First paid E-Session... thoughts???

imagesofhim · January 28, 2010

Well, after trying to build my portfolio for 2+ years, it finally happened--I got paid to take pictures! Wow! Whodathunk it?? This couple was really cute and they seemed to have a good time during the shoot. (Thank God, because I learned that I need to buy a few books on pose ideas)!!!

Here are a few for critique...

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

I'm really trying to learn about this post-processing thing...

***** EDIT *****

OOPS---forgot #8

D'Buggs · January 28, 2010

#2 #2 #2 #2!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it! Just get rid of his fingers creeping in.

C'grats on the gig.

imagesofhim · January 28, 2010

D'Buggs wrote:

#2 #2 #2 #2!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it! Just get rid of his fingers creeping in.

C'grats on the gig.

Thanks for pointing that out...

Better???

codiac2600 · January 28, 2010

Seeing as it's your first paid session it's very good but there are a few flaws that need some immediate attention.

image #1: I love vignettes as much as the next but in that image it turns her hand cool and dark which isn't very satisfying if I were the customer. Try the image without the vignette or maybe go straight sepia or muted.

image #3: The future husband is a little tooooo happy

It's cute though and they may love it but their family may yell at him for being too cheesy.

Image #4 I love and my only change would be to make it 8x10 or even square and lose some of the blank space above.

#8 is actually the strongest image of the group as the expressions are all natural, the post work is beautiful since it matches the mood and well it's just so natural looking. The key ingredient to any photos with a loving couple is to capture the natural love between the two and not force canned work on them. #8 is an image that any high paid photographer wishes to come with after a session.

Congrats!

imagesofhim · January 28, 2010

codiac2600 wrote:

Seeing as it's your first paid session it's very good but there are a few flaws that need some immediate attention.

image #1: I love vignettes as much as the next but in that image it turns her hand cool and dark which isn't very satisfying if I were the customer. Try the image without the vignette or maybe go straight sepia or muted.

image #3: The future husband is a little tooooo happy It's cute though and they may love it but their family may yell at him for being too cheesy.

Image #4 I love and my only change would be to make it 8x10 or even square and lose some of the blank space above.

#8 is actually the strongest image of the group as the expressions are all natural, the post work is beautiful since it matches the mood and well it's just so natural looking. The key ingredient to any photos with a loving couple is to capture the natural love between the two and not force canned work on them. #8 is an image that any high paid photographer wishes to come with after a session.

Congrats!

Thank you so much for the insight...

As for #3 (the cheesy-grin), I also captured this shot. Is it any better? Is the B&W version more powerful? Still too "staged"??

I went back and looked at #1--I hadn't even noticed that until you pointed it out-BAD on MY part! Anyway, here it is SOOTC (except for my chicken-scratch). Now, what's the best way to go about fixing this?? I don't know if she'd gotten black on her arms from the tree climbing or what, but I didn't see this in any other photos... (whew, because my first thought was a lens issue)!

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!

D'Buggs · January 29, 2010

imagesofhim wrote:

Thanks for pointing that out...

Better???

I'm good with it.

And I think your "replacement" 3 is a nicer choice also.

cbbr · January 29, 2010

Great shots. The 2nd #3 is definately better.

WillCAD · January 29, 2010

I like #6 the best of the series.

I also agree that the first version of #3 is not great, but not because of the framing or composition - the groom's cheesy, fake grin ruins it. The b/w version is much better.

Scott_Quier · January 29, 2010

My thoughts (before I read the other posts) - for whatever they might be worth.

Nice enough. You cut off her hands and her lips look a little too tight. But a very fun shot.
This is good. He has a nice relaxed smile and her's is very natural looking. Not loving the three fingers coming from no-where. I think the vignette might be a bit heavy.
Ummmm ... his smile is wayyyyy to forced. Do you have another? ETA: The replacement is much, much better!
This is just fun - as it should be. Curiosity - what's with his finger/thumb?
Not working for me but I can see doing this to loosen things up a bit.
I love ihs expression - guessing he's not so much into PDA?
Not much to say about this one - see my general comment below
Saving the best for last! This is very nice. Love the pose. Really like the the processing and the vignette is just right (IMHO).

