Looking for tough love..........

elsaspet · Mar 7, 2006

Hi all!
Ok, I had the perfect sun, the perfect bride and the perfect surroundings. I've got no excuses on this one. It's all me, how I shot, and post processing. I can always do better and I really trust the judgement here......let me have it. (I'll learn, I promise!)
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6. (love these doors!)

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AprilRamone · Mar 7, 2006

I think these are beautiful. I'm no expert but it seems like a couple of them (like #1 3 and 4) could benefit from a boost in contrast. I'd really like to hear what the experts have to say too!
Oh a few more comments- I think #8 looks like a wedding ad! I also really love #5 because of all of the flowers, but I think I would like it better if her body was more 3/4 toward the camera instead of sideways like that.
What a beautiful bride! She could be a model!

elsaspet · Mar 7, 2006

AprilRamone said:
I think these are beautiful. I'm no expert but it seems like a couple of them (like #1 3 and 4) could benefit from a boost in contrast. I'd really like to hear what the experts have to say too!
Oh a few more comments- I think #8 looks like a wedding ad! I also really love #5 because of all of the flowers, but I think I would like it better if her body was more 3/4 toward the camera instead of sideways like that.
What a beautiful bride! She could be a model!

Thank you for your suggestions. That's exactly what I am looking for! I'll try the contrast boost. I'm just so bad about blowing out the dress that I didn't want to go too far. But I'll go for it! :hug::
Thanks so much for looking and helping.
Much hugs!
Cindy

df3photo · Mar 7, 2006

My favorite is #6
In afew of them it seems the horizon line is slanted making it feel like shes going to slide off the picture (IMO). I also like #9 but kinda wish she was turned toward the camera a tad more.

JonK · Mar 7, 2006

really nice shots cindy. I like the angles and POV's you've chosen...very dynamic.

#8 "tha ad"

...love her position and yer POV but the clutter of pool table, lounge chair and wooden chairs in the BG is quite distracting. the saving grace is the fact that those items are all similar in tone and the decor is pleasing. I think I'd go for a tighter crop on this one to eliminate some of those distractions.

#2 nice one! good DOF; little heavy on the fill on the flowers. I would like to see separation between the flowers and the bride i.e move camera position (or flowers) so that theire is a space between the flowers and the bride. maybe thas just me bein picky tho.

#4, #6, #9, #10 are all good in my eyes.

#1 i would have moved cam down to include her elbow.
#3 seems to need fill flash...she's kind of dark and i always try to include the whole skirt of the dress if possible. These are mostly nitpicks but little thiongs to kep your eye open for.

#5 is really nice tho her hands seem to be a bit too tightly clenched and the sheen on here face is heavy...that could be fixed with powder b4 the shoot or touched up after in PS.

#7 i'd crop in from top left; the building is too busy. It's a little blown too but you know that

elsaspet · Mar 7, 2006

Thank you Jon!!!! I'll see what I can do to clean up number 8. Thank you so much for the suggestions. The bride hasn't seen these yet so I am using the suggestion to fix them before she does.
Thanks Again!

Big Mike · Mar 7, 2006

These are really great, well done.

If I were to critique, I'd like to see a bit more light on her face in a couple of them. Just a bit, maybe from a reflector. 2, 4 & 10. Only because I usually think that the face should be a major focal point...and it often helps if the focal point is fairly bright...it helps to draw the viewer's eye. Although, with such a beautiful subject...so well photographed...drawing and holding the viewers eye won't be a problem.

elsaspet · Mar 7, 2006

Thank you so much Big Mike. I'll try to see what I can do after the fact with filters. Thanks so much for looking and thanks again for your help!

Alpha · Mar 7, 2006

I think the shots are stunning. My only suggestion would be a slightly shorter DOF in the first one (=blurrier background to highlight the bride herself). Also, with a bride that beautiful, I'd like to see some more facial close-ups.

bowronfam3 · Mar 7, 2006

I did this edit in PS...it took literally, like 2 seconds! Just used the shadow/highlight filter. This will work for all of the underexposed shots...lightening everything, but keeping the whites from being blown out. Great composition!!!

http://flickr.com/photos/58615890@N00/?saved=1

Christie Photo · Mar 7, 2006

Wow, Cindy! Those last few (6-10) really show you knack for finding a departure from the usual.

I'm gonna address one issue now about posing brides. I think once you incorporate it into you work, you find a wonderful difference.

In views 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, you've posed her forearm and elbow so that they create a right angle, with the forearm cutting across the waistline. It's working in the first view, creating a "frame" for the bottom of the compsition. But in the others, the arm cuts her form in half.

In no. 8 for example, moving her right hand down and to her right all the way to the top of her leg would create a flowing, circular line, revealing the lines of her body without interuption. (God! This hard to explain. I wish I could show you.) Now, you don't want to create a straight, verticle line as in images 9 and 10. Keep the elbow bent enough to form a softer angle.

Image 6 is way cool. I love the doors too, and I love what you did with them. BTW... there's a tool in PS that I don't see used much. If you do a "select all" the go to the edit menu and choose transform then distort, you'll be able to drag the bottom right corner of the image to make the door frame symetical.

COOL STUFF, my friend. I wish you were close to me. I'd like to tag along on one of your weddings.

Pete

bowronfam3 · Mar 7, 2006

Thought I would try this one, too. Not sure if you're a fan of b&w, but I thought this looked very glamourous!!

http://flickr.com/photos/58615890@N00/109457069/

Christie Photo · Mar 7, 2006

bowronfam3 said:
I did this edit in PS...

Hi, bowronfam.

I know you didn't realize, but it's not "good form" to alter and repost someone else's work without expressed consent. Just thought I give you a "heads up."

Welcome to the Forum.

Pete

JohnMF · Mar 7, 2006

i'm no expert but i think you've done a great job. #5 is my personal favourite, the light shining down on her face making her glow looks just right.

you go from strength to strength everytime you post elsaspet

bowronfam3 · Mar 7, 2006

I'm so sorry if I offended you, that was not my intent. It's only that sometimes it's easier to show you what I meant than to just tell you. That's why I posted a link instead of the image. Again, sorry!!