Just a few ... C/C Please

[Nikkor]

These are a few pictures I edited in Picasa back in the day before I had Photoshop, I've since taken them into CS3 to do some better stuff to them (like remove the vehicles from the second pictures, etc), but was just curious as to your opinions of them. These are from a while ago, my first wedding.

DSC_0463 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

DSC_0427 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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[Big Mike]

Just a tip:
You will get more comments if you display your images directly in the forum, rather than just links to an outside page.
How do I do that? A pictorial guide to using TPF.

[Nikkor]

I tried to upload them and it wasn't working!! I'm at my work computer and that occassionally gives me issues with pictures.

[Big Mike]

'Uploading' directly, is a feature for Subscribed members. But you can still display your images, you just need to have it hosted and use the [img] tags (via the insert image button).

[timfrommass]

Way over my skill level I'd say, but just an opinion. I like the second shot you got better, you captured her joy. The desaturation of the colors takes away from it to me. I feel like that should be a vibrant shot, to match her reaction. Just my take

[GFreg]

Posting so I can find these easily when I get home. Tim already knows that I have been burned when trying to C&C pics from my work monitor. It is hard for me to evaluate colors, exposure, etc, with this thing.

I like the composition of the first one. Very nitpicky thing here but there is one finger from the hand that isn't holding the flowers that pokes it's way into the image. That bugged me a little. Easy to crop out though.

The second isn't really doing much for me. First thing I notice is the cars in the background...well maybe the second thing. Kind of hard to not notice the newlywed with a great smile on her face. What kind of PP did you use? It doesn't seem like it is just desaturated. It seems as though there is some sort of yellow tinting to the whole picture. Everything sort of blends together. Sorry...I shouldn't really comment on that yet. As for composition, I feel like her face doesn't match her body. Her body looks very posed but the expression on her face screams "candid shot." I don't have a flash other than the little pop-up one and I have never used a reflector or anything so I don't really know what would have been the best but it seems as though the shadow running down her arm is too harsh.

Those are just some things I noticed. I tend to be overcritical. Maybe that is why I have so few keeper shots when I sort through the mess. I also don't claim to be a pro or anything so take my C&C with a grain of salt. Nice shots and I also enjoyed some of the others in the set on you Flickr page.

[DScience]

I think they are both, okay. I personally don't like the PP you did, as they look very processed. Also, the second one is lightened and layered with so many colors that it almost looks hazy.

[IgsEMT]

1st image doesn't do it for me.
Composition - seem a bit out of wack - little bit of flowers, little bit of the hand (which actually looks very guy-like ) little bit of the background,
Colors - over saturated, a bit overexposed, harsh lighting (not soft).
DOF - I'm not the one to say to shoot at f/2.8 everything but the background that is supposed to be pretty far is relatively sharp and is a bit distracting


2nd Image: nice capture of emotion. don't like the colors - there's retro and there's a client want image to be restored, I feel that the colors are of the later category. Clone out the cars in the background - easy fix and will further keep emphasis on the subject.

Looked through through some other images, in general nice composition.
Lighting, I'm a big proponent of using flash/strobes, either on-camera of off-camera. in this image CSC_0539, for example, I can't see her eyes - they are black, look like racoon - thus the pretty bride doesn't look glorified. the pipes also take away from her -unless she's sitting on them or has one of her feet on them, it doesn't ADD any flavor to her.
DSC_0434 - the sun provided nice HARSH shaddows which aren't always nice and in this case doesn't add any flavor to her - shooting the same image at higher shutter speed with a fill flash would soften up the shadows on her face.
DSC-446 - love selective color. I've been a fan of this technique for many years.

quick sum up
She is a bit on the heavy side, thus try to avoid shooting people like that straigh fwd - turn them a bit, it slims the body down and again adds a bit of flavor to the pose rather then a snapshot.
Lighting, if you ever seem me CC on posing, I often talk about lighting. Sun is a harsh light. It leaves harsha shadows (it's something I'd want to do on a body builder to show definition of muscles or do some funky gothic work, but on a bride and groom where glamour and softness is the key, it isn't something I'd do). Use reflector to block the sun (use an assistant, that is what they are there fore) if not - utilize the groom or bridal party, get them involved and everyone has a blast. As said before, I often use flash both indoors and outdoors. I can control it, it'll either add light or it'll add an effect of sorts. Natural light is nice and pleasent but using it exclusively isn't something I do b/c it is pretty monodirectional unlike my flash units that will add a flavor to an image, will make the bride standout.
DOF, as said before, I won't be the person saying shoot at 2.8 everything. #1, on 90+% of glass sharpest apertures are about 2-3 stops down from widest open, #2, I prefer natural human eye dof which is about f/8. therefore I prefer to keep my f/stop anywhere b/n 5.6-11. Therefore if I were in an environment as yours, (I didn't read your exif) my starting point would be #1 lowest possible iso, #2, since I'd want to get details in the sky and at same time have it MORE out of focus then you did I'd shoot at higher shutter speeds - start out around 1/500sec and #3 adjust the f/stop to give me dof and exosure that looks nice. I'd put out a reflector to cover the face - she won't squint and I'll have the OPEN eyes looking at the camera and will use my flash to fill in the shadows.
This is my style of shooting, some might agree and others will probably disagree but it is yet to fail me, at least in terms of lighting. If you'd like to talk more, PM me, we'll talk
Keep on shooting and enjoying it.

[Nikkor]

I appreciate the CC really! She was a very difficult bride to shoot. The story behind the one of her smiling is that was the only real smile I had from her all day. These were her bridals, so she was still stressed about the wedding stuff, the flower shot has no PP, its just straight out of the camera. I know the trick about turning heavier models to the side, but she just didn't understand what I was going over. Honestly, she was a slight nightmare on this day and her wedding day. Not the best first wedding for me I'd say, but it was practice for the bridezillas I expect to encounter later in my career.

GFreg - I agree about the finger, it bugs me too, I should crop it. I just wante to post pictures from when I first started, I think I've dramatically improved.

[GFreg]

The flower shot is straight out of the camera? Wow! It has extremely vibrant colors. I didn't get home until late last night and I didn't even feel like turning my computer on but I can't wait to see that picture on a decent monitor. There is something about that shot that just makes me smile. Aside from the finger thing, of course

Edit: Just realized that these are some old shots. Looking good for a first wedding.