First Wedding (small one)

[newbie builder]

Finally had a chance to shoot my first wedding. It was a very small one--no big white dress or fancy reception afterwards, just a small outdoor gathering...not even expensive rings for the ceremony either (hence the lack of a ring shot). Despite that it was still a great experience for me and would love some C&C. Tough to choose 8!

Bride, coming down the stairs to see her future husband for the first time:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3360/3426246428_f0baa64d5b.jpg

A moment between the bride and her father just before the start of the ceremony:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3344/3425911613_1b29055247_b.jpg

Had time for a quick portrait before the ceremony:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3426248112_801780b49e_b.jpg

The ceremony itself:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3425440919_e08077efc8_b.jpg

The groom, right after being pronounced man and wife:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3425442041_15b20a28eb_b.jpg

The bride, right after being pronounced man and wife:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/3425443499_c494161d34.jpg

They didn't have a big budget because of the size of the ceremony but still had some nice floral arrangements:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3389/3426253874_1b6eff9c81_b.jpg

The happy newlyweds:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3351/3425442713_446a326383_b.jpg

Any critiques appreciated, always trying to improve in any way I can. I wish they would have had a reception or time for more portraits, but it was a small thing and they didn't want a whole ton of coverage. I thought it came out nicely though, but still have lots of places to improve.

Thanks for looking!

[Svetlana]

I love those small weddings, I had a small wedding myself - only 16 people. I think you did a great job, and I love your post processing.

[Erik G]

Very nice photos!! love the PP work done on them too!

I love those small weddings, I had a small wedding myself - only 16 people. I think you did a great job, and I love your post processing.

I got you beat... 9 people at my wedding :D

[B.Miller]

they look good! a couple look a little OOF to me, but i like the PP too!

[PhotoTails]

Nice angles

[Svetlana]

I got you beat... 9 people at my wedding :D

haha! ok..ok...you won. :)

[Ziffle]

Nice series .... what a way to start shooting wedding - small and intimate.

I thought .... #7 - for me would have shot vertical.
Otherwise nice pp and compositions.

do agree w/ some focus points mentioned by BAM.

Later,
_Mark

[newbie builder]

Thanks for the kind comments!

I think a small wedding was a great way to start out...it was still a little hectic, just as any wedding is, but having it on such a small scale was a very nice way to get used to the feel of shooting a solo wedding (although actually I've never second shot either) and how the day progresses.

My first time shooting with a D700 was that day and everything was around f/1.6 or so on either a 50 or 85 prime, so that'd explain the focus and some of the softness...I'm used to a crop sensor where the DOF is greater at f/1.6 than it is on a full frame sensor, and I love the shallowness but it's tough to nail everything, especially given that even when I do at those nearly wide open apertures its still a little on the soft side--I'll see about sharping a few of them up a little more to help reduce the wide open softness since I didn't do much of that in my PP yet.

I'm just 16 and getting started at the wedding shooting thing, only really done portraits or sports/photojournalism (the most handy practice for the wedding stuff), but have my first solo full scale wedding coming up in October so I'm hoping to learn lots before then, always want to keep improving.

Keep the comments/suggestions coming!

[Charlie Bronson]

Great job! What equipment and software did you use - if you don't mind me asking?

[Aleksandras Babicius]

I too liked your work. In it there is that personally in a photo I appreciate most of all - feelings and emotions. Thanks.

[newbie builder]

Great job! What equipment and software did you use - if you don't mind me asking?
D700 (I'm a nikon guy...I just frequent this forum because there's more good general photography knowledge on it than on most other ones even though the gear talk is canon) with a 50 f/1.4, 85 f/1.4, and 105 f/2 prime lenses. Lightroom 2 for 90% of the editing, than a few that needed a little something extra go into CS3 (or any ones that need retouching) and get some of the totally rad actions.

[mike C]

You did a great job at capturing their special moments.

[TristanCardew]

You have a great style dude. Love the fact you're shooting primes only too. My favourite is #2, but they're all very nice and capture the emotions beautifully. I'm impressed for a 16 year old...you definitely have a bright future in photography. And some great gear to go with your skill. :)

Well done.

