New wedding porfolio needs culling....

zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
edited February 17, 2011 in Weddings
I am putting together a new wedding portfolio gallery and have such a hard time picking what to toss. I find it impossible to critique my own shots.

Anyway if anyone would like to help pick shots to toss, jump in anywhere and pick a few. Not asking anyone to look through them all.
Thanks!

http://alloutdoor.smugmug.com/Wedding-galleries/Boise-wedding-photographer/2492581_sUk9W#1008144192_nbCpo

Comments

  • lizzard_nyclizzard_nyc Registered Users Posts: 4,056 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    zoomer wrote: »
    I am putting together a new wedding portfolio gallery and have such a hard time picking what to toss. I find it impossible to critique my own shots.

    Anyway if anyone would like to help pick shots to toss, jump in anywhere and pick a few. Not asking anyone to look through them all.
    Thanks!

    http://alloutdoor.smugmug.com/Wedding-galleries/Boise-wedding-photographer/2492581_sUk9W#1008144192_nbCpo


    hey Zoomer,
    I'll let the pros comment on the keepers/tossers.
    Just an fyi #17 is sideways ne_nau.gif.
    Liz A.
    _________
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    Thanks Liz.
    Really I would appreciate input from anyone/everyone, don't have to be a pro to have preferrences :).
    Hope no one feels they are not qualifed to have preferences, appreciate input from anyone, thanks.

    I have SUCH a hard time culling....would really appreciate some opinions form people looking at the photos with a fresh eye.

    Thanks for the info. Liz I will look at 17.
    OK I looked, I actually turned it sideways on purpose...creative license I guess :).
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    Zoomer,

    I would be thrilled if these were my images. I can see why your having trouble culling them down.

    I have an alternate thought. Have you thought of having say an automatic flash / slide show of say a dozen images, then under the slide show have buttons to navigate to separate galleries, "getting ready" "The Ceremony"
    "The Reception" "etc"

    Sam
  • smurfysmurfy Registered Users Posts: 343 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    14, 15 , 22, 25, 41, 48, 63, 71, 74, 86, 108

    By far the majority are very strong and beautiful, so this is just my objective, humble opinion:

    Fourteen is redundant of number 2, which is the stronger composition. The shadows on the bride's face in 15 make it look like a snapshot by a guest, and that shot is not up to par with the quality of the rest of your work. Twenty-two just looks a bit old fashioned in a stale kind of way, and her right-angle wrist looks uncomfortable. Twenty five is not your best dip / kiss shot in the gallery...the bride looks like she's almost on the ground, the kiss to too smushed together, if smushed is a word, and it looks a bit contrived. In forty one, the brides upper arm looks huge, so it is not flattering. Maybe if a veil had hidden some of it..Ditto for 48 and 63.


    The rest just don't seem to flatter, with the exception of 108. The only reason I'd toss it is so as not to remind a shy or reserved bride that you haven't met yet that you might be watching her get dressed...might send her to look for a female photographer if she dwells on it too much. Not to say getting dressed shots don't belong in a portfolio, just not those that show direct visual interaction with the photographer at the moment the bride is putting on her gown.
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    Thanks Sam.
    Smurfy you pointed out a couple that were painful to cut, but when I looked at them objectively there were a couple old favorites that had to go.
    Thanks....anyone else?
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    I will point out the keepers for me:

    1,4,6,7,8,19,18,23,30,34,56,64,67,68,73

    tossers are:

    3,9,10,16,28,39,63,75
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    Thanks Qarik,
    moved a few and nuked a couple.
    starting to feel much more confident about the gallery now, thanks!.
  • SimpsonBrothersSimpsonBrothers Registered Users Posts: 1,079 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    If it helps, #68 is my favorite.
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    Thanks SimpsonBrothers,
    I am glad you picked that one as your favorite. That is actually the oldest photo left in the gallery. It is one of my all time favorites.
    My style has changed a lot since those days.
  • mmmattmmmatt Registered Users Posts: 1,347 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    number hundred and something? eee gads Z! I would say cut it down to under 50. Here are the ones that I think are the least strong. For the most part, the first few pages are the strongest. I would be willing to bet that if you look at your stats you will see that your first few pages get the most views, but I could be wrong!

    Anyways, There were about 70 when I looked at the gallery and here are the ones I think you can do without.

    26-30, 33, 34, 38, 42, 43, 48, 51, 59, 62, 66, 67 (this is the same as #52), 71

    I almost forgot how damn good you are Z!!! hint hint *cough cough* aghem. cheh cheh... sorry, something in my throat.

    Matt
    My Smugmug site

    Bodies: Canon 5d mkII, 5d, 40d
    Lenses: 24-70 f2.8L, 70-200 f4.0L, 135 f2L, 85 f1.8, 50 1.8, 100 f2.8 macro, Tamron 28-105 f2.8
    Flash: 2x 580 exII, Canon ST-E2, 2x Pocket Wizard flexTT5, and some lower end studio strobes
  • eoren1eoren1 Registered Users Posts: 2,391 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    For what it's worth, here's my list
    toss: 3, 14, 19, 24, 48, 64, 52/65(duplicate)
    maybe rid of: 4, 27, 38, 40, 58, 65
    Fantastic work thumb.gif
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited February 14, 2011
    Thanks Matt and Eyal.
    I did get rid of that dup and resorted a bit based on your recommendations.
    Yes Matt the first 10 get a heck of a lot more looks than the last 10. I have made every effort to put the strongest shots in the first half of the gallery. Thanks for the comment on my work also!

    I think it is going to be tough to get much lower. I started out with 180 and am down to 70 that I am pretty happy with.
    Feels like a much tighter porfolio now.

    Appreciate everyone who took the time to have a look and help out!!
  • FedererPhotoFedererPhoto Registered Users Posts: 312 Major grins
    edited February 15, 2011
    Great stuff. 1, 2, 6, 36, 39, 40, 44 seemed particularly good. (I only went up through 50, however)
    Minneapolis Minnesota Wedding Photographer - Check out my Personal Photography site and Professional Photography Blog
    Here is a wedding website I created for a customer as a value-add. Comments appreciated.
    Founding member of The Professional Photography Forum as well.
  • cb4photocb4photo Registered Users Posts: 105 Major grins
    edited February 17, 2011
    Your portfolio is beautiful!!! Keep them all.
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