DSLR Photography Forum

Hi everyone,
i recently did my first wedding...well actually it was their second wedding and I was only there for an hour (they got married in Canada and did a small ceremony here for aus friends and family who didn't make it to their big Canadian wedding).

It was very bright, about an hour before sunset, I moved them to a shady part, but ended up with splotchy light. Anyhow, here are the best of the bunch, please give me some CC and suggestions Thanks
1.


2.


3.


4.


thanks for looking

Hey Schell, a job well done indeed!

I love the lighting in the pics, and the couple look very happy and relaxed, which is the main thing (IMHO) in wedding photography. Have you shown it to them yet?

Thanks Jules,

I have sent them the online gallery, but haven't heard back yet. I tell you what- thats the most nerve wracking bit!

Hi Schell - I like them all, except for the white splotches at the top of the black & white one.

#1 I think her expression in this one is great... I see this picture as a crop of a picture, her pose and the composition doesn't work well to me...

#2 she looks great, it is a pity the problem with the light in this one...

#3 I like your idea in this picture but I think there is too much sky... and well... those spots of the lens/sensor make the picture look a bit dirty..

#4 I see problems with light here because of the shadow in his shirt... also his expression makes me think that he looks uncomfortable... as if the light or wind bother him in his eyes... and the little bit of the flower looks as if it were there by mistake...

You know that I don't know much about portraits and wedding photography... so take my comments with a pintch of salt, because I might be wrong...

No Irma, your thoughts are muchly appreciated,

I had alot of trouble with shadows and lighting. The first shot is a close crop, and I had alot of trouble deciding on the best crop/composition.

I might play with the crop of number 2 to see if I can get rid of the splotches at the top.

Of course, I'll be cloning out any dust spots in all the photos.

I don't really plan on doing wedding photography, as I find I don't work well under so much pressure. But it was good practice for me anyway.

Thanks again for all your comments.

i don't like the C on the pics. To be honest the photos are only really special to the wedding couple so i don't think they are needed here.

Don't feel obligated to comment if you don't want to.

But I will continue to post my work here, because I get such wonderful and helpful critiques from people like Irma, Pat and Jules. I can afford to ignore rudeness such as yours JB.

Some nice shots there Schell, well done for being your first indeed.
I pretty much agree with Irma critique though.

Still well done under the circumstance. If you had 2 extra hands helping you holding reflectors/diffusers it would have made a real diffrence regarding the lightning.

My favourite would be #2, i really like the expression of the bride.



jbman
The copyright mark is there cause she uploaded these to a online gallery for the couple to review. (i assume)

In all what you wanted to say is that wedding pictures isnt really YOUR cup of tea, so next time, dont speak for the rest of us.

Thanx.

/Paul L.

I didn't get the impression jbman was being rude, Paul and Schellamo, but it is in critique. It may be only his opinion but if you only get good critique how do you improve?

I think you did a good job Schell , i agree with all that was wrote by Irma . I just wanted to say good job all in all .


......... Shawn

Great job Schell!

#2 rocks in my opinion.

NT73 Wrote:I didn't get the impression jbman was being rude, Paul and Schellamo, but it is in critique. It may be only his opinion but if you only get good critique how do you improve?

I'm sorry, but how does "To be honest the photos are only really special to the wedding couple so i don't think they are needed here"
help me improve??

I really love it when people critique of my photos, and I always appreciate it when people are honest- harsh critique doesn't bother me in the slightest. I don't ask for only 'good' critique, I just ask for critique that helps me to improve.



Thanks Paul- I used fill flash, but I think I may have need to turn up the power a little?? An assistant would be very helpful too!
Thanks Shawn and Jericho- I think people either love or hate the flare in no 2 (at the top), but I should be able to crop the top off anyhow.

These are great, Schell - particulalry #1 and #3..

"so i don't think they are needed here"
Seems to be the offensive bit, but it would, IMO, depend on wether he is talking about the photos(offensive) or just the copyright stamp(non offensive).
That's how I read it anyway . I am not taking sides by the way, just expressing an opinion.
For me your photo's are fine. A wedding is tricky and I should know. I had one a long time ago.

My comments were directed at the C symbol and not the actual photos. To me the C distracts me so I didn't comment on the photo but part of the photo. No harm was intendend to the photographer just the way it was presented to us to view I did not like. For the sale of photos yeh I can understand the big C on there, but for comments to be made on the actual photograph i suggest the C is not required. Its like frames, some like them some don't its a matter of preference.

Hi Schell,

Most has already been said here ( I have been away camping and only got back today). It would be interesting to see a few more - but the ones here are nice work and would work well as part of an album mix.

The third one has not quite worked because of the light being on their backs rather than on their heads. 15 minutes earlier might have made that shot a real winner. As it stands there is too much shadow in the picture. The fourth one should just have those flowers cloned out.

Going by his clothes and your comments it sounds like a very casual day and you have done a good job on these 4 to present them a nice memory. If the rest are similar to these I am sure they will be happy.

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks Chris- Looking forward to seeing your camping shots!! Where did you go??

Hi Schell, congrats to you aswell..................... it seems the weddings are taking off round here

#2 for my pick........

cheers

We went down to the Warren National Park and camped right next to the river amongst the third tallest trees in the world.

It is such a beautiful spot and still relatively unknown.

I will have a look at the gallery when I can get back to a broadband connection next week.

Cheers,

Chris

a couple more...





Thanks for looking

The ring shot is nice. I am a bit distracted with the stong shadows from the flash in the b & w.

jbman Wrote:i don't like the C on the pics. To be honest the photos are only really special to the wedding couple so i don't think they are needed here.

Hey all, funny how things can be easily misinterpreted on the internet...

I just want to venture my interpretation of the message - i.e. i think jbman was trying to say that the © isn't required because no one would want to steal the photos, because they would only be special to the wedding couple. I don't think he meant that the pictures didn't belong here (which they definitely do!)

Having said that - I feel the photos are very professional in nature and the classc shots such as the two rings on the palm and the couple facing the ocean could very easily be stolen and re-used for other work without consent - so I definitely think the watermarks are not out of place.

Great work Schell!

Thanks Jules- that makes sense to me now, I didn't get it before.

My apologies JBman. I'm afraid you'll probably have to put up with the © on most of mine these days- I just don't have time to resize the photos for the web twice! (don't ya love actions??!!)

Chris- it wasn't the flash, it was that pesky patch of light they were in (caused by the sun shinning through some huge pine trees). I really need to learn to deal with these difficult lighting situations!

Schell , i like these shots also , the one thing that caught my eye in the first one is the people in the b/g . I dont know if its a problem , just a comment on it . Have you tried a b/w conversion on the ring shot? just wondering how well it would work ( but then again im a sucker for b/w and sepia ) .

I havent had time to look at the link to the other shots but i look foward to seeing them real soon .


...... Shawn