Gettysburg ----- again! 9/1/2007

[cdifoto]

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[cdifoto]

Come on y'all. I know someone out there is just itchin' to tear me a new one on these...

[Grace]

all the angles drive me crazy...great exposure other than that...

just not anything very creative. and I KNOW you can be creative Don.

[Grace]

I haven't looked at all the photobucket images yet though..

[drogos]

Yeah, the same problem here body ...a lot of viewing ..not that much of a talking ..anyways you should show more of these that are linked ..these show more emotion and interaction between bride and groom ..decent job. How do you like working with Bella?

[cdifoto]

Yeah I seemed to be on an angle kick yesterday. I dunno why really...I usually shoot everything straight. I guess to try something a bit different for a change. I wasn't the primary anyway. The linked images have a bit of the B-G interaction though Gracey. :)

[Grace]

I looked (but I wasn't the one that said interaction....I said creativity!!) :)

looks like they were fun though! and cute! that's always helpful!

[cdifoto]

Oops. I haven't slept since Sat morning. Things are getting blurry... :p

As a second, I don't get into much creativity. I can't pull charge so I just hang back a bit. I probably could have done more with the guys but only father, son, and brother got ready in the hotel. The other best men got ready at the golf coarse because they were also setting up their band to play during the reception.

I know, excuses excuses. But whatever. :D :p

[JimAskew]

The guy shots are very well done. The ones you posted with the bride are not very flattering to her... #8 is really harsh. The ones you linked are much better. I love the "just married" golf cart.

[cdifoto]

Thanks for commenting Jim. :)

In hindsight I agree. I was going through and noticed I don't have much of anything that really flatters her. In my defense though, Jeff (the primary) had more time with the bride (he covered them in prep and solo portraits while I was working with the guys). I did #8 for fun, not flattery. I told her to give him hell & she said "Hey I can do that!" My execution wasn't too hot, but I gave it a try. I had that shot in my mind ALL DAY. By the time the cake shot had come around, I had put all my backup gear in the van and was just screwin' around with the 12-24 on the 1D.

That golf cart shot didn't sit with me too well at first but the more I look at it, the more I like it. So thanks on that one. :)

[JimAskew]

Thanks for commenting Jim. :)

In hindsight I agree. I was going through and noticed I don't have much of anything that really flatters her. In my defense though, Jeff (the primary) had more time with the bride (he covered them in prep and solo portraits while I was working with the guys). I did #8 for fun, not flattery. I told her to give him hell & she said "Hey I can do that!" My execution wasn't too hot, but I gave it a try. I had that shot in my mind ALL DAY. By the time the cake shot had come around, I had put all my backup gear in the van and was just screwin' around with the 12-24 on the 1D.

That golf cart shot didn't sit with me too well at first but the more I look at it, the more I like it. So thanks on that one. :)

When you put #8 in context it makes sense...she was going after him for playing golf on their wedding day :D BTW...I like your crazy angles...square away shots get boring and routine after a while. I am pretty good on the formals but I have a lot to learn on the PJ and "fun" aspect of wedding photography. Thanks for sharing.

[cdifoto]

Since I've gone through all my images now and cherry picked the desired 20 for my website, I've made changes in this thread accordingly.

[cdifoto]

When you put #8 in context it makes sense...she was going after him for playing golf on their wedding day :D BTW...I like your crazy angles...square away shots get boring and routine after a while. I am pretty good on the formals but I have a lot to learn on the PJ and "fun" aspect of wedding photography. Thanks for sharing.

Sorry for some reason I missed this post of yours.

I'm the opposite way...I think I'm decent (or at least improving) on the PJ/fun shots but the formals are *snore* to me so I tend to shrug them off effort-wise...which I need to stop doing. I'm also crap at posing people in general. I'm also improving on the poses, if only in my mind. I can already think of at least 10 different images I wish I had pulled the B&G away to set up. Hopefully I'll be a quicker thinker in Philly on the 15th. And creative for Kathy. ;)

[johnstoy]

What lenses are these with? Interesting sets...

[cdifoto]

What lenses are these with? Interesting sets...

Either Sigma 12-24 or Canon 24-70. EXIF is still embedded so you can probably figure out some of which are which by that. The L on a 1.3x can really fill a lot of spots. Not so much on a 1.6x.

[jamiewexler]

Hey Don. Solid coverage, though a bit "safe" as others have mentioned. Definitely too much with the tilt as well. I really like #8 and #13, though!

[cdifoto]

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[R. Lawrence]

Were these taken at the Links? Looks a little familiar.

[cdifoto]

Yep this was at the Links, except the few men's shots...those were at the Wyndham.

[jamiewexler]

Don - I noticed that a lot of those indoor receptions shots were at ISO400 and that the backgrounds were a bit dark. I pretty much stick with ISO1600 when shooting with flash at the reception (brightly lit receptions being the exception). First off, the background lightens up a bit, in your case 2 stops. 2nd, if you expose a bit to the right, you won't see a big increase in noise...well, maybe with your 10D you will. Lastly the flash recycles much faster and the batteries last longer.

