Amazing B&G Las Vegas Style

[LVPhotos]

This awesome couple asked us to shoot them just prior to their wedding, which was to happen in a helicopter, above the city, at sunset. So we spent about 2 hours with them.

Got 129 unique shots at over 10 different locations in the 2 hours! It's hard to get the "best" down to 8 or so! So if anyone wants to see more, just ask

The couple hired us because of our PP work, and wanted several of their shots processed 'like on your demos'. So we ended up doing full processing on 30 of them. Yes, I know some of them may be 'overprocessed' to some people, but this is what they asked for...

Anyway, here's our favorites... PLEASE C&C... be picky!

#1
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15559&g2_serialNumber=1


#2
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15561&g2_serialNumber=1


#3
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15563&g2_serialNumber=1


#4
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15557&g2_serialNumber=1


#5
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15547&g2_serialNumber=1


#6
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15549&g2_serialNumber=1


#7
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15553&g2_serialNumber=1


#8
http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15555&g2_serialNumber=1

[RiftsWRX]

Really digging #8! Did you PP the blur or was that some really creative use of aperture and composition?

Jorge (RiftsWRX)
www.ProjectWRX.com

[auroraskye]

Okay, I will ignore the over processing.. :P Since it's what they wanted..

They are an adorable couple. I like the composition on #1, except for their hands being chopped in half. They seem a hair on the orange size thou. Just a wee bit.

#2 is cute. Did you use fill flash on these? Or was it sunlight causing the shadow?

#3 is a bit flashy, she's got a shiny face because of it.

#4 really cute capture but your conversion is a bit flat IMO.

#5 Pretty much the same as above

#6 oooh why you chop the feet.. :P Cute but flashy (I see the shadow..) and feet chopped.

#7 too much pro.. oh nevermind :P

#8 the selective coloring is a cute idea here. I don't like the fake blur thou.

Cute stuff.. but too much processing.. and watch your crops :P

[da_teacher]

Really digging #8! Did you PP the blur or was that some really creative use of aperture and composition?

Jorge (RiftsWRX)
www.ProjectWRX.com (http://www.ProjectWRX.com)

Me too...#8 rocks! I also like #2. #3 has to be my least favorite of the eight shots though. Does nothing for me...

[LVPhotos]

Really digging #8! Did you PP the blur or was that some really creative use of aperture and composition?

Jorge (RiftsWRX)
www.ProjectWRX.com (http://www.ProjectWRX.com)


Partly aperature but yes I did enhance the blur. Copied the layer, gaussian blurred and made it a masking layer... then painted on the B&G and on the front of the post to bring it back. One little touch I did was on the side of the post I adjusted the flow of the brush and did 3 different downward strokes, each one with a little less flow (so the front is more clear and the back is less clear).


auroraskye:
The shadow on the "Ah Sin" was from the sun, even the 580ex wouldn't fill that. It was about 2 hours before sundown on a VERY sunny day. Same thing on the brick one, that is not flash shadow, that's sun.

You are right that #1 they look a little orange. I can adjust the masking layer and fix that.

Some of the cropping may be a function of the frames that I put on, sometimes the frames cut off a small portion of the photo. But thanks I will definately watch that!

It's weird that I keep getting comments that the B&W conversions are 'flat'. I don't see it... maybe I don't understand what is being said?

I thought #4 was the "deepest" B&W I've ever done... but in all honesty I am using Totally Rad which should be very deep conversions. Can someone adjust #4 to look deeper and explain to me how to do it?

FYI, equipment used in this shoot was the 40d with camera-mounted 580ex, the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 and the Canon 50mm f1.4. Didn't even pull out the 70-200mm :( This was a single-person shoot, no assistant so she couldn't really use the off-camera 2nd flash or our reflector.

[Anthony J Howe]

Good how you captured the veil up in shot number 2, and it shows then happy and having fun.
I agree with auroraskye about number three, but good warm colours and composition.
No 4, love the black and white conversion.
number 8 is is my favourite, well done.

[LVPhotos]

I may have over-processed #3. Even more than what they will like. The original shot was pretty durn good... I used a lomo effect and set opacity on that layer to around 70% then did some adjustment using the "Yin/Yang" action (darker/lighter using a brush). I also masked out the lomo on her skin because it turned her basically red :(

I know that other comments we've received lately is our style is "too dark" so we have been working on a lot brighter shots... :)

[form]

I like 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8 best, 3, 5 and 6 the least.

