepia, very dense and then adjust the opacity of that layer to taste
• At this point the bottom portion of the gown skirt was quite a bit darker then just above it so I added Levels layer in the middle of the stack, made appropriate adjustments, added a mask to that layer and brushed out those sections of the photo that I didn't want the levels adjustment applied to.
• The flowers at the hip came out a little dark. Time for another levels layer and a layer mask. Adjust and paint as appropriate
• Another levels layer and mask for the shoes and flowers. I don't remember if it was to darken them or lighten them, I just remember I didn't like what it was to begin with - so I changed it.
• Flatten and save - no need to sharpen as the Greg Gorman action seems to apply a good dose of sharpening for you

I know it sounds like a lot, but it was pretty easy. The hardest part was seeing some of the things that needed correction. I showed the work in progress to my son and he pointed out a couple of the items mentioned above that needed attention.

Total time to edit, maybe 15 or 20 minutes and the longest part of that was cleaning up the scars on the door.

BTW - The CVN 65 isn't a battleship; it's a Carrier Vessel - Nuclear and is something like 0.25 miles long and some 90,000 tons displacement with a compliment of some 3,000 sailors. It's a floating city.

jeffreaux2

- I like the shoes and flowers being included in #1.

- The candid of the chimpers is my kind of photograph. I like trying to find gems like this at weddings as well.

Thanks for sharing Scott.

Swartzy

Scott....#1,2 & 3...fabulous...some of your best stuff! I love em. Cool ring shot too....creative! Whoohoo...weddings at the water...what fun! Nice job!

bon4ire

Nice pics! I like #7. Something captivating about it.

Scott_Quier

jeffreaux2 wrote:

- I like the shoes and flowers being included in #1.

- The candid of the chimpers is my kind of photograph. I like trying to find gems like this at weddings as well.

Thanks for sharing Scott.

Including the shoes and flowers in the shot is what passes as a stroke of genius for me. It was a wild thought that just seemed to work. You can bet that it will be one of my "standard" shots from now on. The actual shot was exposed with this treatment in mind - over-exposed about a stop or so.

As for the candid - this is the result of some training I received from Shay Stephens last year. People are interested in photos of people interacting and sharing moments. So, I try.

Scott_Quier

Swartzy wrote:

Scott....#1,2 & 3...fabulous...some of your best stuff! I love em. Cool ring shot too....creative! Whoohoo...weddings at the water...what fun! Nice job!

This really means a lot to me, coming from you. Really appreciate you looking and making a comment. Thanks.

Scott_Quier

bon4ire wrote:

Nice pics! I like #7. Something captivating about it.

For me, it's the fact that these girls are in their own special world and have excluded all the noise of the reception.

cj99si

I really like 1 and 3

The ring shot is pretty distracting, maybe bringing down the exposure a bit will help

is this just across the bridge at buckroe?

Scott_Quier

cj99si wrote:

I really like 1 and 3

The ring shot is pretty distracting, maybe bringing down the exposure a bit will help

is this just across the bridge at buckroe?

Thanks for the comments - appreciate it.

Ft Monroe is at the east end of Mercury Blvd, in Hampton VA

Nikolai

I like the VP on 2&3!
Notes to self:
0) Copycat Scott, but:
1) use wider angle
2) get really low
3) make sure poses and hands placements are identical

Scott_Quier

Nikolai wrote:

I like the VP on 2&3!
Notes to self:
0) Copycat Scott, but:
1) use wider angle
2) get really low
3) make sure poses and hands placements are identical

You're right. Alternate angles would have improved these shots a bit (or more) and attention to details would make a huge improvement. Thanks for the comments.

BTW - copying me could get you into trouble and greatly reduce the quality of your photography. So, be careful!

urbanaries

Oops, I'm late to the game....but so worth the wait!

Wow, Scott! I think this may be a banner moment for you. I'm seeing tons of out-of-the-box thinking and awesome execution. I think the group shots are some of my favorite group shots I've seen. I love the diminishing perspective, the water, the exposure/colors, their "we're actually having fun!" expressions...just wow.

