My first paid wedding!

CaroleHayes · July 16, 2009

I haven't been on here very long, but this seems to be the most supportive and helpful group of photographers I've seen yet, so I wanted to share my pictures here. : )

I'm not really looking for critique, because I (and my client) love them just how they are, but I AM curious to know if anyone else actually likes them or not....

ETA: These are just a few of the bride getting ready. I haven't done any of the ceremony yet....

ETA-2: I forgot my disclaimer!:

Please note:
- oversaturation and high contrast are on purpose.
- Composition is very much on purpose.
- Softness is on purpose. (Only one was made softer because it started that way.)
- the yellow/orange cast/tint is on purpose.
- the finish on #10 is on purpose. I LIKE the effect!
- And I like the vignettes.
- this is NOT representative of the entire shoot—these are just a few that caught my eye as I was purging.

These came out EXACTLY as I'd envisioned them, and capture the feeling of the day perfectly. Now I want to know what y'all think!

1.

2.

3.

4.

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6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

What do y'all think?

Thanks for looking! : )

Art Scott · July 16, 2009

not bad by any means......but: PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS JUST MY OPINION AND doesn't count for the time it took to write it.....................

Pictures are too warm (for me)....flash seems to be all direct on camera flash......need softbox or modifier of your liking to soften the flash......I am not a fan of the tilted cam shot....unless it really enhances the portrait.........in portrait 10 is that a huge scar on the girls arm...girl on th left......need to clone that to look like the rest of her arm.....

Dang...gotta run.....will mabe edit and add more later ....sorry....it is a start......

pwp · July 16, 2009

They are cute, but I think 2-4 have too much tilt. It's almost uncomfortable to view....like I want to tilt my head, but not sure how much. I love a little creative tilt here and there, but it has to really work for the picture, and not so much of it.

Art said it, too....they are a little warm, but if that suits the client's taste, go for it. I do think you are building a nice little story of the day here, which is what it is all about.

Chris H · July 16, 2009

I'm not a wedding photographer, so perhaps a little unqualified to comment. But if these were of my wedding I'd have been delighted. Really unique style, love them.

Cygnus Studios · July 16, 2009

I can see why the client is happy. The emotion in the images is pretty easy to see. I agree with Art about the warm tones. This is personal taste and will vary among those who like it and those who don't.
The fact that everything is center focused is also a tad off for me. Doesn't really allow the eye to move around easily to appreciate the entire image.

Overall when the clients are happy, that is always the most important thing.

CaroleHayes · July 16, 2009

Art Scott wrote:

not bad by any means......but: PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS JUST MY OPINION AND doesn't count for the time it took to write it.....................

Pictures are too warm (for me)....flash seems to be all direct on camera flash......need softbox or modifier of your liking to soften the flash......I am not a fan of the tilted cam shot....unless it really enhances the portrait.........in portrait 10 is that a huge scar on the girls arm...girl on th left......need to clone that to look like the rest of her arm.....

Dang...gotta run.....will mabe edit and add more later ....sorry....it is a start......

Art, thank you for the feedback! I forgot to put my disclaimer in at the beginning, so I went back and added it.... The warmth is on purpose, and the "scar" isn't a scar—it's an artifact from the post-processing, but I like the overall effect enough to ignore it; maybe I'll see if the client would prefer it cloned out....

As for the tilted shots: I didn't do a lot of them, just a few for variety's sake. They just happened to all land in this group! :lol

I'm going to start playing with off-camera flash, but I figured I need to do that NOT at a wedding, and I didn't get my triggers long enough before the wedding to allow me to play beforehand. I really should have used my tiny flash-softbox, but I forgot I had it with me.... :cry

pwp wrote:

They are cute, but I think 2-4 have too much tilt. It's almost uncomfortable to view....like I want to tilt my head, but not sure how much. I love a little creative tilt here and there, but it has to really work for the picture, and not so much of it.

Art said it, too....they are a little warm, but if that suits the client's taste, go for it. I do think you are building a nice little story of the day here, which is what it is all about.

Chris H wrote:

I'm not a wedding photographer, so perhaps a little unqualified to comment. But if these were of my wedding I'd have been delighted. Really unique style, love them.

Cygnus Studios wrote:

I can see why the client is happy. The emotion in the images is pretty easy to see. I agree with Art about the warm tones. This is personal taste and will vary among those who like it and those who don't.
The fact that everything is center focused is also a tad off for me. Doesn't really allow the eye to move around easily to appreciate the entire image.

