Check it! Wedding post... (and new bloggie!)

heatherfeather · July 1, 2010

Thanks to everyone and their amazing input... I have my new Wordpress + prophoto blog up and running! Next up: get the old Smuggy site to match.

Here are a couple photos from last weekend's wedding and my first blog post:
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. Holly has the most unique color of eyes that I have ever seen. I actually looked it up and they are called Amber. Hate to point it out, but with her beauty, fair skin and amber eyes, she could easily be a member of Twilight, lol.

8.

C & C would be most welcome on both the pics and the blog! :lust

E Colby · July 1, 2010

Wow, these are stunning. Love the locations. Congrats on your new blog.
Cheers,
Colby

Seefutlung · July 1, 2010

Nice ... what weding photography is all about.

Gary

heatherfeather · July 1, 2010

Thanks Colby and Gary! I am pretty excited to try this blogging thing out! (Now lets hope I can be faithful with it...)

divamum · July 1, 2010

Wow. I have to say, that is one of the most gorgeous wedding gowns I've ever seen - seriously classy and very different from most of what seems to be popular at the moment.

Heather, these are magical. The only possible query is on 8 - it just seems slightly low contrast and neither desat nor full colour - I find myself wanting just a tiny bit more contrast (or darkness, maybe?) to bring out her features (and possibly tone down the almost-a-hotspot on her shoulder)

Wall of Lost Soles is hilarious!

Agnieszka · July 1, 2010

I hear aaaangels singing!!!! Yay for finally having a blog!!

Let the stalking begin

smurfy · July 1, 2010

Stunning compositions, gorgeous bride, perfect lighting, adorable little boy at the end...just amazing work!!

Sam · July 1, 2010

Very nice indeed!

clap

You got girl...............

Sam

mmmatt · July 1, 2010

Wow heather! I'm a little too busy to gush as much as I would like but these are really well done. Your processing compliments her classic beauty (as does that vintage looking dress) and your flash work is superb. 2 is my clear fave, but 1 and 6 are also spectacular. Well... they are all really good!

Thanks for sharing!!!!

Matt

Ed911 · July 1, 2010

Heather,

I admire your work...and will be following your blogs...good luck. You sure have come a long way in a short time.

Thanks for sharing your work with us.

VayCayMom · July 2, 2010

I am also too busy to gush over each photo, but I would hang #4 in my home right now!!! BRILLIANT, I no longer am content to just wish to move to AK, now I want to be YOU, I know... take a number... lol

heatherfeather · July 2, 2010

divamum wrote: »

Wow. I have to say, that is one of the most gorgeous wedding gowns I've ever seen - seriously classy and very different from most of what seems to be popular at the moment.

Heather, these are magical. The only possible query is on 8 - it just seems slightly low contrast and neither desat nor full colour - I find myself wanting just a tiny bit more contrast (or darkness, maybe?) to bring out her features (and possibly tone down the almost-a-hotspot on her shoulder)

Wall of Lost Soles is hilarious!

I know! I LOVE her gown. I wish more brides would dare to be different and try something other than poofy, beaded, strapless with tucks. So nice to have something more original.

As to 8, it is pretty darn close to straight out of camera, other than a bit of skin work. Not desaturated in the slightest. I wonder if what you are seeing is the bright background compared to the dark of the woods that the others have. She was in a sunlit clearing for 8 which accounts for how much brighter the background is. My wish is that her expression was stronger, rather than an in between moments look. But, she seriously performed for lots of others, so I am not complaining.

divamum · July 2, 2010

heatherfeather wrote: »

I know! I LOVE her gown. I wish more brides would dare to be different and try something other than poofy, beaded, strapless with tucks. So nice to have something more original.

As to 8, it is pretty darn close to straight out of camera, other than a bit of skin work. Not desaturated in the slightest. I wonder if what you are seeing is the bright background compared to the dark of the woods that the others have. She was in a sunlit clearing for 8 which accounts for how much brighter the background is. My wish is that her expression was stronger, rather than an in between moments look. But, she seriously performed for lots of others, so I am not complaining.

