Few shots of my first wedding

ExpressionsByApril · May 30, 2012

I really had a blast and I was nervous being my first wedding I shot. But I think i got some good pictures all exceptthis one girl in wedding party that keep griping she was hot and she did not smile at all she frowned in every group shot. Man was the bride mad at her. but this family i shot the wedding for treated us like we were family. They were awesome. Madde me not so nervous. so what u guys think of my first wedding pictures I took?

Please try not to hurt my feelings and please remember this was my first wedding. thanks

April Elaine

MK3Brent · May 30, 2012

1. Hard shadow from flash, use a diffuser or no flash at all.
2. Blown out sky and over exposure on the hair of your bride. Use a faster shutter and a fill flash from OCF.
3. Immediately noticed the heavy vignetting, it's too much.
4. Composition is weak, and I'm not a fan of the reflections.
5. Feet.

6. Decent, lower DOF and wait till the background is clear of stray chests.
7. Lots of chopping. If you're focusing on the children... get on their level, get tight, get low.

Curious, was this a paying gig?

o hey tyler · May 30, 2012

Well, I will do my best not to hurt your feelings, but I cannot promise that. You posted in the professional gallery, and should expect to be critiqued accordingly.

C&C Per Request.

1. This shot is far too rigid. You used pop-up flash, which you had absolutely no control over because you shot the entire wedding with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5 - 5.6 KIT LENS. You also had your camera set to Program mode for what I would guess to be the entirety of the ceremony. The pop up flash creates harsh shadows, and odd highlights. The background is also very distracting.

2. The sky in this photo may as well be from Chernobyl in 1986, because it's totally nuked. The posing isn't terrible, but the expressions are far less than desirable. You need to ENGAGE your clients, not leave them yawning while you click the shutter. You could have chosen a far better and less busy background for this shot as well. Also, shooting at a longer focal length would have been a better idea so that you could somewhat isolate them from the background you were working with... But since you were shooting on Auto Program, the camera would have chosen f/7.1 or f/8 at 55mm, and you would have still be boned.

3. The vignette is overkill, I'd get rid of it. Again, longer focal length/shallower DoF would have been great. Unfortunately you chose to shoot a wedding with auto program mode, and a kit lens. So there was no room or ability for you to do that with less than adequate glass for the task. The composition isn't bad, it's just a boring moment. The bride doesn't look happy or engaged.

4. Background, background, background. Watch them. You've got random dudes heads popping in on either side of the frame. If you're the photographer, take charge and move your subjects, or get the other people in the frame out of the way. The subjects are also underexposed by 1/3rd of a stop or so.

5. This just isn't a good shot. The reds are totally out of gamut, the on camera flash fired, and it's partially out of focus. You also used a high ISO, which accentuates all of those faux pas.

6. Not a terrible photo, but not a very good one either. Again, the usage of on camera flash, and high ISO harms this image. There's also a random chest of a woman in the background. If you had shot this with more than one lens (like you should have!) you could have used a larger maximum aperture to blur the background and make it far less noticeable. However, you'd have to put your camera into Av mode to actually have consistent control over your aperture.

7. Cute kids, but the shot is far too wide. There's way too many distracting elements that could be minimized with a liberal crop. Overall, it's just not that interesting.

Please, please tell me that the bride and groom didn't hire you, and pay you for your services. You can not shoot a commissioned wedding with an entry level camera on program mode, and a kit lens. It's extremely unethical IMO. You have a lot more work that needs to be put into learning composition, your camera, and the exposure triangle. You also NEED to get better glass, and a hotshoe flash to shoot a wedding. It's pretty mandatory.

You can't just buy a Canon Rebel T3 /w kit lens and become a professional photographer. Photography doesn't work like that, and these do not equate to professional captures IMHO.

Just my opinions, take it or leave 'em.

ExpressionsByApril · May 30, 2012

first off i said and meant i was still learning. Thy paid me 500 dollars to cover my gas, time and ink and paper. for you all to tell a begginer which my bride and groom knew I was and knew I did not have a lot of experience. I spent nine hours at this event, i took 1288 pictures. I did my best, I just talked to her and she said that bridesmaid that did not smile and looked grumpy was like this the whole day as she was pissed all day. and the bride is even mad at her. 2ed u all do not have to be so harsh. i think and know in my heart these were fantastic pics for someones first wedding and who is learning. I just wanted some pointers that is why I posted on here but believe me I will not be back!!!! u all are mean and hatefull and judgemental. The backgrounds s where what they wanted the pics taken. anyway enjoy ur forum. i wont be back.

Bitter Jeweler · May 30, 2012

If you are a beginner, why did you post in the professional gallery?

TheKenTurner · May 30, 2012

I don't want this post anymore. Can a mod remove it?

premo · May 30, 2012

This post will only get better...
OP... from what I've read so far, they are only trying to help you get better.

o hey tyler · May 30, 2012

ExpressionsByApril said:
first off i said and meant i was still learning.

Then you shouldn't be the primary photographer for a wedding if you are still learning.

Thy paid me 500 dollars to cover my gas, time and ink and paper.

Unless you drive a Semi-Truck, they paid you $450 too much.

for you all to tell a begginer which my bride and groom knew I was and knew I did not have a lot of experience.

