A couple of TSE Wedding pics

[jamiewexler]

From last Saturday's wedding. I had a Canon 24 f3.5 TSE lens on loan from CPS for another project, there was an old cemetary next to the reception hall, and they were dressed in period costumes as their reception was an 1800's ball.

No PS besides some contrast/sharpening/vignetting (except for the last one which is Midnight Sepia'd). The OOF areas are a result of the unique optical qualities of the lens...

1. http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/24TSEWed1.jpg


2. http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/24TSEWed2.jpg


3. http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/24TSEWed3.jpg


4. http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/24TSEWed4.jpg


5. http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/24TSEWed5.jpg

[GCRollo]

I like them... but for there "creepy" factor.

The combination of the effect from the lens and the fact that they were taken in a cemetery make for a "specter" type feel...

Was that your intent?

A B&W conversion w/ some noise would definitely be nice. Would truly look the period.

New meaning until "Death do us part"

[Skrim17]

I like the last shot, the rest are a bit stiff.

[song4themoon]

I like the last one a lot.. dont like the effect on the first few

[freefallu]

to be honest im not too fond of these. In the together shots The grooms face is for one reason or another OOF. It seems that hes higher than the bride and this is possibly what caused it ?

[sugarzebra]

Interesting use of the TSE lens Jamie, the last one is particularly good. Given the period nature of the wedding they might all look good in sepia.

[jamiewexler]

Awesome comments everyone - Creepy is my reaction when I look at them as well, and that's what I was trying to accomplish. I mean, their wedding was a week before Halloween, I had to send the TSE lens back on Monday, they were dressed in 100/yo garb, and the cemetary was right there. This was a golden opportunity! I was humming Evanescence to myself and thinking Tim Burton!

I also made them stand stiffly on purpose because it fits the period (think of the photos from the 1800's you've seen)

Don't worry, though, I didn't shoot the whole wedding with the tilted lens:

Three steps to the left with my 17-55:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/NicoleBrian1545a.jpg

and

http://ct.pbase.com/o5/30/516430/1/69149732.nOBXL3CA.NicoleBrianP14.jpg

And later on in the night:

http://ct.pbase.com/o5/30/516430/1/69149742.FQMdpxzm.NicoleBrianP20.jpg

[wseed]

Sorry I'm not fond of the effect on the initial shots I just don't think it's flattering on the couple. The last of the first set however is making good use of it. Your later 3 images however look great. The autumn colours in the first shot are striking and the last in the ball room has a period look to it.

[freefallu]

Jamie, the other shots are spot on. did you have lights on the balcony ?

[xandria]

I'm not crazy about the super-blur from the lens. I would have liked it better if the in-focus area was extended a bit more to at least include their hands and some of the detail in the lower area of her dress. Overall I think the creepy mood you were going for has been achieved. How fun this must have been for you!

[GCRollo]

I think they're perfect for his artistic intent if you read his comment above.

I wish you had a shot w/o the B&G, w/ the same background, then you could put them on another layer and change the opacity, hence "ghosting" them in.

These Definitely need to be converted to a period B&W or Sepia

[Meena482]

I absolutely love them! Although I wouldn't want all of my wedding photos to look like this, it is a nice variation from the norm. Very gothic looking. Tim Burton is my favorite, so I'm a little bias!

Great job!

[jamiewexler]

I definitely think that these are images that people will either love or hate, and that's OK with me. I am always thankful when I get a few extra minutes at a wedding to try something new and get a little creative - like Xandria pointed out it keeps it fun for me. I never want to get to the point where I'm just running through my list of "standards", and not stepping out and trying something new. I want to be different! :lol:

Jamie, the other shots are spot on. did you have lights on the balcony ?

What gave you that impression?...;) Yes I had a pair of Sunpak strobes in the balcony fired with a radio trigger on my camera. I've been using the room lights for the last 5 or 6 weddings and loving the options they give me for creative lighting!

For those of you who suggested B&W or Sepia, I might try it on one of the shots, but for most of them I really love the richness of the warm autumn oranges and browns in the blurred areas of the photo. I worry that a B&W conversion would lose some of the creepy effect that was achieved through the bold colors. Maybe I'll try a fake IR action...

[freefallu]

What gave you that impression?...;) Yes I had a pair of Sunpak strobes in the balcony fired with a radio trigger on my camera. I've been using the room lights for the last 5 or 6 weddings and loving the options they give me for creative lighting!


can i ask how you meter this ? To me who is barely coming to terms with bowens being non ETTL in conjunction with the sekonic i imagine that the correct manual setting if they are in one place on the floor would be in this case overexposed if they were 5 meters closer ? Do you meter a certain zones before they arrive ?

[PIXI_666]

Im glad you shot other types of styles other than the first few, i really didn't like them that much (Thats my own opinion!) they do fit the period etc. and i think that is great, but the lens i dunno it jsut doesn't do it for me personally. Last shot i really like, and the others you posted are nice too - i guess it's just a personal preference at the end of the day :)

Del

[Woolburr]

That first shot is very reminiscent of a famous portrait of Queen Victoria. Drop the sats a bit on them and you would have some great period looking work.

[jamiewexler]

can i ask how you meter this ? To me who is barely coming to terms with bowens being non ETTL in conjunction with the sekonic i imagine that the correct manual setting if they are in one place on the floor would be in this case overexposed if they were 5 meters closer ? Do you meter a certain zones before they arrive ?

That's exactly how I do it. For most dance floors there are two zones, for this one there were three. At the far end of the floor I was at f4, at the close end f8. The manual flashes are actually far easier and more consistent than the TTL ones because they fire exactly the same burst of light every time. They are not thrown off by dark or light clothing.

[monter]

I chime in with the rest on the first 3, but have a different reason for not liking them. i feel like the blur at the bottom has made it look like the bottom of the dress is zoomed in and makes her look HUGE! I realize she's not a tiny little thing to begin with, but from my perspective, I would be horrified if I saw myself like that.

That said... you did something really great with those shots. You captured the feel of the reception and you did something DIFFERENT and CREATIVE... something photographers of people sometimes have a hard time with. So over all... great work!