Critical opinions sought
Discussion
First, good luck. It's a competitive industry now, and I suspect half your success will be down to how well you market, network and sell yourself...and in particular you up-sell after you've got the contract.
Image 1 - Reframe ~25% across to the left - get rid of the distracting brickwork on the RHS, move the bride in from the very edge of the image. I'd also over-expose slightly as they're wearing dark clothes. Maybe vignette it also, see if that works?
Image 2 - background too 'busy'? Your eye isn't drawn to any one place.
Image 3 - weird one as the lamp-post makes it look on the skew, but they're upright. Wonder if a taller image would have worked better as you've cropped their feet off / no lead-in from the path. Alternatively a tighter crop - maybe a square image from the central 50%?
Image 4 - as above, ensure you've got the whole arch in / centre it up.
Agree also on fill-flash for the closer images, and in fact most of GravelBen's post.
Image 7 - HAS to be a low-angle shot, and would work better if they were walking along a path, or if they'd left clear footprints in the grass maybe?
Image 8 - lacks punch / anything dramatic in the image.
Image 9 - same here. You've not got a classically-beautiful / dramatic setting but you've not got their eyes in the shot either.
Image 10 - agree with above - a tighter crop would be better. I'd lose the top-1/3rd of the image, make it a (rough) mirror with their reflection, and tighten in the sides (so she's just right of centre and he's 1/4-way in or so from the RHS)
Final thoughts:-
- All except #5 look like they'd stand an extra 1/3 to 1/2-stop of exposure.
- Try using the framing tools in Ps/Lr/whatever you use - put them on a white background, maybe with a black border, as you'd probably see them printed out. That will make them look more professional / less like 'snaps' straight away.
Itsallicanafford said:
I am not a pro, but my thoughts:-
Image 1 - Reframe ~25% across to the left - get rid of the distracting brickwork on the RHS, move the bride in from the very edge of the image. I'd also over-expose slightly as they're wearing dark clothes. Maybe vignette it also, see if that works?
Image 2 - background too 'busy'? Your eye isn't drawn to any one place.
Image 3 - weird one as the lamp-post makes it look on the skew, but they're upright. Wonder if a taller image would have worked better as you've cropped their feet off / no lead-in from the path. Alternatively a tighter crop - maybe a square image from the central 50%?
Image 4 - as above, ensure you've got the whole arch in / centre it up.
Agree also on fill-flash for the closer images, and in fact most of GravelBen's post.
Itsallicanafford said:
Image 6 - Again, VERY busy background. I see what you're trying to do, but it works better with #1 where most of it is blurred
Image 7 - HAS to be a low-angle shot, and would work better if they were walking along a path, or if they'd left clear footprints in the grass maybe?
Image 8 - lacks punch / anything dramatic in the image.
Image 9 - same here. You've not got a classically-beautiful / dramatic setting but you've not got their eyes in the shot either.
Image 10 - agree with above - a tighter crop would be better. I'd lose the top-1/3rd of the image, make it a (rough) mirror with their reflection, and tighten in the sides (so she's just right of centre and he's 1/4-way in or so from the RHS)
Final thoughts:-
- All except #5 look like they'd stand an extra 1/3 to 1/2-stop of exposure.
- Try using the framing tools in Ps/Lr/whatever you use - put them on a white background, maybe with a black border, as you'd probably see them printed out. That will make them look more professional / less like 'snaps' straight away.
^^ Havoc, thanks for the detailed analysis, I really do appreciate it, should have replied earlier, hectic bh weekend.
Some great points raised here, It feels like a re-edit is required as I have quite a few variations on each shot so can scan through them and make adjustments. Next session is booked late April so will invest a bit more time in these images before I have new images.
Many thanks again
Some great points raised here, It feels like a re-edit is required as I have quite a few variations on each shot so can scan through them and make adjustments. Next session is booked late April so will invest a bit more time in these images before I have new images.
Many thanks again
Your images are for the most part 'correctly' exposed.
Wedding togs always blow the highlights to smithereens for a 'high key' look which most punters like.
Wedding photography is unlike any other genre and I hate it as It's 5% photographic ability and 95% people skills and I am emphatically not a people person!
There are a multitude of wedding presets available so you can batch edit, but to me It's all about the levels and curves.
Best of luck in your journey.
Wedding togs always blow the highlights to smithereens for a 'high key' look which most punters like.
Wedding photography is unlike any other genre and I hate it as It's 5% photographic ability and 95% people skills and I am emphatically not a people person!
There are a multitude of wedding presets available so you can batch edit, but to me It's all about the levels and curves.
Best of luck in your journey.
It’s much more than 5% ability. Much more. It’s a well-worn trope but it’s not true. You’re dealing with so many variables, most of which are outside your control and many of which require instant decisions around light, composition, position, timing and so on. Then throw in 100 or so other variables (guests) and weather and you’ll soon find out how much you need to manage and work with.
For the OP there’s a lack of punch to the images and some of that is down to the time of day I suspect. I’d also try to look for more separation between subject and background to avoid the one-dimensional look you’re seeing here. The composition isn’t that interesting either. Look for some lead lines, use the backgrounds more sympathetically and I’d want more interaction between the subjects.