General comment - they are all soooo centered.

imagesofhim · January 29, 2010

D'Buggs wrote:

I'm good with it.

And I think your "replacement" 3 is a nicer choice also.

Thank you! These are good things to learn so that when I get better, I can start leaning toward these types of shots!

imagesofhim · January 29, 2010

cbbr wrote:

Great shots. The 2nd #3 is definately better.

Thank you!

imagesofhim · January 29, 2010

WillCAD wrote:

I like #6 the best of the series.

I also agree that the first version of #3 is not great, but not because of the framing or composition - the groom's cheesy, fake grin ruins it. The b/w version is much better.

Will, thank you for your thoughts. I, too, prefer the b/w.

imagesofhim · January 29, 2010

Scott_Quier wrote:

My thoughts (before I read the other posts) - for whatever they might be worth.
Nice enough. You cut off her hands and her lips look a little too tight. But a very fun shot.

This is good. He has a nice relaxed smile and her's is very natural looking. Not loving the three fingers coming from no-where. I think the vignette might be a bit heavy.

Ummmm ... his smile is wayyyyy to forced. Do you have another? ETA: The replacement is much, much better!

This is just fun - as it should be. Curiosity - what's with his finger/thumb?

Not working for me but I can see doing this to loosen things up a bit.

I love ihs expression - guessing he's not so much into PDA?

Not much to say about this one - see my general comment below

Saving the best for last! This is very nice. Love the pose. Really like the the processing and the vignette is just right (IMHO).

General comment - they are all soooo centered.

Thank you so much for your insight.
As to #4, he graduated from Texas Tech University and that is the "get-your-guns-up" sign. This was a young couple and he would't kiss her front his mother-in-law-to-be... so, to capture the intimacy of the relationship was very difficult. They wanted to play... So, no, he's not into PDA AT ALL!

#8 is also my favorite of the entire series. Interestingly enough, they didn't like it at all. But, that's the "capture" I'd been trying to get for more than an hour.

As for the "centered" comment... I have a really hard time with focusing. I know that might sound stupid, but when I shot with my 35mm, I could focus-lock on my subject and move the camera and have crystal clear photos. I haven't figured out how to do that with digital. Have any tips or can you point me to any tutorials on focusing because I would love to get back to thirds!!!!

VayCayMom · January 29, 2010

Marjohn, congrats on your paid shoot!! Very nice job. Thank you for posting these as I also gained a lot from the comments posted. Some of the pointers were about items I had not noticed. Once again, congratulations!!!

Scott_Quier · January 29, 2010

imagesofhim wrote:

As for the "centered" comment... I have a really hard time with focusing. I know that might sound stupid, but when I shot with my 35mm, I could focus-lock on my subject and move the camera and have crystal clear photos. I haven't figured out how to do that with digital. Have any tips or can you point me to any tutorials on focusing because I would love to get back to thirds!!!!

You camera has multiple focus points. They are there so you can select one and use that to acquire focus without the "focus and recompose" problems. To learn how to select one, hate to say it, but read your owner's manual. Each camera is different. Oh, and know that the center focus point is most sensitive. The others will work, but they work better when there's sufficient light - a decently lit room (or brighter) is usually sufficient. Compose your shot, select the focus point that is closest to that which you want in critical focus, move the camera just enough to put that point over your "target", focus, re-compose and fire. With the slight movement that might be needed to get that focus point where you want it, you should not cause much focus error. Oh, and with practice, you will be able to change the focus point without removing the camera from in front of your eye - easy stuff.

angevin1 · January 29, 2010

Very, very nice photos.

1. Perhaps the green hand in #1 is a reflection from the green bars she is holding onto.

2. Rules are broken each day in photography, just look in magazines and ad's...so they're all centered......so? When people are in love, they only care about seeing their brightest, most wonderful selves..and they tend to only see love~ aka: love is blind~

3. How can you be too happy? Sure he looks cheesy as heck to me, but I'll bet his Mom loves it...and him! I like the replacement, but I liked the first one too. Not from a distant observer, but from a parents perspective.

