Engagement Session C&C

Destin

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Hey all, I had engagement session yesterday with my cousin Jaden and his fiancé Kerry. I’m liking them, but also think I’m struggling to be objective because of my relationship with them. Don’t be afraid to give me honest feedback, I can handle it.

These are just the first four edits I’ve gotten done, there will be more to come eventually:

1.)
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2.)
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3.)
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4.)
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Looks good. I do have some critique for the first one. I would probably brighten up her face a bit since it's noticeably darker than his. It's sometimes hard to take these shots with one flash because of the light fall off and all the potential elements that can block the light. Because her head is behind his and farther away, she receives less light, so I would make sure that the two subjects are parallel in shots like this to avoid the difference in exposure. You might also move the flash closer and more to the front of them, just to experiment.

Other than that, though, I'll bet they will really like them.
 
Looks good. I do have some critique for the first one. I would probably brighten up her face a bit since it's noticeably darker than his. It's sometimes hard to take these shots with one flash because of the light fall off and all the potential elements that can block the light. Because her head is behind his and farther away, she receives less light, so I would make sure that the two subjects are parallel in shots like this to avoid the difference in exposure. You might also move the flash closer and more to the front of them, just to experiment.

Other than that, though, I'll bet they will really like them.

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback! That’s an easy fix in post, and I agree it should be done.

Surprisingly, that photo was 100% natural light. They were just inside the edge of the of shaded area in the row of pine trees, and the overcast sky acted as a massive softbox on their faces.
 
Seeing these on my iPhone. I think Rex bobcat has a good C&C on the first shot. My suggestion on shot one is to crop it to square. I get that it's a horizontal in the trees on the right makes sense but I think it might be stronger as the Square. Overall like I said on mobile these look pretty darn good, and I think your worries about objectivity are well-founded in many cases but in this instance they look good
 
I'll let the others comment on the technical, and just say these are awesome! I really like the poses, though my OCD kicked in on #2 a little because they aren't centered on the line. LOL
 
I think the first one is a lovely shot of them both smiling and you captured their personalities (with a nice background too). I might just crop the right side enough to leave the far right tree trunk out of the frame, but that one is a keeper.

I don't care for the second one with her in all black against the sunset, it doesn't seem that flattering in profile. Maybe with some adjustment it'd be better but I'd probably scrap that one, I don't think I'd give it to them. I think with the arms up around him it stretches her out in a somewhat awkward way. The last one is better with her wearing some color, and the way they're posed; it has them in a more relaxed and flattering pose I think.

I like the one of the hands, other than I'd either put the tips of his thumbs back on! lol or crop the sides. Then of course you'd only see his wrist and watch, but I don't know, it's just a little choppy as is. It might have been better to have had him cup his hand a little more around hers so his thumbs were in the frame.They probably would like the photo, they'll be looking at the ring and letters, which is nicely done.
 
Nice set. I agree with @rexbobcat's comments.

One other suggestion for #1 would have been to put the OCF on the camera left if you were going to leave her back like that. I really like the pose, just would like to see her face lite a little bit more.
 
Engagement and wedding photography are different in that it emphasizes on the emotional and story telling aspects of the photos more than the technical aspect (compare to something like landscape, beauty, or commercial photography).

For me it's more or less the interaction between them. The photos look great with minor technical issues, but they lack the emotional connection both between the couple and the viewers. :) There's no "story" or anything for people to "fill in the blanks" and make their own story.
 
For me it's more or less the interaction between them. The photos look great with minor technical issues, but they lack the emotional connection both between the couple and the viewers. :) There's no "story" or anything for people to "fill in the blanks" and make their own story.

I don't think engagement photos are generally about publicity.
 
I don't think engagement photos are generally about publicity.

I don't even know what you mean LOL

The viewers are the couple. If they just want some nice photos together then it doesn't matter whether or not we see a story in the images.

I feel like there's this push to put every photo in the context of what would look good on social media, but the couple are really the arbiters of what kind of photos they need/want.
 
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I don't think engagement photos are generally about publicity.

I don't even know what you mean LOL

The viewers are the couple. If they just want some nice photos together then it doesn't matter whether or not we see a story in the images.

I feel like there's this push to put every photo in the context of what would look good on social media.



The viewers are the couple, the friends, the families, whoever they're going to share that with (either online or offline), whoever the friends/families are going to share the photos with, and if you want to do this as a business then your potential clients. The couple will always LOVE their own photos, but other people may not. This has nothing to do with social media. Photographs that tell amazing stories have been around before the Internet.

There's always a story to each image. If there isn't, there should be when it comes to engagement and wedding photography. The "story" more or less about the emotional connection, the interaction, the feel that you get when you look at this type of photos (even if it's your own). I mean if you want a few nice photos then full auto mode, golden hour, snap snap. You get some nice photos. If you want photos that will generate some sort of emotion, it's a whole different "story". :)
 
Not a pro and I don't take a lot of people photos but I'll give you my opinion for what it's worth. Nice dof and genuine smiles make #1 the best of these. I agree about lightening her face a bit. #2 they appear awkward or a bit stiff and I'm not a fan of the standing in the middle of the road waiting to get hit by a car pose. Marriage is a path so if you're being metaphorical then maybe showing them at the beginning of a path or road would make more sense. Or crossing a bridge like in #4. Love the scene and the leading lines and dof but, her legs look weird. Her stance just doesn't look right from the side angle. I think it's because both legs are blending into one? I'm assuming that is not all one leg... Hoping you'll post the rest of these as I'm sure you took a lot more.
 
There's always a story to each image.

Then there's no need to manufacture a story through contrivances. Then again, maybe I'm alone in my apathy toward photos of a dude kissing his fiance's forehead like she's a child or having them bump heads like Steve Martin's character in Baby Mama while a faux Kodak Portra/Fujicolor 400h filter is placed on top of it.

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Nice set. I agree with @rexbobcat's comments.

One other suggestion for #1 would have been to put the OCF on the camera left if you were going to leave her back like that. I really like the pose, just would like to see her face lite a little bit more.


Agreed.

But this is 100% natural light, no OCF involved.
 

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