My first Engagement shoot

I've mostly done landscapes before and my cousin (Mike) asked me to do some photos of him and his fiance Selam. This is the first set of photos we did Sunday evening and we plan on going to the French Quarter(New Orleans) this week for another set. This was pretty much an impromptu shoot with my T3i and 430EX II. Wanted to get some tips and feedback from you guys before we do the 2nd set.....

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I like the last two shots a lot. However, the first ones do not look right since the flash does not match the ambient light. Since it is so late in the day you would need to use a CTO gel on your flash. The flash also seems a little harsh. Where you using any kind of light modifier?

A flash without a gel will work ok in bright mid-day sun, but not so well during sunset and sunrise. Same thing goes with a bare flash, it can work okay during mid-day sun, but at other times you should be using an umbrella or a softbox (or something like this).

Ratjack wrote in post #15680059
I like the last two shots a lot. However, the first ones do not look right since the flash does not match the ambient light. Since it is so late in the day you would need to use a CTO gel on your flash. The flash also seems a little harsh. Where you using any kind of light modifier?

A flash without a gel will work ok in bright mid-day sun, but not so well during sunset and sunrise. Same thing goes with a bare flash, it can work okay during mid-day sun, but at other times you should be using an umbrella or a softbox (or something like this).

How much does a CTO gel cost?

Yea I agree the flash in that first shot seems a little harsh on his forehead. But I honestly don't have some of the lighting setups others have. All I have is my camera and an external flash. I used the pop-down flash diffuser in all of the flash shots. I have a Vello diffuser but didn't use it (maybe I should have?)

Thanks for the feedback btw

Lots of unnecessary tilt in 1, 2, and 4.

in my opinion, the composition of #3 is better than #2 because the bridges aren't behind each of their bodies.

Watch that you don't crop off body parts: his feet in #2, his feet in #4, and both their arms in the last one.

Out of these, I like 5 and 6 (the last two), with a different edit on #5, and better light on #6... #3 is also pretty cute, but maybe you need to have gotten lower so their silhouettes were more recognizable.

Not a bad start! It's cool that you get a second attempt

Foolish wrote in post #15680117
Lots of unnecessary tilt in 1, 2, and 4.

Yea well, I like using tilt at times. I like having fun when taking photos, and part of that is getting shots from angles not normally seen. Just something a few other photographers told me to try.

Foolish wrote in post #15680117
in my opinion, the composition of #3 is better than #2 because the bridges aren't behind each of their bodies.

Watch that you don't crop off body parts: his feet in #2, his feet in #4, and both their arms in the last one.

Some good tips. I'll definitely remember that next time

Foolish wrote in post #15680117
Out of these, I like 5 and 6 (the last two), with a different edit on #5, and better light on #6... #3 is also pretty cute, but maybe you need to have gotten lower so their silhouettes were more recognizable.

Not a bad start! It's cool that you get a second attempt

What different edits would you have done to #5? What different lighting to #6?

Thanks for the feedback though, this really helped

I hope you don't mind my giving critique as if you had lots of experience doing these

1-flash lit portions are flat--get your flash off camera (if it wasn't) and place it more off to the side. Given the orientation of the woman's face, I'd have placed it camera right.

2-good color in the background. You perhaps could have pulled the ambient down a bit more (increase f-stop, lower ISO or increase shutterspeed if possible) to pull in some more color. The angle doesn't help the shot, in my opinion. I don't like how her dark outfit is blending into the darkness of the bridge behind her. Try to show shapes. Also--this doesn't really read as a silhouette shot, so you really needed to pop MORE off-camera flash in there (it looks like some on-board flash was used ?) to bring out the faces.

3-For me this shot only really works if you've oriented the subjects so that their silhouette creates clear (mostly) distinct shapes. Here the silhouette is mostly a blob of dark--we can tell what it is, but it's just not as emotionally evocative as it could be. In order to do this, you sometimes have to tell the couple to make the plane of their faces more coplanar (ie. so you can see the shapes of their features). Have them lean in and shoot continuously as they get closer to the kiss. Sometimes the shots just prior to touching are the best.

4-Not a fan of the framing, but at least the tilt seems to have a purpose here: 'righting' the woman, placing focus on her, where it should be. This shot is begging to have had some off-camera flash in there.

5-fine, though I'd have liked it a bit better with their heads having some clearance around them--meaning, no buildings or other objects surrounding them.

I just noticed the second silhouette shot in the second batch. THAT'S the shot. Nicely done. The framing could have been improved a little (the lower half of the image awkwardly leads to a cut-off pair of legs). But the shot is a really powerful one nonetheless.

Those 3 you just posted are AWESOME!

As far as your question regarding the cost of gels, they are very inexpensive.
A pack of Honl CTO gels will run you about $20. And then you just need some velcro to go around your flash head to put them on. You can buy a Honl velcro attachment for another $10 or just use your own.

Gels are here

And for a lighting kit, I would pickup a cheap shoot through umbrella (~$10) and a light stand (~$15). Here are some links for you.
Umbrella
Light stand
Umbrella adapter

Only thing to remember with an umbrella is.... they hate wind :P. So I would make some sort of homemade sand bag to hold it down outside. These parts are cheap, and the quality is not amazing. But I have used them and still have them and they do get the job done. It will really help soften up your flash.

cjjr72984 wrote in post #15680176
What different edits would you have done to #5? What different lighting to #6?

