Easily the best bridal portrait I've ever shot

[panblue]

Sorry if I offended you.

Not offended at all. I appreciate the honest feedback. It's really valuable, because I didn't even see the perspective distortion. I was focusing so much on nailing the exposure, and getting the color right in camera that I missed what several of you saw.

I felt like this was some of my best work, but now I realize what I need to fix next time to complete the package.

I'm sorry but I don't like it either. I agree the time of day i/c/w bounce flash has potential but fundementally, the posture of the figure turned away from the camera gives a 'huffy'/forlorn atmosphere to the imagery. The complex lines criss-crossing the frame c/w angle-of-shot is disorientating. The shot has little appeal, other than the rather vague/distant backdrop, which suffers from smudgy detail (luminance denoise?..also the tiled floor), blown highlight (treetops, right-hand-side). There's some method in the composition but it doesn't give an attractive result. It's ambitious but lacking a degree of pre-planning/staging for the camera-work and PP to really cut the mustard.

 

[Hurme]

I think it's a great photo. Technical considerations aside I think there are multiple things that make this work:

1) It's well lit but not in a way that makes it obvious.
2) Bride is the most important part and she's where your eyes will go first.
3) The setting sun and bride looking over the landscape creates a feeling that she either has or is going to go through the obstacle symbolized by the fences. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but for me that was obvious and works nicely on a meta level.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

Here are a couple more of my favorites from the set. I've just uploaded the completed set.

Enjoy!

1. (The little branch in the top right was cloned out in the version given to the client)



2.



3.



4.



5.

 

[MLeeK]

NICE!
The last is my favorite. The one with the fence will have great leading lines when cropped to any print size!!

 

[TheoGraphics]

nice work! i might employ the liquify tool just a little bit to tone down her arms a little, as most brides usually (unknowingly) appreciate it when i do it. don't have to go crazy with it, just makes things a little more flattering. also, maybe a liiiiiittle less skin smoothing on some (like #1 in your latest post). very nice work overall though, good stuff!