Last Minute Fill-In

slpollett

I am predominantly a portrait photographer. Recently a former senior pic client's Mom called me to ask if I could possibly photograph her friend's daughter's wedding( --in 2 days!!!) because the photographer they had originally hired was no longer able to do it. After discussing for several minutes and the whole "I don't do weddings" speech, I finally agreed to do it--mainly because it just felt like the right thing to do. Very nice family and friends, very nice young couple, no bridezilla. So, then I went into panic mode (what did I just agree to do??!!) and started reading everything I could find, including lots of great information here and talking to a couple of my local photographer friends. [ps: I have second shot a couple of weddings in the past and one on my own--just enough to realize that I don't do weddings for a reason.] Anyway, determined to do a good job for a very sweet young couple, I set off with 2 cameras, 3 different lenses, a Canon speedlight, one strobe & softbox, and enough batteries and memory cards to shoot for days.

Below are some of my favorites from the day. I would really like some constructive criticism about these pics. While I am pleased overall with my output from the event, I am not totally happy with most of my images from the ceremony itself. I could not use any flash (of course), so I was at f2.8 and ISO 2500 using my Canon 5D MKIII and a 100mm L lens. I think most of the images are a bit too soft and grainy. I would love to know what I could have done to do better in this area.

1.

2. Groom's first look at his bride
   

3. 

4.

5.

6.

7.

8. Ring 1
   

9. Ring 2
   

10.

Thanks for looking.

Sherry P.

slpollett

I should clarify that I couldn't use any flash during the ceremony. I did use my strobe for the formals and I used the speedlight during the reception.

ziggy53

Just some minor observations:

_#5 Could use some minor straightening. Positive 1.5 degrees by my software. It's just enough to notice.

_#7 Has some peripheral illumination loss. (The flash did not cover the outsides of the image as well as the center.) Lightroom should have an easy correction for this but I don't use Lightroom so not sure of the process.

If you are seeing much noise at ISO 2500 then you may be underexposing the image and adjusting exposure in post. With proper RAW capture exposure, noise should be very well controlled through ISO 3200 on the Canon. (I also use ISO 2500 on the Canon 5D Mark III because I like the curves Canon applies to that ISO vs ISO 3200.)

Additionally, I now use Phase One, Capture One Pro (C1P) for processing Canon RAW files, partly because of how effective C1P noise reduction is and how it is controlled and moderated in the software. C1P is also better for "Clarity" than Adobe products, very much IMO, and I truly love the "Structure" control of Clarity. You can achieve a very nice image Pop with these controls.

In really difficult situations, when I miss the exposure or if the flash fails and I need the shot, I rely on Neat Image for luminance noise reduction as I feel it beats everything else available. In those cases I do use the chrominance noise reduction in C1P and then follow that with Neat Image for luminance noise reduction, sometimes even producing two different applications for the noise; one treatment just for the highlights and middle tones, and a second treatment just for the lower tones. Then both treatments are merged by their tones to produce a single image with the best properties overall.

slpollett

Thank you, Ziggy!

Yes, I need to straighten that image. I straightened the others in that group, but not that one for whatever reason. I have fixed this one now and will replace it in the gallery.

I think I can figure out how to fix #7 in Lightroom so I will work on it.

Thanks also for the tip on the noise reduction software. The images I took with my Canon are OK as far as noise goes. I just thought the focus was a little soft. I did bump the exposure +.24 in LR. The photos I'm really unhappy about are the ones I took with my Olympus E-5. Whew, that camera just doesn't do well in low light at all. Those are way too grainy for me. While I do like Lightroom for its ease of use, I've never thought it does a great job on noise or even on processing RAW files. (Of course, the last part could just be the operator.....)

Thank you again for taking time to offer advice. I do appreciate it so much.

Sherry P.

compasiune11

Great pictures, I like the first one it is superb!

slpollett

Thank you!

sdeweddings

i think you can user a longer lens. there are a lot of space for some of the photos.

slpollett

Thanks for the feedback. I used what I had available on short notice. If this had been a planned event, I would have rented a longer lens and a second Canon body, but I didn't have the luxury of time on this one.

I did put together this collage. I'm not usually too good at this kind of creativity, but I'm trying to improve.

Another one:

Sherry

joshhuntnm

Love #2. Emotion is everything.

slpollett

Thank you, Josh. That is one of my favorites as well.

Sherry P.