Engagement Photos and Slideshow

geospatial_junkie

Hi everyone!

This was my first freebie engagement shoot and it was in great conditions. We only had about an hour in -9 and in a blizzard in some cases (I love Canada). I've included some photos and a slideshow.

Meet Cindy and Derek.



They were a very photogenic couple and couldn't keep their hands off each other.



A cold December day in the park can lead to some romantic moments.



I felt like a peeping tom with this one. I was shooting through willow saplings.



He looks like a superhero in this one.



An impromtu fixing of the hair led to this. She didn't know I took it.



I wanted them alone so I pretended I had to go back to the car to get something. When they were alone... this is what happened.



And he proceeded to get this for his troubles.



That snow sure was cold.



Parting on a good note.



All shots were taken with a 70-200 2.8 and a polarizer. I wanted to keep my aperture wide open and there was way too much light with the snow's reflection. Yes, I encountered fringing wide open, but nothing I couldn't handle.

The video below is my first attempt at a slideshow and there are many things I will change, but the couple really like it (it was a surprise and I didn't charge for it).

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zoomer

These are great, lots of personality and fun. Super job on the composition.
Really nice work on the composition and getting your subjects to feel comfortable and act naturally!!

geospatial_junkie

Thanks zoomer. I've a lot to learn, but I think I'll be ready for next summer's weddings.

BCSPhotoguy

I have only done a few of these - so i am no expert!! These are great! I have seen some engagement shots that are so stiff and boring - not these! The shot where you left them alone - I am thinking they will love that one as its "them" You captured the moment!!!

Gotta love the Canadian outdoor eh?!! Aside from the end shots - these two didnt look too cold! How about the photographer!!!???

geospatial_junkie

BCSPhotoguy wrote:

I have only done a few of these - so i am no expert!! These are great! I have seen some engagement shots that are so stiff and boring - not these! The shot where you left them alone - I am thinking they will love that one as its "them" You captured the moment!!!

Gotta love the Canadian outdoor eh?!! Aside from the end shots - these two didnt look too cold! How about the photographer!!!???

Thanks for the comments.

I wasn't very cold as I was constantly moving around. I had some hunting gloves that were warm. They allowed me to easily use the dials on my camera without having to take the gloves off (due to the trigger finger and thumb). Except, they were camo... so I did look a bit odd.

LivingLarge

Absoluty STUNNING! Wonderful on all accounts. Lucky folks to have you in thier lives.

geospatial_junkie

LivingLarge wrote:

Absoluty STUNNING! Wonderful on all accounts. Lucky folks to have you in thier lives.

Thank you very much. I got lucky with the weather. I've always felt that the worse the weather is, the better the photos will be.

Agnieszka

Wonderful set I loooooove the second shot, very cute!!! You got so many looks & poses ..... Boy, I am not a person that likes shooting in the cold, in fact, I don't take much photos after beginning November - but looking at your set you can't tell at all that it was a cold day ... haha, and I also like the first few seconds of the show

How do you like your Nikon D700? I need a new camera and just can't decide between the D700 & the D3 ... hmmmmm ...... (well, I guess looking at the price difference it would be an easy decision, but I just can't make my mind up)

Fun set!

geospatial_junkie

Agnieszka wrote:

Wonderful set I loooooove the second shot, very cute!!! You got so many looks & poses ..... Boy, I am not a person that likes shooting in the cold, in fact, I don't take much photos after beginning November - but looking at your set you can't tell at all that it was a cold day ... haha, and I also like the first few seconds of the show

How do you like your Nikon D700? I need a new camera and just can't decide between the D700 & the D3 ... hmmmmm ...... (well, I guess looking at the price difference it would be an easy decision, but I just can't make my mind up)

Fun set!

Thanks. I love shooting in the winter so it doesn't really bother me. I've got another shoot on Jan 17th.

D700 all the way... Its the exact same processor as the D3 so the low-light capabilities are just as good. The only thing the D3 has on it is the 5:4 format for 8x10's (used rarely though) and a longer shutter life.

Unless you are shooting sports, I can't see the reason to get a D3. Now the D3x coming out is another story...

All these shots were done at ISO 400, although the D700 has stunning ISO up to 1600 and very usable ISO to 6400. In fact, I still rate it better than the new Canon 5D version out.

Agnieszka

Hm, yeah .... that's what I'm thinking too, ... I kind of have the problem "shutter-life-vs-sensor-cleaner" .... hmmmmm. I'm shooting ~2,500 every weekend April-November, so it's a BIG thing, but then I was really looking forward to a sensor cleaner I just don't know. I guess you can just buy 2 D700 and you'll have the same result (shutter life) & pay about the same.

geospatial_junkie

Agnieszka wrote:

Hm, yeah .... that's what I'm thinking too, ... I kind of have the problem "shutter-life-vs-sensor-cleaner" .... hmmmmm. I'm shooting ~2,500 every weekend April-November, so it's a BIG thing, but then I was really looking forward to a sensor cleaner I just don't know. I guess you can just buy 2 D700 and you'll have the same result (shutter life) & pay about the same.

I doubt you could buy two for the price of a D3. The D700 is surprisingly expensive after you add on the battery pack and a shutter release cable. You will save on a flash though, as the in-camera flash can remotely trigger an off-camera flash. This is very useful. I usually put a piece of black tape around the in-camera flash so it doesn't produce light. Then I've effectively got an off-camera flash... but then again, I rarely use flash at all.

Agnieszka

geospatial_junkie wrote:

I doubt you could buy two for the price of a D3. The D700 is surprisingly expensive after you add on the battery pack and a shutter release cable. You will save on a flash though, as the in-camera flash can remotely trigger an off-camera flash. This is very useful. I usually put a piece of black tape around the in-camera flash so it doesn't produce light. Then I've effectively got an off-camera flash... but then again, I rarely use flash at all.

