Some practice Engagement Photos for 1st timer

[gateruner]

I have been working at improving and have been trying to get involved with assisting someone. So far I have had no luck so I asked my daughter and her boyfriend to let me shoot them. They agreed and drove down. Like i said in a previous thread the lighting was harsh as they could only be there during the afternoon. So, here are some shots. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts. It is ok to change the shots but I would appreciate you telling me what you did. I just bought Photoshop CS2 and have no clue what I am doing with it. These were run through DPP and then Noiseware only. Nothing else. All shot with the 30D and either the kit lens (which is probably the last time I use it) and the 70-200L IS. last thing. I know about the sweaters being the same color but the bone heads drove in from out of town and only brought short sleeve shirt and no jackets. It happened to be cold that day so they borrowed the sweaters.

1. 125mm f5.6 1/2500 ec-.3 iso 400 This is the lighting I was talking about. A real pain. I was given good advice to try a diffuser's next time. Still need to be able to take the shot without one though.

http://images21.fotki.com/v517/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_0995-vi.jpg

2. 55mm f 6.3 1/800 ISO 400 Flash off
http://images20.fotki.com/v390/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_0913-vi.jpg

3. 140mm f 5 1/200 ec-.3 iso 250 flash off
http://images20.fotki.com/v390/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_1040-vi.jpg

4. 70mm f 6.3 1/200 iso 500 flash off
http://images20.fotki.com/v384/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_1063-vi.jpg

5. 42mm f 7.1 1/200 iso 500 flash off
http://images20.fotki.com/v390/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_1107-vi.jpg

6. I think the shadows take away from this one. The vine above is bare and trhe noon lighting was tough to deal with. Any thoughts?

35mm f7.1 1/1000 ISO 400 Flash on
http://images20.fotki.com/v384/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_1213-vi.jpg

7. 70mm f6.3 1/20 iso 1600 flash on
http://images20.fotki.com/v390/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_1221-vi.jpg

8. 70mm f2.8 1/160 iso 1600 flash off
http://images20.fotki.com/v390/photos/1/1091028/4630400/IMG_1287-vi.jpg

Thanks for helping me be a better photog. Link to album. Alot of bad ones in here, some good ones as well. http://public.fotki.com/gateruner/1/ashtonrobert/

[strmrdr]

4 and 5 are good. #7 isn't showing up.
The rest are not sales worthy assuming that's what your target was.
What did you do different on those shots?
Think about it and that's what you need to do if you have a "real" shoot under those conditions.

fill flash was badly needed on 8.

If you have to make an excuse about the lighting then you didn't do your job when its the real deal.
harsh but true, you would be getting paid for results not excuses.

[gateruner]

7 should work now. No excuses for lighting. Like I said it is something I have to be able to deal with. I didnt do a good job in my opinion. I am going to keep shooting in this light so I can nail it down. Your comments are what i need. I look at them and they all stink. I ask opinions from my family members and get 4 different answers. So I trust opinions on this site to give me a better balanced evaluation.

[strmrdr]

one tip try and get as even lighting as possible it gives you more options in PP.
For example #3 would be a good shot with some PP except for the very bright area on her arm is going to make it a pita because its going to get blown out when bringing their faces out.
With a ton of work it can be worked around but the results wont be as good as if it was done right to start with.

Having them move a little more around the tree would have made
the shot.
Having someone hold a sun block would have worked also.

[strmrdr]

same thing with #2 his forehead and shirt are going to blow out, they are small enough areas that it might be possible to still work with the images.
Also they are looking at the camera like your taking snapshots, them looking at each other would have made for more emotion.

[italypa99]

deff need some fill flash on #1 and #6 also #8

[strmrdr]

#3 with photoshopped fill flash...
notice how some ares are now blown out, with more even lighting it wouldnt have been.
Removing some of the fill in the blown areas can be done but its a lot of work.

[calicokat]

I really like #6, I know not all will agree, but I like it

[Mgw189]

I think 5 is the best but 4 is great as well. The other shots are good but there is lighting issues with them that bother me. Number 1 is probably the most "classic" engagement photo but the lighting bugs me. Maybe a reflector would have helped the shadows.

[gateruner]

I appreciate all the critiques. This one outing taught me alot. We tended to pose them for a shot but mostly just told them to do your thing and I shot away. Got way to many shots that had eyes closed or something wrong. I understand the lighting issues and as have said will have to work to improve on that aspect. I think the diffuser and a reflector would have helped alot.
Something I was thinking as I have yet to see an actual engagement shoot is to get the couple into a pose and then take a few shots. Allow them to intereact with each other within the pose and shoot them from different angles and views. Am I on the right track here?

[H2oDawgs]

3, 4, and 8 are nice. Looks like lighting was tough. The lighting killed #1 and the shadows killed ##6.