Bridal/ Looking for CC

[bennielou]

The only one I don't like is number 5 for the very reason you've stated, ie, you cut off her eye with the veil.

I get frustrated looking at these pictures only because for whatever reason, I can't seems to get the eyes tack sharp like yours here. Perhaps I will post up a pic and ask for advice.

If you could, please send me a high res file to
With your permission, I will do a short tutorial about it.

 

[ghpham]

The only one I don't like is number 5 for the very reason you've stated, ie, you cut off her eye with the veil.

I get frustrated looking at these pictures only because for whatever reason, I can't seems to get the eyes tack sharp like yours here. Perhaps I will post up a pic and ask for advice.

If you could, please send me a high res file to

With your permission, I will do a short tutorial about it.

Ooohh...Thank you for the offer Cindy!

 

[bennielou]

No problem!

 

[ghpham]

I've edited my post to remove your email. Perhaps you should do the same

 

[manaheim]

I'm not a wedding photographer or a portrait photographer, though I do watch for works of people like this with great interest and I'm not totally without a clue.

For me, these images seem better than fine. Best I have ever seen? No, but they seem nice and PPed reasonably. They are nowhere NEAR bottom of the heap.

 

[Josh220]

The eyes are always sharp in your images, good job.

However, the thing that bothers me most is it's an identical pose in every single shot. The only thing that changes is the scenery or the angle/crop.

I think #7 is done really well. I am not fond of the branches in her face in #1 or cutting across her in #2 though. The framing idea is good in theory, but I don't think it worked here.

Thank you. Yes, she was very nervous.

How do you normally go about making your subjects more comfortable during shoots?

 

[bennielou]

Thanks Manaheim and Josh220. And thank you both for the CC.

Josh, I normally figure the first 20 shots or so is going to be junk, because these ladies aren't pro models, and being the center of attention with cameras and lights in your face in front of tons of bystanders totally freaks them out. I can't blame them.

They normally loosen up as the go. I try to make it fun, I even do little sample poses for them which usually cracks them up. I urge them to bring their friends who are pretty good at noticing the "fake smile" and can have them laughing, real laughing, and give them courage with their "ooohhhsss, and ahhhs".

A lot of people hire me via the interenet because they are out of state, as was the case here. I had never met this bride in person before, so it was super weird for her I'm sure. The later photos (which I am working on) show her in a lot more relaxed mood.

Thanks again for the CC.

 

[KAikens318]

I really like the photos, I like the setting. The PP is good too, I like the smoothed skin look. Everything looks properly exposed and saturated.

I just can't get past how uncomfortable she looks, especially in number 7.

 

[JimFly]

Awesome.... and pro looking

 

[Lyncca]

Cindy, I feel funny even saying this to you being well, you are you and I am just me. LOL. I think what I notice in your work isn't so much that you aren't spending as much time as some images look way more processed than others. When I use Portraiture, etc. I notice that I can't use the same setting from photo to photo because this will happen. #4 to me in this set is processed stronger than the others, especially they eyes (they look a little vampirish to me).

Also, just C&C on these photos, is I would clone out the shine on her nose in 5-7. It really draws my eye to her nose and in #1 there is a heavy shadow on the right side of her nose and some funny shadowing in #2 by her mouth that you may be able to clone out (not sure that you could control the lighting for that other than jumping in the water).

 

[artoledo]

... I am getting so frustrated ... how in the world do you get that porcelain doll look on your skin tones without screwing up the rest of the image .... :x

her smile looks so pained ... taken before the ceremony I am going to guess, she looks SUPER NERVOUS ...

She was really insecure. That happens. She's a really sweet lady though.

The way I achieve the porcelain look is to use a product called Portraiture. It is time intensive, and can be a pain in the butt. Basically, on each photo, I select all of her skin. I then have to deselect all of things I want sharp, like jewlrey, eyes, nostrils, eyebrows, teeth and lips.

Portaiture is a very cool program, and you can run it at many different levels, from just a "light dusting" to a full out plastic look.

Portraiture is a program from what dreams are made of.
I feel that she is a tad bit to porcelain doll-like. Maybe if you brought down the softness in Portraiture it would give it a better look. But then again, this is just my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt.

 

[NoelNTexas]

To get the great skin without the plastic look.. My way..

forgot one and dont want to renumber..so Step 0. get rid of big blemishes with healing/patch healing tool.
Step 1. Select the skin of person
step 2. Copy and past
step 3. duplicate layer- lets call this skin 2
step 4. hide (skin2 ) for later
step 5. surface blur copy and pasted layer until the skin is smooth and the tones are even
step 6. set the opacity of the copy and pasted layer to around 75-80ish
step 7. make (skin2) visable agian
step 8. Filter>Other>Highpass filter skin 2 layer, -- just enough to see fine detailing - you will see when its about right
step 9. set skin2 layers blend mode to -soft light- dodge ever so slightly on shadows to pull the pores in a little..

Not the best way, but its a start

 

[bennielou]

Cindy, I feel funny even saying this to you being well, you are you and I am just me. LOL. I think what I notice in your work isn't so much that you aren't spending as much time as some images look way more processed than others. When I use Portraiture, etc. I notice that I can't use the same setting from photo to photo because this will happen. #4 to me in this set is processed stronger than the others, especially they eyes (they look a little vampirish to me).

Also, just C&C on these photos, is I would clone out the shine on her nose in 5-7. It really draws my eye to her nose and in #1 there is a heavy shadow on the right side of her nose and some funny shadowing in #2 by her mouth that you may be able to clone out (not sure that you could control the lighting for that other than jumping in the water).

Thank you very much Lyncca. That is exactly what I am looking for. Thank you.

 

[bennielou]

... I am getting so frustrated ... how in the world do you get that porcelain doll look on your skin tones without screwing up the rest of the image .... :x

her smile looks so pained ... taken before the ceremony I am going to guess, she looks SUPER NERVOUS ...

She was really insecure. That happens. She's a really sweet lady though.

The way I achieve the porcelain look is to use a product called Portraiture. It is time intensive, and can be a pain in the butt. Basically, on each photo, I select all of her skin. I then have to deselect all of things I want sharp, like jewlrey, eyes, nostrils, eyebrows, teeth and lips.

Portaiture is a very cool program, and you can run it at many different levels, from just a "light dusting" to a full out plastic look.

Portraiture is a program from what dreams are made of.
I feel that she is a tad bit to porcelain doll-like. Maybe if you brought down the softness in Portraiture it would give it a better look. But then again, this is just my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt.

I agree with you. It's way over the top with Portraiture. However, some brides hire me for that kind of work.

But I know it's not a photogs fave.

Thank you!

 

[bennielou]

To get the great skin without the plastic look.. My way..

forgot one and dont want to renumber..so Step 0. get rid of big blemishes with healing/patch healing tool.
Step 1. Select the skin of person
step 2. Copy and past
step 3. duplicate layer- lets call this skin 2
step 4. hide (skin2 ) for later
step 5. surface blur copy and pasted layer until the skin is smooth and the tones are even
step 6. set the opacity of the copy and pasted layer to around 75-80ish
step 7. make (skin2) visable agian
step 8. Filter>Other>Highpass filter skin 2 layer, -- just enough to see fine detailing - you will see when its about right
step 9. set skin2 layers blend mode to -soft light- dodge ever so slightly on shadows to pull the pores in a little..

Not the best way, but its a start

Thank you Noel. I do that sometimes, but this client payed for the Barbie on Acid look.