My first solo Wedding portrais

[CyberPet]

4 weeks ago I had the opportunity to be a second shooter/assistant to my mentor and a professional wedding photographer. Today it was my first "solo" and I was terrible nervous. I'm not going to swamp you with images, but here's a few more or less straight out of the camera:

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3252.jpg

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3305.jpg

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3352.jpg

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3366.jpg

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3419.jpg

[lkorell]

Hey I think you did a pretty nice job for a first solo. These look nicely exposed and they are all different. If the rest turned out like these I'm sure you'll have a very pleased client.
You may get a little critiquing from the forum members for a few minor things like the last shot showing the inside of the top of the dress and the flowers being a bit too crowded under her chin, but I think you captured a cute moment. If you were to try and perfectly pose a shot like that you may not have gotten such a nice expression.
These kinds of pictures are really more fun when they are not posed IMHO.

Congratulations!

Lou

[Michaelmjc]

You did a great job, I'm sure they will be very pleased with the results.

[CyberPet]

Thank you!

Well the kids was fun to photograph too... one of the their daughters kidnapped mommy's flowers and used it as a weapon or something. But then she sort of dropped it and went chasing a bird. :D

The little one, well she was quickly changed into something less fragile, since there was ice cream time... the ice cream is btw in the Swedish colors (like our flag), blue and yellow. She really matches the icecream... at least around her face. :D

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/IMG_3236.jpg

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/IMG_3261.jpg

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/IMG_3291.jpg

[Curtis N]

Beauty, brains AND talent! Great job, Petra!

[CyberPet]

Bloo Dog, thank you!

Well, I try to make friends with the people I'm photographing. I *hope* that when I get better, they are going to think the camera is just a part of me and totally ignore it. Although for the more formal poses they sort of have to look at me, so I have to grab their attention then. I wish I could shoot "candids" only, which make a lot more relaxed images.

In the photo's I've posted here I've only used the flash on a few... number two of the first post and the portrait of the girl. However I did use the flash on most portraits taken with the Tamron 28-75/2.8. But with the Canon 80-200/2.8 it felt like no use to blast away a flash when I was so far away.

I actually tried to use a reflector for the first time too... not such a success... need to practice more!

This one was the best I made with the reflector, but once the sun really blasted I think I totally blinded the poor fella. :D

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3284.jpg

[CyberPet]

Speaking of relaxed... the bride was practicing her golf swing with the bouquet too... :D

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3358.jpg

[Art Rodriguez]

You did a great job with the photos. If you "hope" to get better, then I would love to see those pictures because you did an outstanding job with these IMO.

I want to commend you for taking your first solo Wedding portraits. I am often told when people see my pictures that I should do Weddings. I don't think that will ever happen. But you took that first step and did a great job.

Art

[CyberPet]

Art, I was told by a pro wedding photographer that it's all about attitude: Take charge and pretend you know what you're doing, and they'll believe you. So I try to do that... still very shaky and nervous, but confidence will grow with time I'm sure.

I think it was a great idea to tag along with a pro and see how they work and get some confidence. I'll probably do a few more sessions with my mentor though. He's going to shoot a greek ortodox wedding in August and I really want to be part of that. Should be so totally different to what we see here in Sweden (most often it's just portraits, never the whole day).

[Skip Souza]

Petra, besides being technically correct they are truly warm and wonderful. It is going to be hard to "get better".

[Art Rodriguez]

Thanks, Petra. Maybe one of these days I will try my hand at Wedding photography. For a friend of course. If they come out half as good as yours, then I would consider that a success.

Art

[Lotto]

Wow, very impressive! Love the way you use the contrasting colors to make the main subjects stand out from the background.

#3 photo of the bride's eyes is one of the best I even seen.

I echo what Bloo Dog says, you sure know how to made them feel at ease in their environment and actually enjoy being photographed.

Any chance to use that 60mm, like on the wedding rings?

Well wishes on you future success, and lets go make some big bucks:D

[Maureen Souza]

These are wonderful!! Good use of light, clarity is perfect and everyone looks like they are having fun! Can't get much better than that!