I agree that #1 is a little orange in the face, but the composition looks good and the photo itself seems fine.

#2 is cute but the groom fades into the background because his suit matches the black behind; possibly better with them on either side of the image, but maybe not.

#3 is fine compositionally, but would have benefited greatly from off-camera, diffused flash and gels to match the tungsten lighting. It's not likely to be something remembered, but specular reflections on the face occur more when there's oil or moisture, and a good clean wipe off can help reduce that, as can flash coming from an angle farther away from the camera axis.

#4 may be flatter than the others, but to me it seems like a more formal picture while still seeming cute because of the way they look; I think it looks good.

I think #5 needs different processing, and the image itself doesn't do as much for me as many of the others.

#6 has a good pose, but it might have benefited from the rule of thirds and moving them off to the side of the frame. I also agree that if you get part of the feet you should try to get all of them. Lastly, the flash shadow gives a distinct double-image impression to the groom that confuses my eyes and makes it less comfortable to look at.

#7 looks nice to me, maybe a little less blur in some places. and a little more contrast/pop to the subjects.

#8 is good, looks formal again because of the B&W and the poses. A second of this type with them kissing might go well with the "passion."

All just thoughts based on what I see; I'm still learning all the time myself.

[auroraskye]

By saying that your conversion is flat, it means that your highlights and shadows do not have enough definition. Obviously you do not want highlights blown or blacks clipped, BUT you want to retain the definition so that the photo has more depth to it. It is too late for me to play with it and upload and all that, but if I have time tomorrow I will try and screenshot an s-curve. I do not use an action for my conversions, I simply do a gradient map, then I do a curves layer and I do an "s-curve" which is basically place a ticker near the black and bring the line down slightly, ticker near the white, bring it up slightly and one in the middle, and you fiddle with these until you get the look you want. I just pulled your photo into photoshop and did it and I could see an improvement. Try and play around with what I'm talking about and you'll see.

[Aaagogo]

IMHO, I feel that the skin is over PP'ed

It looks very plasticky

[pixelharmony]

IMHO, I feel that the skin is over PP'ed

It looks very plasticky

Asian Glamour Style :) When all my friends come back from Korea / Taiwan their skin is softened up just like that. It's popular over there.

[LVPhotos]

LOL yeah... but I gotta say their skin was very smooth anyway.

Here's a totally un-retouched photo (I think maybe I ran "auto levels" on it). Yes, I know it needs to be cropped, etc. I am just showing this to show their skin tone :)

http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15709&g2_serialNumber=1

[reefergal]

I really like #8

[LVPhotos]

I wanted to thank everyone for their comments. The B&G just got done going through their gallery, and we have a rating system on it... at least half of the 160 shots in the gallery are 4- or 5-stars... with probably 30% being 5-star. We ask the clients to only rate about 10% of them as 5-star so we know what they REALLY like. When a client rates 3x more as 5-star than they are supposed to, we have to figure they REALLY liked their photos!

What's weird is that they didnt' like #7 AT ALL, neither the processed OR the un-processed version. I wonder if it's her facial expression?
They also rated #8, which is an OVERWHELMING favorite on this board (and OUR favorite too!) as a 3-star! "Average"!

We've run those 2 pictures (7 and 8) past 2 pros here in Vegas and BOTH of them LOVE LOVE them. So much that we're going to print both on their own 16x20 canvas. :)

It's a good example of what clients like doesn't always match what the photog likes!

[rsmedley]

LOL yeah... but I gotta say their skin was very smooth anyway.

Here's a totally un-retouched photo (I think maybe I ran "auto levels" on it). Yes, I know it needs to be cropped, etc. I am just showing this to show their skin tone :)

http://djaysentertainment.com/123/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15709&g2_serialNumber=1

I would have fixed the blemishes on the guys face. One of the first things I would do and probably the most import in my opinion.

[Kathy H]

Great shots! You do an awesome job at capturing smiles!

[Alexajlex]

I think if the clients like you are in good shape.

#3 - there is a strong yellow/orange cast from the indoor lights I assume affecting the dress and her skin tones a lot.

[mkuriger]

they look great! I would just edit out the gentleman's pimples (or whatever the blemishes on his head are)

good work~!