First Wedding too - what do you think?

wildviper · August 2, 2010

Please provide your critiques. I can take it.

Sorry for so many pictures:

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21.

Damn..21 pictures?? Btw..i did do Animoto slideshows if anyone wants to see: http://www.fotomango.com/gallery_1.html

BTW..there is no 15...I can't count!

Matthew Saville · August 2, 2010

GREAT for your 1st wedding!

And I don't mean that to say that the pictures actually stink but I'm letting it slide because this is your 1st. The pictures are actually great by any standard. Of course you'll surely progress, get better, develop your personal style, etc. etc. but you can't do all that in just one wedding.

The tips I would offer are to be a little more careful with either your epxosure or your processing; some of the images look like you've blown out highlights here and there. I could be wrong, but if you're not already using your highlight warning in Bridge / Lightroom, you should..

Other than that, just try and manage your background in every shot, (#8 has someone's head poking out the back of the grooms head for example) ...and also maybe lose the tilt. Just trust me when I say, it is a phase you'll grow out of, and the sooner you move on from tilting, the less embarrassed you'll be later on! Or at least, that's just me...

=Matt=

Qarik · August 2, 2010

very nice stuff..I'll agree wtih most of what Matt said. Tilt is spice..use it sparingly. I use it in action shots and also when there are are strong angles and lines in the shot.

Also as a set you lose me little due the amount of processing style you have going on..I count 7 or 8 different looks just in this set.

wildviper · August 2, 2010

Thanx Matt and Daniel(Qarik). I appreciate your comments. Matt...I sent you a message via Facebook..you can ignore that.

Ok..as for the tilt..I will heed this advice. On some occasions, I had to tilt to avoid messy backgrounds. On others I did cause I liked it. But your point is taken.

As for backgrounds and keeping it clean..how do you do that??? I was having such a hard time during this wedding cause it was in a small venue and people everywhere. Just use shallow DOF? I know this problem will come up more and more and thus appreciate your tips.

Matt, the highlights are pretty much there but blown due to my post and what I liked. Next time I will keep this in mind and try and not blow it out.

Qarik..my processing..hmmmm...there wasn't any particular style I was going for...more what I felt looked right....I agree..I may have overdone it.

Qarik · August 3, 2010

the processing is for each photo is fine by itself..just keep in mind these are going be seen as set so you want some cohesion.

Matthew Saville · August 3, 2010

wildviper wrote: »

Matt, the highlights are pretty much there but blown due to my post and what I liked. Next time I will keep this in mind and try and not blow it out.

Yeah, tastefully blown out highlights are fine, I blow out highlights plenty of times when they're in the background etc. and *need* to be blown out. Just make sure, as a rule of thumb, that you're not blowing out SKIN.

High-key imagery is definitely an art form worth mastering, so I would keep on playing with it, but yeah just strive to do it tastefully and skillfully. :-)

=Matt=

Ed911 · August 3, 2010

Qarik wrote: »

Also as a set you lose me little due the amount of processing style you have going on..I count 7 or 8 different looks just in this set.

Good advice above...it is very disconcerting to see all of the different processing randomly applied. There is no sense of theme...and there is no feeling of being there...this happens when you shoot only closeups and process every other photo differently. Where are they...what does the venue look like. Weddings are about the people and the place...even if it is a small venue.

Here's my take:

1. Why...it wouldn't be in my wedding album...and for sure not the first photo that I tried to wow anyone with.

2. I can't see it being a keeper. I'd have reversed the shot...and put the mirror in focus. Brides want to see themselves. Why is the back of the head a fabulous shot? Or, is this someone watching someone else...who knows.

3. Nice idea...but my goal here would have been to capture the wonderful skin painting...which you have not done...just a fuzzy documentary sort of image. This image is, in my opinion, OOF.

4. Clothing...too close...what is it. I can't tell what you were going for in this shot...the bride's wedding dress...after looking closely, I think I see a ring in the shot. If that's the case...the ring shot is way too soft.

5. Nice capture...this one will be a keeper.

6. Flowers...not doing anything for me. Try putting something else meaningful in the image...like part of the bride...so we can tie the flowers to something. If I didn't see the brides hand...and I think that's her hand...I wouldn't know if these were her's or a table arrangement or some flower arrangement at the altar.

7. My favorite of the set. I like the post processing and the shot is framed nicely.

8. Nice...depth of field...certainly a keeper.

9. For me, not high key...not much information in this image...why is there a woman sitting to the right in this image...were you not allowed to move up and photograph this scene.

10. I like...nice.

11. You captured some emotion here...I'd pull back a little so that the the head on the top right...heads that appear to be sharing in the moment had more of a body...same on the left side of the image. After looking again, maybe it's okay as is.

12. Nice capture...but a little flat.

13. I see what you were going for here...but, in my opinion, why didn't you flip you camera vertically and shoot them doing this together. I'd opt to see them...I hope you have a shot of the wedding couple doing this unification ceremony, or whatever it is. I have a feeling they would spend more time showing a photo of this with them in it...this photo is documentary...but will not be one that the friends and family will spend much time looking at.

14. Door shot. Nice door...but I would like to have seen a full body shot here...and not so much emphasis on the door. Nice pose...nice shot...too much door. You have no full standing portrait shots of the bride and groom...at least none posted here.

15. no fifteen

16. Nice

17. Nice...not liking the tilt...but that's a taste issue...

18. Nice capture...not liking the tilt...way too much.

19. Nice

20. Nice

21. Nice...tilt works here...at least in my opinion.

The best wedding photographers not only capture the moment, they leave you with a feeling of actually being there.

Okay...so I viewed your Animoto slide shows...and I really like them...I have to ask myself...why didn't you post some of your better work here. Your slide shows have some really nice captures and showcase your talent and surely represent your better work. What made you post the images here that you did? Some of which are nice...

wildviper · August 3, 2010

Boy am I glad I posted here. Had I gone by just what the bride/groom and friends have said, I would have continued in my path to destruction! :P

Danielle and Matt..thank you. You have very valid points.

Ed..wow..thanx so much for going through this! Thank you! All your points are valid.

From the critiques here I see that I am a much better photog when I control the environment. A la the pictures after the ceremony. During the ceremony, not so much. That is where I have to improve. Two issues are that I can't seem to get rid of the random heads, hands, feet whatever out of my framing. And second is that I need to keep in mind what is important when photographing.

I was thinking on what Daniel said about my processing...why did I do so much? I think the reason is that I keep on looking at fashion edgy shots and wanted to go all out. I did and now it is out of my system! :P

Anywho..Ed, the reason I posted these pictures here is just random. No rhyme or reason. I was quickly picking what I wanted to post here. I have over 6K images...and have multiple angles on a lot of the images. We had three shooters..most of the pictures I posted here are mine except two(I think).

trevorb · August 5, 2010

Great detail shots, I relaly like #14, the composition is outstanding.

First Wedding too - what do you think?

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