A requested critic

Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
edited September 17, 2008 in Weddings
I was asked, in another thread (link) to critic a gallery. Rather than hi-jack that thread, I started a new one....
EMC wrote:
I also was recently recruited to shoot a wedding (9-5-2008)
I told them "no" four times! I prefer shooting sports - but they wore me down...so I told them not to expect anything and that way they wont be disappointed...

Scott, would you be so kind as to critique my work like you did for Bill - the orginal poster...(?)

http://digital-diva.smugmug.com/gallery/5888885_HCoKp#366644231_egzq2

General comments:
  • Flare - need to watch the position of the sun and make sure it's not hitting the front element of your lens. Did you have a filter on your lens - mixing such with the sun is usually not a good idea.
  • Contrast - Many of these need more post processing work to boost either the exposure or the contrast or both.
  • White Balance - Your WB is all over the place, even where your are shooting the same scene from the same position.
  • On-camera flash usually works better if you have the right bracket - need to keep the flash above the lens. When you rotated your camera to portrait orientation, you get not so nice "side shadows" from your subject on your background (see picture #80 for a really good/bad example of this).
  • Don't know what you were using for flash, but it wasn't up to the task. You have significant light fall-off (top to bottom) in a number of your shots. Almost like you were using the on-board flash with a longer lens and the lens was casting a shadow for your.
  • You've got some fun shots here and there are a couple of poses that I really like. I think your clients will be happy, given that they knew ahead of time that this was not something you have done before.

Specific comments:

#5, #6 - What color was the cake? It looks like you have a WB issue here

#9, #10 - A little flash might have helped with retaining more detail in the sky. If there is detail already there, a little PP would help bring it out. But what's really missing is some contrast.

#11 - Generally a nice pose. Needed to seperate the two bride's maids so we can see more of the bride (remember, it's all about the bride). Dappled sun is nobody's friend.

All the picuters of the girls - lots of fun shots. Need contrast and exposure boosted a bit in most/all of them. In addition, need to get your verticals actually vertical.

18 - Nice pose. The left hand of the front lady should have been hidden behind her.

24 - Toss this one. Huge flare in the upper right corner.

26 - Nice idea, but it's a statically posed shot. Get them moving to make it much more dynamic!

27 - Dark and huge flare

34, 35 - These are nice. Would have been better if all the dresses where in the same shot?

38 - Toss this one. Huge dark shadows on her face - not recoverable I'm thinking.

39 - Lighten her face a bit. Color cast?

40 - Nice, nice, nice. Clone out the distraction in the lower left corner.

40 - 47 - Needed another light on their hair to seperate them from the backdrop.

48 - a little flash is asked for here...

68 - This is probably one of the best lit shots in the set - love off-camera lighting.

69 - You have some signigicant light fall-off from top to bottom. Actually, you have this issue in a number of your shots. What caused that?
Scott
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile

Comments

  • EMCEMC Registered Users Posts: 23 Big grins
    edited September 14, 2008
    Thank you Scott for taking the time to look and give me some things to look at...I really didn’t spend a lot of time with PhotoShop post processing them - guess I will before giving them the disc. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
    <o:p></o:p>
    The wedding was in a "multi-purpose" building - not a Church-like setting so the available lighting was not my friend, no was the architecture. I used my Canon 580EX speedlite, alternating between my 40D with 70-200mm IS lens (which I use it for night games, and figured it would work for the indoor low lighting) - and my 20D with Canon EFS 18-55mm. I have considered investing in a flash extension...but I don’t use the flash at all in my sports photography - so I may have not been using it at its best settings when you say I have light fall-off from top to bottom (?) <o:p></o:p>
    <o:p></o:p>
    Well, I wont quit my day job, that's for sure! but it was a learning experience, and something to check off my "to do" list. <o:p></o:p>
    <o:p></o:p>
    If you ever consider letting a SmugMugger do an internship with you, let me know...I'm all about the learning experience!
  • bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited September 17, 2008
    A good number of photos looked washed out, like you used to much shadow adjustment in photoshop on a jpg.

    You have some good equipment, more experience and knowledge of how to best use it in situations is what is primarily needed. A camera or flash flip would help as well. Enabling the exif info on the gallery would help give some feedback as well.