[cdifoto]

Bella wants us to stay at or below ISO400... I'm not saying I'd normally do it, but since I need certification I'm gonna play by their rules.

My flash actually had no issues. The CP-E3 lasted all night and then some. So as far as that goes I was good.

Not making excuses but it wasn't my wedding so I didn't do what I normally would have done.

[jamiewexler]

I wondered if it was a Bella requirement...I'll bet the policy is because of all of those N!kon shooters out there! They'd hate me, I spend all of the day at or above ISO 400!

[cdifoto]

I wondered if it was a Bella requirement...I'll bet the policy is because of all of those N!kon shooters out there! They'd hate me, I spend all of the day at or above ISO 400!

Yeah there's no doubt in my mind that it's due to the Noinkers.

You know me...I'm not the least bit scared of high ISO. If they certify me then I'll start to see what I can get away with. In the meantime I play it safe as if I'm in boot camp.

Oh and on some of those I did add a heavy vignette to bring attention to the B&G dancing. So in some images the background isn't THAT dark to begin with. I still would have used ISO800 or 1600 though if it was my gig. I coulda raised my shutter speed a bit and controlled the light streaks from my half-ass overhead handholding.

[cdifoto]

The B&G just emailed me from their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic...

They called my images "breathtaking" and "beautiful" and were "very pleased that [I was] their photographer."


Made my day.... :o

[jamiewexler]

Congrats Don - here's to an email like that every week (and the referrals to go along with it)!

[cdifoto]

Thanks Jamie. I know where to improve but it's also good to hear direct from the clients about whether they like the results. It may not happen very often with Bella's business structure.

Rock beats paper (I think), but referrals beat all. :)

[JimAskew]

The B&G just emailed me from their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic...

They called my images "breathtaking" and "beautiful" and were "very pleased that [I was] their photographer."


Made my day.... :o

Congratulations! The B&G are the ultimate critic...wonderful feedback:)

[cdifoto]

Thanks Jim. I hope to still improve though. The more I look at these pics, the more I think they're crap. :|

[JimAskew]

Thanks Jim. I hope to still improve though. The more I look at these pics, the more I think they're crap. :|

C#$%? Not hardly I would say! Always room to improve but you shouldn't knock yourself...you got some great captures.

I often feel the same way about what I shoot...at my last wedding on 30 June 2007 I was ok with my shots but the B&G and Bride's Mom were delighted. So, if they are happy then I am happy. I come here to POTN to learn and hopefully do even better the next time. Here is a link to my last wedding...please don't respond to the wedding post...it has long run its course with good feedback...as you can see I have a long way to go yet :)

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=342551

[cdifoto]

Thanks. I hear you on that. I need to work on the raw emotions though. I seem to either miss the shot or not even see it in the first place.

[Mark_48]

Don, Well done!! If the B&G were pleased, there's not any reason you shouldn't be.

I was looking at the Bella site and it mentions classroom, workshop and field training for those in the certification program. Has any of this been offered to you yet? Curious also as what you hand over at the end of the day, whether it's a handful of memory cards or images you've burned to a CD. I would guess the photographer only needs to show up for the event and doesn't get much involved in the business end of things?

Again, nice collection of well done images...

[cdifoto]

Don, Well done!! If the B&G were pleased, there's not any reason you shouldn't be.

Thanks. :)

I was looking at the Bella site and it mentions classroom, workshop and field training for those in the certification program. Has any of this been offered to you yet? Curious also as what you hand over at the end of the day, whether it's a handful of memory cards or images you've burned to a CD. I would guess the photographer only needs to show up for the event and doesn't get much involved in the business end of things?

I don't have a gag order against me but I'm not sure how much I can really say. At any rate, they're transitioning to a new system right now, so it's either sending their memory cards back to them, or sending a hard drive to which you dump your own cards. As a pre-certified shooter, you send CDs to your Bella Coach and they review those to see if you're certifiably insane...err I mean good enough to be a Bella Certified photographer. This was my first and my coach doesn't want any CDs until I can send him 2 weddings' worth, so he hasn't viewed or critiqued me yet. My understanding is they basically have a grading sheet and either email or call you after they fill it out...or some such deal.

As far as getting them the images, they make it cost you nothing to do so. They provide a FedEx prepaid label and envelope, and the cards come in a Pelican case for protection. They also provide the CD-Rs to backup to & send to the mentor, and even give you a Sharpie to label 'em and a bubble mailer to send them in. They don't prepay for the mailing of the CDs but they do reimburse you for it.

As for the training...I'm not sure how the classroom/workshop stuff works or if/when that comes into play. They haven't scheduled anything like that for me so far & I'm only doing what I guess would be the field training right now. It's not really training though...no one's holding my hand...I'm just doing my own thing really. I talked shop with the main photographer but he didn't try to babysit me and I didn't ask him to do so. They also tell you to not let the main guy treat you as a helper or an assistant...they emphasize that you're a team, not a subordinate shooter.

Again, nice collection of well done images...

Again, thanks.