Country Wedding

[bigalbest]

I shot a wedding this weekend as a favor for my brother in law. I got him to pay for my light rental (Profoto Pro 7B with large softbox), so I had a little creative freedom for a change. I wasn't altogether happy with everything but I think I got some decent stuff anyways. Comments and critique are always welcome, and please be as harsh as you like, I can take it.

1) This image just seems to pop out at me. There is a lot of clutter (the cars and wires in the background), but for some reason there is a 3D quality to the moment that I love. My father in-law and and his son Dan on Dan's wedding day.

Profoto Pro 7B at full power with large softbox camera right. The subjects are standing in shade.

2) Cute moment from Dan's wedding.

Profoto Pro 7B at full power with large softbox camera right. Bright sunlight camera left.

3) I kinda like the light in this one, but had trouble with the pose and there was a lot of wind making it difficult to perfect. Someday I hope to have an assistant to help with these situations.

Profoto Pro 7B at full power with large softbox camera right. Bright sunlight camera left.

4) Dan (my brother in-law on his wedding day), and the boys. I love this one, for once coming very close to my vision.

Profoto Pro 7B at full power with large softbox camera right. The subjects are standing in shade.

5) And here is the wedding party in the best pose of the day. I had a lot of trouble with wind and small details, but I like this one well enough.

Profoto Pro 7B at full power with large softbox camera left, bright sunlight camera right slightly behind subjects.

 

[bigalbest]

bump.

 

[Pesky]

I really like the exposures and the colors, but the distracting stuff in the background (wires, cars etc.) is really, well, distracting.

Wasn't there any way to turn them around to get something else in the background?

I love the one of the men from the low perspective. Cowboys and the open blue sky. Now there's a background that adds to the story.

 

[silverturtle]

the exposure is amazing, love the pictures

 

[Big Mike]

Great work balancing the lighting with the ambient, it's really good.

I agree that the backgrounds aren't very appealing in most of them. You did well to work around that in #4 by shooting up at them. You could also try getting above them and shooting down on them. I sometimes carry a step ladder with me.

I would certainly be a help to have an assistant to help you with the light and a ladder etc. We sometimes call them a 'voice activated light stand'

 

[zendianah]

your lighting is amazing! I rented profoto softbox. (octa) it was LOTs of fun!

 

[STICKMAN]

Great shots, but must say i think my wife would have flipped if her bridesmaids all showed up with tan lines when wearing a strapless dress, i know its the country so sun aint that hard to find, if it is go buy some for the week. Just my 2cents........

 

[bigalbest]

I really like the exposures and the colors, but the distracting stuff in the background (wires, cars etc.) is really, well, distracting.

Wasn't there any way to turn them around to get something else in the background?

I love the one of the men from the low perspective. Cowboys and the open blue sky. Now there's a background that adds to the story.

The location was let's just call it less than ideal and I think I could have done a little better, but I even had to clone out some wires from the sky shot too.

the exposure is amazing, love the pictures

Thank you, I've been working for a long time to get exposures and fill just right.

Great work balancing the lighting with the ambient, it's really good.

I agree that the backgrounds aren't very appealing in most of them. You did well to work around that in #4 by shooting up at them. You could also try getting above them and shooting down on them. I sometimes carry a step ladder with me.

I would certainly be a help to have an assistant to help you with the light and a ladder etc. We sometimes call them a 'voice activated light stand'

A ladder would have helped a lot, don't know why I didn't think of that myself. :blushing:

your lighting is amazing! I rented profoto softbox. (octa) it was LOTs of fun!

Thank you, I am in love with Profoto products but their prices have me looking for a more reasonable solution.

Great shots, but must say i think my wife would have flipped if her bridesmaids all showed up with tan lines when wearing a strapless dress, i know its the country so sun aint that hard to find, if it is go buy some for the week. Just my 2cents........

Some more: Half of the people claimed they couldn't smile without closing their eyes, I had to tell the groomsmen to spit out their wads of tobacco, the girls disappeared halfway through shooting to change into more "comfortable" clothes and I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I'm related to some of these rednecks. But all in all it was a good time and a great learning experience.

 

[zeroskillz]

I absolutely love #2. It really speaks 'country weddin' to me. And is very a-day-in-the-life...

If anything, I'd clean up her flying hair a bit, clean up the tree to the upper right of his hat brim (looks like something stuck on his hat), and remove the SUV. Other than that I think all the background stuff really adds to that photo. JMO...
-Ted