My First Wedding Shoot

geospatial_junkie · March 2, 2009

I had my first wedding shoot this past weekend at the Irwin Inn on Stony Lake. The conditions were pretty brutal... bright sun with no clouds and the church was extremely small with no space to move in. There were a lot of challenges here, but hey... the bride only paid $750 so I figured I was allowed to make some mistakes.

Well... here we go!

1.

2.

3.
Yes... I had to try this everyone... even if only once!

4.

5.

John Deere green...

6.

7.

At the church, signing the registry. You can't tell at all from this shot that Jeff Ascaugh is one of my idols... Note, the "hand of God" on the chair! Due the lighting, the groom was invisible in this shot when converted to black and white. Don't worry, I have one with the groom as well in full colour for mom and dad!

8.

Leaving the church!

9.

10.

And then the groomsmen from a funky angle (yup, its a big pano)...

11.

The reception was so dimly lit. Thank god for off-camera flash!

12.

Sensing a theme here...

13.

I took the groom out from the reception for about ten minutes to try a little experiment. Just me, them and a 10,000,000 powered flashlight. Inspired by David Jay's night engagement shoot video!

14.

15.

16.

A little fun with textures. I didn't like it at first, but its kind of growing on me. I think it might look good on canvas.

17.

I've got many more to go through and process. I really don't know how photographers can only use available light to shoot weddings. Many of these were shot with an off-camera flash or a flash on a bracket (though I ditched the bracket cause quite frankly, it sucked compared to holding the flash off-camera).

Thanks for looking everyone!

heatherfeather · March 2, 2009

These are beeautiful!

I love the first and the last. The texture works well!

I also love the 3rd from last. That is pretty sweet use of your light!

If the rest of the set are anything like these, she got of cheaply with $750.

geospatial_junkie · March 2, 2009

Thanks Heather. I know I have got a ton to learn yet, but hopefully this is a good start considering the horror stories I've heard.

jeffreaux2 · March 3, 2009

heatherfeather wrote:

These are beeautiful!

I love the first and the last. The texture works well!

I also love the 3rd from last. That is pretty sweet use of your light!

If the rest of the set are anything like these, she got of cheaply with $750.

Ditto....what she said....especially the third from last.

I think you did a fabulos job here.

One critique....

It would help all of us viewers if you numbered the pics 1 through...?.... so that we could associate a number with a comment rather than saying..."third from last"....

Other than that....

Darren Troy C · March 3, 2009

Awesome work!

geospatial_junkie · March 3, 2009

Made a big print of #17 and now I really like the texture around it! I wasn't sure how it would transfer into print before.

urbanaries · March 3, 2009

WOW. What a gorgeous set. I like them all but these stand out -
8 - takes my breath away, looks like a WPJA entry!

If it were me I would clone out the phantom "hand" though...

11 is awesome, love the dock and the sky/sun flare. Can you explain the technique behind this or is it a fisheye 10:4 crop?

15 is probably my most favorite. Just love the colors, the unexpected direction of light, the shadows, the tension...wow, just everything

17 is beautiful, she really looks like Julianne Moore here! Gorgeous soft light and I like the texture.

WTG on your first...you've got to be pumped how these turned out! Congrats!

geospatial_junkie · March 3, 2009

Thanks for your comments Urbanaries. I'll take that into account regarding the cloning out of the hand. I've thought about it... I guess its the symbolism I really like from it.

sherijohnson · March 3, 2009

wow! you did great. now where do I get this flashlight from?

geospatial_junkie · March 3, 2009

urbanaries wrote:

WOW. What a gorgeous set. I like them all but these stand out -
8 - takes my breath away, looks like a WPJA entry! If it were me I would clone out the phantom "hand" though...

11 is awesome, love the dock and the sky/sun flare. Can you explain the technique behind this or is it a fisheye 10:4 crop?

15 is probably my most favorite. Just love the colors, the unexpected direction of light, the shadows, the tension...wow, just everything

17 is beautiful, she really looks like Julianne Moore here! Gorgeous soft light and I like the texture.

WTG on your first...you've got to be pumped how these turned out! Congrats!

