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Some shots experimenting with flash C&C Please!

e mari ad terrame mari ad terram Registered Users Posts: 54 Big grins
edited January 25, 2012 in Weddings
I recently shot a wedding and was playing around with strobist stuff at night...

Looking for some C&C about these, I think they turned out pretty cool, just wanted to share!


Johnston-646-XL.jpg


Johnston-637-XL.jpg


Johnston-606-XL.jpg

Thanks for looking!
Fear evaporates when we realize that our life stories and the history of the world were written with the same hand.

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    SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited January 21, 2012
    Nice first try!! I like the concept.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
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    Matthew SavilleMatthew Saville Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,352 Major grins
    edited January 21, 2012
    The concept and the images are beautiful, but in my experience using that particular light scenario, one thing that subjects end up disliking is how the light shows every last "fly-away" hair. As a final product for print, you'd be photoshopping a ton to try and minimize that. And just in general, some people don't care for the "halo effect" to begin with, but I've only ever gotten a handful of complaints along those lines.

    The beter thing to do is to use a main light on your subjects' faces, and then turn down the "rear" light by quite a few stops so it is barely there. I know it kills a lot of the artistic beauty of the image, but it's better for more "formal" posed portraits like the 2nd one. The 1st and 3rd one are fine the way they are, though.

    Take care,
    =Matt=
    “My first thought is always of light.” – Galen Rowell
    My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
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    Moving PicturesMoving Pictures Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
    edited January 21, 2012
    Matt kinda nailed my immediate reaction: too much light behind ...
    Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
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    Quincy TQuincy T Registered Users Posts: 1,090 Major grins
    edited January 21, 2012
    Matt usually covers everyone's thoughts in these things, but I do like #3. I think the light is too strong in it, but it's the best of the bunch. Not sure what the purpose of the softness of #1 is.
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    e mari ad terrame mari ad terram Registered Users Posts: 54 Big grins
    edited January 21, 2012
    Not sure what the purpose of the softness of #1 is

    The softness was not intentional, just a result of focusing in almost complete darkness. The first two were lit basically with only a speedlite popping with the intention of blowing out and halo'ing.

    I agree the light is strong in #3, I would have liked more shots with that one at lower power...
    Fear evaporates when we realize that our life stories and the history of the world were written with the same hand.
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    babowcbabowc Registered Users Posts: 510 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2012
    Agreed with #3 lighting being too strong, but that looks the best! I'd love to see that with lesser power.
    -Mike Jin
    D800
    16/2.8, f1.4G primes, f2.8 trio, 105/200 macro, SB900.
    It never gets easier, you just get better.
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    sara505sara505 Registered Users Posts: 1,684 Major grins
    edited January 23, 2012
    I want to like #1, but it's OOF. I'm all for experimenting with light, have been dabbling also.
    Sara

    www.SaraPiazza.com - Edgartown News - Trad Diary - Facebook
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    BlueSkyPhotosBlueSkyPhotos Registered Users Posts: 80 Big grins
    edited January 24, 2012
    #1 would have been my favorite if it was in focus. Otherwise #3 is the top one for me. I do at least one with the backlight at every wedding. Artistically, you might love those no flash fill or with very little fill, but most clients buy the once with moderate backlight and decent fill in flash. At least that's my experience.
    Jacek
    _____________________________________________
    My Site
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    zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited January 24, 2012
    A bit blurry, this type of shot with no light from the front is usually more successful if you set them up as silhouettes....this also allows you to use a faster shutter speed.
    Good idea....keep experimenting with it.
    Of the three shots the last one is the most successful. as mentioned less light from behind and more of a silhouette may have worked better.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
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    e mari ad terrame mari ad terram Registered Users Posts: 54 Big grins
    edited January 25, 2012
    Thanks for all the comments guys! I know I can count on this forum for the real deal.

    I am going to go back through my files and see if that shot of #1 has a better, less OOF, frame that I overlooked... Also will play in LR or CS3 to see if I can turn down the heat in #3...

    will repost if I come up with anything!

    Thanks again!

    Ryan
    Fear evaporates when we realize that our life stories and the history of the world were written with the same hand.
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