"Engagement" Photos 9 imgs (56k warning)

Scott_Quier

I'm in the process of putting a business together. Takes time to get the LLC paperwork through the Commonwealth of Virginia papermill. So, I figured that was a good time to start bulding a portfolio and for getting shots that I could use on a business card and other propaganda.

R & J have been married for six or seven years, but they agreed to play "newly engaged" for me for a day.

I shot way too many captures, but process about 40 for a gallary from which they will pick some for printing.

All were shot with 20D, a 580EX, and the Lumiquest 809-20 (with either the white or gold (for last shot) reflector card installed) mounted on the flash.

1. Anyway, started out kinda slow. Neither of them were yet comfortable with the whole thing.



2. So, I suggested that R should just "grab her butt!" In previous conversations with J, I knew that she would not be offended by the suggestion - kind of a free spirit.


3. That's all it took. J decided to get some of that action.


4. This is probably my favorite shot from the shoot. I just love the expression on R's face.


5. Ok, now we're really getting relaxed! This one is a little soft because I was not expecting them to do this. I don't think they intended for me to shoot this, they were just sticking their tongues out and I was rushed. Oh well.


6. This was taken about 20 minutes before sunset. You can just see the beginings of a shadow at his waist. I left the shadow there in an attempt to de-emphasize the area. Did it work?


7. I like this shot but it has one problem. Note to self, try using a reflector at sunset to fill in the shadows a bit - just to avoid the blue on the side of the face!


8. The attempt here is to capture the sense that they are sharing the sunset. This might be worth something to someone, I don't know. I do know it was fun setting it up and shooting it.


9. This one was an attempt to use high-speed sync flash. Limit the ambient light (the sun) using shutter. Open up the aperature to allow flash to do it's thing. It kinda worked. I think it would have been a lot more effective to have used a reflector to fill rather than the flash.


At the end of it all, I decided that photographing people is work!! You have to be excited, you have to communicate that excitement to your models/clients, you have to get them to where they are having fun and excited about the shots. That's a lot of mental energy to expend.

Did I have fun??? Well, I can't wait to do it all over again. This stuff ROCKS!

C&C is welcome/encouraged. I would love to know what others think of these, especially if you have ideas on how to improve. FWIW - the rest of the photos can be seen here - take a look if you have an interest.

Thanks for looking.

Barefoot and Natural

Wow Scott....I think are all nice.....but can i say one thing???

Holy tongue!! I thought about that Kiss guy for a minute !
My favorite (out of the ones you posted) is #8......I LOVE romantic shots and that totally makes it for me!!!

#4 is great too! His eyes focoused on her in such a way shows REAL emotion!

I can tell you are having fun......and it great to see the actual "clients" having fun too!!

Great series Scott.......(I see you got your CANON flash too )

Heather

rosselliot

not to be so critical - but for being where you were, and with the sunset and all. I am pictureing one of them sitting, her arm around him with her head on his shoulder, both looking off into the sunset, and you at a purpendicular angle with them, their faces will be very orange with some harsh shadows likely, then the background would be the beach and the waves washing up on shore...and you could telll from expressions and their eyes and the lighting in the backgorund sky that it's a sunset.

what about one of them walking down the beach? hand in hand? barefoot, pants rolled up. long shadows extending up the beach. could you have gotten her to get on his back?
those would be romantic sunset pictures they'd enjoy. the one of the back of their heads is nice, when they turn around, the flash is harsh and the sunset looks like an afterthought.
I know these are engagements of older people - but everyone's young at heart, so don't make them feel any different....HAVE FUN with them and act like you're taking pictures of the cutest 20 year old couple on earth.


could you have not used the flash when they were in front of the trees? like, if it were possible? use a high iso to stop their action if there wasn't enough light. I'm partial to non-flash photography, and it looks like you used it in every photo.

the frst photos did look very stiff, but they definitely got better. the first photo kinda looks like he's holding her back....but it's a nice photo, none the less.

you did a good job with these...did you take any with the sun to YOUR back? all the ones I see are of them in front of the sun, and they're backlit?

either way! you did a great job with them, I enjoyed looking at them, I was just trying to think of some ways that you could have REALLY made it an ever MORE awesome shoot.

good job, though!

- RE

Scott_Quier

Barefoot and Natural wrote:

Wow Scott....I think are all nice.....but can i say one thing???

Holy tongue!! I thought about that Kiss guy for a minute !
My favorite (out of the ones you posted) is #8......I LOVE romantic shots and that totally makes it for me!!!

#4 is great too! His eyes focoused on her in such a way shows REAL emotion!

I can tell you are having fun......and it great to see the actual "clients" having fun too!!

Great series Scott.......(I see you got your CANON flash too )

Heather

I'll have to pass on the comment 'bout the tongue!

The flash is so much better than the sigma, there's almost no comparision. I'm really happy with it.

Scott_Quier

rosselliot wrote:

not to be so critical - but for being where you were, and with the sunset and all. I am pictureing one of them sitting, her arm around him with her head on his shoulder, both looking off into the sunset, and you at a purpendicular angle with them, their faces will be very orange with some harsh shadows likely, then the background would be the beach and the waves washing up on shore...and you could telll from expressions and their eyes and the lighting in the backgorund sky that it's a sunset.

what about one of them walking down the beach? hand in hand? barefoot, pants rolled up. long shadows extending up the beach. could you have gotten her to get on his back?
those would be romantic sunset pictures they'd enjoy. the one of the back of their heads is nice, when they turn around, the flash is harsh and the sunset looks like an afterthought.
I know these are engagements of older people - but everyone's young at heart, so don't make them feel any different....HAVE FUN with them and act like you're taking pictures of the cutest 20 year old couple on earth.

I appreciate the critical comments - that's kinda what I was looking for and you came through!

These are very nice ideas for when I can get to a beach. These were shot on the banks of a river and what sand is there is off limits - environmental reclaimation area. But, I will definitely keep these ideas in mind!

rosselliot wrote:

could you have not used the flash when they were in front of the trees? like, if it were possible? use a high iso to stop their action if there wasn't enough light. I'm partial to non-flash photography, and it looks like you used it in every photo.

I am also partial to available-light. I've got a pretty good handle on that. I was after three things here. One was to see what the new flash could do, two - what could I do with the flash, and thrid to see if I couldn't create some images that would help me sell. I think I got the first two down pretty well, especially after I exprapolate from this experience. I'm still not sure there is anything here that might cause someone to say, "Hey, I like his work!" Time will tell.

rosselliot wrote:

the frst photos did look very stiff, but they definitely got better. the first photo kinda looks like he's holding her back....but it's a nice photo, none the less.

No, this photo is pretty bad. Light was only OK. I was experimenting here as well.

rosselliot wrote:

you did a good job with these...did you take any with the sun to YOUR back? all the ones I see are of them in front of the sun, and they're backlit?

Number 5, 6, 7 had the sun either off a shoulder or to my back. The sun was VERY bright and her eyes are more than just a little sensitive. So, you work with what you have.

rosselliot wrote:

either way! you did a great job with them, I enjoyed looking at them, I was just trying to think of some ways that you could have REALLY made it an ever MORE awesome shoot.

good job, though!

- RE

I really appreciate the time you took to analyze these photos and make your thoughtful comments. There are ideas in your comments that I can take and make my own. Thanks.