#11 was shot using a 24-70mm 2.8 lens (I can't remember the focal range, but I think it was probably around 40mm). I shot low to the ground and told them not to move. Then I quickly snapped off a series of handheld shots. I later stitched them together in photoshop and corrected for geometric distortion. This little feature allows for really cool effects (such as a fisheye) with the right type of shots. There was no post-processing done on any of these sun flares. The key was really to expose for the sky so the image was way underexposed. Also, I used a polarizer here.

geospatial_junkie · March 3, 2009

sherijohnson wrote:

wow! you did great. now where do I get this flashlight from?

Walmart should have these. Be careful, they only last about 20 minutes and take all day to charge!

JustPlainMe · March 3, 2009

Beautiful set, without a doubt, she got a great bargain at $750!!! I love the ring shot, how unusual and fresh! Wow. I don't have anything to say except what a great job. I would be thrilled with these pictures.

I love textures, I'm a grunge-monster, so I think the texture works well, though it would work if she were textured more, too.

geospatial_junkie · March 3, 2009

JustPlainMe wrote:

Beautiful set, without a doubt, she got a great bargain at $750!!! I love the ring shot, how unusual and fresh! Wow. I don't have anything to say except what a great job. I would be thrilled with these pictures.

I love textures, I'm a grunge-monster, so I think the texture works well, though it would work if she were textured more, too.

We've got some great photographers around this neck of the wood so the pressure was definitely there.

As for the ring shot, I wish I could take credit for being original, but its been done quite a bit. :cry Thanks for the comments though!

Shudderz · March 3, 2009

geospatial_junkie wrote:

Walmart should have these. Be careful, they only last about 20 minutes and take all day to charge!

They can be found
HERE
$75.00 at walmart.

BEAUTIFUL set! What a bargain at $750! Congrats on a very successful first!

jbakerphoto · March 3, 2009

They also have them at bass pro....(the 6.5 million candle spot is 40 there)

The pics are wonderful...

ivar · March 3, 2009

These are very nice! I think you did a great job!

The little tractor shot has a nice bokeh; I'd give it a bit of an angle though so it would be easier to see what the tractor is carrying.

I love #8, absolutely great shot

(even though the 'floating hand' does creep me out a bit, hahaha).

Swartzy · March 3, 2009

Agreed....very nice set with lots of variety and super creative lighting...yummy! Nice job dude!

Elaine · March 3, 2009

You did a fantastic job! I echo the sentiments that $750 was a big bargain. Raise your price and go do another one!

geospatial_junkie · March 3, 2009

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it. One thing I did notice is the massive time constraints a wedding imposes on the photographer. I had very little time and often one chance to get the shot I wanted.

As for the price... that's fixed for 2009. Once I get my portfolio built up, the prices will increase in 2010

. I've got 15 weddings booked this summer, so hopefully at the end, I'll have plenty of images to start my portfolio with.

Shima · March 3, 2009

I have to agree with everyone else, for being your first wedding, you did AMAZING. This does not look like your typical "my first wedding" post AT ALL. These look fabulous. Seriously, raise your prices for clients that haven't seen previously posted prices, you're totally worth it.

PS - I did 17 weddings last year and wanted to shoot myself. Good luck with your 15... if you're like me and work a regular job + extracurriculars, you may find yourself wanting to take less weddings the following year! I've only got 8 booked so far this year and I'm cool w/ it staying low

Scott_Quier · March 4, 2009

First wedding? WOW - you hit at least a 3-bagger with this one. A home run if the rest of the day turned out like this sampling.

As for mistakes .... Well, that first one is definitely NOT a mistake. That's beautiful!! (except for the logo).

#5 - the shoes - well done. Not too sure about the background though.

#8 - I think I would loose the groom's hand completely. The clone job shouldn't be too difficult. But, I love the light in this one. Very nice!

#12 - WOW The bride does NOT look happy

#14 - This is prime! I would clone out the spot to the right of the groom.

#17 - This is very, very nice.