Overall when the clients are happy, that is always the most important thing.

Thank you all for commenting!!

pwp: I don't make a habit of tilting that much, but I liked those shots anyway, because of the expressions, and that's the part that the client likes. : ) (We also both love the warmth; it's a good pairing!) Thanks for noticing that I'm building a story! Nobody on my other forum caught that....

Chris: Thank you! :sweet

Cygnus: Thanks! I also don't make a habit of centering things, but it just so happened that all the ones I grabbed on my first pass through were centered. That doesn't happen often! I'll be posting more once they're edited, so you'll see.... : )

pwp · July 16, 2009

I'm glad the client is satisfied....in the end, THAT is what matters! I look forward to seeing more of your work!

jeffreaux2 · July 16, 2009

I am a sucker for warmth, and tend to always lean to the warm end of things with my colors. That said, these are a tad over the top for me. Id pull back a bit on the color temp.

I do like the overall feel of the images......the point of view you have given me.

Thanks for sharing....and most importantly...

WELCOME!!! to Dgrin...:D

mercphoto · July 16, 2009

A little too much tilt in some for me, a bit warm for me. But in overall I like them quite a bit! To me they all have a consistent "look" to them, and it also seems to have a bit of a "period" look to them. Old-timey, maybe old west look to them. Pretty cool!

Care to share? I imagine its more than just a white balance adjustment.

CaroleHayes · July 16, 2009

pwp wrote:

I'm glad the client is satisfied....in the end, THAT is what matters! I look forward to seeing more of your work!

They're more than satisfied: they're happy enough with me that they paid me an extra $300!

jeffreaux2 wrote:

I am a sucker for warmth, and tend to always lean to the warm end of things with my colors. That said, these are a tad over the top for me. Id pull back a bit on the color temp.

I do like the overall feel of the images......the point of view you have given me.

I don't normally go quite THIS warm, but this one really does call for it. This really IS how it felt when I was there....

Thanks for sharing....and most importantly...

WELCOME!!! to Dgrin...:D

Thank you!! I plan to be here fairly often—you seem like a fun and helpful bunch! : )

mercphoto wrote:

A little too much tilt in some for me, a bit warm for me. But in overall I like them quite a bit! To me they all have a consistent "look" to them, and it also seems to have a bit of a "period" look to them. Old-timey, maybe old west look to them. Pretty cool!

The rest are less tilt-y, and the outside ones won't be QUITE as warm, but I'm going to try to keep the feel consistent throughout. Wish me luck! : )

Care to share? I imagine its more than just a white balance adjustment.

Yup, more than white balance. : )

Will I be ridiculed if I admit to using Photo Tools 2? I'm addicted, and my clients love the results, so there's no hope for me.... : )

mercphoto · July 16, 2009

CaroleHayes wrote:

Yup, more than white balance. : )

Will I be ridiculed if I admit to using Photo Tools 2? I'm addicted, and my clients love the results, so there's no hope for me.... : )

No ridicule from me!

Qarik · July 16, 2009

I like the emotion you captured. I don't mind the warmness in an artsy way but if I were the client I would have liked it pulled back just a touch. Some of the shots have too much nostril emphasis especially #3. I don't like the harsh shadows in #6. Otherwise a nice set!

sweet caroline · July 16, 2009

Yes, the warmth is a bit over the top, but I like it. It feels like a warm atmosphere. You captured great emotion. My only suggestion is to learn how to use that flash off camera. It will make a huge difference to your already great photos.

Caroline

CaroleHayes · July 16, 2009

mercphoto wrote:

No ridicule from me!

That's good, because I can't seem to stop!!

Qarik wrote:

I like the emotion you captured. I don't mind the warmness in an artsy way but if I were the client I would have liked it pulled back just a touch. Some of the shots have too much nostril emphasis especially #3. I don't like the harsh shadows in #6. Otherwise a nice set!

Thanks!! : )

The client likes the warmth, and she hasn't complained about the nostrils, so I'm not going to point them out to her.... : )

I think I have a version of #6 that has softer shadows, and I'm planning on re-editing it anyway, to make it blend a bit better.... I'll post it, if I remember. : )

sweet caroline wrote:

Yes, the warmth is a bit over the top, but I like it. It feels like a warm atmosphere. You captured great emotion. My only suggestion is to learn how to use that flash off camera. It will make a huge difference to your already great photos.

Caroline

Thank you! :sweet

I DO want to learn off-camera flash, but I didn't get my triggers in time to practice before this wedding. :cry Also, I'm not QUITE sure how I'm going to be able to move a flash around and adjust it while I'm moving all around trying to capture shots....

