Yesterday's Bridal - CC Welcome

[taygull]

Well this was my first paid bridal shoot, the wedding is in January. Be Gentle;) . I know we got some I like and the Mom is blown away. They had some bridals done about a month ago and hated them. I was a little anxious that they would be hard to please. The good thing was I saw the bridals she had done by the other photographer and as I never really bad mouth someone else's work, they were pretty bad.

So here are a few I've tinkered with last night.

#1 Wishing Pond - It may be a little tough to see but in the full size printed image you can see the penny in #2 and the little splash in #3.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m16/taygull/webpenny.jpg

#2

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m16/taygull/web-5.jpg

#3
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m16/taygull/web-7.jpg

#4
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m16/taygull/web-8.jpg

#5
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m16/taygull/web-4.jpg

#6
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m16/taygull/web-6.jpg

#7 This one is shown more for the post process, I'm sure I have another one of the same where her left eye is more open.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m16/taygull/web-9.jpg

[TeeJay]

OK, where do I start?
OK, #1, Nice idea, guess the fullsize would be much better, although I dont like the frame background colour!
#2, Needs some work on the contrast - although I must say I've never seen a bride pose like this before.
#3, Again, nice idea, I like the colouring in this, although her arm (with I guess her looking at her ring) looks a little awkward.
#4, Nice exposure, although my mind is a little confused over what the picture is telling me ....
#5, Again nice pic, white balance looks a little off. It would benefit from a tighter crop, except then a lot of what you want to include would be lost.
#6, The pose is nice, but don't like the colours, they make her look travel sick!
...and finaly, #7, nice composition, you've done well with the exposure - now just needs a tweak of curves in PS to make her pop.

Phew, I'm going for a lie down after that!

TJ

[tania622]

I find #2 really nice. It's different but I like it. I also like #6. Nice pics.

[taygull]

Thanks TeeJay,

The idea for #2 was straight out of a wedding magazine. I could not decide on a frame color on #1 so I chose the color of her hair.....This won't matter much because if they want to go this route the client will pick the colors.

#3 yes she is looking at her ring

#4 was more a test to see if I could get a stitch by hand holding with out a tripod. The bride wanted this shot as well.

A tighter crop won't work in #5 as I will lose the sky and the reflection. This is one of those images you have to envision being printed large on canvas...that was the goal anyway.

Colours is the hardest thing for me, being I'm color blind. I rely on the client and my wife to get it just right. I instruct my clients that I need them to look at the color in the proofs I send them, so this one is hard for me to tell where it is off.

I will see what a little curves does on #7.

Thanks.

[strmrdr]

love the first one :}

The second one I dont know it kinda looks like she is sniffing her arm pit to check for BO to me.

3 and 6 need color work but I like them.

4 is kewl, the story I see is that she is on a trip and has traveled far... a matching photo with the road before her would be awesome. sorta a symbol of a new beginning.

5 love it but would try and make the shadow pop a little more.

6 - colors off

7 love it, nice lighting, nice location, one with her eye more open as you noted would rock add a little PP to make her pop a little more and its a winner.

[Actionphotog]

Nice I like them all
second one could use some contrast
Great work

[DwightMcCann]

I am very impressed. #1 I don't know about the frame color either. #2 is too darkish for me. #3 looks like a very feminine shot that the girls all seem to find very romantic and I like it as it is. #4 is interesting but doesn't do much for me ... although, again, I can see where the bride might like it. #5 I would like it cropped a bit lower to give some space over her head in the reflection and maybe lightened her face in the reflection so that it doesn't have that "grim reaper" look. It is surely one they would like. #6 looks like what I see in elegant bride's magazines ... I think it is perfect although holding a red rose might have been a nice touch. #7 her eyes look a bit droopy but I love the autumn colors.

Again, grand work! I didn't know that one did shots of the bride dressed up before the wedding. I did six weddings 35 years ago and hated it. Every MOB was nasty, demanding and dissatisfied (even though they hired me because I was cheap!) and I swore never to do it again, but if I got into it slowly starting with something like this maybe I could get my courage back. When you have mastered the full wedding thing maybe I'll fly down and shoot a couple with you to learn the ropes!

[sblais]

The PP is horrible in #4. You have a cyan sky and clouds (on my non-calibrated work monitor, mind you -- but I think it's not that off!) and you didn't change the color in between the tree branches...

#3 is also odd for her arms. You justify that she is looking at her ring, but the pose really doesn't look comfortable. Another pose could do a better job to achieve what you were looking for. The color job in PP doesn't work for me.

Otherwise, it's all ok! I won't repeat the comments already stated about the other pictures. But please be more careful with your PP! Less and subtle is best!

Keep on posting!

[song4themoon]

they look nice, I can see why she likes it. One big think that I noticed... in pic 4 you need to turn her around.. never pose someone on the side of the frame and let them look away..t hey have to look into the picture to make it work, otherwise the composition doesnt make sense.

