Shelly; Bridal portraits

eclipse13 · 03-18-2009, 22:15

I don't think that I've ever posted anything in here, but I am an amatuer photographer trying to learn and progress. Feel free to critique and comment.

I'm going to be editing these over the next week or so. I'll post some of the better ones here. Here are a few to start, the best are yet to come.

MrsKitty · 03-19-2009, 17:33

He, he. She looks like she is floating away she's so happy in that last one.

On the first, is it oriented correctly, or are all the lines playing with me? It seems tilted, but it may be me? Also, she has something metal growing out of her head in this one.

It looks like you could have gotten these without flash. You had plenty of wiggle room with your ISO and shutter speeds. Are you shooting on full auto?

The whites in her dress are blown--that's why there are no details: textures, shadows, etc. This is very common with white wedding dresses (and even more common when you add in the groom in black next to her). Weddings are harder to meter for but that's how you get the details in the whites and the blacks.

All in all, not bad.

eclipse13 · 03-19-2009, 18:45

I shot some of them on aperture priority and some on programmable auto. ISO at 200. I was using a Nikon D50 with a SB800 flash. All of these I used the flash for but throughout the shoot I got some without. I am aware of the blown out dress and I'm trying to fix it. It is hard to make it looks normal though. Everything I do makes it obvious, at least to me, that it has been photoshopped.

Now I'm going to go fix the metal thing coming out of her head.

I appreciate all of the comments.

nipperwolf · 03-19-2009, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by misskitty5077

Also, she has something metal growing out of her head in this one.

In the retail/resteraunt industry, it's "location, location, location".

In the photography business, it's "background, background, background"

MrsKitty · 03-21-2009, 13:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by nipperwolf

In the retail/resteraunt industry, it's "location, location, location".

In the photography business, it's "background, background, background"

Remember the shot I did with the spikey plant growing out of the guy's shoulder with the bass?

MrsKitty · 03-21-2009, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse13

Everything I do makes it obvious, at least to me, that it has been photoshopped.

I can't offer any advice there. My PS skills are crap. I can't make changes and it look natural either.

airmotive · 03-21-2009, 23:27

Sure I'll play along. I'm always asking folks to critique my work so it's time I give back.

#1 Waay too much space above her head. The result is she looks somewhat dwarfen. (with a metal thing coming out of her head). It's a bridal shot, not an architectural shot. Get in there close to the bride and get that nice smile. Open up the aperature to narrow the depth of field so the building behind her is an afterthought, not competing to be part of the show.

#2 Much better framing but the building is still distracting. The flowers add a nice touch of color to what would otherwise by an almost entirely black and white shot. Perhaps adjust the color saturation waay down so that the only color is a hint of red coming from the roses. Even better if you're much closer to the bride and roses.

#3...Stand on the bench next to her and shoot down with her looking up, with only the greenery behind her...again, with the aperature wide open. (I'm trying to come up with ideas to help you use the building as a set, without the building becoming distracting)

#4 Best effort. Just needs cropping (yes, the window and cracked cement)

Jeez, after reading this it sounds like I'm berating your shooting. I'm not!
Of all the photos I've ever asked people to C&C, I've only had one that escaped criticism. All the rest I learned from.

eclipse13 · 03-24-2009, 20:23

A few more