Jax and Jason- the motherload

[Double H]

Bennielou, I am going to give you some honest, objective feedback...
I see some decent shots, but overall I was hoping for more sizzle, not just a steak. First I'll comment on several details often overlooked when framing a shot. Never cut off the bride's dress. Your white balance varies from one shot to the next, mainly in the outdoor stairs shots. In a few, the bride's skin was over processed (too soft). To me, many seem more like snapshots; flash was too direct, harsh shadows behind subjects. Several are difficult to tell exactly what your subject is. You have some good ideas like the Mr. and Mrs signs, I like it. Have you considered getting the flash totally off the camera, as in a few speedlights around the room, bouncing, remotely fired, etc.? Or even an assistant holding a light to upper right frame, etc.?
All in all, I've seen much better stuff from you in the past.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Nah Tyler, what I said was uncalled for. I would be pretty pissed if I was her too. But I still think she needs to start taking CC from people better. Even from a noob like me.

 

[bennielou]

Thank you Double H. That is very helpful.
The bride loves vintage stuff, so I worked a few in on the outdoor shots. My white balance still may be wonky though.
I don't normally shoot OCF in the reception areas because I hate to take away from the ambience. I've seen videographers do it, and the guests always say that's it's annoying, but I know lots of great photographers who do use them with wonderful success.
Our flash varies. Sometimes we use the elincrhromes, sometimes ocf, sometimes speedlights. I'm also struggling with Nikon profiles in Lightroom. We use canon, but our wonderful team member uses Nikon, and I'm having a hard time balancing the wb between the various cameras.
Anyhoo, I REALLY appreciate your feedback. I felt I had done a good job on this wedding, but I feel you are right that I'm slipping. The reason I post the photos here is because I'm not sure sometimes where I am going wrong. Thank you so much for giving me honest, real, critique.
Sorry about my outburst yesterday, but I really hate bullies. You are not one of them. I totally appreciate your feedback.

 

[bennielou]

Ok, I'm brave enough to offer what I see. Of course, I know photo journalistic shots can be unexpected, so that is some of it. They aren't numbered but I think you can figure out which I am talking about. I think this is a really strong set, with nice even lighting/ambient light balance, processing, etc.

With the bride getting ready with the mirror behind her, I love this shot cause you get the pretty expressions of the brides maids, but I'm wondering, did you get another where you stepped over to the right a bit? Then you could have gotten a gorgeous shot of the back of her dress at the same time. (You completely may have this shot, just curious.)

A couple of the candids with the crazy groomsman with his leg and the cart wheeling bridesmaid have limbs chopped, but I'm sure these were unexpected moments and they are priceless captures they will love even with technical flaws.

I find that some of the formal pictures seem a little crowded on the sides. Were you limited on space or was there something distracting outside of the frame (e.g., the one with the bridesmaids on the floor)?

The shot of the bride and groom coming up the aisle looks a tad soft. I'm sure they were moving pretty quick as they always do!

I love the couples pics and think the processing is much better than the sneak peek.

The night shot of the building either needed a crazy ISO or tripod and LONG shutter speed to capture more detail (I started out shooting night architecture photography before people!)

I love the details shots!


That's it!

Love love love you sister girl and I really REALLY appreciate everything you had to say.
No I don't think I got the step over shot, but I see what you are saying. That would have been cool. I just totally didn't think of it.
George got the leg lift shot. I'm sure it happened pretty quick. On Ashley doing the cartwheel, with 3 cams this is the only shot that is not right before, or right after. LOL. You know how that goes! We were all running around chimping, asking each other....did you get it? did you get it? Haha.
Yeah, the formals were a bit weird. There is actually two sets of formals in two different locations. In one (it was the foyer of the hotel) there where people walking around with luggage. :-( The other had the table set up in a weird spot. It wasn't centered, so it I cropped longer, it looked all off kilter.
Yeah, I think the b&g shot is a tad bit soft. Maybe some boutwells magic glasses?
Mike took the outdoor shots. I don't think he has a 1.4 lens, but I still like it. I agree it could be better.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE DETAILED RESPONSE. I adore you!

 

[bennielou]

Thank you wlbphoto. It needs some work, but I appreciate your kind words.

