Dance photos at an Ottawa wedding

dhris · Jan 15, 2013

Here are a few reception photos from my second last wedding of 2012 at the Courtyard restaurant, Ottawa.

For more from the eve, please see: www.christopherstevenb.com/weddings/courtyard-restaurant

xyphoto · Jan 15, 2013

I am sorry to say that these shots look just average to me. They are more of snap shots.

Mully · Jan 15, 2013

Your last one of the three would be better cropped tighter to get rid of the gawkers on the sidelines .... #1 I do not like the giant highlight and #2 has nothing of interest ...looks like something a wedding party member would take

kathyt · Jan 15, 2013

I like #3. I like the people on the sidelines admiring her. It adds to the image. I also like the lighting behind her hair.

rexbobcat · Jan 15, 2013

xyphoto said:
I am sorry to say that these shots look just average to me. They are more of snap shots.

Lol.

DiskoJoe · Jan 15, 2013

xyphoto said:
I am sorry to say that these shots look just average to me. They are more of snap shots.

Shut your pie hole xy. :lol:

jamesbjenkins · Jan 16, 2013

:meh: why did you pick these images? Do they say something to you? Just curious.

The idea with #1 is good, pretty standard reception flare shot, but it's poorly executed and you didn't bother to clean up the aberrant flares and color fringing.

#2 could have been good, but it's a really weak composition. Again, I don't know what you were trying to accomplish here.

#3 could have been a really strong image, but you were out of position with regard to your OCF. The color looks great, but the awkward composition and DOF being too wide kills this one.

---

Pros: WB looks spot on, exposure is good, ambient is balanced with your OCF well.

Cons: Weak composition, lack of polish.

pixmedic · Jan 16, 2013

the glare in #1 is too much for me, as are the shadows in #2 (and the random arms and heads)
I think #3 would be much better cropped in and shot as a portrait.
#3 is the strongest of the bunch in my opinion, and is the only one that might be salvageable in post.
I agree on the WB and color being good.

dhris · Jan 16, 2013

Hey--thanks for all of the good feedback. I honestly really appreciate it and will study these images with your suggestions in mind for now and for the future.

Just to clarify, number 2 is a shot of the bride--a shot of the bride on the edge of the dance floor looking ecstatic. To me that is a subject of interest.

The reason why there are deep shadows in the photos is because the ambient of the room was basically nil. I was shooting at ISO 1600 all night. To reduce shadows would involve completely nuking the entire room and sapping it of its actual atmosphere. I like the rhythm added by the shadows.

In general I like clean (non cluttery) photos, but when you're shooting 40 people dancing on the dance floor (all of these are dance floor shots), avoiding 'extra limbs' or 'random heads' is not only impractical, it would even detract from emphasizing the fact that there was wild activity, and that it was, e.g. 'crazy out there'.

The glare in 1 was definitely a judgment call. I'll allow that maybe 2-3 times per wedding shoot. The color blobs visible in the shot were part of the dj lighting, which I happily kept in the shot.

In terms of 'gawkers' in the background of the B+G dancing shot, I don't think every photo needs to do all things (although I understand that critique on forums is geared toward that view). I've only shown one shot of them dancing. There are obviously other shots with tighter crops. I think showing atmosphere, context is important, so I purposely shoot to keep family / friends showing in the backgrounds of some of those shots.

I agree the comp. is pretty boring for shot 3, but I liked her expression in this.

To be honest, lighting the dance was a serious, serious challenge. I had a roaming wireless flash (assistant had it on a monopod high up) and one on camera. The ceilings were very high and very dark, so no bouncing. The only wall near the dance floor was mostly glass--mostly non bounceable.

I say this not to reject the critique received here--most of which I think is valid--but the bride gave me the sloppiest wet kiss of a review via google places regarding my work on her wedding.