My first engagement shots...my daughters

BlueHoseJacket · July 5, 2009

She decided to go to an historic home not far from our house. Her fiancé was home for the 4th of July weekend...it is expected that he will deploy to Afghanistan in October.

I posted several weeks ago that I had never done this type photography...I typically shoot sporting events for the pure pleasure of shooting (i.e. not for money). As I stated in my post several weeks ago...I do not have a flash other than the camera flash...

She had arranged to shoot this evening, but weather in the area was not looking good and more rain was expected during the evening hours. We decided to go ahead and give it a try about 2:00 this afternoon under mostly cloudy skies.

C & C welcomed....

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Wil Davis · July 6, 2009

OK, here we go; all these comments are just my own opinion, and they're worth exactly what you paid for them

1: You centered the subject smack in the middle of the frame; I'd have moved the camera down and slightly to the left; doing so would have placed the centre of interest (faces) in the correct place in the frame, and avoided the big expanse of background (distracting even though it's out of focus), and also wouldn't have amputated her left elbow (ouch!). They're both looking at the camera, which is good, and their faces form a nice shape, and matches the arm with the ring (mustn't forget The Ring

), although I'm still worried about her elbow). Make sure the eyes are in focus! (but of course you knew that anyway…)

2: Ah, well - heads in centre = BAD (rule of thirds (Look It Up!)) (fill the frame (although there are those who say not necessarily

); oh well, I always try to fill the frame. That's a classic pose, and a great picture potential but nearly ½ the frame is wasted… (bummer) and also the ring is almost hidden by and errant branch (time for PhotoShop…).
They're both looking at the camera (good, but I'm worried about his leg appearing behind her - it looks somewhat awkward…)

3: I'm confused as to what is the subject here; is it the couple, or is it the lych gate, or is it the fence, but I'm guessing that it should be the couple, but I'm confused. Too much stuff in the picture; too fussy!

4: Big wiggly green thing in the background is distracting, it leads the viewer's eye away from the important feature (her face); I would have filled the… (yes we know, don't keep on about it! sorry…); I would have tightened the cropping and maybe even used vertical format.

5: Goodness me! That looks uncomfortable! They're leaning into a different frame! Oh his hat is going to…

6: …oh, it did! I hope it didn't give her a bloody nose!

7: His eyes are in shadow, and there are no catch-lights in her eyes. Crop, fill frame, etc. etc… I love the uniform, great colours!

8: I do not understand this one… Why are they walking away from me?

9 & 10: Rule of Thirds again; try to avoid placing the subject smack at the centre! The viewer's eye wanders, and if the main interest is right in the middle of the frame, the only place for the eye to wander is away, whereas if the picture is balanced (main interest, secondary interest etc. etc.) the eye will be drawn from one to the other and back…

11: I love this picture! She's very photogenic, and she's looking straight into the camera

…but she's right in the centre!!!!! Arghhhh! Again, camera down and left; have him look (no, no, not at YOU but right into the camera (just like wot she is doing!!)

12: Oh, now this is better! He's now looking at the camera! I'd have got closer or zoomed to fill the… (oh god! not again!!!!). As it is, I'm a bit worried about the tangle of legs and missing feet (looks a bit posed actually…)

13: Frame/crop amputated feet and the only worry I'd have is the focus (right on her face, that's the centre of interest). The idea is great and don't forget Rule of Thirds!!!!!

Hey, man sorry for the criticism (although you did ask) but you're so lucky to have such a photogenic daughter, and a future son-in-law who dotes on her (just look at the pics).

Well, as Ximénes de Cisneros might say:

"NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!!!!"

- Wil

Scott_Quier · July 6, 2009

I'm not going to do a blow by blow. There are some issues common to all of them and some have specific issues and good points. So, with that ....

First and most importantly - please extend my thanks to your future SiL for his choice and committment to server our country. My thoughts and prayers will go with him as he deploys.

Second - in future posts of this nature, it makes it much easier on the everyone if the photos are numbered

Third - Watch your background. Before pressing the shutter, walk (with your eye) around the edge of the frame. Do you have distracting elements? If so, re-frame. If that means moving, do it. The shot will usually wait a bit.