SOOC? I

before the Awesomeness.... Wow. Just... wow.

You can see even in your "before" shot - without skin work - that she has this amazing porcelain complexion which the MUA emphasised and with that and the creaminess of the dress and your goooorrrrjjjuussss lighting - well, I'm just blown away. Yum.

tenoverthenose · July 2, 2010

me likey!

jeffreaux2 · July 3, 2010

What a great looking couple....

They are all great examples of your style, but 6 and 7 REALLY hone in on their classic good looks. 6 being my fave of the set. I have a feeling 8 might run a close second with the same BW treatment.

Now...about the light in #4....how'd ya do it? how'd ya fire it?

I checked you blog. Looks super!

An assistant coulda made a full days work following the ring bearer!!!

Very elegant!

BradfordBenn · July 3, 2010

I am not sure which has me browsing and gawking more the photos or the blog. I like the look and customization of the Blog and how close you got your SmugMug to match.

heatherfeather · July 4, 2010

Thanks to everyone to their input!
@BradfordBen, Thanks!
As to matching the smuggy site to the other, that has taken some doing. The main thing is to get the color codes the same for both.... and then it should flow fairly seamlessly.
It isn't finished, but it is coming along.

jeffreaux2 wrote: »

Now...about the light in #4....how'd ya do it? how'd ya fire it?

Thanks Jeff.

On 4, I had an assistant stand just out of frame to camera left and hold the lightstand to the window (STE2 + 580EXIIs still) and planned on a clone job. It wasn't at all difficult.

ian408 · July 4, 2010

Great location. Great photos (if you haven't, check out the blog for more).

Your b&g will be very happy to see these

Wil Davis · July 4, 2010

Nice job!

Gorgeous couple!

IMNSHO #7 is best of the bunch! The eyes really have it! (both bride & groom!)

…but (sorry, you know me!) there's all that space to the left… totally wasted…

all the action is in the right half of the frame, which is OK if you're going to fill the left with text (copy space as it's called), but as is, it's crying out for portrait format and crop crop crop! (same goes for #3)

BTW - love the colours, light, and modeling in #7 !!!

In #3 her skin's a bit washed out!

Thanks for sharing!!!!

- Wil

heatherfeather · July 4, 2010

Wil Davis wrote: »

…but (sorry, you know me!) there's all that space to the left… totally wasted… all the action is in the right half of the frame, which is OK if you're going to fill the left with text (copy space as it's called), but as is, it's crying out for portrait format and crop crop crop! (same goes for #3)

- Wil

Sorry Will.. gonna have to respectfully disagree. As is obvious.... I am in love with negative space and the rule of 3rds is one of my favorite friends. Also, I do quite a bit of design work with the photos that my clients hire me to do.... and I need all the copy space that I can make. Anyway, I think it is better as is. Even a square crop isn't as dynamic. Ever notice in higher end movies they frame a subject on a third with negative space? In my little world is way more visually interesting to have a subject composed off center.

ian408 · July 4, 2010

I have to agree with Heather. The negative space is, to me, one of the things I really like about these shots. Creative use of negative space really works here.

heatherfeather · July 5, 2010

ian408 wrote: »

I have to agree with Heather. The negative space is, to me, one of the things I really like about these shots. Creative use of negative space really works here.

Ha ha, thanks Ian (for both comments, actually)

jeffreaux2 · July 5, 2010

heatherfeather wrote: »

Sorry Will.. gonna have to respectfully disagree. As is obvious.... I am in love with negative space and the rule of 3rds is one of my favorite friends. Also, I do quite a bit of design work with the photos that my clients hire me to do.... and I need all the copy space that I can make. Anyway, I think it is better as is. Even a square crop isn't as dynamic. Ever notice in higher end movies they frame a subject on a third with negative space? In my little world is way more visually interesting to have a subject composed off center.

+1

I have had to learn to force myself to do nearly everything wedding related in landscape format. Not all.....but surely most.