FWIW - I think you did a wonderful job and the B&G got off very easy paying only $750. Very nice work!!:ivar

lisap · March 4, 2009

First wedding?!

Are you sure?!

If I were the bride, I'd be SUPER HAPPY with the photos.

I love the moments you've captured and the story each one tells.

-- Lisa P.

geospatial_junkie · March 4, 2009

Thank you all

. To be honest with you, I'm not as happy with some of these as I would have liked. I missed the focus in the tractor shot and I feel that I could have used my flash better. This was my first time really using off-camera flash (my arms were exhausted as I was shooting solo while holding the flash off to the side).

Ed911 · March 4, 2009

geospatial_junkie wrote:

Thank you all . To be honest with you, I'm not as happy with some of these as I would have liked. I missed the focus in the tractor shot and I feel that I could have used my flash better. This was my first time really using off-camera flash (my arms were exhausted as I was shooting solo while holding the flash off to the side).

Nice series. I think your number one is great. Couple of things you could have done to make it a little better. I have taken the privilege of retouching it and posting it here with the original. Notice the hot spots on her dress and hip...most have been removed. This is just a quick dodge and burn, bit of cloning, and an exposure adj. A bit more work is required...especially in the lighter areas of the dress...but, in my humble opinion, I think better.

Retouched

geospatial_junkie · March 4, 2009

Ed911 wrote:

Nice series. I think your number one is great. Couple of things you could have done to make it a little better. I have taken the privilege of retouching it and posting it here with the original. Notice the hot spots on her dress and hip...most have been removed. This is just a quick dodge and burn, bit of cloning, and an exposure adj. A bit more work is required...especially in the lighter areas of the dress...but, in my humble opinion, I think better.

Retouched

Thank you for your comments. To be honest with you, I find your version has way too much contrast and grain and there is too much overexposure in your corrected version that wouldn't necessarily translate well into print. There is also a loss of subtleties in the photo such as the edges of her dress and the way the light plays on the back of the dress.

Ed911 · March 4, 2009

geospatial_junkie wrote:

Thank you for your comments. To be honest with you, I find your version has way too much contrast and grain and there is too much overexposure in your corrected version that wouldn't necessarily translate well into print. There is also a loss of subtleties in the photo such as the edges of her dress and the way the light plays on the back of the dress.

This was just a quicky thing that was supposed to give you some ideas...that maybe you hadn't explored. Yep, I pushed it too much and you are absolutely right abut the grain on the left...didn't notice it on my laptop...crummy monitor...sure notice it on my desktop.

I still think you need to fix the sunspot on her right hip...since it blends in with the wall, it sort of looks like part of her is missing...see my retouch to see what I mean there.

Anyway, great shot...very nice dress. It's just food for thought.

urbanaries · March 4, 2009

geospatial_junkie wrote:

Thank you all . To be honest with you, I'm not as happy with some of these as I would have liked. I missed the focus in the tractor shot and I feel that I could have used my flash better. This was my first time really using off-camera flash (my arms were exhausted as I was shooting solo while holding the flash off to the side).

You will always have things you would do better...a wedding is way too varied, stressful, unpredictable and just downright demanding that if you ever walk away from one and don't have at least 3 things you would do different next time, well then I call :bigbs

geospatial_junkie · March 5, 2009

urbanaries wrote:

You will always have things you would do better...a wedding is way too varied, stressful, unpredictable and just downright demanding that if you ever walk away from one and don't have at least 3 things you would do different next time, well then I call :bigbs

Well put, that's kind of how I feel as well!

timk519 · March 6, 2009

As I've read elsewhere -

"A work of art is never completed, only abandoned."

Matthew Saville · March 7, 2009

Beautiful work! Next time, charge double. (If they're strangers) You're worth it! :-D

=Matt=

divamum · March 7, 2009

GaWOW! Can only agree with the others - fabulous work (and no WAY would anybody have guessed "First time out"!)

One teeny tiny thing: clone out the "Made in China" (and maybe the shoe size) in the shoe shot....

Great job! I love the textured one, the floating hand one, and the flared kiss in particular, but they are ALL great shots. Welll done!

My First Wedding Shoot

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