Engagement Photos: critique for help, please!

[aebrown]

I did my first 'official' engagement photos last week. I am never really a people person when it comes to shooting, but am going to strive to get better while I have time this summer. These were all shot with my 40d and 24-70 at about 1PM. Please help me get better at this!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/3560188331_90d6d39bfa.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3560181935_506baa7a36.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3561000206_39de6e09b7.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3297/3561020026_94ef14625e.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3561014208_c977192a07.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3561017894_14a21eec9f.jpg?v=0

Was a little to vignette happy?

Thanks for the comments and critique!

[fluppe]

Nice shots but like you already mentioned yourself to much vignetting.

fluppe

[Roy Mathers]

I agree with that - and I just knew that there was going to be a tilting horizon shot in there as well!

[flashLM]

nice series, try to avoid shooting at mid day... the sun is too harsh, and hard shadows will reflect in your shots...

[Valjoy]

This is a nice set......but you should try using a bit of fill flash to lift some of those shadows off their faces.

[KFormus]

(Disclaimer: I'm a newbie) Pictures are nice, but could be better.

Solution:
Check out Neil Van Niekerk - planetneil.com (his workshop changed my life)
Take your 580EX II Flash, mount it onto a light stick w/ an umbrella (need umbrella adapter)
Hook it up with a Cybersync (what I use), PocketWiz, or Ebay trigger
Get an assistant (my fiancee was mine) to hold the lightstick

These are my results: http://aamira.formusk.com

Thanks,

-Kelly

[aebrown]

I agree with that - and I just knew that there was going to be a tilting horizon shot in there as well!

Yeah, I forgot to mention that, too. I just felt a lot of them were bland without adding a little something to them; whether that be a vignette, PP w/ color or tilt (or both :confused: ) Not to be rude, but could I get a little more on that? You just said you knew there was going to be tilting, are you trying to say this is a critical mistake? wrongly applied? applied too much? It's better to know how to make it work than to just know it's not applied correctly.

nice series, try to avoid shooting at mid day... the sun is too harsh, and hard shadows will reflect in your shots...

I wish I could, but I work in the evenings and had no choice with this series; I really wanted to do this is the evening, but I tried with what I had..

(Disclaimer: I'm a newbie) Pictures are nice, but could be better.

Solution:
Check out Neil Van Niekerk - planetneil.com (his workshop changed my life)
Take your 580EX II Flash, mount it onto a light stick w/ an umbrella (need umbrella adapter)
Hook it up with a Cybersync (what I use), PocketWiz, or Ebay trigger
Get an assistant (my fiancee was mine) to hold the lightstick

These are my results: http://aamira.formusk.com

Thanks,

-Kelly

Thanks for the info, but I'm a little short on the moola at this moment...


What is the best way to use a flash for fill light. I had my 580, but everytime i used it the pictures would just look fake and the reflections on their skin was very unnatural. Should I be in manual on the flash and metering it, or having a very small flash coming out? Thanks!

[Roy Mathers]

Yeah, I forgot to mention that, too. I just felt a lot of them were bland without adding a little something to them; whether that be a vignette, PP w/ color or tilt (or both :confused: ) Not to be rude, but could I get a little more on that? You just said you knew there was going to be tilting, are you trying to say this is a critical mistake? wrongly applied? applied too much? It's better to know how to make it work than to just know it's not applied correctly.
!

Yes, sorry about that. It's just a personal thing. I just happen to think that the tilting picture is a bit of a cliche nowadays and is overdone. I think it is often done in an attempt to inject interest in a picture that may not have much. But remember, that's just my opinion - you'll find plenty of others who disagree.

[aebrown]

Yes, sorry about that. It's just a personal thing. I just happen to think that the tilting picture is a bit of a cliche nowadays and is overdone. I think it is often done in an attempt to inject interest in a picture that may not have much. But remember, that's just my opinion - you'll find plenty of others who disagree.

Thanks for that. Makes sense, as you can tell I was trying to make a picture interesting that may otherwise have none or little. One thing about these samples, is that they're just that, with all of the shots, I gave the couple the originals, as well as normal edits where WB was adjusted and maybe a little fill light in LR. I figured if they like the vignetting and color tone, they can have it, if not then oh well. Thanks again!

[Roy Mathers]

You're welcome sir. I think you're doing the sensible thing. Take the pictures you like and then post them here in order to get other opinions. That way, you will gradually learn to build a style that is your version of conventional wisdom.