4. I like to think I see things differently than my bros. and sis's in photography, though they are great teachers. When I look at a photo such as the cheesy one I try to put on my parental hat, not just my photo-man hat. It never ceases to amaze me the 'crap' of mine that Mom's and especially Grandma's like and I think is garbage~

5. Mom-in law present and accounted for! And thats why I hate shooting with someone not "in" the relationship present. Tough stuff, but for me, you pulled it off~

Darren Troy C · January 29, 2010

#8 #8 #8 #8 !! !!

Rider · January 29, 2010

imagesofhim wrote:

Thank you so much for the insight...

As for #3 (the cheesy-grin), I also captured this shot. Is it any better? Is the B&W version more powerful? Still too "staged"??

I like both of their expressions, but I don't know about those expressions together. Her teeth are showing and his aren't.

I think something else that I couldn't put my finger on until staring at it awhile: there's more reflection on her checks and in her eyes. Almost as if they are two separate pictures put together.

You've got a great ability to make people feel comfortable, and you're obviously talented!

ivar · February 1, 2010

Very nice set

I agree with some of the above, #2 and #6 are the ones that stand out for me in this set.

I have moved this to the weddings forum, since it seems to be a better fit

imagesofhim · February 3, 2010

ivar wrote:

Very nice set I agree with some of the above, #2 and #6 are the ones that stand out for me in this set.

I have moved this to the weddings forum, since it seems to be a better fit

Thank you for moving!

imagesofhim · February 3, 2010

Rider wrote:

I like both of their expressions, but I don't know about those expressions together. Her teeth are showing and his aren't.

I think something else that I couldn't put my finger on until staring at it awhile: there's more reflection on her checks and in her eyes. Almost as if they are two separate pictures put together.

You've got a great ability to make people feel comfortable, and you're obviously talented!

Thank you--it is my hope that people feel at ease when I'm shooting...

imagesofhim · February 3, 2010

angevin1 wrote:

Very, very nice photos.

1. Perhaps the green hand in #1 is a reflection from the green bars she is holding onto.

2. Rules are broken each day in photography, just look in magazines and ad's...so they're all centered......so? When people are in love, they only care about seeing their brightest, most wonderful selves..and they tend to only see love~ aka: love is blind~

3. How can you be too happy? Sure he looks cheesy as heck to me, but I'll bet his Mom loves it...and him! I like the replacement, but I liked the first one too. Not from a distant observer, but from a parents perspective.

4. I like to think I see things differently than my bros. and sis's in photography, though they are great teachers. When I look at a photo such as the cheesy one I try to put on my parental hat, not just my photo-man hat. It never ceases to amaze me the 'crap' of mine that Mom's and especially Grandma's like and I think is garbage~

5. Mom-in law present and accounted for! And thats why I hate shooting with someone not "in" the relationship present. Tough stuff, but for me, you pulled it off~

Thank you so much for a "different" perspective... isn't that what true art is all about!!! I'm truly thankful for the insight!

imagesofhim · February 3, 2010

Scott_Quier wrote:

You camera has multiple focus points. They are there so you can select one and use that to acquire focus without the "focus and recompose" problems. To learn how to select one, hate to say it, but read your owner's manual. Each camera is different. Oh, and know that the center focus point is most sensitive. The others will work, but they work better when there's sufficient light - a decently lit room (or brighter) is usually sufficient. Compose your shot, select the focus point that is closest to that which you want in critical focus, move the camera just enough to put that point over your "target", focus, re-compose and fire. With the slight movement that might be needed to get that focus point where you want it, you should not cause much focus error. Oh, and with practice, you will be able to change the focus point without removing the camera from in front of your eye - easy stuff.

I've read & re-read my manual... I've read The Photographer's Bible... here's what I LITERALLY discovered yesterday, during my vision exam---It seems as though my eyesight is somewhat skewed due to some hormone issues going on right now and a new astigmatism that has cropped up... So, I'm now using auto focus... I must admit that I find some comfort in knowing I wasn't a complete idiot...

Regardless, thank you for the encouragement and the reminders to look at the simple side of things!!

JayClark79 · February 4, 2010

I think most of them are really good!

#7 seems a touch cold/blue to me though

First paid E-Session... thoughts???

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