My first SOLO wedding shoot. [Archive] - Canon Digital Photography Forums

Toogy

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 07:35

Did my first solo wedding shoot yesterday, talk about ALOT of work, the heat was killer and taking photos at 1pm in the blazing sun took some fun out of it, but I think I managed to get a few good ones. Thanks god for RAW :)

#1
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4648.jpg
#2
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4704.jpg
#3
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4707.jpg
#4
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4711.jpg
#5
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4723.jpg
#6
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4726.jpg
#7
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4752.jpg
#8
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4753.jpg
#9
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4758.jpg
#10
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4760.jpg
#11
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4788.jpg
#12
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4857.jpg
#13
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4863.jpg
#14
http://www.digitaliso.ca/files/IMG_4953.jpg

etaf

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 07:47

you have some great shots - congrats on going solo

Toogy

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 08:53

Wow, thanks for the comments, especially from Bloo, it means alot coming from a Pro like you!

It was alot harder getting them posed than I thought, and you are right there was alot of comments like "Hey Janet, remember what so and so had done in their wedding pictures, let's try that", so yes alot of them seem cliche for sure :)
Yes I should have used fill flash more effectively.

Bama

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 09:00

Hi Toogy,

The composition of the pics are great especially the difference between the whites and blacks.
My wedding pics (mostly Indian / Muslim) was all the while done in film and I'm learning digital now.
Do agree on lack of fill flash in the park.

Thank you
Bama

ayotnoms

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 09:00

Very nice photos. I'm sure the B&G are going to love them.
Favorite: The Kiss (#7). Most kiss shots are of two faces smashed together. This one, for me anyway, hits the mark; not a face eating shot nor a chaste buss like the one you get when leaving for work. Nice
Least favorite (only because it detracts from the great facial expressions): the shadow cast by the flash in #12.

A couple of months ago, I bought a Lightsphere II....haven't had a flash shadow since.

Thanks for sharing

Toogy

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 09:09

Hmm..... #12 was with a Lightsphere II???
Maybe I am using it incorrectly?? I had it faced towards them, the ceilings were WAY to high to bounce.

ayotnoms

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 09:41

Hmm..... #12 was with a Lightsphere II???
Maybe I am using it incorrectly?? I had it faced towards them, the ceilings were WAY to high to bounce.
Interesting...because I've never tried pointing it at an indoor subject. Maybe the flash pointed at them would have worked for the outdoor fill flash photos.

Easy for me to say. I've not had the pressure of delivering a quality wedding photo :confused:

Other Lightsphere owners can chime in but I think with your 580, and flash compensation kicked up a notch or two, the Lightsphere could have been left pointed up irrespective of how high the ceilings were.

I hate flash photography...well the technical aspects of it anyway. I've read the flash sticky time and time again and it still hasn't penetrated my 1" thick skull. >:(>:(

GreenGemini2000

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 10:07

Great work!

schmoelzel

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 10:46

Nice work Jeff!! Do you use an off-shoe flash or just attached to the camera? I am getting an off-shoe cord this week and I think this will help a lot especially with portraits and outdoor fill........I think your poses look really natural and the bride and groom look pretty confident in front of the camera. This is really awesome stuff!!!

Arnie1

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 10:50

If thats your first wedding I think you have a great career ahead of you.;)

Toogy

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 10:53

Thanks again,
No the flash was on the camera, I do have a bracket and off-shoe cord, just don't feel comfortable with it yet, seems like a monster machine when I have it all put together. :)

formula4speed

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 10:59

Olds 442 vert? Thats my kind of wedding. Great shots.

Toogy

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 11:01

Yep, it was a 68 or 69 - 442 4-speed convertible, very nice, wanted more pics with the car, but since the temperature was 100+ with the humidity the seats were a 'little' hot and the bride didnt' want to sit in it.

Anon

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 11:02

I love these. I would be very happy if they were my wedding photos!

pdrow

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 12:12

I really don't like them as they made me feel so very, very old. Is the groom over 12? Just kidding. I think these are all very nice. You did a great job.
pam

Toogy

26th of June 2005 (Sun), 12:17

They were very young, the groom is 22 and the bride is 21.

