Jump to content

My First Engagement Shoot--Critique Please


lovcom_photo

Recommended Posts

Dan, I'm sure the couple is very happy with their pics, you did a nice job. It's nice to see an older couple! Their love makes them seem young and you captured it well I think. I agree with Michael on the lens choice and the red. There are some technical points, as has been mentioned that need tweaking (although I'm a newbie myself and in no way qualified as is Michael and others, but I offer my kudos for your effort. Could you give the technical info? What flash/lighting did you use?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey all, thanks so much for your critiques. Very helpful to me. That distorted images was the result of using a fisheye 15mm F2.8 lens. The images is a crop of the much wider original.

 

I used the Canon 35mm F1.4L on most of those shots, a few with the Canon 50mm F1.4, and one or two with the fisheye.

 

I used a Canon 580ex flash, set at Hi-sync, stroboframe, shot Av, 100 ISO, RAW, and cloudy WB. Most shots at F5.6. Manfrotto Monopod utilized.

 

Location: Laguna Beach, California.

 

And yes, the people's red shirts/blouse really got blocked up in post-processing.

 

Thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will try and be as critical as I have been with my own engagement photography. I really liked the black and white with colored flower. I would have tried softening the flowers up a little bit to see how that looks. It seemed so sharp compared to the couple. This may have been the desired affect, if so it was done perfectly. I didn't like to see the flowers being held by the gentleman. I think he was holding them for her in one of the poses. In another they were growing out of his shoulder. That kind of stuff I notice ...mostly because I have done it before. Liked the location. The only other thing that might have made a big difference would be wardrobe which you have no control over. You can only hope they take your advise and show up with some color coordination. I felt the blue and red layers the gentleman decided to wear sort of took away from the photographs.

My favorite is the black and white you colored this is a great composition in my opinion and the couple looks great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My only critique is all the images look the same, the couple looking into the lens. Try to mix it up a bit and catch some shots of them walking, holding hands, being natural. Take some closeups and do some enviromantal shots. I would go with a 70-200 lens if you have one or even longer in some cases depending on the situation. I have a couple of engagement shots on my website to see. www.medinaphotography.com
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only thing I would add is to say that the B&W looks a bit flat in tonality.

 

Dan, I don't know if you've had any experience with shooting and printing B&W films, but

at least seeing a well printed B&W can give you a sense of what it should look like in terms

of tonality ... then you can have a benchmark to work to when making digital conversions.

 

Even when working in a wet darkroom, many printers had a match print to compare skin

tones, shadow areas and highlights. Working in digital gives you a nice range of selective

Channel Mixing to control tones.

 

While the final outcome is a matter of personal taste, here's an option that makes more of

the location, sky, skin tones ... and begins to demonstrate the tonal possibilities ... that in

the end are your call.<div>00FKma-28311284.jpg.4ee062b322a969f6e78646f1110f2f1b.jpg</div>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dan,

 

I agree with what Robert said. So many of the images are dead on center, staring straight ahead. You did a lot of horizontals of the couple, I assume to capture the lovely backgroud, yet the couple is dead center. I think it would be more interesting to have put them on the 1/3 as in the fish-eye shot, though the distortion was very unflattering to the bride in that one. O/W crop them square or shoot them vertical.

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...