#1 Centering is usually not a goodness. In the first one, you have all that dead space above them and to camera right. Also, you've cut off both his and her elbow. Suggestion - lower the angle of the camera and put some little space around everyone - this allows for more flexibility in framing later. You have the little flash on your camera - it could have been put to good use here. Shooting under over-cast skys is a good idea - makes the sky a huge light diffuser. However, nothing is perfect and one of the drawbacks is the raccoon eyes one gets. A little flash, even from the popup would fill the eyes and also put a sparkle in them (called a catchlight). Finally, the flower on her head - ooops it's not on her head - is a distraction. If you had taken one step to your left, she would have covered that flower and attention would have been better focused on them.

#2 Had you framed this one correctly, you would have been able to zoom in some and had them fill the frame. The bottom of the frame is in about the right spot. You don't want to cut people off at the joints. Rather, you would like the crop to appear between joints is it just about does here.

#3 Using the structure as a framing element - good idea. However, that structure occupies too much of the frame. Get closer so we know that we are supposed to be looking at them and not the garden. Foreground is a huge and ugle distraction. You don't have the pixel count to properly crop this so you have to get it right in camera.

#4 The flower between them is a distraction. So is the tree behind them. And, you cut off her hand. Suggestion: Think about the orientation of the camera and decide to use landscape (or portrait) orientation for a reason. Here, what purpose was served by the landscape orientation? Oh, and I have to ask ... Is she daring him to hit her?

That's what it looks like to me.

#5 A case of not enough direction .... or not enough practice kissing. Smashing noses is not a goodness and doesn't make for nice photos. Teach them to each tilt their head just a bit to get their noses out of the crash zone. And, for goodness sake, loose the cover. Put it on the ground in the foreground or something but here we can see that she's going to get a lobotomy or something :lol

#7 Centering on his face and, thus, putting her to one side could make one think that this photo is all about him and his possession rather than about the couple. Your pop-up flash could have filled that shadow under his cover quite nicely.

#8 I've used this shot more than once, but an element is missing ... As they are walking away, have them turn towards the camera and smile - that will get them involved with the viewer (and vice-versa). Also, if you have the tools for it, clone out the grass on the leg his trousers.

#9 This one really works for me. I love the interaction between them. Love her bare feet. Wish his were also shoeless. Posing suggestion - place his right hand on her forearm somewhere - nice and relaxed, in a caring position. That would be just one more thing to connect them together. While I like the selected shutter speed, I have to wonder what something like 1sec would look like - that water would probably get all cottony smooth. Centered.

#10 Love her look and the way she's looking at him. Not even centered - look at all that dead space above them. And, you cut off her toes! How's she supposed to walk now!:D

#11 Fill flash and a proper framing. Suggestion on posing - tilt her head toward him and tuck under his chin. Then he can tilt his head over her's - makes for a very tender shot .... even with her looking at the camera.

If you have the time ... if he's available .... I would maybe suggest a re-shoot. These are good and you have some quite wonderful concepts and ideas, but with just a little more attention to the details, you can have some super shots.

zoomer · July 6, 2009

Man did you hit the light jackpot in those first few.
She is a cutie.
I love the one where his hat came off, that is fun.

They look kind of nervous in front of the camera, cute to me.

I would call this photo shoot a success.
Yeah there are a few technical things, but you never claimed to be a professional.

Qarik · July 6, 2009

they are in large part..well lit and in focus and framed cleanly. This is no small thing.

They are rather plainly posed and the models feel a bit awkward.

BlueHoseJacket · July 7, 2009

Thanks everyone for your comments...as Zoomer mentioned...I never claimed to be a professional...and as y'all have commented I am very far from it.

As far as the pictures go:

#4. "the look" ....being married to her mother for 24 years...I have seen this "look" many times. This was not posed just something I saw between shots and I took a quick shot to capture "the look". Her future will see this quite often over the years.

#5 & 6. Again this was not an expected shot...I was trying to get them ready for shot # 7 when I saw him give her a dip...I would have loved to have had a wider lens...

# 9 & 10. I was shooting this from a bridge above the creek..I was having to put my lens through the pickets of the handrail to get low enough to get below the tree limbs. His Dad was below shooting at creek level...so they did not know I was shooting these shots.

#12..Same location as 9 &10...I definitely missed the cutting of the legs

#13. Again I was just following them to the next location when he picked her up and carried her going across the bridge...and I cut his feet off:bash

I wish I had done better..I wish I knew more of what I was doing...but in the end my daughter loved the pictures and that is what mattered.

Scott_Quier · July 8, 2009

BlueHoseJacket wrote:

I wish I had done better..I wish I knew more of what I was doing...but in the end my daughter loved the pictures and that is what mattered.

Yup! That and that you are happy with them.

My first engagement shots...my daughters

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