[dmitrim]

good use of light and ps. good to see smiling shots

[newbie builder]

You have a great style dude. Love the fact you're shooting primes only too. My favourite is #2, but they're all very nice and capture the emotions beautifully. I'm impressed for a 16 year old...you definitely have a bright future in photography. And some great gear to go with your skill. :)

Well done.

Thanks! I've always gravitated to primes, and just recently I've made the switch to shoot them almost exclusively with portraiture (still have to use zooms for sports...no way am I giving up my 80-200 when it comes time to follow guys sprinting down a basketball court).
The D700, sadly, isn't mine....yet. I'm working hard, saving for one, but as of now I'm shooting with a D2x. Not so shabby in its own right, but not in the same league as the D700. That being said I've been very lucky in that I've often been able to borrow gear for extended periods of time before buying anything, so I've been able to make really educated purchases and spend wisely and therefore have some great gear for somebody my age. It means also that I have lots of gear lust and 100% of the money I make goes right back into gear at this point in time, but it's worth it :D

Thanks to all the other kind comments as well, please keep all C&C coming.

[joshbehan]

This is great work for a first wedding.

#1 this is a nice shot of the bride, but it's a little cluttered, try to frame her on a cleaner part of the wall

#2 very nice moment, and use of flare. you could crop it on the dad's side a little I think, and bring it in a little tighter

#3 nice portrait, I wish he were looking a the camera, and again I would crop it a bit tighter to make them more of a focus in the photo

#4 nice, definitely captures the size and backyard feel of the wedding. maybe a tad much on the vignetting

#5 nice candid shot

#6 very nice moment, maybe a bit too much vignetting again (personal preference), and she's a little too centered

#7 nice detail shot

#8 very nice moment

Again, fantastic work for your first wedding. Also I had a look at your website, and it looks very good.

[tnicol]

Really a nice job capturing the feelings of this couple. Outstanding for a first wedding. Do you mind my asking what processing you used in no. 8. I've seen similar results, but don't know how it's done.

[Suedezu]

Impressive set of pictures.

Number 2 and the last one are my favorites.

One suggestion: in number 2 try to remove some of the flare from her face and crop some of the right side.

[newbie builder]

@joshbehan:
Thanks! I'm definitely gonna try a crop on #2...I played around with it and agree it looks better brought in more, and am also going to reduce the vignette on #4, I agree that it's a bit too much there, thanks for bringing my eye to it. Thanks for the kind words about my website as well! Just finished it up this past weekend, that thing sucked up way more time than I thought it would to make but I'm glad I did, I think it will really help my business.

@tnicol:
Funny you mention the processing on 8....I thought the photo had a lot of potential from the moment I saw it because I loved their expressions, but I thought it lacked something processing wise. I ended up first doing basic corrections in lightroom, then taking it into CS3 and using some of the Totally Rad Actions (don't remember which ones specifically, but definitely stuff from the TRA2 set, probably pool party or lux), and I think that helped make the shot.

@Seudezu:
Thanks! Yup, definitely gonna crop #2, thanks for pointing it out.

I appreciate all the comments, I definitely have some things I'll touch up with them in mind....

I wasn't sure what to expect going into the day, I'd never assisted at a wedding and had only been to one in my life that I was old enough to remember the ceremony of, but as things happened everything just kind of fell in to place and it felt very natural and smooth. Now I'm just hoping to build up my portfolio book some more, it's addicting work!

[ejicon]

The picture under the caption: "The bride, right after being pronounced man and wife" does it for me. Wowie..

[dan0103]

+1. Great job.

I love those small weddings, I had a small wedding myself - only 16 people. I think you did a great job, and I love your post processing.

[newbie builder]

Thanks all! Just wanted to update the thread to say that the clients were pleased enough that they just ordered two 8x8 Kiss albums (in hot pink and green :) and nine mini Kisses too! Felt great to have such strong sales from a small wedding like that...

[david888lee]

great colors, love the pp. good job!