Shot my uncle's wedding. C&C appreciated

RussJasper · Sep 11, 2009

Now before you guys get all worked up, this was my uncles wedding. Also, let it be known that yes I have only owned my camera for a week prior to this and NO i was not the only photographer, there was an actual pro there, I was just taking my own.

I was asked to shoot my other uncles wedding next month (more low key and less formal) so i would like some tips!

1.

2.
Really blurry, i had no yet adjusted to the lighting and camera settings, pretty disappointed with this.

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9. with mom!

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here are the rest of the pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/justinrobbins/sets/72157622298148224/

thenikonguy · Sep 11, 2009

some decent shots.. the main advice I have is, watch your surroundings.. for example shot #10 I would have removed the other tables and chairs, and it would have made a really nice shot, but, i'm far to distracted by the other chairs..

#2 I hate that you cut off their feet.. its a personal preference, and some people here will say its fine, but, especially with a shot of them walking down the aisle, take a few steps back, and get the full body.

#6 you cut off their heads.. i would like to think thats a big no-no

#8 i would have zoomed in more, so you just had the flowers and the hands.. the background of their bodies I find distracting

#11 I like a lot.. great job!

I'll leave the other ones for someone else to rip apart

Peanuts · Sep 11, 2009

I think you did a marvelous job. You can tell you captured the day as it happened and you caught some really really intimate special moments between the couple! They are goign to be over the moon when they see these.

Sorry Mr. Nikonguy but I am going to disagree with most of your points. #2 I agree with, #6 that is such a minor detail I wouldn't ahve even noticed if you hadn't have mentioned it. The paramount point of that image is the moment and I think the closer group really enhances that. #10.. I like the chairs honestly.. I might have actually shot at a different angle to show more of them. It's very 'french cafe' kind of photojournalistic 'spying on couple'-ish. I like that.

Anywho. Good job

Just as a side note, did you get permission fromt eh couple and the photographer to take photos that day? Generally you really want to to avoid stepping on toes. There is nothign worse then a ninja 'uncle bob' as they are known in the industry - I am not sure if you were assisting the pro or just shooting solo but please keep that in mind. You don't want to burn any bridges if you are going to be doing wedding photography. Wedding photographers can be very er... territorial.

thenikonguy · Sep 11, 2009

Peanuts said:
#6 that is such a minor detail I wouldn't ahve even noticed if you hadn't have mentioned it.

cutting off someones head is a minor detail??? sorry, but I would NEVER give a B&G shot where I cut off their head.. i tend to think someones head is pretty important..

but please remember, in my post, i said its a personal opinion.. I don't like cutting off body parts.. other people disagree with me.. and they are allowed to do that!

GeneralBenson · Sep 11, 2009

I generally tend to agre about cutting off heads, but I think in this instance, it works just fine. It's more a result of the crop than poor framing. If hee wee empty space in the frame and it looks like it could have bem framed differently in a way that kept the heads, then that's one thing. but it's a tight crop of an intimate moment, and the moment is still preserved and well captured. Her whole face and energy in within the frame, the action with the kissing and hands is is the main focal point. It works for me.

Peanuts · Sep 11, 2009

thenikonguy said:
but please remember, in my post, i said its a personal opinion.. I don't like cutting off body parts.. other people disagree with me.. and they are allowed to do that!

I know. That is why I gave my opinion which has equivalent value as your own

Big Mike · Sep 11, 2009

I tend to agree with Peanuts on #6. It's only the top of the heads that are cut off...but it also cuts off a lot of the empty space above and around their heads. It focus more attention on their faces, which is where it should be. I might have cropped it even closer.

Open up any magazine...on any close up shots of people, you are likely to see the top of the head cut off.

inTempus · Sep 11, 2009

Can you tell us a little about the kit you used? Camera, flash, lenses, etc.?

Not too bad, I would have done a few things differently but all in all you did a decent job especially for only having your camera for a week. How does the couple like your work? Any feedback yet?

RussJasper · Sep 11, 2009

Canon Rebel XS
18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS
55-250 f/4-5.6 IS
50mm f/1.8

i used mostly the 55-250. when flash was used (i shot almost all without it) it was just the in camera flash. i didn't get my speedlite until just this past weekend so i will have it for the next wedding.

i showed them the pics the next day (i was staying at his house) and they loved them. i just sent them the flickr link and them as well as friends and family are very pleased with the photos! i think i got 1 or 2 shots the other guy might not have got (like him hugging his mother). i asked the pro if he minded and he said sure, go ahead and shoot what i want. my uncle wanted me to shoot anyways so really, it's up to him in the end but it all worked out.

Sirene · Sep 11, 2009

Except for 12, which does not seem natural to me and I would also zoom the 8, they are all AMAZING to me.

Beautiful !!!!

Derrel · Sep 11, 2009

Your color is pretty good in most of these. I think several of the photos should definitely have been vertical compositions, like 11, 13,and 14. When I see a lot of horizontal photos on event coverage and the horizontal camera orientation seems to be based on the shooter's unwillingness to turn the camera to a vertical orientation, I think of an untrained, self-taught shooter.

These photos show much better technical fundamentals than the Indonesian shooter who last week showed us a whole passel of badly under-exposed and heavily pushed and pulled and tweaked shots that were all over the map color-wise and exposure wise. You did show us three out of 15 in vertical orientation; he had none shot vertically in about 35 frames.

These are not "great" wedding photographs, but they ARE definitely a cut above what many people could have shot. You did well on expression,and your style is spare,straightforward,and very non-gimmicky. They'll probably really like these pictures.

thenikonguy · Sep 11, 2009

why are you just copy and pasting everyones messages donatello

RussJasper · Sep 12, 2009

Derrel said:
Your color is pretty good in most of these. I think several of the photos should definitely have been vertical compositions, like 11, 13,and 14. When I see a lot of horizontal photos on event coverage and the horizontal camera orientation seems to be based on the shooter's unwillingness to turn the camera to a vertical orientation, I think of an untrained, self-taught shooter.

These photos show much better technical fundamentals than the Indonesian shooter who last week showed us a whole passel of badly under-exposed and heavily pushed and pulled and tweaked shots that were all over the map color-wise and exposure wise. You did show us three out of 15 in vertical orientation; he had none shot vertically in about 35 frames.

These are not "great" wedding photographs, but they ARE definitely a cut above what many people could have shot. You did well on expression,and your style is spare,straightforward,and very non-gimmicky. They'll probably really like these pictures.

thanks, I will try to utilize that more often. I realize i was cutting off their feet a lot which i will try not to do for the next. I just love getting super close and capturing the little things like facial expressions.

I didn't really edit them too much, some i had to brighten up a tad but overall i didn't do anything except crop here and there. i don't know how to work photoshop well.

I was shooting in jpeg also. next wedding for my other uncle i will shoot raw.

fiveoboy01 · Sep 12, 2009

thenikonguy said:
why are you just copy and pasting everyones messages donatello

This has been brought up... He's clearly a troll and I know he's been reported. Hello, moderator? Banstick?

I can't view the photos here at work but I'll check them out when I get home.