I am not a huge fan of the effect in number 3, maybe tone it down just a bit.

Number 2 is beautiful, but would benefit from some more contrast

[taygull]

Thanks for all the CC. Getting the color dead on is the toughest part for me, hence the color blindness.

Dwight, Jenny Mae (the girl in my glamour shots) is getting married next September. That would be a great one for you to shoot 2nd. I'll hold that spot. She will be getting married at a beautiful outdoor chapel about 1/2 from the house. The location also has an old western town that will start to show up in some of my shots. I'm sure we will do some of her bridal shots at that location. Let me know when you would like to come and I'll try and get credentials for a big local concert and we could shoot that at the same time. Maybe Rick Barker knows of something around that time.

#3 & #6 were taken with the ABR800 Ringflash. With respect to the color in #4 that is pretty much out of camera so maybe I need to tweak the white balance in the RAW file. I did not "edit" the sky.

With respect to the crop in #5 this was as good as we could get due to the bank on my side of the pond...I could have gotten more room for her head in the pond but then there would have been less dress.

[taygull]

they look nice, I can see why she likes it. One big think that I noticed... in pic 4 you need to turn her around.. never pose someone on the side of the frame and let them look away..t hey have to look into the picture to make it work, otherwise the composition doesn't make sense.

I am not a huge fan of the effect in number 3, maybe tone it down just a bit.

Number 2 is beautiful, but would benefit from some more contrast

Thanks song4themoon,

The "idea" was like mentioned above of the where she has came from and the unknown to some extent of where she is headed.

[johnstoy]

Since my previous PM communication....
It was in photo # 1 that I wonder if a little more height above her head, by raising the tree portion of the photo further up, will give her more headroom room...cause she has plenty of room in the lower half of the photo...

#2. still looks good to me, although the contrast might be something that could be considered...

#3. Three is still pleasant and the softness is pleasing to the eye...the forearm is something they might have to decide on...If it's about the ring, cool...

#4. There is a lot of space in photo # 4...if her image is real sharp, better than what we see, at this low resolution than it would look great...More about #4...I know another master artist (mainly my older Sister with a Masters in Fine Arts) who loves to include landscapes and backgrounds, similar to this photo...I prefer, the in your face type of photography...

#5. Again, the sharpness...her entire image would have to be very sharp to stand away from the background, which is nice, but this is about her...

#6. Is very pretty, possibly some more skin tone and less yellow to take away any possibility of a pale look...The wall color is just fine...it has that cool (less than hot) southern look...

#7. She looks great, especially if you have another shot, with possibly the left eye more open...The branch above her head doesn't show a lot of recent new growth and looks old and less alive than the rest of the background, I'd consider cropping it out...

Peace out,

John

[PIXI_666]

i dont understand this? Do people generally have these bridal shoots, its NEVER done in Australia as far as i know, do brides actually dress up BEFORE the day and get their shots? I have been doing this for 18mths now, and never been asked to do this type of thing...

Del

[taygull]

i dont understand this? Do people generally have these bridal shoots, its NEVER done in Australia as far as i know, do brides actually dress up BEFORE the day and get their shots? I have been doing this for 18mths now, and never been asked to do this type of thing...

Del

Yes it is popular. What we will do is have a 20x30 print on canvas and display it at the reception.

It is a good thing, it is one more thing you can do to create revenue.

[MagicallyDelicious]

i dont understand this? Do people generally have these bridal shoots, its NEVER done in Australia as far as i know, do brides actually dress up BEFORE the day and get their shots? I have been doing this for 18mths now, and never been asked to do this type of thing...

Del

its not done in the UK either :S

[DwightMcCann]

Well, I think I see a new trend in the mother country and another of the colonies on the way! This is a great added revenue stream!

[xBtUser]

IMO, #6 is the best.

[monter]

great shots! I agree with most of the comments so far. i also did a bridal shot before my wedding... like 3 months before... and they are by FAR the best photos of the wedding! The photog also put a 20x30 framed print up at my reception. she also handed out wallet size photos to people at the reception with her studio name on the back... I'd recommend it to EVERY bride!

[cwphoto]

i dont understand this? Do people generally have these bridal shoots, its NEVER done in Australia as far as i know, do brides actually dress up BEFORE the day and get their shots? I have been doing this for 18mths now, and never been asked to do this type of thing...

Del

You're not kidding - I've been doing it fifteen years and this is the first I've heard of it.

Nice shots all the same - moreso when one takes your experience into account. :)

[cwphoto]

they look nice, I can see why she likes it. One big think that I noticed... in pic 4 you need to turn her around.. never pose someone on the side of the frame and let them look away..t hey have to look into the picture to make it work, otherwise the composition doesnt make sense.

Nonsense. She's looking at the camera anyway, but regardless if there are other strong elements of composition present there is no reason why you can't frame like he has.

The world would be a boring place otherwise.