[berrylish]

lovely shots! i love the colors and clarity

[CyberPet]

Wow, now I'm beaming with pride! You guys are soo kind!

Lotto: I had not gotten the 60 mm Macro when I went down the south, so no close-ups on the rings (btw, they haven't gotten married yet. They just wanted me to take their photos). I was so lucky about the flowers really, they were so striking in contrast against all the green.

Art: I was very hesitant at first to take on a wedding when I first was asked. I had never done anything similar and a couple asked me if I could do it and silly me said yes. But when I do things I try to take it serious, so I asked a pro to be my mentor. Although I think he's too kind, but I guess that's good, then my confidence is rushing to my head. :D

I suggest you do a wedding. It's so fun! Sure there's stress involved, especially if you cover a whole day, but i have yet to do that, so right now I'm just having a blast. There's so much joy on a wedding day and I'm silly enough to love weddings. I'm such a romantic fool.

Maureen, I'm glad you liked them too. I know you're doing this as profession, so it means a lot to me when a pro says they are good enough.

I'm finding more and more pictures that I want to post. I guess that's a good thing. :D

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3347.jpg


This picture I'm not sure I like or not... maybe too much green.

http://the-halls.se/brides/linda_david/images/IMG_3437.jpg

I'm going to put out a proof album online for the couple and then - when they order prints - I'll be working on editing and try to remove some shadows that I have in some pictures. I see small details like shadows under the guys nose that I think I should brighten and on some pictures maybe darken their skin tones a bit more. What do you guys think?

[Jackal]

That last one works perfectly. Nothing wrong with all the green. Nice shots overall. I really like them and you did a wonderful job.

I wish I had access to a 70-200 2.8L. The background blur is so crazy on some of those shots. I guess you shot at 2.8, 200mm, and were closer to the subject so the background can be like that?

I have the Tamron 28-75mm and I will be shooting a wedding in September. These are more or less the type of style I was going for (and the bride wanted).

Any tips on lighting and metering? How was the sun for most of these shots? Super direct sun or difused through clouds?

Did any of these shots get upped in saturation? That grass is some pretty nice green. But then again you live in another part of the world than I do.

[dragnfly1996]

I am new to the photography world so my opinion is notw out of expertise but I love the colors and story your pictures are showing. They make me want to see more, GREAT job!!

[Bama]

Hi CyberPet,

The pictures do look professional...with nice expressions and surroundings.
Now, you are on the way to be the best you want to be.

Thank you
Bama

[pdrow]

Hey Petra,
Great Job! It is amazing what you can do when you listen to yourself and trust your instinct. Congrats!
pam

[CyberPet]

Mmm... sucking in all that good vibe you guys give me. Thank you soo much! :D

Going to try to answer a few Q:s

Jackal: I was fiddling around a bit with settings, but I try not to shoot at f/2.8 just in case I miss focus, but I try to keep the apertures pretty big (5.6 is often used) and since all pictures taken with the 80-200 is hand-held I try to keep a fairly high shutter speed and I rather up the ISO a bit, the noise isn't too bothersome and works fine at 400 ISO.

I just love those blurry backgrounds so the subject "pops" out. The Tamron is great and it's a well used lens in my bag. It too can produce some lovely blurry backgrounds. The light that day was mostly cloudy but sometimes bursts of sun. I used a fill-flash most of the time, but not always (especially when shooting with the 80-200 since the flash won't reach that far anyway) and I also tried to use the reflector, but when the sun was real strong I felt the reflection was almost too much, so I need to practice more on controlling it. Since it was a bit cloudy the grass sort of popped a bit (and didn't get "burnt", but you can always make the grass a bit more intense with the Hue/Saturation settings in Photoshop (for the greens) if the green's looks too "red".

dragnfly1996, Bama and pdrow... many thanks!!! You're way too kind. But I'm soaking up all praise and it boost my confidence a great deal. :)

[AjP]

wow, great shots!!!!!!!!!!!! looks like you were also like with outside light condition, I bet it was nice cloudy day.

[rescue951]

Excellent JOB!!! I have alot to learn....