First engagement shot. CC needed.

[Aijay]

This is the first time I shot anything other than candid's. I was just told how to process the image.

http://i49.tinypic.com/2dj58gz.jpg

[dmward]

composition needs work. And, the color with B&W makes no sense in this shot.

[Aijay]

the PP was what the fiance wanted. I just fulfilled that request.

[Svetlana]

I don't like selective coloring in this shot, sorry. I just don't see the point. I realize the couple may have requested it, I had a few of those requests but I don't show them to anyone...lol as I'm afraid people will thing selective coloring is my style :)) I do try and talk to my clients about what makes a good photograph adn most of the time they agree with me that selective coloring is a tad outdated and can work in very few situations.

Maybe try and add more contrast to the shot.

[jdhart73]

Next time someone wants selective coloring say NOOOOOOOO.

You don't want that stuff floating around with your name on it...LOL.

Jake

[Red Tie Photography]

I am going to echo here, i think some selective coloring is good sometimes to emphasize a certain point. In this shot, you are saying "Look, they are wearing red and blue shirts!" Doesnt really fit in my opinion. Maybe show a few more examples.

[bluefox9er]

you guys are missing the entire POINT here...the OP clearly stated he was satisfying the needs of his clients.

Selective colour might not be your thing or my thing, or even the OPs ''thing'', but if thats what his cleint requests, then so what?

that said, i wouldn't use the shot the OP has posted to show what i am capable of producing.

[Aaagogo]

+1 on selective coloring, say NOOOOOOOO

Next time someone wants selective coloring say NOOOOOOOO.

You don't want that stuff floating around with your name on it...LOL.

Jake

[Svetlana]

you guys are missing the entire POINT here...the OP clearly stated he was satisfying the needs of his clients.

Selective colour might not be your thing or my thing, or even the OPs ''thing'', but if thats what his cleint requests, then so what?

that said, i wouldn't use the shot the OP has posted to show what i am capable of producing.

We were just voicing our opinion on the photo shown. I still think SC isn't doing anything for this photo even though the clients asked for it (let's face it most our clients have no clue about photography) and I'm sure the OP has more photos to share from that session. I'm curious to see them!

[sctbiggs]

okay... so not speaking on how I really dislike the selective coloring,

the couple is under exposed.

[Aaagogo]

i will explain why I said no. I think it's part of CC.

I'm not sure how many of you here have dined in restaurants where the chef will not cook a steak any more than medium, and it usually it's still a little under medium. Or restaurants that do not have any condiments, no salt, pepper, ketchup or mustard on your table

Neither would you, say, hire a cleaning lady to clean your house and you tell her, left hand wax on, right hand wax off.

neither say, would you be on a farm and tell the farmer that you like your fresh milk squeezed by only a left hand with 3 fingers.

after all that mumbling, the CC part is to say no, for me, it's because clients don't know what they want. the photographer tells the customer what they want. We are artist... LOL

i have never let my clients tell me what or how to post process my images. I tell them I like this image post processed in a certain way, because I want to bring out a certain feel.

Even on my design company side, although we include in our agreement/contracts that we do up to 2 revisions for the design selection process, 95% of the time, client will finalize from the initial 3 design options we show.

Part of the photographer's job is to sell the image to the client and always remember, a negative image is easier to create and will stick to you longer.


you guys are missing the entire POINT here...the OP clearly stated he was satisfying the needs of his clients.

Selective colour might not be your thing or my thing, or even the OPs ''thing'', but if thats what his cleint requests, then so what?

that said, i wouldn't use the shot the OP has posted to show what i am capable of producing.

[Karl Johnston]

I think it's great. Cropping to the left of the image is a bit tight the way it cuts off of his arm but the exposure is bang on. Might be a bit soft on his face, though, that would be my only concern. There are spots of red on her forearm and there is a large weird shadow where her left-shoulder enters the shirt which I find distracting, other than that it looks great.

[bluefox9er]

i will explain why I said no. I think it's part of CC.

I'm not sure how many of you here have dined in restaurants where the chef will not cook a steak any more than medium, and it usually it's still a little under medium. Or restaurants that do not have any condiments, no salt, pepper, ketchup or mustard on your table

Neither would you, say, hire a cleaning lady to clean your house and you tell her, left hand wax on, right hand wax off.

neither say, would you be on a farm and tell the farmer that you like your fresh milk squeezed by only a left hand with 3 fingers.

after all that mumbling, the CC part is to say no, for me, it's because clients don't know what they want. the photographer tells the customer what they want. We are artist... LOL

i have never let my clients tell me what or how to post process my images. I tell them I like this image post processed in a certain way, because I want to bring out a certain feel.

Even on my design company side, although we include in our agreement/contracts that we do up to 2 revisions for the design selection process, 95% of the time, client will finalize from the initial 3 design options we show.

Part of the photographer's job is to sell the image to the client and always remember, a negative image is easier to create and will stick to you longer.


interesting slant on delivering customer service. over here, we work with our clients and try wherever possible to give them what they want, not what we think they should have or what we would like them to have.

[Svetlana]

I completely understand where you're coming from. I give my clients what they want, some want 90% of images black and white for example, or selective coloring (I actually had only 1 client that asked me for it) and I will fullfill their wish, BUT I will never post only B&W photos or selective color images on my blog, etc because people may think that that's what I do all the time. Your clients view your work before they come to you, right? so they know what to expect from you. I think when we only start out we will do anything the clients ask us to do just to get some practice which is ok but then we develop our own style and follow it.

In the above photo I do not see the point of selective coloring at all. Was it to show that they had different color t-shirts? 'cause that's what I look at, my eyes don't even go to their faces. I could see MAYBE if he left the whole couple in color and the rest b/w...maaaaaaybe it would work. Not trying to be mean, just voicing what think and trying to help out the OP.

[angryhampster]

interesting slant on delivering customer service. over here, we work with our clients and try wherever possible to give them what they want, not what we think they should have or what we would like them to have.



My clients have told me that they picked me because they like what I "do with photos"...they like my post processing style and yada yada. My creativity comes first when processing. If the customer wants something very particular that I don't particularly like, I will process it to my taste while trying to satisify their need.

[episodes Photography]

Maybe try and add more contrast to the shot.

I have to agree! The image looks flat. Contrast will help enhance both the colored and b&w parts of the photo.

[mritchy]

I think it is a good start. The framing seems a little off to me. If I am trying to make it a point to see something cool blurred in the background, I usually make the characters in the frame a little smaller. Either that or I just fill the frame with them. Take a look on here of samples from people that have done quite a few and then the framing will come over time. As for the coloring, well, yeah..