Pro wedding photographer for 17 years and now approaching my 700th wedding.
For the OP there’s a lack of punch to the images and some of that is down to the time of day I suspect. I’d also try to look for more separation between subject and background to avoid the one-dimensional look you’re seeing here. The composition isn’t that interesting either. Look for some lead lines, use the backgrounds more sympathetically and I’d want more interaction between the subjects.
Pro wedding photographer for 17 years and now approaching my 700th wedding.
Benzinaio said:
Your images are for the most part 'correctly' exposed.
Wedding togs always blow the highlights to smithereens for a 'high key' look which most punters like.
Wedding photography is unlike any other genre and I hate it as It's 5% photographic ability and 95% people skills and I am emphatically not a people person!
There are a multitude of wedding presets available so you can batch edit, but to me It's all about the levels and curves.
Best of luck in your journey.
Classically trained professionals can regard wedding photographers as a lower form of life, yet avoid photographing weddings themselves because it's too difficult...Wedding togs always blow the highlights to smithereens for a 'high key' look which most punters like.
Wedding photography is unlike any other genre and I hate it as It's 5% photographic ability and 95% people skills and I am emphatically not a people person!
There are a multitude of wedding presets available so you can batch edit, but to me It's all about the levels and curves.
Best of luck in your journey.
Levels and curves, yes. What else are we missing?
Batch editing wedding photos would be doomed to failure; mine were all processed individually in C1 Pro and PS. Because every photo is different.
Chasing Potatoes said:
Then throw in 100 or so other variables (guests) and weather and you’ll soon find out how much you need to manage and work with.
I'm not a pro or a wedding 'tog, and I'd second this. Photographing people I find far harder than photographing cars, planes, landscapes or even animals.If you're on the clock and (in a sense) "in the way", I can imagine the pressure adds too...
k me that chin is whopper
Chasing Potatoes said:
It’s much more than 5% ability. Much more. It’s a well-worn trope but it’s not true. You’re dealing with so many variables, most of which are outside your control and many of which require instant decisions around light, composition, position, timing and so on. Then throw in 100 or so other variables (guests) and weather and you’ll soon find out how much you need to manage and work with.
For the OP there’s a lack of punch to the images and some of that is down to the time of day I suspect. I’d also try to look for more separation between subject and background to avoid the one-dimensional look you’re seeing here. The composition isn’t that interesting either. Look for some lead lines, use the backgrounds more sympathetically and I’d want more interaction between the subjects.
Pro wedding photographer for 17 years and now approaching my 700th wedding.
Many thanks for these comments, much appreciated. I am actively scouting out new locations for my next shoot with friends later this month, will look for more depth in the compositions, hoping to keep improving with each session, lots to learn. Thanks again for the response For the OP there’s a lack of punch to the images and some of that is down to the time of day I suspect. I’d also try to look for more separation between subject and background to avoid the one-dimensional look you’re seeing here. The composition isn’t that interesting either. Look for some lead lines, use the backgrounds more sympathetically and I’d want more interaction between the subjects.
Pro wedding photographer for 17 years and now approaching my 700th wedding.
Itsallicanafford said:
Many thanks for these comments, much appreciated. I am actively scouting out new locations for my next shoot with friends later this month, will look for more depth in the compositions, hoping to keep improving with each session, lots to learn. Thanks again for the response
Good stuff. It’s a case of finding your own voice as well. None of us are born knowing this stuff and lots of trial and error is involved. Don’t be afraid to experiment and for things to not work. Itsallicanafford said:
Chaps, please keep things respectful, these are friends posing for these images and doing me a huge favour, thanks in advance
I overstepped the mark with (what I thought at the time) a funny quip.Edited by Itsallicanafford on Sunday 7th April 16:41
I'm out of order and a bellend. Apologies
Edited by lord trumpton on Sunday 7th April 18:21
Simpo Two said:
Classically trained professionals can regard wedding photographers as a lower form of life, yet avoid photographing weddings themselves because it's too difficult...
That’s a rather sweeping statement! All forms of professional photography have their difficulties and challenges.
In my photographic career I’ve always avoided doing weddings, not because they were too difficult
but because I found them the most unsatisfying and least challenging of all the photographic disciplines I’ve worked in.
I certainly don’t look down on all wedding photographers; the photographer I chose to shoot my son’s wedding was superb and I certainly couldn’t have achieved what he did, but most of the wedding photography I’ve seen has been pretty indifferent, but I suppose has satisfied the lay clients.
lord trumpton said:
Itsallicanafford said:
Chaps, please keep things respectful, these are friends posing for these images and doing me a huge favour, thanks in advance
I overstepped the mark with (what I thought at the time) a funny quip.Edited by Itsallicanafford on Sunday 7th April 16:41
I'm out of order and a bellend. Apologies
Edited by lord trumpton on Sunday 7th April 18:21
Elderly said:
Simpo Two said:
Classically trained professionals can regard wedding photographers as a lower form of life, yet avoid photographing weddings themselves because it's too difficult...
That’s a rather sweeping statement!
I was responding to Benzinaio, who dropped in out of nowhere and left what came across as a rather sniffy remark.
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