Recent Wedding shots

[Big Mike]

Here are some previews from my Mar 31 wedding shoot. Any thoughts or critique?

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#3 & #6 have extra space so they can be written on (as thank you cards).

 

[J Crew]

I like the first photo best. I would try to crop out the exta portion behind the couple in the second photo... I think it would really help. The other photos look good, but the couple looks too stiff for my taste. Overall I think they look rather nice. The only other thing I would add is the focus looks alittle soft in #'s 3,5, & 6.

- Jason

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks for the feed back.

I'm a little put off because they don't as good, here on my work monitor as they do on my calibrated monitor at home...but it might also be my save for web process.

I agree about the crop in #2. I was sticking to the 4x6 format and it just doesn't fit this image well.

I see what you mean about the focus...some of them don't look all that sharp. I gave them a quick sharpening via a High Pass filter before I resized them. Maybe I should have taken my time and also sharpened them afterward.

Yes, I know the photos are a bit stiff...believe me, this is about as animated as this guy gets. It took a fair bit of convincing for her to persuade him to hire a photographer at all...and even then it was on the condition that it didn't take too long. He's a great guy...just shy and modest. I do have a few that are more fun but I'm working on these for the thank-you cards.

 

[NJMAN]

The wine glasses shot is excellent! That one is my favorite. Great composition. I agree that the second one could be better as a cropped portrait.

 

[shachr6]

Good work, I think 4, and 6 are my favs, did you take those with the Tamron?

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks. Yes, these are all shot with the Tamron.

 

[dewey]

Good work Mike! Way to go on the planning for the thank you cards... it's always an easy shot to miss. :thumbup:

I wish #5 had something on the wall behind them... it's a bit plain for me. #3 the sky is a little blown... maybe a polarizer would have saved some? I just shot up there in Edmonton for 3 weeks so I know that white on white on white sky is a killer!

And yes, the save for web process is a skin tone killer.

Nice work.

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks Dewey,

There was something on the wall behind them in #5...it was a strip of wood moulding or something, it looked terrible and I cloned it out. Perhaps I could crop this shot a little tighter?

As for #3...yes, the sky is blown. I tried a few things, trying to bring out the little bit of blue that is there...but it wasn't looking too good. I wish I could have had a bit more time at that time...it was pretty cold and I didn't want to have her outdoors for too long. Then I got a little messed up because of the brightness...I think I may have used high speed sync on the flash or maybe I just dialed the aperture down to F16...either way, my flash was working very hard and taking it's time to recharge.

Not only was the sky white...but the frozen lake was white...pretty much a wash out of a background.

 

[dewey]

LOL - white nightmare... white dress, white sky, white lake, white snow, white skin, white veil, white clouds, white fingernails from the COLD, ahhhhhhhhh!

Still it looks like you did a great job under less than ideal circumstances.

 

[EOS_JD]

Mike, a few comments from me too.

1. Looks like you used flash Could this not have been taken with a faster lens to give some more atmosphere? The focus seems to be off very slightly which is a bit of a shame but it's a nice image.

2. By using white pointer in the curves dialogue box you can make the dress a bit whiter.

3. I'd be inclined to also use the pointer to make the dress white. Create a layer mask and just show the whiter dress.

4. The floor makes me feel as though they are falling to the right. I'd straighten this out.

5. He does look a little scared doesn't he Maybe best to have them looking at each other? Maybe the low res but this doesn't look as sharp as it could be either.

6. Try adding a new layer with the blend as soft light (or even 2 layers). Really adds some contrast to that wooden floor.

I agree with the others. Less than ideal conditions and a great job (I'm just being nit picky).

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks for the comments JD, I really appreciate the input.

About #4, I know...the slope of the floor looks terrible. At first, I rotated it but then the vertical sides of the fireplace are off...which looked just as bad or worse. I started shooting them straight on, but then moved so that they were centred in the fire place. I see now that I should have stopped and moved them, rather than moving myself. Maybe I can skew this to make it look better.

They all seem to be lacking contrast...and the colors look off...they didn't when I saved them on my home computer :scratch: I always work in sRGB, so I don't think it's a color space issue.

*Edit* Back at home, they look much better than at work, even here on the forum. I guess my work monitor is off a fair bit. I'll have to get some printed, for a true test.

 

[EOS_JD]

Here's a few small edits

I might have overcooked slightly though

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks for the visual suggestions.

I just finished re-doing them...the last one especially, looks very similar to your edit...I used an overlay layer. I'll post the new ones up, maybe tomorrow.