Forced to be more creative, Your thoughts needed

Shot this wedding shot a week ago. The Bride wanted shots that were a little away from my routine. Forced me into being a more creative mode. It was an awesome day. I'd like your thoughts on this shot. I used my 10-22mm at around 17mm and f/13. Thanks - Ed

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I think it's certainly creative but I'm not sure if it works. Perhaps with the background alittle more out of focus? not sure. Do you have any others to share?

Would focus stacking had been a better option? Wide open on the rings and another wide open on the couple.

123

This type of shoot cries out for a tilt shift lens. Or cheaper alternative focus stacking...

Thanks for comments and suggestions. I used two images to attempt to render foreground and background sharp. Originals show either rings sharp and B&G slightly OOF or B&G sharp and rings OOF.
Either way I attempted a hybrid of two pictures joined together about a third of the way up. I'll come back a post and couple of the others in this series tonight. Gotta to go to a meeting. Thanks

the image is not balanced. If you're going to do this, the rings and couple should not both take up 50% of the shot. Did you crop into this? It seems like if you left some ceiling up there, we would get more balance. Pretty ring.

GDane123 wrote in post #10899504
Well they asked for it.. With the floor being a physical line, I notice the distance between and it's too much. Not too much distance as it is too physical.. distracting, if that makes any sense. And I like the gray of the foreground, but then it blends out to a washed out background.

Another thought would've been to put the ring on the white railing and shoot across or down. Shooting into the lawn or onto the porch, either might work.

SJPHoto wrote in post #10902884
the image is not balanced. If you're going to do this, the rings and couple should not both take up 50% of the shot. Did you crop into this? It seems like if you left some ceiling up there, we would get more balance. Pretty ring.

I agree with SJPHoto and GDane, the photo isn't balanced and the leading lines make for strong competition between the subjects. Like it's been suggested if the background was a lot less in focus you might have been able to pull the shot off(and if you added more foreground space), but as is it's like two shots mashed into one.

- Too much distance between subjects
- Did they request the rings to be on the floor/ground? Seems ... wrong
- I don't think this perspective is going to work, unless you can get the lens almost under the top line of the rings. If they were on a tree stump or something of that nature, you could eliminate some of the distance problem by getting lower. Ideally maybe you could sit them (the people) 'inside' the rings.

my .02

GDane123 wrote in post #10899504
Well they asked for it.. With the floor being a physical line, I notice the distance between and it's too much. Not too much distance as it is too physical.. distracting, if that makes any sense. And I like the gray of the foreground, but then it blends out to a washed out background.

Another thought would've been to put the ring on the white railing and shoot across or down. Shooting into the lawn or onto the porch, either might work.

The too much distance was something I thought about when I was doing it. Should have tried to close the distance, but would have needed wider angle. I like the idea of the white railing as a possible place to put the rings. That thought was considered, but instead I thought the lines on the floor would be natural leading lines.

SJPHoto wrote in post #10902884
the image is not balanced. If you're going to do this, the rings and couple should not both take up 50% of the shot. Did you crop into this? It seems like if you left some ceiling up there, we would get more balance. Pretty ring.

The fact that the image wasn't balanced didn't occur to me. Thanks.

Neo42 wrote in post #10907857
- Too much distance between subjects
- Did they request the rings to be on the floor/ground? Seems ... wrong
- I don't think this perspective is going to work, unless you can get the lens almost under the top line of the rings. If they were on a tree stump or something of that nature, you could eliminate some of the distance problem by getting lower. Ideally maybe you could sit them (the people) 'inside' the rings.

my .02

They did not request the rings on the floor, my idea. They really liked the concept and the results though. Ok, now about sitting the couple inside the rings, ummm. I'd love some thoughts on that.

All in all, I like the shot, but also there are some unsettling things that have been pointed out to me. Thanks for the eye-openers! I think the rings are a little too close to the bottom edge of the frame; The furniture on the right seems to clutter it a little; and perhaps the lines in the floor actually are a bit dominant. Do you all feel that there should not be an attempt here at equal focal interests? Maybe one or the other slightly OOF? That was my original concept.

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Neo42 wrote in post #10907857
- you could eliminate some of the distance problem by getting lower.'inside' the rings.

my .02

I agree that getting as low as possible could have helped this shot. The rings would be more of the focus instead of looking down on them... you'd be looking up and get the couple in the background.

PS. I like your new image on the left better.

SJPHoto wrote in post #10909635
I agree that getting as low as possible could have helped this shot. The rings would be more of the focus instead of looking down on them... you'd be looking up and get the couple in the background.

PS. I like your new image on the left better.

I'm not sure which is the image on the "left" since my viewer shows them above and below. The top one shows the couple OOF.

Thanks

Great concept.
It would have a greater impact if the ring was a bit closer and more centered. I find myself looking at the ring, then straight up but then my eyes veer to the right onto the couple.

Ed Harp wrote in post #10909731
I'm not sure which is the image on the "left" since my viewer shows them above and below. The top one shows the couple OOF.

Thanks

oh, my screen was wide before. the one on top is nice with the space above the couple to help with the balance

My first reaction was why on a porch with fake wood planks, run of the mill rattan furniture, vinyl siding and rain gutter all sharing the frame with bride and groom.

The left one of the second set begins to address my concerns. Focus stacking w/ ring in sharp focus, bride and groom slightly sharper than as they are shown in the left shot, and render the house and furniture softer might come up with something nice.