Any advice on that?

Do I only use off-camera flash for posed shots, where I don't have to worry about people moving around on me? Or do I need to try to anticipate what they're going to do?? I just can't picture being able to use it while trying to capture candids....

mercphoto · July 16, 2009

CaroleHayes wrote:

I DO want to learn off-camera flash, but I didn't get my triggers in time to practice before this wedding. :cry Also, I'm not QUITE sure how I'm going to be able to move a flash around and adjust it while I'm moving all around trying to capture shots....

Any advice on that?

Even a simple flash bracket would probably help, and not require any additional learning curve to use.

CaroleHayes · July 16, 2009

mercphoto wrote:

Even a simple flash bracket would probably help, and not require any additional learning curve to use.

I haven't tried a flash bracket yet.... Would it really make a big difference??

Hurme · July 17, 2009

A smallish statement first. I'm not fond of HDR photography, because 99% of it is done wrong and looks like crap. Same thing goes to other extensive editing when done with out purpose. How ever when I started out I primarily shot photographs so I would have something to tamper with and not because of the photographs themselves so I do also understand how fun it is to edit them.

That being out of the way I don't find the color cast distracting as such. How ever I do think it might be limiting you, unless you've really done extensive work when testing what looks good. Also making it more subtle might still keep the feeling with out killing colors. If you really want to do color casts you might even want to look into taking photos with color light, ie. off camera flash.

The high contrast look in some of the photos most pronouncedly on 3. and 10. looks pretty horrible to me. If I'd have to guess I'd say it's the clarify setting in Camera Raws converter or something similar. Looks like you've used it for the opposite effect in photo 8. It's very predictable effect and once you've used it you'll always spot when someone else has done the same thing. Worst aspect of it is the halo it often creates around people and objects with sharp definition. It can make the photos look amateurish.

It can work sometimes, especially on clouds and other stuff like that where there isn't any clear definition between objects in the photo. However here I think you've seriously overdone it. Photograph 10. for example looks like shot from house of horrors.

If you love the effect, it might be a good idea to use bit more time and blend together two images where one is modified and the other is not. Then use masks to apply the effect locally. The newest photoshop can also do this during raw conversion itself.

I'd also be wary of blurring skin. Good make up usually does it better than photoshop. I'm not 100% sure if the look here comes from photos being unfocused or from PP, but for example the photo 13. looks good BUT the skin looks like it's made of rubber. So that's the sort of effect you'd likely want to avoid.

Sorry for the long winded post but this is the one area where I actually got some expertise.

jeffreaux2 · July 17, 2009

CaroleHayes wrote:

I DO want to learn off-camera flash, but I didn't get my triggers in time to practice before this wedding. :cry Also, I'm not QUITE sure how I'm going to be able to move a flash around and adjust it while I'm moving all around trying to capture shots....

Any advice on that?

Do I only use off-camera flash for posed shots, where I don't have to worry about people moving around on me? Or do I need to try to anticipate what they're going to do?? I just can't picture being able to use it while trying to capture candids....

Heres a truely portable off camera flash(link)

holzphoto · July 17, 2009

i think they are really nice!

criticisms: the white balance looks a little off. they have a soft feel/finish to them in every shot. it seems to have worked well w/ these photos, but this could become a one trick pony.

I think the angles you shot are great.

for being your first wedding you did an exceptional job, much much better than my 1st wedding!

Scott_Quier · July 17, 2009

Taking your disclaimer into account here

but I'm with Jeff - they are what you want, but they are too warm for my taste. But, that's just me.

As for off-camera flash. You can fake that by simply bouncing it off walls, other people, etc. But, that comes with time and practice.

1 - I love the concept, but I think had you stepped once more toward your left and from a slightly lower positin would have improved the composition.

2, 3, 4 - way too much tilt for my taste. YMMV - that's what's so neat about art.

5 - Love the expression. Though I would love to know what she's doing and/or at what she is looking.

6 - A prime example of where a wall bounch would have really enhanced the shot.

9 - That's a sweet, dreamy shot of the gown!!

13 - This one completely looses me. The tilt is too much, there's no expression on her face, it appears her eyes are closed - we, as viewers, definitely aren't engaged.

All that having been said, I would love to see what else you have. These are a great and very creative start - I can only imagine that the balance of the set will show a creative expression/style similar to what we see here.

