One from a recent wedding I shot...

[Vtec44]

This was in the bathroom waiting hall... It was tight so I had to use a wide angle = distortion at close range.

 

[tirediron]

That's a great shot! Yeah, some definite distortion in there, but I'm sure that it could be reduced with a little careful application of the PS Distortion filter, and even if not, it's still a great shot, and I'm willing to be the couple doesn't notice the leaning walls. Well done!

 

[curtyoungblood]

It is a nice shot, but I find the photos on the wall behind them really distracting.

 

[Vtec44]

Thanks, tirediron.

Curtyoungblood, funny I was expecting someone to say that. lol

 

[frommrstomommy]

Nice. The art behind is slightly distracting for me as well, but I feel like the room wouldn't make sense if it were plain solid walls studio style.

 

[tirediron]

Nice. The art behind is slightly distracting for me as well, but I feel like the room wouldn't make sense if it were plain solid walls studio style.

This, exactly! To me, the photographs on the wall give the image some substance, and are one of the features that make the image as strong as it is!

 

[curtyoungblood]

well, it isn't just that the art in the background is there that bothers me. I think it is placed in the photo poorly, and in a way that accentuates its ability to distract. The art on the right side cuts through the groom in really strange ways. There's just a little bit of a corner of one piece sticking out of his shoulder and the edge of the top piece on that side is REALLY close to the side of his ear. In fact, you can see the bottom corner of it over his shoulder. If you're going to include it, you need to do it in a way that make sense and looks purposeful. Right now, it looks like it was an afterthought or something you didn't notice/consider.

Also, and I admit that this is a bit nit-picky, but if you get far enough to be really distracted by the art, there's a blank wall on the right side. I can see it in the photo, which just makes me think, "man, that wall doesn't have any art and totally could have been used". That may or may not be true, but that's how the photo reads to me.

 

[Vtec44]

To each their own a I guess. I intentionally place them in under the over head light, that was lighting the frames, and use that to light the background, then the main light was in a small soft box to mimic the natural lighting. Too bad wide angle lens couldn't blur out the background enough even at f2.8. The lighting would not be the same on the other walls plus I wouldn't be able to get a full body shot, plus it's bland and boring. It doesn't matter how you place the subjects in front of 4 bright small frames with black borders, it will be slightly distracting and there will always be something wrong and un-purposeful. In the context of this picture, the frames suppose to add a bit of glamour to the whole picture. A more balanced composition to me would be the frames on either side of the subjects.

I guess this is why art is subjective. Do you look at the little details or the picture as a whole? Will the mood of picture as a whole be strong enough to overcome the distractions?

 

[tirediron]

Looking at it again, I think it might work better if you eliminated the potlight in the ceiling; I like the light coming from it, but not so much seeing the light itself.

 

[curtyoungblood]

It doesn't matter how you place the subjects in front of 4 bright small frames with black borders, it will be slightly distracting and there will always be something wrong and un-purposeful.

I disagree. There are varying levels of distractedness in a photo, and the precise positioning of 4 little white frames makes a big difference on how distracting they are. If you had him move a half-step to the right, then the bottom right piece would have disappeared and his head would be completely framed by the other piece's frame. You could have had him move a step to the left, which would have put him in the middle, and given a nice symmetry to the art. This second option would have also given you the ability to get rid of that door frame on the right.

There's also a lot of dead space in this portrait, particularly at the top. I understand that you needed to shoot at a wide angle because you wanted a full body shot, but you did not need to shoot this wide.

 

[Vtec44]

If you had him move a half-step to the right then the bottom right piece would have disappeared and his head would be completely framed by the other piece's frame.

Then you have his white under shirt growing out of her head.

You could have had him move a step to the left, which would have put him in the middle, and given a nice symmetry to the art. This second option would have also given you the ability to get rid of that door frame on the right.

Then you have two sticks growing out of his head.

I think the best option would have been to remove the two frames on the right but a little too late now. lol

There's also a lot of dead space in this portrait, particularly at the top. I understand that you needed to shoot at a wide angle because you wanted a full body shot, but you did not need to shoot this wide.

I agree with the negative space and the symmetry in the picture though... gonna go back and clone more stuff to the left side

 

[curtyoungblood]

Then you have two sticks growing out of his head.

I think the best option would have been to remove the two frames on the right but a little too late now. lol

I think that having two frames coming out of a more central location in his head would be less distracting. I may be wrong, but I think having him centrally located wouldn't be as distracting.

I agree with the negative space and the symmetry in the picture though... gonna go back and clone more stuff to the left side

Personally, and we're definitely getting more into stylistic preferences now, I think all the space up top is wasted too, and I would just crop down.