 

[bennielou]

Sorry to let you down Tyler. Yes, I'm a douche sometimes. I'm human, and after being totally slammed repeated on every thread I posted on by one poster.....I lost it. I shouldn't have done that. Hopefully you will see that I'm really an ok person. I just have my moments of total frustration. Sorry again for losing it. I took a self imposed time out, put the problem person on ignore, so all should be better now.
Hopefully.
Sorry again.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Sorry to let you down Tyler. Yes, I'm a douche sometimes. I'm human, and after being totally slammed repeated on every thread I posted on by one poster.....I lost it. I shouldn't have done that. Hopefully you will see that I'm really an ok person. I just have my moments of total frustration. Sorry again for losing it. I took a self imposed time out, put the problem person on ignore, so all should be better now.
Hopefully.
Sorry again.

WOW, what the heck did I do? I gave her ONE CC on one thread and she went ballistic. Unbelievable. On every thread she posted? What posts? I want proof.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/professional-gallery/240641-jax-jason-wedding-sneak.html

 

[bennielou]

I took you off ignore. It was a lot more that one CC, and the CCs weren't CC. They were drivebys..
Anyhoo, I'm willing to forget the whole deal. I've written you a PM, where I say what upset me, and I'm totally open to your response. I think we can work this out, and I don't want to have bad blood. I just think we have a communication problem. Hopefully we can work it out.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I thought I responded already. Maybe I pressed the wrong button. Anyway, sure! Let's start over. :hug::

 

[Derrel]

How do you freaking block an idiot? I can't find it.

Quite amusing in and of itself, asking for help in order to block "an idiot"....a "newbie"...and "a fool"....as you called him.

LMFAO at the irony

 

[bennielou]

I thought I responded already. Maybe I pressed the wrong button. Anyway, sure! Let's start over. :hug::

Done.

 

[bennielou]

Ah Derell, still string the pot I see. Don't hurt your arm.

 

[Lyncca]

I thought I responded already. Maybe I pressed the wrong button. Anyway, sure! Let's start over. :hug::

Group hug!! :hippie:
Derrel, stop stirrin' the pot.

 

[bennielou]

Group hug!!!!!!!

 

[Derrel]

Ah Derell, still string the pot I see. Don't hurt your arm.

Sorry Ninnipou, but after your meltdowns in the sneek peak thread on the 6th, and then your nuclear-level meltdown yesterday in a separate thread, and now your sudden about-face after your extremely bad behavior and repeated, pointed character assassinations and insults, I think you ought to be the one to just slink away with your tail between your legs. You made a complete ass out of yourself yesterday. Seriously.

You called one of your C&C givers a "newbie", an "idiot", and a "fool". And now you want me to "stop stirring the pot" to use your words? How dare you! The hubris you have displayed, and continue to display, in this thread is sickening. Who was it that suggested you might wish to get anger management counseling?

Your response toward anything less than atta' girl! C&C, for well over a year, has been the same--defiant, and at times, downright nasty. I'm tired of your attitude; witness the "Do.You.Have.A.Website" comment you made in the sneak peaks thread, and which Orion's Bite called you out on. Your passive-aggressive tactic showed through on that one.

As a professional wedding photographer I think that you've finally arrived at the journeyman level, apparently this year;everything I saw from you before (back in 2009 and 2010) was substandard, softened-to-death pablum,but this Jax and Jason wedding is the first "professional level" wedding I've seen from you, the horrible second-shooter grade images on the beach excepted--those are pretty awful, as me, cloudwalker, schwettylens, and e.rose all pointed out. As a photography forum member, you could use a lesson or two in how to participate and how not to attack those giving you C&C.

Again, except for the beach stuff, which several of us thought was second-shooter level material, this wedding showed decent, but not "awesome" photographic skills. This wedding does not look like the majority of your portfolio material on your web site. This wedding looks better than what I saw from you last year, and I prefer its natural-looking, non-softened style to your 2010 stuff, which often had so,so much noise reduction done to the images that they looked like cartoons. This wedding looks consistent in the indoor stuff,and the quality of the images appears higher than what is in most of your other images on your web site.