First wedding - 19 photo's - 56Kers beware!

[Ockie]

As the title of this topic says this was my first time shooting a wedding.
It was also my first time shooting with my new flash (first one besides my built-in flash).
Anyhow, I went together with the "hired" photographer, so the poses of the couple are all her & her assistants idea.
I learned a lot, which was my goal for today.

I was a bit slow on the ceremony part, so no shots of that really...

Anyhow, here they come (in a couple of posts):

Bride or grooms house:

1. Their son:

2. Shoes:

3.

4.

5. last make-up before "formals" at her house - while posting I'm realizing image is a bit on the green side, besides that on full-res her skin doesn't look like plastic:

6. Obligatory window photo:

7. "Formals" (more to come in a nicer place), more fill flash needed:

8.

Critique is very welcome as I still need to learn a lot (a lot more than I thought before the wedding)

Arriving and at the church:

9.

10.

11.

12. I wish this one was a bit sharper...

13.

14.

After the ceremony, at a very nice garden, specially made for these kind of occasions. It was a bit crazy there, since there were like 6 couples there taking their wedding photo's / videos.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

I have a lot more, these are the first 19 I more less processed (some of them - specially the last ones - are nearly straight out of the camera). I might post more tomorrow if you are interested.

 

[THORHAMMER]

i feel terrible for the hired guy.

you flashed all his shots ?

 

[Ockie]

i feel terrible for the hired guy.

you flashed all his shots ?

Hmmm, I'm confused, how should I interpret the part that you feel terrible for the hired photog?
I know I wasn't in her way / ruining her shots as I nearly was in one shot and she didn't doubt making it clear to me, as I asked her a couple of times before the wedding to do as it was my first time and I didn't want to a) annoy her b)be the cause that the married couple would get worse photo's than if I hadn't been there


Besides that :blushing:, what do you mean with did I flash all her shots?
She was using flash too (better setup than mine, 2 off camera flashes + assistant holding a small light beam).


PS: the hired photographer was a woman

 

[THORHAMMER]

it means even though you meant well,

following her around and using your flash makes her job a nightmare. i wonderhow many shots were underexposed and or overexposed that SHE took cause your flash killed or confused her flash.

If thats the deal you guys worked out its cool, im not saying you did it on purpose, but I would not shoot a wedding if someone was going to follow me around and shoot with a flash.

without a flash, its ok.

sounds like you were trying to help, im sure they appreciate it !!

just giving you the other point of view.

your shots are sharp and full of emotion BTW.

 

[Ockie]

thanks for clearing that up, and also thanks for saying that about the flash, I didn't know that my flash could do that... I'll have to double check it when I give her the photo's I took that more less came out good in a couple of days... just to be sure for the next time.

 

[Parago]

thanks for clearing that up, and also thanks for saying that about the flash, I didn't know that my flash could do that... I'll have to double check it when I give her the photo's I took that more less came out good in a couple of days... just to be sure for the next time.

You're giving her the images you took? Was that part of the deal also?

I agree with the other commenter on sharpness and emotion; even the staged pictures don't seem over-staged, if you know what I mean but I guess that really is the hired photographers accomplishment, aye?

One thing on the 'obligatory window shot': More face, hell, even more window in this case but definitely less bulge would have been a little nicer IMHO
If you're working with bigger subjects, you need to 'get in there' and turn 'em, twist 'em, stretch 'em.. whatever it takes to minimize bulges, bumps and number of chins.. don't be shy.

Oh also.. not loving the black vignette.. way too drastic IMO. It's wedding pictures - not funeral shots.

Good luck for next time; I hope you'll find another hired photographer who's as cool as this one was - I wouldn't allow it either; you usually get enough 'entourage' during a wedding shoot anyways, even without 'official permission' for self-declared start-up shutterbugs. No offense.. I'm just sayin'..

 

[Ockie]

You're giving her the images you took? Was that part of the deal also?

We didn't really talk about it before, but during the wedding it came up and well, honestly I don't think she'll use much, but I'll give them anyhow, its the least I can do.

One thing on the 'obligatory window shot': More face, hell, even more window in this case but definitely less bulge would have been a little nicer IMHO
If you're working with bigger subjects, you need to 'get in there' and turn 'em, twist 'em, stretch 'em.. whatever it takes to minimize bulges, bumps and number of chins.. don't be shy.

Thanks for pointing that out, the main photog will most probably have the good angle for this shot, but I wanted to try to get it too, even though the angle is not the correct one

Oh also.. not loving the black vignette.. way too drastic IMO. It's wedding pictures - not funeral shots.

Hmm,

Good luck for next time; I hope you'll find another hired photographer who's as cool as this one was - I wouldn't allow it either; you usually get enough 'entourage' during a wedding shoot anyways, even without 'official permission' for self-declared start-up shutterbugs. No offense.. I'm just sayin'..

I understand, but I'm glad she doesn't think that way
I'd like to point out one thing though, when I was shooting I waited in 99% of the times for her flash to fire, I pressed the shutter as soon as my reflexes acted after her shutter to not interfere with her shots, I'm not sure if she realized it or not, I'll ask her as soon as I bring her the CD

 

[Parago]

I understand, but I'm glad she doesn't think that way
I'd like to point out one thing though, when I was shooting I waited in 99% of the times for her flash to fire, I pressed the shutter as soon as my reflexes acted after her shutter to not interfere with her shots, I'm not sure if she realized it or not, I'll ask her as soon as I bring her the CD

How long has she been shooting weddings?

See.. the problem I have with 'entourage' (people who follow around and take pictures) is that, sometimes the subject will be confused as to what camera to look at and I just don't have the patience of constantly reminding them 'hey, it's me.. the person you're paying to take your pictures, you should be looking at!!', you know?

I've had people wait behind me until I was done posing the couple/the subject and then run in front of me to get my angle on the shot - and let me tell ya - that's when it stops being funny..

Like I said, I'm happy for you you got that opportunity; I don't think you should give her the images you took tho. But that's just me.

 

[Ockie]

How long has she been shooting weddings?

I'm not sure, but my guess is around 3 - 4 years.

See.. the problem I have with 'entourage' (people who follow around and take pictures) is that, sometimes the subject will be confused as to what camera to look at and I just don't have the patience of constantly reminding them 'hey, it's me.. the person you're paying to take your pictures, you should be looking at!!', you know?

Well, she made it clear to the couple in the beginning of the day that they should only look at her, and I'm glad they did

I've had people wait behind me until I was done posing the couple/the subject and then run in front of me to get my angle on the shot - and let me tell ya - that's when it stops being funny..

Hmm, except perhaps a couple of the posed shots where I was standing next to her I should've gotten quite different angles from her shots


Thanks for the comments & tips btw :hug::

 

[STICKMAN]

Ran in to this problem with my wedding. we hired a husband and wife team to do our photos. Over all they more then pleased us, shooting an extra 2-300 photos for no extra charge. However at our park scene they were both working at the same time and for a few shots some of us are each looking at different cameras, which in turn ruined the shots IMO. But hay if the church & family allow it, got to learn somehow right. I had a cousin that shot at the same time in our church, her shots were as good as the pro and caused no harm. In the end the photographer sated your cousin has a great eye, i can tell.
I am as new as new can get, so not one to give advice. Just thought i'd share my wedding issue.

 

[lilysmom]

I really, really like #9.

It's a shame, though, that they're all squinty for some of the outside pictures.