    What mode on the camera did you primarily use?
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
  • bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited September 17, 2008
    EMC wrote:
    Thank you Scott for taking the time to look and give me some things to look at...I really didn’t spend a lot of time with PhotoShop post processing them - guess I will before giving them the disc. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
    <o:p></o:p>
    The wedding was in a "multi-purpose" building - not a Church-like setting so the available lighting was not my friend, no was the architecture. I used my Canon 580EX speedlite, alternating between my 40D with 70-200mm IS lens (which I use it for night games, and figured it would work for the indoor low lighting) - and my 20D with Canon EFS 18-55mm. I have considered investing in a flash extension...but I don’t use the flash at all in my sports photography - so I may have not been using it at its best settings when you say I have light fall-off from top to bottom (?) <o:p></o:p>
    <o:p></o:p>
    Well, I wont quit my day job, that's for sure! but it was a learning experience, and something to check off my "to do" list. <o:p></o:p>
    <o:p></o:p>
    If you ever consider letting a SmugMugger do an internship with you, let me know...I'm all about the learning experience!

    The black text on a dark grey background is kinda hard to read. You might want to stick with the default.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
  • ElginetPhotosElginetPhotos Registered Users Posts: 134 Major grins
    edited September 17, 2008
    Thanks for the critique Scott. I did that first batch in a hurry. I was able to get rid of the bra-bloopers easily with PS.

    Those few shots where I was shooting fast with the high aperture, I didn't realize that the aperture was that high until post. When shooting with the Fujis in manual, if you shoot a pic and adjust the aperture, you simply need to change the dial after the shot. With the D300, you need to clear it by tapping the shutter release, then change it. When I thought I was opening it, I was simply scanning through other pictures on the disc and it remained the same. Thank GOD for RAW. ;-)

    Still studying the Wedding/Photobooks thread looking for someone who's reasonable.

    Thanks again.

    Scott_Quier wrote:
    I was asked, in another thread (link) to critic a gallery. Rather than hi-jack that thread, I started a new one....



    General comments:
    • Flare - need to watch the position of the sun and make sure it's not hitting the front element of your lens. Did you have a filter on your lens - mixing such with the sun is usually not a good idea.
    • Contrast - Many of these need more post processing work to boost either the exposure or the contrast or both.
    • White Balance - Your WB is all over the place, even where your are shooting the same scene from the same position.
    • On-camera flash usually works better if you have the right bracket - need to keep the flash above the lens. When you rotated your camera to portrait orientation, you get not so nice "side shadows" from your subject on your background (see picture #80 for a really good/bad example of this).
    • Don't know what you were using for flash, but it wasn't up to the task. You have significant light fall-off (top to bottom) in a number of your shots. Almost like you were using the on-board flash with a longer lens and the lens was casting a shadow for your.
    • You've got some fun shots here and there are a couple of poses that I really like. I think your clients will be happy, given that they knew ahead of time that this was not something you have done before.
    Specific comments:

    #5, #6 - What color was the cake? It looks like you have a WB issue here

    #9, #10 - A little flash might have helped with retaining more detail in the sky. If there is detail already there, a little PP would help bring it out. But what's really missing is some contrast.

    #11 - Generally a nice pose. Needed to seperate the two bride's maids so we can see more of the bride (remember, it's all about the bride). Dappled sun is nobody's friend.

    All the picuters of the girls - lots of fun shots. Need contrast and exposure boosted a bit in most/all of them. In addition, need to get your verticals actually vertical.

    18 - Nice pose. The left hand of the front lady should have been hidden behind her.

    24 - Toss this one. Huge flare in the upper right corner.

    26 - Nice idea, but it's a statically posed shot. Get them moving to make it much more dynamic!

    27 - Dark and huge flare

    34, 35 - These are nice. Would have been better if all the dresses where in the same shot?

    38 - Toss this one. Huge dark shadows on her face - not recoverable I'm thinking.

    39 - Lighten her face a bit. Color cast?

    40 - Nice, nice, nice. Clone out the distraction in the lower left corner.

    40 - 47 - Needed another light on their hair to seperate them from the backdrop.

    48 - a little flash is asked for here...

    68 - This is probably one of the best lit shots in the set - love off-camera lighting.

    69 - You have some signigicant light fall-off from top to bottom. Actually, you have this issue in a number of your shots. What caused that?
    Bill O'Neill - Media and Fire Photography
    ________________
    www.elginet.com - www.elginet.smugmug.com
    Toys: Nikon D3x, D300s w/MD10 grip, D300, Fuji S3Pro &S2Pro,
    Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikkor 80-200 2.8, Nikon 105mm 2.8
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