Claire

27th of June 2005 (Mon), 08:17

I love the kiss shot! Wonderful photos and I think you did an great job!

BLINN

27th of June 2005 (Mon), 08:28

The shots are all good, great poses but like bloo said remember or better yet pay attention to detail when you are shooting outside. Shadows are hard to see with our eyes but the camera picks them up very well, this is where you want to use a fill flash wil for the 2nd and 3rd pic psoted just to bring the detail of the brides face out with out haveing to PS to much. Keep up the great work

Mike

InskiP

27th of June 2005 (Mon), 10:47

GOOD JOB! I like them all. #8 is beautiful. My least favorite is #4. I like the composition, but the guys just aren't popping,to me, they blend in too much. However, I love #5 and the tone is beautiful. If you don't mind my asking, how did you tone it? When I try toning the images sometime look filmy and I can't seem to get the right color.

R1 Kid

28th of June 2005 (Tue), 14:48

Hmm..... #12 was with a Lightsphere II???
Maybe I am using it incorrectly?? I had it faced towards them, the ceilings were WAY to high to bounce.

Did you have the dome cover on the LSII when you faced it towards them? If not then it defeated the purpose of using the LSII. Usually you just keep it upright even when in the vertical position. Just twist the flash head and it acts like a flash bracket. This is of course a subject to argue, but many many LSII users on here will agree that you don't NEED a bracket with the LSII. Not trying to say that using the LSII is better than using a flash bracket nor am I saying the opposite.

Ok I'll just stop because based on your photos. I should be listening to you instead. Great poses and photos. With photos like this in your portfolio you can name your price after some more experience.

Thank you for sharing.

Toogy

28th of June 2005 (Tue), 16:37

hmm.... I tried some shots with it pointed up, but they were way too dark, should I have just bumped up FEC?

DeltaWebb

28th of June 2005 (Tue), 18:18

My mom is a wedding and event coordinator and I've seen my fare share of wedding photos and these are VERY nice! B&G should be very happy with them. I'm still a newbie to photography and I didn't notice the fill flash problems as heavily as others right away until I saw the responses. I guess it's just something to work on a little to make some amazing wedding captures even better.

Nice Job!

iSellJerseyShore

29th of June 2005 (Wed), 05:01

You got a excellent style, keep up the good work!!! Shoot some more weddings :-)

-iSellJerseyShore

Actionphotog

29th of June 2005 (Wed), 09:38

Bravo.... I love the Church photo the most, I've been shooting wedding for two years, and live in and work in rural Virginia USA and we don't have any churches like that out here. Your photos are excellent and you make Wedding Photography look easy.....
I have shot Weddings in big barns where they hold horse shows to a church that could only seat 50 (like this last weekend)
Again your work is excellent.

ImperialRed

29th of June 2005 (Wed), 20:11

Great shots....

......it's just too bad those guys are never going to see thier friend again.....

:( :( :(

Kathy H

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 19:11

Wow Jeff, these are really nice.:D

I think you have come a long way!

bcap

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 19:20

Jeff, these are absolutely breathless! I want to be as good as this one day!!!

The B&W conversions - incredible! What was your method?

Toogy

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 19:24

Jeff, these are absolutely breathless! I want to be as good as this one day!!!

The B&W conversions - incredible! What was your method?

THANKS!! It means alot man!! I think for these beauties, I simply desaturated them.

I must revisit this style, no fill flash, pose people in blazing sunlight and over smooth any and ALL skin.

bcap

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 19:30

THANKS!! It means alot man!! I think for these beauties, I simply desaturated them.

I must revisit this style, no fill flash, pose people in blazing sunlight and over smooth any and ALL skin.

Yeah, I think there is room for improvement. Keep working hard!

jessiper

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 19:30

LOL

Toogy

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 19:33

LOL

Thank you for the constructive feedback ;)

TSEE

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 20:43

Wow Jeff, these are really nice.

I think you have come a long way!