And that dress shot....definitely your best to date. I think your PP is on the mark. The only thing I would suggest is maybe removing that door handle so there isn't the least bit distracting from that subtle shadow and light of the dress, and the door will look like a window. Also my eyes may be failing but the vertical alignment of the door frame looks about 2 degrees off. You may lose some of the ribbon straightening but nothing significant. What a fantastic image. Did they bring/have the dressform or did you???? That is BRILLIANT.

4 doesn't look like a spanking.....it looks like the afterparty.... :slosh :puke !!!

(thank you for the very gratifying opportunity to use those emoticons!)

Your son did a great job on the ring shots. What lens did he use?

Pat your self on the back, my friend. These are stunning!

Scott_Quier

urbanaries wrote:

Oops, I'm late to the game....but so worth the wait!

Wow, Scott! I think this may be a banner moment for you. I'm seeing tons of out-of-the-box thinking and awesome execution. I think the group shots are some of my favorite group shots I've seen. I love the diminishing perspective, the water, the exposure/colors, their "we're actually having fun!" expressions...just wow.

You're right - it was worth the wait to get such glowing compliements on this bit of work.

I've been working with "my" groups, trying to figure out how to get them to loosen up a bit. Things are starting to come together a bit.

urbanaries wrote:

And that dress shot....definitely your best to date. I think your PP is on the mark. The only thing I would suggest is maybe removing that door handle so there isn't the least bit distracting from that subtle shadow and light of the dress, and the door will look like a window. Also my eyes may be failing but the vertical alignment of the door frame looks about 2 degrees off. You may lose some of the ribbon straightening but nothing significant. What a fantastic image. Did they bring/have the dressform or did you???? That is BRILLIANT.

The door handle - yup know all about it. I struggled a long time trying to get rid of it and failed. It just wan't happening - at least I was unable to make it happen. There's also the door hinge behind the dress that I didn't get rid of - though I probably could if I really put my mind to it.

It's a perspective thing. I've already straightening it out a bit and my first attempt was way too much. This is the best compromise I could achieve.

Wish I could take credit for the dressform. It came with the gown. But, maybe I get a little credit because I didn't remove the gown from the dress form<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/ne_nau.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >. Anyway, itt's a poster board thing which is why the bodice doesn't have the glow affect seen in the rest of the gown.

urbanaries wrote:

4 doesn't look like a spanking.....it looks like the afterparty.... :slosh :puke <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/rolleyes1.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >!!!

(thank you for the very gratifying opportunity to use those emoticons!)

It does kinda look like he's puking over the rail a bit. It was actually all staged. It wasn't my idea - I think the best man suggested it and I just went with the flow.

urbanaries wrote:

Your son did a great job on the ring shots. What lens did he use?

If I remember correctly, I think he was using the 24-105 f4L - it has a "macro" capability, such as it is. He's already suggested that we bring along my 100mm f/2.8 Macro for this sort of shot and to do them using a tripod. He struggled a long time and got a bunch of shots that where >< this much OOF.

urbanaries wrote:

Pat your self on the back, my friend. These are stunning!

Thanks! Really appreciate it.

jdawg

# 1 is great. I like the placement of the shoes with one laying on the side. Very nice.

Scott_Quier

jdawg wrote:

# 1 is great. I like the placement of the shoes with one laying on the side. Very nice.

Thank you - it was my attempt to make it look less "posed" more of a "happenstance" kind of shot. I think it worked, but there are a few things I would like to change had I to do it over again (what those are shall remain a secret!).

urbanaries

I'm hesitant to edit others' photos, but I was just too tempted to try a quick edit on that finicky doorknob. Not flawless, but maybe with more pixels and a glass of wine I could make it undetectable!!! See what you think...ok maybe it doesn't look so hot. Never mind~!!

Scott_Quier

urbanaries wrote:

I'm hesitant to edit others' photos, but I was just too tempted to try a quick edit on that finicky doorknob. Not flawless, but maybe with more pixels and a glass of wine I could make it undetectable!!! See what you think...ok maybe it doesn't look so hot. Never mind~!!