Shooting this way keeps options open for double spreads and landscape oriented books/albums....which I prefer over the portrait oriented ones. Even a square 10x10 book is landscape when opened. And if you plan to do a slide show...well...doesnt a portrait oriented photo on a widescreen HDTV look like crap!

...not to mention the fact that "portrait orientation only" and "center the subject always" is a clear path to blahville. The rule of thirds and the golden mean are solid composition rules for dynamic composition.

I would change nothing from your routine.:D

...and I was pretty sure you were still using the STE2s IR to trigger (me too). I havent tried much in the way when it comes to "planning to clone" out the source. I was pretty sure you had HAD to have done something like that, but couldnt be positive without asking. I really have zero complaints about the STE2. I have used mine at far farther than the touted max distance, and in situations similar....sort of....to your shot here have found often that facing the red window the opposite direction the signal will often bounce from the subject to the flash and work. I guess, like any other gear, it has limitations, but there is nearly always a way to make it work.:D

Kinkajou · July 5, 2010

I'm totally bowled over by #2. That has a classic feel to it that reminds me of a John Singer Sargent painting... it's incredibly beautiful.

Here's an example:

david_h · July 5, 2010

Really nice job, Heather - fantastic wedding! I like your #6 portrait of the bride best. Cool location too.

I also recently switched over to ProPhoto for my blog - replacing my Flash site with ProPhoto template as well and very pleased so far.

divamum · July 5, 2010

Kinkajou wrote: »

I'm totally bowled over by #2. That has a classic feel to it that reminds me of a John Singer Sargent painting... it's incredibly beautiful.

Here's an example:

YESSSSSSSSSS!! I was thinking something very similar! That dress with her complexion is classic art... especially with Heather behind the camera

mmmatt · July 5, 2010

heatherfeather wrote: »

Sorry Will.. gonna have to respectfully disagree. As is obvious.... I am in love with negative space and the rule of 3rds is one of my favorite friends. Also, I do quite a bit of design work with the photos that my clients hire me to do.... and I need all the copy space that I can make. Anyway, I think it is better as is. Even a square crop isn't as dynamic. Ever notice in higher end movies they frame a subject on a third with negative space? In my little world is way more visually interesting to have a subject composed off center.

110%

All about the negative space for me too.

Jeff's blahville comment is spot on.

Matt

heatherfeather · July 5, 2010

Kinkajou wrote: »

I'm totally bowled over by #2. That has a classic feel to it that reminds me of a John Singer Sargent painting... it's incredibly beautiful.

Here's an example:

I was pretty excited when I took that one... but that painter is amazing! Thanks for the seriously high praise. She does remind me of that type of lady, with a really unique beauty with those high cheekbones and regal bearing. She makes the rest of us look like mere humans, lol. The strange thing is... to see her in a casual setting her beauty isn't as overwhelming. My memory of her before the wedding was of a fairly plain lady.... And then... all dolled up, she was as absolute showstopper.

Divamum wrote:

YESSSSSSSSSS!! I was thinking something very similar! That dress with her complexion is classic art... especially with Heather behind the camera

Well apparently everyone is in agreement!

Thanks, Lady.

JeffreauxII wrote:

...and I was pretty sure you were still using the STE2s IR to trigger

Yes... eventually I'll switch over to the wizards, I think. I have read a ton of reviews about both the poppers and the wizards, and I think I'll go that route. Though I am sort of waiting for the next generation to come out and address the wimpy construction. Meanwhile, the STE2 does pretty darn well. Though I thought I had it fail me last week during a family shoot..... it just wouldn't transmit. Come to find out, it wasn't seated on the hotshoe properly. Yeah, that would do it.

And thanks for the reassurances. It means alot.

Thanks to Mmatt too!

david_h wrote:

Really nice job, Heather - fantastic wedding! I like your #6 portrait of the bride best. Cool location too.

I also recently switched over to ProPhoto for my blog - replacing my Flash site with ProPhoto template as well and very pleased so far.

I still have a few kinks to work out... but it is getting there! Not too dificult at all!

tropico · July 7, 2010

Wow wow wow! Amazing photos! I love all of them!!!!

Check it! Wedding post... (and new bloggie!)

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