A risky engagement shoot

uberben · May 9, 2008

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Rachelsne · May 9, 2008

I like them. was it difficult shooting hand held?

uberben · May 9, 2008

It dropped my keeper rate to about 1 in 4. I would have been dead in the water without IS on the 70-200. I didn't want to tripod since I like to be able to move freely when I shoot.

AverageJoe · May 9, 2008

For high ISO they aren't bad.

Pesky · May 9, 2008

I love 2, 3 and 4. Five might be a bit warm for my tastes.

I think you brilliantly captured the moot you set out for, an evening on the town. I think that mood almost requires a little graininess or softness in the images.

I would suspect the couple will be very very happy.

jcolman · May 9, 2008

Nice idea but poor execution. I don't think you gave your clients a quality product. Limiting yourself to using "only available light" tells me that you either don't understand how to use off camera flash to help you get a great photo or that you're too lazy/or don't own the right equipment to really make a good photograph.

Pesky · May 9, 2008

jcolman said:
Nice idea but poor execution. I don't think you gave your clients a quality product. Limiting yourself to using "only available light" tells me that you either don't understand how to use off camera flash to help you get a great photo or that you're too lazy/or don't own the right equipment to really make a good photograph.

Rubbish.

jcolman · May 9, 2008

Pesky said:
Rubbish.

If you're into poor lighting, color and pictures that aren't sharp then go for it.

uberben · May 9, 2008

jcolman said:
Nice idea but poor execution. I don't think you gave your clients a quality product. Limiting yourself to using "only available light" tells me that you either don't understand how to use off camera flash to help you get a great photo or that you're too lazy/or don't own the right equipment to really make a good photograph.

Dude seriously. WTF. Please do me a favor and not post on any of my threads in the future if you are going to make blanket statements like that. IF you have been in a similar situation as this and can offer a critical comment that is of benefit to me, please do. But as far as I can see, you can not.

uberben · May 9, 2008

Pesky said:
I love 2, 3 and 4. Five might be a bit warm for my tastes.

I think you brilliantly captured the moot you set out for, an evening on the town. I think that mood almost requires a little graininess or softness in the images.

I would suspect the couple will be very very happy.

Thank you. I know they are already stoked about them. Which is all that matters. I was really surprised at how well the 40d handled shooting at the 1600 & 3200 ISO. I didn't even have to noise ninja the photos at all. I agree that I could tone back the warmth on that photo.

jcolman · May 9, 2008

uberben said:
Dude seriously. WTF. Please do me a favor and not post on any of my threads in the future if you are going to make blanket statements like that. IF you have been in a similar situation as this and can offer a critical comment that is of benefit to me, please do. But as far as I can see, you can not.

Dude...that WAS a critical comment. You're a professional, you charge people for professional photography. What you posted here was a challenge to your professional skills and I personally don't think you delivered. You want critical comments you'd better be prepared to take the bad with the good.

But since you're fishing for compliments, the second pic and the last pic are the best out of the group. I personally don't care for the harsh shadow that came from your on camera flash on the last pic but the ideal was cool.

uberben · May 9, 2008

jcolman said:
Dude...that WAS a critical comment. You're a professional, you charge people for professional photography. What you posted here was a challenge to your professional skills and I personally don't think you delivered. You want critical comments you'd better be prepared to take the bad with the good.

But since you're fishing for compliments, the second pic and the last pic are the best out of the group. I personally don't care for the harsh shadow that came from your on camera flash on the last pic but the ideal was cool.

I'm out. I don't like internet trolls:thumbdown:

jcolman · May 9, 2008

uberben said:
You said you didn't like them and that I delivered crap. Where are you suggestions? Please narrow it down to something that can be taken as constructive feedback versus just being an angry forum troll.

No, I said you didn't deliver a quality product. I see a lack of good lighting, poor color and slightly out of focus photos.

As for suggestions, here's one. First, do you own a couple of speedlights that you can take off camera? Do you have any light modifiers?

Assuming that you do, since you're a professional, I suggest that you try placing a small chimera or softbox to short light the couple just enough to give you some clean light on their faces. You don't have to sacrifice the "city look" to achieve this. By shortlight, I mean to place the light so that it lights their faces that are on the other side of the camera. Place the light up high and it will emulate the light from the city. Place your second light to serve as a backlight if they're leaning on the rail or if they're leaning against a wall, put it near your camera lens to act as a fill light. Don't over do it, but these shots cry out for some additional light.

You have a good idea, but like I said earlier, you didn't execute.