First Wedding - Thanks for all the help!

I've learned so much here that I finally had the confidence to take on a friend's wedding. It was quite an experience. I learned what gear was good, what gear wasn't, and that I definitely need more. Here's what I came up with. C&C welcome on any aspect. I won't learn any other way.

Two questions.

On the dip above does the bride's head look awkward? I wasn't sure after looking at the photo if she should have been more "plank"?

And in the bottom B&W, should she have been looking straight ahead instead of up at me, or should I have had her raise her chin so her face was tilted higher?

like them all, especially #4

I like the B&W as it is - having her chin lower makes her eyes look upwards, which opens them up nicely to the camera.

i dont like the tilt on one. a kiss on the dip always helps with the awkwardness

I do have a kiss and it is less awkward. I will work on #1.

I know the post processing to get the "vintage look" is intentional. It seems to be showing up everywhere, but I still think it looks like prints that would have been in the trash at a lab when I was shooting film.

Now that I have that off my chest, I also agree that the tilt doesn't work in the first and the angle in the dip shot is causing a lot of background confusion. I've found, with dip shots either a kiss of the bride's head tilted way back, like this;

I never thought to flip them to face the other direction, would have avoided the background confusion. I almost had them pose like the pic above, but in my head it didn't look as good. After seeing the pose I like it.

Buchinger wrote in post #14828209
I never thought to flip them to face the other direction, would have avoided the background confusion. I almost had them pose like the pic above, but in my head it didn't look as good. After seeing the pose I like it.

Dip shots are iffy. I have as many bad ones as I do good ones. Maybe more.

When I get to a location that might be a good background I ask the groom if he is going to dip his bride at the end of the featured dance. Then suggest that they practice here.

With luck I get shots like the one I posted.

Just to prove the point; I like both of these but the dip at the reception has nicer form

I just dont know whats going on but why is everyone using that 70 looking old pictures, I think it looks so ugly, but hey! they love it! so it is all good.

I love the color and tones of the first 2 how did you process those?

Thanks - Its a modified version of a Lightroom Preset I found called "Dreamcatcher". I modified the split toning as well as the vignetting, sharpness and noise reduction settings.

I love #3 Capturing the ring.

Buchinger wrote in post #14822005
...And in the bottom B&W, should she have been looking straight ahead instead of up at me, or should I have had her raise her chin so her face was tilted higher?

Buchinger do you mind if I ask your setup on the photo taken from above the Bride with her looking upward? How did you maintain such good exposure of her whilst not lighting up the floor or pews? Flash from below, post processing; details please. Excellent shot btw and I wouldn't have changed anything!

Thanks,
Ralph

That shot is natural light. When I initially was setting up the shot, I had located her so the dress was covering a heating vent/cold air return in the aisle. I went to the balcony to decide what I wanted to do and that shot was staring me in the face. I did do some adjustments in post, but I'm at work and don't remember what I did (took me a few weeks to get the courage to post them). I think most of it was just getting the edges of the pews to look the way I wanted. If you look at the pews, you can see the light coming in from both sides and cris-crossong her. Her face/front was also naturally lit by large glass doors at the rear of the church.