Emily & Trey, an E-Session (6 images) C&C Welcome

Scott_Quier

These are some shots from a recent e-session. Had a very good time with a very attractive and friendly couple. Really, really looking forward to shooting their wedding in July!

The day was absolutely cloudless. For the most part, I was able to find sufficient shade to protect the couple from strong (Like Shay says, not harsh) shadows. Numbers 4 and 5 were the exceptions, they were shot in full sun, with a little fill from my trusty 580EX.

1. Cause I like B&W


2. They really do like each other. The light here was very tricky; all the green foliage tended to impart a huge green cast to everything. The only thing that saved me was my WhiBal card (this is not a commercial endorsement, just a statement of fact ).


3. We found this driftwood tree truck. I think we put it to pretty good use! I had to use some fill here as well as Emily was pretty much shadowed by the limb above her head. I'm pretty stoked by this shot.


4. The lighter spots on his jeans look like some strange sort of flare and I thought so as well. I went back and looked at one of the culls to find out if they were bleach spots or not. Yep - these, I think, are pants he wears to work and they were "damaged" on the job.


5. These next two are my favorites of the entire day, with #5 gettting prize.


6.


The funny thing (I guess it's funny) is that I put off looking at these for 4 days because I was afraid of what I would see. The LCD on the back of the camera was showing these to be hugely over-flashed (though the client's could tell the difference). But, when I finally screwed up my courage and bit the bullet, I was so relieved! Yeay!!!

Elaine

LOVE #1 and #5!! Of course, my own favorite engagement picture is in the same pose as #5, but I think it's a great pose, and your shot turned out just right. (EDIT - I may be tempted to try a crop just below his belt-line). Have you tried a subtle vignette on #1?...just to draw your eye right towards them, as there is not as much contrast between their clothing/faces and the ground. Just a thought.

Your lighting on the driftwood shot did indeed turn out nicely, but if I'm being honest, the driftwood is a bit busy and their faces are too far apart, for my taste, that is!

Looks like you can mark up another success, Scott! These are all keepers (no matter my personal preferences!)! By the way...how many shots do you typically include in an engagment package?

saurora

Another nice set, Scott! I agree w/Elaine. I like #1 and #5 the best and I think #1 would benefit from a very subtle vignette. Nice job on the white balancing in #2. I like the pose and expressions in #3 but the driftwood seems to take over the shot. I would do a portrait crop on it and take out the right side. #4 I would clone those spots out without hesitation!... the shot itself if is the least interesting to me. #6 I like the pose but the bg is distracting. Don't forget to watch your backgrounds, that tree behind the groom almost ruined #5. That's my advice which is based on mostly inexperience!!! Over-all a nice job!

dogwood

Scott:

These are nice. You have a lot of natural looking poses and I feel like you've captured the personality of the couple. There's also a cool photojournalist feel to these image. Good job. I second guess my shoots all the time-- seems like it's almost part of the creative process.

ChrisJ

Great shots... I love #5. He looks like he's the cat who caught the canary; and her smile is so genuine.

You trying to become the next Shay or something? Keep it up...

System

nice scott-

I too like #5 the best-

good series-

urbanaries

I'd have to say 1 and 6 are my favorites, mostly because they're unique as well as well done, and the pose in #5 is pretty common. I like couplings that are a bit different, yet still work. I keep coming back to #1. Your conversion is so nice, and I definitely see why you went BW on this one. Her dark jeans and white shirt both retain some detail, good one! I agree with others that a vignette and /or a slightly tighter crop would benefit.

#6 I think would also look spectacular in BW, you've captured a nice genuine emotion here, and they're cozy but not contrived.

Really nice series Scott, your color shots in tough conditions continue to amaze me.

Have fun on vacay!

Scott_Quier

Thanks all for you comments. I will incorporate them as I can.

The comments on #1 concerning the vignette are kinda funny. There is a very subtle one already applied. When I PPed this one, I looked at the before and after and thought it was enough as I really dis-like the "in your face" vignettes.

I agree #5 is a common pose, but people seem to expect it. This one turned out so well I was compelled to post it. I just love her smile and his expression very well communicates his thoughts - he knows he somehow has a prime catch in his future wife (a very, very sweet young lady, a real gem!).

You trying to become the next Shay or something?

In my book, there's not much higher praise than this. For me, right now, that's a lofty goal and I have a very long way to go before I come even close. Why do you think I'm signed up for his boot camp (click here for details) - for my health - no to learn what I can from one of the very best in the business.

The photojournalist feel comes from the fact that I don't really enjoy the "pose, hold, shoot, OK got it" sequence. Most of my clients are not into PDA so I just ask that they be themselves and have some fun in a location where they like to play. Emily selected the location, asking me if I thought it would work. I spent more than 2 hours scoping it out a couple weeks before the event. I've spent some time on this shoot but it was very much well worth the effort.

Really nice series Scott, your color shots in tough conditions continue to amaze me.

Thank you so much for that. I work very hard to get the colors correct. I have to work hard at it because I can't trust my eyes (I have a slight touch of red/green color blindness) so I work the numbers. There's a good tute in the tutorial section about how to do that and I've found the advice there to be of immeasureable value. That's one of the reasons I'm not going to be moving to Lightroom any time soon - that program doesn't support/report CMYK values (at least I couldn't figure out how to get them).

DavidS

Wow! What a great series.