Recent wedding in Massachusetts.:

Polite comments and positive/negative criticism welcome, thanks


1

Great set and good job showing the emotion of the day.

Love #3. So unique, and great expressions!

..GAH! Point and shoots!!! argghhhh!!

Thanks for the comments guys... yeah the funny thing about number 3, is that my wife (2nd shooter/assitant) literally caught that EXACT same shot at the same time, from a different location. I picked mine only because it was from a 1ds2 with more resolution, but it was really wild that we both caught that shot at the same time, considering it happened in a split second.

Michael_B wrote in post #11574551
..GAH! Point and shoots!!! argghhhh!!

Lol; yeah, it's interesting that they have almost become a compositional element in wedding photography these days. I hate "uncle bobs' and we had one at this wedding too that ruined several wide angle shots my wife was trying to capture; but I actually like seeing point and shoots, they really add to the experience I think.

A few more from this one:

1 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …23145688_13e827​a414_b.jpg

2 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …23145968_379b1b​55d3_b.jpg

3 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …22539857_a411dc​5a6c_b.jpg

4 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …22539279_fcc6d6​27e8_b.jpg

5 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …23143728_e90f3c​ef2a_b.jpg

6 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …22538899_d0199a​93ab_b.jpg

7 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …22536707_d14538​5eeb_b.jpg

8 http://farm6.static.fl​ickr.com …23142004_e48ff6​42a1_b.jpg

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Moderator's Note: Please do not put up more than 8 embedded images in one thread.

You got some good stuff in here! For me the money shot of the couple is 5 int he first set. Following that, I love 7 and 8 of the second set. Very nice

I think you have some good elements, good emotions, fun moments. The main thing that sticks out to me is the lighting could use some work. #1 has the flashy direct fill look but the sun is still really hard in it and they have pinlights. #7 is pretty flashy as well, needed a little more ambient I think.

Michelle Brooks Photography wrote in post #11578359
You got some good stuff in here! For me the money shot of the couple is 5 int he first set. Following that, I love 7 and 8 of the second set. Very nice

Thanks! Yeah that was my favorite as well, following by the black and white of her daughter and everyone getting her ready.

auroraskye wrote in post #11578779
I think you have some good elements, good emotions, fun moments. The main thing that sticks out to me is the lighting could use some work. #1 has the flashy direct fill look but the sun is still really hard in it and they have pinlights.

Yes, we were going for that "sunny, outdoorsy" kind of look for these. As for the "lighting needs work" I'm not sure why you would say that; if you metered across their face you'd see a good ratio around probably 3:1 from left to right. Nothing is "blown out" with no details, etc. Catchlights look pretty good to me... her eyes make the shot IMHO.

auroraskye wrote in post #11578779
#7 is pretty flashy as well, needed a little more ambient I think.

I usually like the subject to be a bit brighter than the ambient room by a about a stop. That's an idea I took from a wedding lighting book, can't recall right now the name, but basically you take the exposure of the room and then expose the subject about a stop bright, to further make them pop out a bit. If you look at that shot, that's the case there... they almost look like celebrities exiting stage in a way.

good emotions here...I like #3, 4 and 5 in your first set.

I do find most of the photos too contrasty, but it's just my personal preference. The tilts in the first two photos don't work for me + there's nothing spectacular about the backs of those shoes.

Actually you do have a lot of blown spots, per Photoshop, and I am not normally a big nit picker on 'your red channel is blown' but if you think that's good lighting, dude, you need your eyes checked, for real. You can see spots (I have circled them for you) that are completely devoid of data because they are so blown out. His face is incredibly hot and there are hard shadows from his glasses. And pinlights are NEVER good catchlights.

Svetlana wrote in post #11578915
good emotions here...I like #3, 4 and 5 in your first set.

Thanks! Yea I loved #1 also; your picks are also mine, lol.

Svetlana wrote in post #11578915
I do find most of the photos too contrasty, but it's just my personal preference.

I've had a couple others say that too, it's a valid statement... I like a lot of contrast and saturation in my color shots; I think if it's going to be color, it should really pop with color. But it's a valid crit, thanks. As to the tilt, the tilt in the first one puts their eyes and faces around an intersection of the rule of thirds; in the second, I wanted to create a triangular base in the composition using a porch railing.