For a quick edit - that's well done. But, like you last line says, "maybe it doesn't look so hot." I agree. I think it actually does look better with the door handle in place. It looks more "real" or something. I don't know....

Swartzy

urbanaries wrote:

I'm hesitant to edit others' photos, but I was just too tempted to try a quick edit on that finicky doorknob. Not flawless, but maybe with more pixels and a glass of wine I could make it undetectable!!! See what you think...ok maybe it doesn't look so hot. Never mind~!!

You are just toooo funny....more pixels AND a glass of wine...sheese...I'd need more wine and less pixels rofl

Agnieszka

Hi Scott. Nice photos!

If I may put in my 2 cents ....

#1 the door (left side) is slightly off, I would try to make it straight, should be an easy fix

#3 Love that pic. As a color addict, I would saturate & darken the sky a bit to ad more of a dramatic feeling to it (especially since you got those beautiful clouds), I'm sure it would look awesome! I like the perspective, but it's a bit too bad you don't recognize the faces

#4 I would do a tighter crop, or at least crop the "thingy" on the right side out, as it's hard to tell what it is, and it's kind of distracting ....

LOVE #5

I think #9 could use a bit more contrast.

Nice series, would love to see some more of just the couple!

Scott_Quier

Agnieszka wrote:

Hi Scott. Nice photos!

If I may put in my 2 cents ....

#1 the door (left side) is slightly off, I would try to make it straight, should be an easy fix

#3 Love that pic. As a color addict, I would saturate & darken the sky a bit to ad more of a dramatic feeling to it (especially since you got those beautiful clouds), I'm sure it would look awesome! I like the perspective, but it's a bit too bad you don't recognize the faces

#4 I would do a tighter crop, or at least crop the "thingy" on the right side out, as it's hard to tell what it is, and it's kind of distracting ....

LOVE #5

I think #9 could use a bit more contrast.

Nice series, would love to see some more of just the couple!

Thanks for the comments ....

#1 - Straightening the door would required either a transform operation on the entire photo (in which case the dress would become deformed) or a rotation operation (in which case the gown would not be oriented correctly). I tried both of these with zero satisfactory results. If you know of something else that might work, give it play and see. If you are successful though, you are REQUIRED to post the result with a quick desription of what you did.

#4 - If this were the "finished" photo, ready for mounting, you are right. But, it's sized as it is so the customer can crop it to fit whatever mounting they want. Gotta leave room for the customer to play with the picture.

#5 - Thanks. If my son has an opportunity to look at this thread, I'm sure he would be gratified by the praise (he doing his pre-mobility training for deployment to Iraq, which will probably happen before the end of the calendar year).

#9 - You might be right about the contrast. I've already done some to it, but maybe not enough

Agnieszka

Scott_Quier wrote:

Thanks for the comments ....

#1 - Straightening the door would required either a transform operation on the entire photo (in which case the dress would become deformed) or a rotation operation (in which case the gown would not be oriented correctly). I tried both of these with zero satisfactory results. If you know of something else that might work, give it play and see. If you are successful though, you are REQUIRED to post the result with a quick description of what you did.

#9 - You might be right about the contrast. I've already done some to it, but maybe not enough

Haha, ok, you told me I can play with it - Have a feeling you'll get a headache from the 2nd photo, but

#1 I wouldn't be too worried about the distortion, it's a dress and it can take it ... all I did is select the whole image > edit > transform > distort > + grab the bottom left corner ...

Agnieszka

Scott_Quier wrote:

#9 - You might be right about the contrast. I've already done some to it, but maybe not enough

And that would be my take on #9, ... as I said, I have a feeling it will give you a bit of a headache, but when you get nice clouds, why not play with them ...

Scott_Quier

OK Angie, you've sold me on both the edits. I've learned something from the first and from the second - well, I stopped a bit short of actually finishing the photo. Thanks.

Agnieszka

Scott_Quier wrote:

OK Angie, you've sold me on both the edits. I've learned something from the first and from the second - well, I stopped a bit short of actually finishing the photo. Thanks.

Haha ... oh GREAT ... well, that was easy!