Art Scott · July 17, 2009

CaroleHayes wrote:

I haven't tried a flash bracket yet.... Would it really make a big difference??

YES! it will movethe light up offhe camera and away from clients eye level......I went to a taller bracket so I have to slightly tilt it forward and that pushes any shadow to the bottom(floor area) so it is not distracting.........I have a sell thread that has a nice bracket in it.....inexpensive also......You do not want a flash flip bracket...a camer flip is the only way to go..........that way you have optimum flash spread whether your in portrait or landscape orientation.

CaroleHayes · July 17, 2009

Hurme wrote:

A smallish statement first. I'm not fond of HDR photography, because 99% of it is done wrong and looks like crap. Same thing goes to other extensive editing when done with out purpose. How ever when I started out I primarily shot photographs so I would have something to tamper with and not because of the photographs themselves so I do also understand how fun it is to edit them.

You know these aren't HDR, right?

This editing wasn't done "without purpose." There was a very particular feeling in that room, and I was trying to recreate it, because the un-edited photos just didn't capture it.

(And yes, I think the editing is fun!)

That being out of the way I don't find the color cast distracting as such. How ever I do think it might be limiting you, unless you've really done extensive work when testing what looks good. Also making it more subtle might still keep the feeling with out killing colors. If you really want to do color casts you might even want to look into taking photos with color light, ie. off camera flash.

I don't plan to apply this color cast to every shot I take. I plan to take it scene by scene, frame by frame, and edit each as I think I need to to make the photo match what I actually saw/felt.

The high contrast look in some of the photos most pronouncedly on 3. and 10. looks pretty horrible to me. If I'd have to guess I'd say it's the clarify setting in Camera Raws converter or something similar. Looks like you've used it for the opposite effect in photo 8. It's very predictable effect and once you've used it you'll always spot when someone else has done the same thing. Worst aspect of it is the halo it often creates around people and objects with sharp definition. It can make the photos look amateurish.

It can work sometimes, especially on clouds and other stuff like that where there isn't any clear definition between objects in the photo. However here I think you've seriously overdone it. Photograph 10. for example looks like shot from house of horrors.

If you love the effect, it might be a good idea to use bit more time and blend together two images where one is modified and the other is not. Then use masks to apply the effect locally. The newest photoshop can also do this during raw conversion itself.

Nope. Not the clarity slider. : )

I used several different actions in Photo Tools 2 to get these effects—it's different for each photo. #10, the "house of horrors" shot, is finished to resemble a painting. I tried making it more similar to the others, but THIS is the one that looked best to me and my client. She LOVES it.

I'd also be wary of blurring skin. Good make up usually does it better than photoshop. I'm not 100% sure if the look here comes from photos being unfocused or from PP, but for example the photo 13. looks good BUT the skin looks like it's made of rubber. So that's the sort of effect you'd likely want to avoid.

I didn't blur the skin in #13, that's just the softening of the overall picture, but when I masked her face it looked odd. Doesn't really matter though, because that's another of her faves. : )

Sorry for the long winded post but this is the one area where I actually got some expertise.

Not a problem! I tend to be a bit long-winded myself....

jeffreaux2 wrote:

Heres a truely portable off camera flash(link)

hmmm....

Trying to figure out how to use it without an assistant.... I use a double camera strap; I have my 24-70 on one hip, and my 70-200 on the other. The 70-200 has my monopod attached, so I have to keep a hand on it most of the time....

How would I do it? Because if there's a way to make it work, that would be cool!

holzphoto wrote:

i think they are really nice!

criticisms: the white balance looks a little off. they have a soft feel/finish to them in every shot. it seems to have worked well w/ these photos, but this could become a one trick pony.

I think the angles you shot are great.

for being your first wedding you did an exceptional job, much much better than my 1st wedding!

Thanks! : )

The white balance and softness are on purpose. (The original images are normal, but I liked this better.) Again, I won't be doing it in EVERY photo—just those that call for it. : )

Thanks for the compliments!! : )

Scott_Quier wrote:

Taking your disclaimer into account here but I'm with Jeff - they are what you want, but they are too warm for my taste. But, that's just me.

As for off-camera flash. You can fake that by simply bouncing it off walls, other people, etc. But, that comes with time and practice.

1 - I love the concept, but I think had you stepped once more toward your left and from a slightly lower positin would have improved the composition.

2, 3, 4 - way too much tilt for my taste. YMMV - that's what's so neat about art.

5 - Love the expression. Though I would love to know what she's doing and/or at what she is looking.

6 - A prime example of where a wall bounch would have really enhanced the shot.