For #5 I dunno, I just would have toyed around with some different edits. I don't love the colors/tones as it stands now. Also, straighten the horizon

On the new set, I like the first one quite a bit!

The second is a great pose/moment, and I would like it a LOT more without the severe tilt (sorry, I'm just not digging it).

The last is also a nice moment, but the boring/ugly background is a bit unfortunate. If it were blurred out more, maybe I would mind less.

These aren't bad at all. Just think about light, and what's behind them, and flattering angles (without chopped limbs ).

Christopher Steven b wrote in post #15680294
I hope you don't mind my giving critique as if you had lots of experience doing these

1-flash lit portions are flat--get your flash off camera (if it wasn't) and place it more off to the side. Given the orientation of the woman's face, I'd have placed it camera right.

2-good color in the background. You perhaps could have pulled the ambient down a bit more (increase f-stop, lower ISO or increase shutterspeed if possible) to pull in some more color. The angle doesn't help the shot, in my opinion. I don't like how her dark outfit is blending into the darkness of the bridge behind her. Try to show shapes. Also--this doesn't really read as a silhouette shot, so you really needed to pop MORE off-camera flash in there (it looks like some on-board flash was used ?) to bring out the faces.

3-For me this shot only really works if you've oriented the subjects so that their silhouette creates clear (mostly) distinct shapes. Here the silhouette is mostly a blob of dark--we can tell what it is, but it's just not as emotionally evocative as it could be. In order to do this, you sometimes have to tell the couple to make the plane of their faces more coplanar (ie. so you can see the shapes of their features). Have them lean in and shoot continuously as they get closer to the kiss. Sometimes the shots just prior to touching are the best.

4-Not a fan of the framing, but at least the tilt seems to have a purpose here: 'righting' the woman, placing focus on her, where it should be. This shot is begging to have had some off-camera flash in there.

5-fine, though I'd have liked it a bit better with their heads having some clearance around them--meaning, no buildings or other objects surrounding them.

I just noticed the second silhouette shot in the second batch. THAT'S the shot. Nicely done. The framing could have been improved a little (the lower half of the image awkwardly leads to a cut-off pair of legs). But the shot is a really powerful one nonetheless.

Thanks for the feedback! So do you suggest I take my Speedlight and use it off camera while using the pop up flash also? (As a fill in flash) I agree about that shot of her in the air. The background looks good but the subjects have no light on them

cjjr72984 wrote in post #15680405
Thanks for the feedback! So do you suggest I take my Speedlight and use it off camera while using the pop up flash also? (As a fill in flash) I agree about that shot of her in the air. The background looks good but the subjects have no light on them

I would not be using your pop up flash for the image. I think he was just simply saying to "pop" in more off-camera flash. Not saying to use the pop up flash. The pop up flash is very flat and always will be flat.

@OP: Except in very rare circumstances, I'd say you should not be using your pop up flash at all. Let the off-camera flash be your fill.

Also, by the looks of it, it does seem like you used the flash on the camera? Be sure to get it off :P Put it off to the side to get it off axis from the camera. I think the T3i has the flash triggering built into it if I remember. So all you need to do is hold down the zoom button on your flash to set it up for slave mode. Then it can fire off of the camera. Just go into your camera's flash settings and look for wireless flash and enable it. Then make sure that you set it to only be a trigger and not put any light out during the image exposure. It should then send out a quick flash before the actual exposure takes place.

Christopher Steven b wrote in post #15680540
@OP: Except in very rare circumstances, I'd say you should not be using your pop up flash at all. Let the off-camera flash be your fill.

Ratjack wrote in post #15680544
Also, by the looks of it, it does seem like you used the flash on the camera? Be sure to get it off :P Put it off to the side to get it off axis from the camera. I think the T3i has the flash triggering built into it if I remember. So all you need to do is hold down the zoom button on your flash to set it up for slave mode. Then it can fire off of the camera. Just go into your camera's flash settings and look for wireless flash and enable it. Then make sure that you set it to only be a trigger and not put any light out during the image exposure. It should then send out a quick flash before the actual exposure takes place.

Ahh got it. I've used the 430EX II as a slave, but with the pop up flash being used at the same time also. I'll have to remember to use the 430 off camera by itself next time. I'll try it this weekend. This is awesome feedback btw

Another option could be to dial down the pop-up flash (or diffuse it with a modifier in some way "Kleenex" maybe?) and use it to fill while your 430 is slaved as the key, OCF (off camera flash).

cjjr72984 wrote in post #15680188

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Mike and Selam by cjjr72984, on Flickr

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Mike and Selam by cjjr72984, on Flickr

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Mike and Selam by cjjr72984, on Flickr


A few more for critiquing

I love the two bridge or road concept of these photos. I don't know if that was what you was thinking or not. Great ideal though for engagement shoots in my book. The BW ones show the bridges closer together in the back ground. Love the 2nd BW that rocks in my book. Listen to what the others have to say for sure . I am a Noob. Very creative in my book