If you are a beginner, you should not be posting images for critique in the PROFESSIONAL GALLERY.

I spent nine hours at this event, i took 1288 pictures. I did my best, I just talked to her and she said that bridesmaid that did not smile and looked grumpy was like this the whole day as she was pissed all day.

You have to have some tricks up your sleeves. There's going to be an uncooperative person on occasion. Use humor to engage them, even if it means they just crack a smile. It tricks like the one I just typed up that make for great images when used to the desired effect.

2ed u all do not have to be so harsh. i think and know in my heart these were fantastic pics for someones first wedding and who is learning.

I didn't think I was too harsh, considering you posted sub par wedding images in the Professional Gallery. I gave you critique that I would have given any other photographer posting in the professional gallery with this quality of images. I hate to break it to you, but you are the only one that thinks that these are fantastic photos. You may have tried your best, but in reality you let your camera do all the work. You didn't put much thought into composition, you didn't have much (if at all) creative control regarding your camera, and you only used a kit lens.

If you got paid $500, you should have used the bulk of that to rent some lenses. You also should have bought a book or two that teaches you about photography. Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson is recommended 9 out of 10 times for beginners like yourself.

I just wanted some pointers that is why I posted on here but believe me I will not be back!!!!

I GAVE you pointers. I told you what the issues with your images were. I told you what you can do IN THE FUTURE to make your images not so pedestrian. Whether you choose to learn and grow from the critique is up to you. I suspect that since you've written me off as "hatefull and judgemental," that you will disregard everything I said regardless of how true and accurate it is.

The backgrounds s where what they wanted the pics taken.

I am sorry, but I do not believe that. Additionally, you were the photographer for the event. YOU should be telling THEM which background would be best suited for the photo, not the other way around. However, due to your limited photographic knowledge, I am not sure it would have made much of a difference.

anyway enjoy ur forum. i wont be back.

Okay, leave. Give up. That's the sign of a true professional in the making right there. You get shot down after posting wedding photos in the professional gallery that were shot without any regard for composition, on Program mode with a kit lens... What did you think the reactions were going to be?

If you grow a thicker skin, READ and ABSORB critique, you WILL become a better photographer. It's true. If you give up, and leave; you will continue on the same path of substandard images and probably eventually ditch photography altogether.

You're welcome to stay, you just need to man up and not quit when the heat is on.

Excuses are the nails to build a house of failure.

RichardsTPF · May 30, 2012

These are only acceptable snap shot. None of the CC above is personal or harsh. People here are honest and willing to help.

kundalini · May 30, 2012

ExpressionsByApril said:
....... i wont be back.

After such harsh treatment, I don't blame you. But since you won't be back and unlikely to respond further, may I take this opportunity to point something out for others to consider? I'm not a wedding photographer and may be completely out of line with this comment...... but Photography 101 stresses to avoid having a huge assed pole impaling the brides head in a group shot with the bridesmaids.

Majeed Badizadegan · May 30, 2012

April, two things come to mind:

1. Don't post in the professional gallery if you know you're not a professional.

2. If you post work that is amateur, you will get humbled quickly. And from your response, it looks like you could use a big slice of humble pie.

P.S. You can take 100, 1,000, or 100,000,000,0000 photos at a wedding; it doesn't matter, if you do it wrong (which you have) you've basically just taken X number of bad photos. That's the worst excuse I've ever seen "WELLS, I TOOK 1MIRRION FOTOS HAR HAR HAR. SOME'S GUTTA B GUD."

Bitter Jeweler · May 30, 2012

kundalini said:
Photography 101 stresses to avoid having a huge assed pole impaling the brides head in a group shot with the bridesmaids.

Roolz are meant to be broken.

Besides, it looks intentional. It's perfectly aligned. That's not a happy accident. That took some thought!

Majeed Badizadegan · May 30, 2012

kundalini said:
ExpressionsByApril said:

....... i wont be back.

Click to expand...

After such harsh treatment, I don't blame you. But since you won't be back and unlikely to respond further, may I take this opportunity to point something out for others to consider? I'm not a wedding photographer and may be completely out of line with this comment...... but Photography 101 stresses to avoid having a huge assed pole impaling the brides head in a group shot with the bridesmaids.

Brilliant, didn't notice that at first. That's Terrible with a capital T!

kric2schaam626 · May 30, 2012

Dear OP,

I'm sorry that this is the case, but everyone else is cutting down on you because it is frustrating to the actual pro's when amateurs pick up a camera and start shooting weddings because they have a "good camera." Guess what, I did it! And you know what, in about 3 years, you'll look back on these photos and shake your head. My advice is to not be the primary shooter for a wedding any time soon. First, you have to work on all elements of exposure. Second, practice practice practice; this does not mean practice with paid gigs. Ask friends to be your models for an afternoon while you shoot, then post the pics on here (yes, I am asking you to come back) and have your work critiqued. Last, ask lots and lots of questions. No matter what anyone says here, there is no such thing as a dumb question. (But there is a search bar, they'll get mad if you don't use that first, because chances are, it's been asked before.)

Your first wedding looks just like mine, and it makes me cringe to think back on those photos I did. Get your chin and camera up, do your research, and KEEP shooting.