First wedding yesterday

[StellerCrys]

I will post pics once I have more time to work on them, no PP yet.

It went fairly well for my first I think. The bride was hard to get to smile, very somber, but I got a few shots with a smile in them, lol.
Oh, and I got sunburnt, lol, oh well, all in a days work right?

Here are a couple just for fun until I can do some editing. These aren't edited by the way. Feel free to CC though:)

1) Here's the bride
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l24/stellercrys/BLWedding0237.jpg

2) And the Groom
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l24/stellercrys/BLWedding0268.jpg

3) Cake smashing
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l24/stellercrys/BLWedding0285.jpg

[paul33]

I hope you shot RAW as you are going to need it !

#1 is not a nice pose, made worse by the miserable face

#2 is cut off at the knee so you'd do better to crop higher, albeit I'm not sure you'll get much of a result from that shot

#3 looks a fun shot and with some PP should be the best of the three by a mile

My tip would be not to post on here until you've fully processed the images as you're asking for critique on unfinished work which is kind of pointless.

Well done on nailing your first anyway and good luck for the future.

[StellerCrys]

I wasn't asking for critique on these ones, I just said feel free...
Anyways, when I said they haven't been edited, that also means there has been no cropping or anything either, I will be editing the rest tonight/tomorrow and will have better ones to share then.

And yes, of course I shot in raw!

[SuzyView]

So what did you want us to say about them? I thought you post so we could critique. I guess I'll wait until the processed ones are posted. Can you tell us what equipment you used?

[Maureen Souza]

This place is a tough venue, Crystal. Better put on your armour when you post
in here:rolleyes:

[SuzyView]

Maureen, we'll play nice. Just wish we could say something. ;)

[tim]

Your images are poorly exposed and have color casts. Only the last has anything vaguely interesting in it.

Posting images is the same as asking for C&C, you'll get it whether you like it or not. Also since your business name is in you sig your customers would be able to find this thread and these images if they knew to look. Because of that you should only post finished images on the net.

[SuzyView]

Thanks, Tim. :) I was just about to say that.

[EMG]

My first wedding is next Saturday, points well taken and I'm prepared but nervous! Appreciate the direct support and approach here - that is why I'm here...

[italianfemmy]

I am with Tim on this one and don't think you should advise people to feel free to critique work you do not wish to be critiqued in a proper forthright manner.

On the other hand... posting the unproccessed pics allows people to give advice on what they feel you could do to make them better (which might be advice you need.)

So..
1.) She looks underexposed as if you didn't use fill flash on her. (you might not have) Try brightening the image in photoshop and burning back the detail in the parts that you will overexpose by doing this. If you don't know how.. might I recommend a terrific book that I am reading currently that provided step by step photoshop tutorials: Scott Kelby's Photoshop for digital photographers.

2.) This image would look much better if cropped just below the hands like a 3/4 shot. Right at the knee is a no no. If you crop the hands out, make sure to go all the way up somewhere between the shoulders and the waist but in my opinion, this wouldn't look as good on this picture.

3.) I really don't know how to make this picture better as it's not as bad and doesn't need as much recovery. Maybe an action to make them really pop? I guess that's my problem with this picture - it seems flat to me.

Good luck and like I had to learn, if you want to belong to this forum, you do indeed need tough skin.

[paul33]

I wasn't asking for critique on these ones, I just said feel free...
Anyways, when I said they haven't been edited, that also means there has been no cropping or anything either, I will be editing the rest tonight/tomorrow and will have better ones to share then.

And yes, of course I shot in raw!

Wasn't intending to sound abrupt but you DID ask for critique but on files you haven't finished yet so ....... surely any feedback is likely to be met with "ah, but I haven't finished them yet".

As they stand, #1 and #2 would be in my trash bin within seconds as there is virtually nothing going for them. The PP versions might throw up something but I'm intrigued as to what you can do with them.

Trust me, straight feedback is worth pages of "pleasantries" and I had much of the former in my early days and was better off for it. Early weddings are all about learning fast and I'm sure you'll do just that and go on to be very successful so good luck.

[kbyrd8455]

This place is a tough venue, Crystal. Better put on your armour when you post
in here:rolleyes:

Yes it is. The folks in here are very critical but take the advise not as a insult but as help. In the long run you will benefit from it.

[sblais]

Too bad for the sunburn. Make sure to put lotion before your next outdoor shoot!

I'll critique on the technical aspects of the shots, not the processing as this was not done.

To be honest, they look like snapshots. Even with editing, they will have the same feel. You need to pay attention to backgrounds (#1), find flattering angles and poses (#1 and #2), watch out for hot spots (the groom's face is partially blown out in #2). #3 will be fine with PP. Not a portfolio shot, but you had to work with what you had.

Keep on trying, don't get discouraged. Look at examples from this forum and from world renowned photographers. Read a few books on exposure, posing and lighting. More importantly, keep on posting. Receiving C/C here is one of the best learning tool you can get. I feel more insulted when people don't C/C my images than when I get constructive criticism.

[tsaraleksi]

A big thing that stands out to me in these is that you could have perhaps a bigger aperture to reduce the backgrounds in the first two shots? The busy backgrounds are a major drawback.

[kbyrd8455]

A big thing that stands out to me in these is that you could have perhaps a bigger aperture to reduce the backgrounds in the first two shots? The busy backgrounds are a major drawback.

I agree one 100% what kind of camera was used for these