[jbstudios]

i think she looks like shes sniffing her armpit in number 2 =)

i like the poses though. i would be very happy as a bride

mrs jb

[BLINN]

Nice work

[decoyslikecurves]

I'm sorry to do this to you, but picture 4's sky IS edited. And a pretty crappy job at it too. I can see overexposed sky where the trees meet, and then it goes to a seriously cyan sort of color. Theres no graduation between the original sky and the paste in one. I think you should take some time to fill those overexposed bits between the tree branches, I feel it would make it a LOT nicer.

Other than that, that frame on the 3 series pic is a bit poxy but the images are quite impressive.


Cheers,
Gav

[taygull]

I'm sorry to do this to you, but picture 4's sky IS edited. And a pretty crappy job at it too.
Cheers,
Gav

Gav,

Do me a favor, if you can't be a little more polite then I really don't need your advice, I would suspect neither does anyone else.

[johnstoy]

Remember the reason Dwight bailed from doing Wedding's?
I was told to expect the same treatment and therefore possibly avoiding that area of photography...Even my older sister (she's even older than Dwight) says to expect it, if I choose to shoot weddings...

I wouldn't take any grief from anybody...that's just a personal way I feel...

Stay in there Chris, this particular client sounds great...Before you know it, several good accounts will outweigh the one distasteful one...

Frankly knowing a little bit about your business background, I'm confident you will be able to tell well in advance weather to take on a wedding account, or to drop it like a hot potoato...

[taygull]

Remember the reason Dwight bailed from doing Wedding's?
I was told to expect the same treatment and therefore possibly avoiding that area of photography...Even my older sister (she's even older than Dwight) says to expect it, if I choose to shoot weddings...

I wouldn't take any grief from anybody...that's just a personal way I feel...

Stay in there Chris, this particular client sounds great...Before you know it, several good accounts will outweigh the one distasteful one...

Frankly knowing a little bit about your business background, I'm confident you will be able to tell well in advance weather to take on a wedding account, or to drop it like a hot potoato...

This client is very happy, I've yet to face an unhappy or cranky client. I do know that people can be very difficult to deal with. I've sold my entire professional life, I typically know how to handle a delicate situation involving a client.

I also know what is and is not appropriate on a forum when making comments about someones work. I respect and need advice from others, just because it is given does not mean I will always agree with it. What I won't do is respect the opinion of someone who is flat out rude or who does not know how to conduct them in a professional and courteous manor, I have no need for them.;)

[johnstoy]

I guess it usually goes back to the basic rule of thumb, when dealing with people...Let's keep it positive...Constructive criticism welcome...

In my business it was either keep it positive or...BOI...Back on the Interstate...

John

[forkball]

#3 is my favorite... I love the color and the soft focus effect.

The only nit I have is the blue cast in the dress on several of these. #4 is especially blue and almost purple.

[staciecd]

I like them all - poses and composition. Except, #2 looks like she's sniffing her armpit - made me giggle a bit. I really like bridal reflections.

yes, it's popular to get bridal portraits done prior to the wedding, but I want the first time I wear my dress to be at the wedding. If pictures don't turn out at the wedding, I may have some done afterwards.

[strmrdr]

I came back here to check out the pictures again because I really like them.
The post processing needs some work but you have the rest down very well.

[taygull]

Thanks everyone,

The color will be something I'm resigned to dealing with. This is also the reason I will have my clients view the proofs before anything substantial is ordered. In the event that can't happen then I will trouble the wifey to look at the final pics to help adjust the color so it is dead on.

[wilky95]

Hmmm Taygull wrote

(4 that is pretty much out of camera so maybe I need to tweak the white balance in the RAW file. I did not "edit" the sky.)

I beg to differ with my observation of the main sky and the sky in between the branches
there has been very poorly done pp work, otherwise some nice pictures.

Martin.

[taygull]

Martin,

I did not cut and past a different sky, the reason I think they look different (which I can't see but I trust you guys) is this is 2 pictures that were stitched together. Even though they were taken in m with the same white balance I'm thinking they are off...I know they are when I look at the two separate images, mostly because there was more light in the image on the right than the image on the left.

[wilky95]

Ok no problem my friend:D

Martin



Martin,

I did not cut and past a different sky, the reason I think they look different (which I can't see but I trust you guys) is this is 2 pictures that were stitched together. Even though they were taken in m with the same white balance I'm thinking they are off...I know they are when I look at the two separate images, mostly because there was more light in the image on the right than the image on the left.

[tlc]

its not done in the UK either :S


sure it is. i have done 4 and my 5th is on 12/23.

[johnstoy]

Hey taygull, it's me, John...

Bet you would never have guessed...

A weddings we shall do...

Just got a call from my Sister in Law and my Niece from Arizona will be having her wedding here in the Pocono's in PA in September...

I offered my camera and lens services gratis to the family...

Will be great for my empty portfolio...

Therefore, I must diligently follow your progress and Weddings Forum postings...

Later,

John