My first solo wedding ~ Would REALLY like C&C!

[Lacey Anne]

So I shot this wedding last weekend. It was on the beach, very casual. A friend of a friend. They weren't going to hire a photographer because they couldn't afford one and the mutual friend asked if I would do it for them. I jumped on the chance just for the experience. There was no pressure and we didn't do any posed shots. Perfect atmosphere for my first time. The bride was beautiful, the groom cried and the whole ceremony was on the beach with ocean as the backdrop. So, here are a few of my shots. Please, I've never shot this kind of thing before and I need the C&C. You can be as harsh as you like, I have my big girl panties on.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

 

[manderb1]

These images are beautiful. I really like number one, its so soft and beautiful, exactly how a bride should be.

 

[Lacey Anne]

#2 is my favorite! #5 is really cute too. I wish she wasn't looking that far down in #1...

Good job!

Thanks! I have another that shows more of her face too.

 

[Lacey Anne]

These images are beautiful. I really like number one, its so soft and beautiful, exactly how a bride should be.

Thank you!

 

[kellylindseyphotography]

Lacey, these are mostly good to my eyes. It looks like you may have missed focus or exposure in a few, (trying to catch a moment and in the rush may have not hit the nail on the head? may have left your fstop too open on some?)

#2 is fabulous!

 

[Lacey Anne]

Lacey, these are mostly good to my eyes. It looks like you may have missed focus or exposure in a few, (trying to catch a moment and in the rush may have not hit the nail on the head? may have left your fstop too open on some?)

#2 is fabulous!

They are sharper on my versions. But For some of the pres, I was shooting with my 50mm and I have to manually focus that so at f/1.8 I think I didn't give myself enough wiggle room. I was wondering who would notice. Should have guessed you! lol! Yeah, in the future I'll definately stop down the aperature a little more. I did like f/ 4.5 on the beach and that seemed right. I got the bride and groom both in focus and blurred out the trashiness on the beach. I have a bunch more like #2 so I'm totally excited about that though!

 

[kellylindseyphotography]

Oh I hear ya. Also are you back button focusing? That has helped me to nail focus like AMAZINGLY. Its super simple and is so much better than focus, recompose. It really helps in situations where you are using 1.8 aperatures. Although, I did a teen shot the other day and decided to go 1.8 the whole way through.. ugh. big mistake. I then went home and searched and searched on focusing and found the best combination seems tobe BBF along with AIServo. And I;ve had 2 shoots since then and I seriously notice a big improvement!!

I'd love to see more of this session, I think your realyl improving!

 

[Lacey Anne]

Oh I hear ya. Also are you back button focusing? That has helped me to nail focus like AMAZINGLY. Its super simple and is so much better than focus, recompose. It really helps in situations where you are using 1.8 aperatures. Although, I did a teen shot the other day and decided to go 1.8 the whole way through.. ugh. big mistake. I then went home and searched and searched on focusing and found the best combination seems tobe BBF along with AIServo. And I;ve had 2 shoots since then and I seriously notice a big improvement!!

I'd love to see more of this session, I think your realyl improving!

Back button focusing confuses. If you could point to me a good tut I'd be forever grateful. I did focus and recompose for all of these. I'll post a few more of the ceremony on the beach after I process them. Thanks for the encouragement, Kelly. I'm going to do a then and now post soon from when I joined this forum. It amazes me how much I've learned!

 

[Lacey Anne]

Ok, a few more:

#8

#9

#10

 

[NateS]

I agree that the focus is a bit off on many of these but your composition is excellent in my opinion. Only thing is on the first photo of the second set I would have perferred the "dead" space to be in front of them rather than behind them.

Use a smaller aperture for more DOF combined with your great composition and I think you could do really well with wedding photography. (at least to my eyes)

 

[kellylindseyphotography]

Love 9 and 10. I think 9 has a red or magenta cast.

What kind of camera do you have? I might be able to walk you through it. Its so simple, doesn't require a tutorial. You just have to find the option in your menu of your camera thats for advanced features, and set it. Then you use the * button on the back of your camera to lock the focus and not the shutter button. Once its locked you can maneuver your camera any which way and then click the shutter button once your set. For some reason, this alternative nails the focus way more than focus/recompose does.

 

[Terri Walsh]

great shots for your first wedding I think! Way to go!

Kelly I too am interested in this BFF. I am shooting my first wedding this weekend, and that might come in handy as I too find that to be a problem of mine sometimes.

 

[tirediron]

Seems everyone's beaten me to all the good stuff... Seriously though, aside from comments noted by others, really nice work! I especially like #1; wedding pic or not that is a beautiful portrait. Well done! :thumbup:

 

[Richard]

Overall great job! I think the client will be pleased.

 

[Lacey Anne]

Kelly, thanks. I'm going to dredge out my manual again and figure it out.

Thanks to everyone for the C&C, for all your comments. I have seriously learned SO MUCH from you all here. I credit this forum for every bit I've grown in the past six months. It is so exciting for me to watch my work get better and I know it's because of the valuable C&C I've gotten here.