OH NO, not you too! LOL What is it with digging up 1+ year old threads!? LOL

But since we're on this one...I love these shots, very nicely done.

Kai

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 21:08

Wow these are bad! You should give up now. LOL

Toogy

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 21:13

I honestly don't know what I was thinking!!

Kai

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 21:13

You should probably post these in teh wedding group. There are some great people in there!:lol::lol:

Toogy

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 21:14

I'm afraid of what they might say!

notapro

18th of October 2007 (Thu), 21:34

meh...

gheesom

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 07:54

Good stuff, I like your posing, but there is a style that is all the rage in the wedding section right now
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=361101&highlight=toogy+style
Have a look there for some inspiration ;)

MarkAnthonyPhotography

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 08:21

MDJAK

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 08:31

Jeff, I'll keep it simple. You are good, real good at what you do.

Looking forward to Albany.

mark

Toogy

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 08:47

It's good to know I'm improved a touch in the last two years!

SuzyView

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 08:51

I won't even look at stuff I did 4 years ago. ;)

Can't wait to meet with you all! Jeff, you are going to help us, right?

jessiper

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 09:16

Thank you for the constructive feedback ;)

Always happy to help! ;)

Toogy

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 09:23

Can't wait to meet with you all! Jeff, you are going to help us, right?

Of course!! why wouldn't I?

Ojum

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 09:27

awesome shots. I would like to see #3 in black and white though. Seems like the vintage car is screaming for it.

bcap

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 09:35

LOL I hope everyone realizes that this thread is like 2 years old. Jeff's improved 10 fold since then.

neil85

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 11:12

Olds 442 vert? Thats my kind of wedding. Great shots.

haha thats what i was thinkin !!!

great shots by the way !

amironsi

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:28

can you tell me your equipment details... and man i am asking this just because you took some great memories in this wedding and i can't comment on any of the pictures.

Wazza

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:32

I'm glad you persisted and never fried like many first time solo wedding photographers ;)

Toogy

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:33

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm

This was over two years ago... I think I was using a 20D with a tamron 28-75 and an 85mm F1.8 and that was about it.

amironsi

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:34

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm

This was over two years ago... I think I was using a 20D with a tamron 28-75 and an 85mm F1.8 and that was about it.

i want to get an 50mm 1.8 or 1.4 but i am not sure which to go with... and i need to rraise some money some how....i think of belly dancing :)

notapro

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:35

yeah, what was your lighting set-up on #2 and #3? And how did you get those ones around the trees to look like you didn't use a flash at all?

Seriously, though, I don't think I've ever been so reassured and inspired to keep working at it as I am right now. As it turns out, everybody did start somewhere.

Toogy

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:35

Good idea!!

Toogy

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:37

Seriously, though, I don't think I've ever been so reassured and inspired to keep working at it as I am right now. As it turns out, everybody did start somewhere.

Awesome! really I'm glad you feel this way!! because looking back on this, it is pretty bad, and I stuck with it, and seem to be doing "OK" with it.

Toogy

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:39

yeah, what was your lighting set-up on #2 and #3? And how did you get those ones around the trees to look like you didn't use a flash at all?

#2 & #3 I actually used a the tree to conveniently block the light from the main subjects. I could have used flash to compensate, but I liked the under-exposed look of them. LOL It really helps emphasize that I had no idea what I was doing!

bcap

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:53

#2 & #3 I actually used a the tree to conveniently block the light from the main subjects. I could have used flash to compensate, but I liked the under-exposed look of them. LOL It really helps emphasize that I had no idea what I was doing!

HAHA oh my god!!!

So Jeff, I'm interested, where'd you get the portable tree branches? Do they fit in your bag? Are they collapsable?

Kathy H

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:56

HAHA oh my god!!!

So Jeff, I'm interested, where'd you get the portable tree branches? Do they fit in your bag? Are they collapsable?
Yes, do share!:D

Toogy

19th of October 2007 (Fri), 13:57

So Jeff, I'm interested, where'd you get the portable tree branches? Do they fit in your bag? Are they collapsable?

I'll show them to you next thursday! I haven't used them in awhile!