9 - That's a sweet, dreamy shot of the gown!!

13 - This one completely looses me. The tilt is too much, there's no expression on her face, it appears her eyes are closed - we, as viewers, definitely aren't engaged.

Thank you for the detailed feedback!!

I need to learn more about bouncing. Right now I'm busy dashing about, watching people's faces for expressions I want to catch, trying to guess what's about to happen, and I move around so much that I'm worried that if I move the flash to bounce it, I'll forget to put it back, after.... Maybe I won't worry about that once it becomes more second-nature??

re:
#1: I think I actually have one from approximately that angle, but the girls are in a different position, so I don't like it as much. (Darned people, moving all the time! Why can't they stay still until I'm done?!!)

#6: I'm going to be re-editing that one. The flash wasn't as harsh as it looks; that's the effect of the actions I ran on it. I liked it when I first did it, but not as much now, so I'm going to try to make it match the others a bit better, and that spotlight effect will go away. : )

All that having been said, I would love to see what else you have. These are a great and very creative start - I can only imagine that the balance of the set will show a creative expression/style similar to what we see here.

Thank you!! I'm editing as fast as I can, but kids are home from school for the summer, so it's taking longer than I want it to, but I'll try to get some up within a couple of days. : )

CaroleHayes · July 17, 2009

Art Scott wrote:

YES! it will movethe light up offhe camera and away from clients eye level......I went to a taller bracket so I have to slightly tilt it forward and that pushes any shadow to the bottom(floor area) so it is not distracting.........I have a sell thread that has a nice bracket in it.....inexpensive also......You do not want a flash flip bracket...a camer flip is the only way to go..........that way you have optimum flash spread whether your in portrait or landscape orientation.

That looks like a great bracket!! I can't wait to get it!!

holzphoto · July 17, 2009

that azlo bracket is a pain, all brackets are really.

just get a fong diffuser and call it a day.

CaroleHayes · July 17, 2009

holzphoto wrote:

that azlo bracket is a pain, all brackets are really.

just get a fong diffuser and call it a day.

I had a fong diffuser for one of my flashes. I sold that flash, and it doesn't fit my SB600's, so I need a new one if I'm going to use it.

Does that really help as much as moving the flash up/over?

heatherfeather · July 17, 2009

CaroleHayes wrote:

I had a fong diffuser for one of my flashes. I sold that flash, and it doesn't fit my SB600's, so I need a new one if I'm going to use it.

Does that really help as much as moving the flash up/over?

In my experience you can still get some nasty side shadows even with the fong.

GoofBckt · July 17, 2009

I like them, they're very creative. They're different and show a style all your own. I think that's what "art" is all about.

Rock on, girl!
Carrie

CaroleHayes wrote:

I haven't been on here very long, but this seems to be the most supportive and helpful group of photographers I've seen yet, so I wanted to share my pictures here. : )

I'm not really looking for critique, because I (and my client) love them just how they are, but I AM curious to know if anyone else actually likes them or not....

ETA: These are just a few of the bride getting ready. I haven't done any of the ceremony yet....

ETA-2: I forgot my disclaimer!:

Please note:
- oversaturation and high contrast are on purpose.
- Composition is very much on purpose.
- Softness is on purpose. (Only one was made softer because it started that way.)
- the yellow/orange cast/tint is on purpose.
- the finish on #10 is on purpose. I LIKE the effect!
- And I like the vignettes.
- this is NOT representative of the entire shoot—these are just a few that caught my eye as I was purging.

These came out EXACTLY as I'd envisioned them, and capture the feeling of the day perfectly. Now I want to know what y'all think!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

What do y'all think?

Thanks for looking! : )

CaroleHayes · July 17, 2009

GoofBckt wrote:

I like them, they're very creative. They're different and show a style all your own. I think that's what "art" is all about. Rock on, girl!
Carrie

Thank you so much! :sweet

CaroleHayes · July 18, 2009

Starting a new thread for the ceremony pics.... : )

lisarhinehart · July 21, 2009

I'm a fan
I'm a fan. I like your style and confidence. I really like warm saturated tones and natural lighting and think it captures the mood well here. I look forward to seeing ceremony pics. --Lisa

CaroleHayes · July 21, 2009

lisarhinehart wrote:

I'm a fan. I like your style and confidence. I really like warm saturated tones and natural lighting and think it captures the mood well here. I look forward to seeing ceremony pics. --Lisa

Thank you, Lisa! :sweet

My first paid wedding!

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