I'm not sure what you mean by "there's nothing spectactular about the backs of the shoes" - not sure if you get this shot or not - those are her 1 year old girl's shoes side by side with hers; it was actually one of her very favorite shots from the whole day.

auroraskye wrote in post #11579024
Actually you do have a lot of blown spots, per Photoshop, and I am not normally a big nit picker on 'your red channel is blown' but if you think that's good lighting, dude, you need your eyes checked, for real.

Aurora - please keep it polite. Can you tel me what what part of photoshop you used to determine that? Thanks, I'd appreciate it - I know almost nil about photoshop and post-processing and am still learning that area. And yes, I absolutely think that is nitpicking I certainly think the small amount you've shown in that shot is probably fine for an outdoor sunny portrait like this.

Michelle Brooks Photography wrote in post #11578359
You got some good stuff in here! For me the money shot of the couple is 5 int he first set. Following that, I love 7 and 8 of the second set. Very nice

Thank you... yeah detail shots are probably my favorite parts of weddings It helps tell a lot about those getting married I think. Those were taken with the 100mm macro, my favorite lense for details like that.

Thanks again guys

I am sorry at the risk of sounding harsh here Kurt (and if you think Aurora is not polite, I think you may need to lighten up a little - she is a great help and I dont find her statements close to rude)

But anyways, you mentioned you were looking for C&C and are lucky you are getting it, many people here dont get a reply. So here it goes. Keep in mind I am not being rude, but trying to help, as everyone is here.

1. Bad lighting, plain and simple. I dont think this point is really up for debate. This is using hard lighting poorly. I would have turned them around so you can get back lighting and blow the bg.

2. Now that you have explained it, i get it. Poor angle though, and a shot like that shouldnt have to be explained. I would have tried to shoot it from the front or on top. It would be really cute if you posed the heels, and mimicked that pose with the little girls shoes.

3.Cute moment, a bit too contrasty for me, but this one you can chalk up to stylistic differences.

4. Cute, I would have added more contrast, but thats me again.

5. Strongest shot you have, for sure. I think it could be a tad hot, and the color treatment is a tad off (from what I would use) as well as a vignette which i find rarely works.

6. Again, dont like the vignette. Careful to not cut her arm off. This could be stunning if it had better symmetry, but without it it seems ok.

7. Flashy, but cute.

8.Cute shot again. Hope you got one of them leaving from directly behind them, and possibly in front of them.

To be honest, it sounds like you have read some books and are strictly following the rules, even though you havent fully grasped them. I understand going for a sunny look, but in #1 and #3 (in second post) it is just bad lighting. Try to get it even, across both people, or it just looks like a P&S snap.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #11580504
But anyways, you mentioned you were looking for C&C

No, I said I was looking for "polite" C&C - not "You need your eyes checked dude!"

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #11580504
1. Bad lighting, plain and simple. I dont think this point is really up for debate.

Who decides that - you? How do you define" bad light"? One definition I use is "flat" - the ratios here certainly are far from flat. Look at the light on his hair - that was straight from the sun. The light from him to hear is a good, solid ratio and IMHO it looks great - it certainly is not "unopen for debate." I also think it works very well for a sunny, outdoor shot.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #11580504
2. Now that you have explained it, i get it. Poor angle though, and a shot like that shouldnt have to be explained.

Oh I think it's pretty obvious - a mom's shoes side by side with her baby's. Again, this was one of the brides very, very favorites.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #11580504
4. Cute, I would have added more contrast, but thats me again.

Again, thanks for the complimeent and your opinion... everyone processes B&W's differently.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #11580504
5. Strongest shot you have, for sure. I think it could be a tad hot, and the color treatment is a tad off (from what I would use) as well as a vignette which i find rarely works.

Thanks

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #11580504
To be honest, it sounds like you have read some books and are strictly following the rules, even though you havent fully grasped them.

No actually I've been a photographer for about ten years now. I never said I went straight by the rules... I don't even consider them rules, but "guidelines." I've also shot for modeling agencies as well as corporations too.

Thanks for the kind words

Oh, ok.Then I mean.

Great shots dude!