bride and groom pic (feedback welcome)

[joruiz]

I just want to get some feedback about this picture. I'm new to this forum and this is my first photo post.

Thanks!

Joel

http://www.quatroproducciones.com/publico/abuelos01a.jpg

Digital Rebel XTi
18-55mm kit lens
F4.0
1/60s
ISO 400
Bounced Flash (Speedlite 430EX)

Post: sharpening and framing. No crop, no other edits.

[Tragerman]

I like the bottom half of the photo, but am a little uncomfortable with the tone the couple sets around all the religious articles. Like irreverent behavior in a shrine.
-Mickey

[jillybean]

This is a really interesting shot- very well done. I personally would crop above the couple and just have the jesus head on the night stand- but.. that is my opinion and this is your shot- we all have our own taste/style

[joruiz]

oops.. perhaps I should have mentioned, this is in Mexico. Religious figures have a more familiar concept. In the old days, people used to have lots of religious figures and images and they would make their everyday lives (and even be intimate) in the middle of all those images, or so is the concept of old Mexico. Of course this is not the case anymore, but this 'house' called 'La Casa de los Abuelos' (Grandparents house) is a place you rent for the hour to take pictures and video of the couple. It has that old mexican style.

That's why I don't think this is irreverent. It's just a reminder of old days.

So please don't feel discomfort for the religious figures. Please critique the technical aspects of the picture :) thanks!!

[Croasdail]

Joel... this is a kick-ass image. I love the contrast of the setting. It ties family, their relationship, and their beleifs all nicely together. It's more of an art piece then something the bride and groom would hang on their wall..... but I love it. It is one of those, "hold on a minute - there is more to this picture" shots that make you stop and really look at it. Of course the next person may hate it.... but you sold me on the style. Very grabbing image.

It is also a very nice pose for the bride... suits her well.

[picturecrazy]

This is a great photo. I would have personally put more of the dress in and had them more into the right of the frame... but that's just personal style and not technique.
nice!

[joruiz]

Thank you all for your comments. Croasdail, I think you got it the way I intended :). Picturecrazy, I agree it could look better if I had captured more of her dress.

cheers!

[kawter2]

it has a very photo-journalistic feel

I like it

[Scott_Quier]

oops.. perhaps I should have mentioned, this is in Mexico. Religious figures have a more familiar concept. In the old days, people used to have lots of religious figures and images and they would make their everyday lives (and even be intimate) in the middle of all those images, or so is the concept of old Mexico. Of course this is not the case anymore, but this 'house' called 'La Casa de los Abuelos' (Grandparents house) is a place you rent for the hour to take pictures and video of the couple. It has that old mexican style.

That's why I don't think this is irreverent. It's just a reminder of old days.

So please don't feel discomfort for the religious figures. Please critique the technical aspects of the picture :) thanks!!
I'm going to go against the flow and offer up a differing opinion (remember my opinion is worht almost what you paid for it!) It appears to me that

The upper portion is slightly underexposed
The Bride's gown is blown in a few places
The exposure of the skin tones appears to be be spot on!This is a tough situation in which to control the light. Might be able to better contol it, assuming my observations have merit, with a little layers work in PS.

From an art appreciation point of view, I find this to be one of the more "honest" images I have seen in some time. I see the the couple freely and un-ashamedly expressing their love & affection for each other in the sight of their god.

Bottom line - I think this image is very well executed and tells a very important story about who these two people are. Well done!

[xandria]

I really like this photo, however the bright white spot on the grooms head is distracting to me and I would like to see more detail in her dress. But I love the rich colors and the angle. Really great.

[joruiz]

Scott, thanks for your observations. I really don't think the upper portion is underexposed, it looks ok on my monitor. The wall being painted with a dark color makes things a bit difficult but at the same time it adds some richness and contrast I believe. I agree the dress is blown in some places. I wouldn't know how to fix that in PS? Thanks for your comments and your interpretation of the image, I see it that way too.

Xandria, thanks to you too. I think the spot on his head is easy to fix, I'll give it a go (I still don't give them their pictures). About her dress, it's a bit blown out and some detail is lost. I'll see if I can play with selective levels.

cheers

Joel

[Tragerman]

OK, given the cultural explanation, I'll give it another go. The high perspective give it interest, if not a voyeur's perspective. The multitude of artifacts make their presence and meaning known. The wall color give a richness to the image and paints a mood. I too think the couple would look better further in the right of the frame to give a fuller view of the gown. I think the angle of their heads could use some adjustment to see more of his face, not a lot, just more. I don't know what it is about the light, but the gown seems overpowering on my screen. I'll have to look at it on another computer. It does seem a clash of eras, perhaps what you wanted. The time-worn images confronted with a modern romance.
-Mickey

[joruiz]

Thank you Mikey for trying it again, and thanks for your observations, very good points.

[Croasdail]

Simply using the burn tool at a very low level setting will help bring out the detail in the dress. But again, at this level of compression, it's really hard to tell what level of detail is there in the source file. But try is some. It is a old school technique that still works very nicely.

[joruiz]

Ahh... thanks Mark. I will try that and see what I get.

[jessiper]

I like the bottom half of the photo, but am a little uncomfortable with the tone the couple sets around all the religious articles. Like irreverent behavior in a shrine.
-Mickey

I don't think the behavior is irreverant at all. They're not even kissing. I think you took a creative approach to showing their love and tradition. I have to agree with xandria that the white spot on the head is a bit distracting. Also, I would like to see a version with a little more of them and less space in the bottom right, but I still think you did a great job. :)

[joruiz]

Thank you Jessiper, I appreciate your comments.

[Hellashot]

The wedding dress looks a bit blown out on my monitor.

[joruiz]

Thanks Hellashot, indeed it is a bit blown. It was a difficult scene to expose for me, but I think I can rescue some detail on her dress.

[cdats]

joruiz i think if the dominant light source is fixed i.e. coming from a window, a change in position between the B&G might help with regards to the overexposed gown.
just a thought. as with the rest it's right on.

[TooManyHobbies]

Allow editing and I show you my comments.