Sorry if I changed the subject, didn't want to take away from your beautiful photos ...

True, the battery pack. I wasn't planning on buying it, but I guess it makes the camera faster ... agh. I think I'll have to think about it for a while .... I just can't decide ... Nice pics though. They look very crisp!! ... also went on your blog, you got some awesome shots!

System

Hey man those photos are great! It never hurts to have an attractive couple that doesn't get tired of you taking their picture. The slide show was nice also. The one thing that bothered me in the slide show was the way you changed music from song to song. The "record scratch" transition sucks. To me it takes away from the romantic mood you are trying to set with the photos. Perhaps a plain fade out/in would be better.

geospatial_junkie

captain78 wrote:

Hey man those photos are great! It never hurts to have an attractive couple that don't get tired of you taking their picture. The slide show was nice also. The one thing that bothered me in the slide show was the way you changed music from song to song. The "record scratch" transition sucks. To me it takes away from the romantic mood you are trying to set with the photos. Perhaps a plain fade out/in would be better.

Agreed. The transition didn't work as I envisioned it.

geospatial_junkie

Agnieszka wrote:

Sorry if I changed the subject, didn't want to take away from your beautiful photos ...

True, the battery pack. I wasn't planning on buying it, but I guess it makes the camera faster ... agh. I think I'll have to think about it for a while .... I just can't decide ... Nice pics though. They look very crisp!! ... also went on your blog, you got some awesome shots!

You'll want the pack to balance out your lenses.

Agnieszka

geospatial_junkie wrote:

You'll want the pack to balance out your lenses.

Haha, true, I wasn't thinking of that .... and I thought an other good + point would be that it's not as heavy as the D3 is supposed to be ......

(Agree on the transitions). Btw. you might also want to download irfantviewer (or something similar). It tweaks down the size of the images (but the quality of the image barely changes) ... would make the gallery load faster ....

geospatial_junkie

Agnieszka wrote:

Haha, true, I wasn't thinking of that .... and I thought an other good + point would be that it's not as heavy as the D3 is supposed to be ......

(Agree on the transitions). Btw. you might also want to download irfantviewer (or something similar). It tweaks down the size of the images (but the quality of the image barely changes) ... would make the gallery load faster ....

Unfortunately not true. With the battery pack it is slightly bigger and heavier than the D3. With my 70-200 2.8, it weighs about 3.5lbs. Of course, my forearms are huge now...

Photobby

You should be charging! These are awesome! Your composition, exposure and all were dead on! (I am still stuck renting the 70-200 2.8... for now) Keep shooting!

-Adam
www.adamstevensphotography.com
www.photobby.com

geospatial_junkie

Photobby wrote:

You should be charging! These are awesome! Your composition, exposure and all were dead on! (I am still stuck renting the 70-200 2.8... for now) Keep shooting!

-Adam
www.adamstevensphotography.com
www.photobby.com

Thanks for the kind words. I'm doing there wedding next summer so I don't charge for the engagement shoot. Its a good way to get to know them and how they are in front of a camera.

sherijohnson

Great job! What did you use to make the slideshow? It looks good (the image quality)

geospatial_junkie

I used Proshow Producer and Adobe CS4 Flash.

lisap

What a fabulous couple to photograph! I loved looking at every single picture in that slide show. You did an excellent job of capturing the two of them and their special moments together. Their looks, touches, body language, everything.

-- Lisa P.

geospatial_junkie

lisap wrote:

What a fabulous couple to photograph! I loved looking at every single picture in that slide show. You did an excellent job of capturing the two of them and their special moments together. Their looks, touches, body language, everything.

-- Lisa P.

Thanks Lisa. I had about 80 that turned out really well. Of these, I culled them to about 40 really really good shots. There are a lot more shots that weren't in the slideshow too.

angevin1

Fantastic job! Very vibrant emotion going on here. well captured. Nice lighting and handled well.

cheers, tom

geospatial_junkie

Thanks a ton everyone! Hopefully, by the time next summer rolls around, I will have done enough training through my engagement shoots, that I'll be ready for my first full summer of weddings.

sherijohnson

Oh, I can't wait to see their wedding pictures!

NateWagner

First of all, I agree, it is a very nice set.

However, one thing that bothers me a little bit about it is the smoothing of his face. I noticed in some of the shots his face is very smooth (and red) and then in other shots it is much more rugged and textured (even though her face remains very smooth). I think that for each shot taken individually it's not really much of a problem, but in a group such as this the lack of uniformity bothers me a bit.

urbanaries

wow. I would love to convince clients that a shoot in the snow would be worth it, congrats to you!

I absolutely can't stop looking at 2! It looks like a well done commercial shoot (J.Crew, Eddie Bauer?) Complete story in a single frame. Lovely textures, color, emotion and that snow falling is money!

Also love 7 and 10, but they are all fantastic. Very nice exposures and use of DOF in all. Wonderful set, thanks for sharing!

Aspire

What a lovely couple, amazing photos - so well captured! Beautiful lens too

geospatial_junkie

NateWagner wrote:

First of all, I agree, it is a very nice set.

However, one thing that bothers me a little bit about it is the smoothing of his face. I noticed in some of the shots his face is very smooth (and red) and then in other shots it is much more rugged and textured (even though her face remains very smooth). I think that for each shot taken individually it's not really much of a problem, but in a group such as this the lack of uniformity bothers me a bit.

Thanks for the critique and I'll definitely take it into consideration.

mmmatt

Great photos... LOVE the slideshow, and hate the record scratch transitions... really great work with this good looking couple!!!

Matt