WEDDING CRITIQUE OF THE WEEK 7/9/09 - AKA WEDDING PHOTO OF THE WEEK -

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=3874304">Kristina Hill</a></p>

<p>The recipient of this week's critique.<br>

In your critiques - Include what you would do to improve the shot or why the shot is perfect as it is and why. Remember that this is not a contest. Sometimes an image will be a winning image and sometimes an image that needs some help. Try not to just say "great shot" but explain why it works. Or - "Doesn't do it for me" without explaining why.<br /> <br /> The photographer up for critique for this week should remember that the comments expressed each week are simply "opinions" and the effort and focus of these threads are to learn and to take images to another level. There will be times where the critique is simply members pointing out why the shot works which is also a way for others to learn about what aspects contribute to a good wedding photo. In reading all critiques -- You may agree or disagree with some points of view - but remember that there are varying approaches and often no right or wrong answer.<br /> Thanks to all that have contributed to these threads. There are some awsome photos being uploaded.</p><div></div>

<p>This picture was beautifully executed. Looks like a Sandals beach vacation ad. I have no criticisms, love it.</p>

<p>Thanks! This was my first destination wedding and my first trash the dress session. At most times I had that 'I'm flying by the seat of my pants' feeling in my tummy. I'm excited for feedbacks and critiques!</p>

<p>I took you image, rotated and cropped it with the horizon much more level and I like the results better...but that is just me.</p>

<p>The changed the horizon line of it - in a perfect world I would have loved to see it fromt he water side... I think that would have been amazing -</p><div></div>

<p>I agree - seeing it from the water side would have been awesome.  If only I had had a second shooter with me!  The bride's sister videoed it from a paddle boat on the water side - it looked amazing. I agree about the cropping/horizon - looks cleaner.  Thanks!</p>

<p>I like the pre-color enhanced version better, but it's all about personal preference. Amazing shot either way!</p>

<p>I'd like to see this as the last shot in an album... Parting shot... In that light - to me - it's the perfect perspective... The couple was clearly 'into" doing this which is great because you feel the celebration of the moment. </p>

<p>I would give Francie's enhanced image with the corrected horizon a go in black & white. The idea is just amazing...</p>

<p>Actually sepia would look amazing also.</p>

<p>Imagine that being shot with a wide angle, you situated belly flat on the ramp aiming the lens angled up to them, just somewhat behind them (the posts not getting in the way). Shoot away! Then more punch in the tones and contrast in post.</p>

<p>Good shot, 99% of brides would never do that !!</p>

<p>I like the shot, but I would add crop, color saturation, contrast, vignette and edit out the distracting background elements.<br>

<img src="http://www.maximphotostudio.net/photo.net/Jumpers-fix.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="550" /></p>

<p>Good energy, plenty of fun.....I like it. Well exposed and in focus. I gave it my usual PS tweak and some subtle changes below. I think this would make a great closing shot in an album as Mary suggested. I can't imagine converting to B&W considering the amazing clear blue sky and blue ocean. It's unfortunate that the groom had already gotten his pants wet but I doubt the photographer had any control over that.</p><div></div>

<p>Well, I love the shot, too. My initial thought was it might have been just a tad too cold and might have even more vavoom if it were a hair warmer. But, that's really it. And even that critique is certainly not a make-or-break type thing...more just an initial thought.</p>

<p>I like the composition, but I have to admit I would have shot it in horizontal orientation, but, again, that's me. I think it still works as is, but I would have shot it horizontally to get the span of the horizon; might have given it a more "grandious" feel.</p>

<p>The tilt of the horizon line doesn't bother me; in fact, I think I like it off-set. It implies more motion and movement.</p>

<p>Overall, excellent shot and the couple was lucky to have you for their day! Great job!</p>

<p>I wouldn't tweak it TOO much in PS...some of the tweaks have left the B&G looking either too "muddled" (if that makes sense) or even too blue. I like Francie's tweak the best.</p>

Wish I could get a bride and groom to do this! I think this image is considered one of those once in a lifetime shots! Way to go! Needless to say use it alot for advertising and of course on your website. You may also want to publish it in some wedding magazines, or even in WPPI or something. It's really a wonderful image.

 

I like the cropped factor by Francie, to make the image a bit straighter, but there's really nothing wrong with the origanal.

 

By the way do you have any "After," images of them wet? I'd love to see some of those!

<p>OK, I just couldn't help myself. I had to get in on the tweak session. :-D</p>

<p>Bumped the color temp up a bit, made it warmer. Bumped the contrast and saturation a tad. Finally, slightly closer crop.</p>

<p>But, that said, I still say the original works amazingly well. And, for the record, this monitor I'm working from has a lab-specific calibration and what I see might not be what you see.</p>

<p>Anyhow...good on ya. Awesome shot!</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Brilliant shot... in terms of tweaking, I like what Michael Brown posted just above me here. I always find it interesting that so many people want to straighten the horizon... I prefer the tilt of the original shot... but again that's all personal taste and none of it is wrong!</p>

<p>Great shot... cheers!</p>

<p>I find that "less is more" when it comes to shots like this. Images with vibrant content need very little in the way of processing. They tend to stand on their own. But, we've all taken some real stinkers in our day (at least, I humbly admit to it) that need some oomph injected into them. Fortunately, this isn't one of those shots.</p>

<p>My golden rule for PS is <em>just because you can doesn't mean you should</em> .</p>

<p>I do like the warmer skin tones, and the wood is even warmer.</p>

<p>I'd love to do more trash-the-dress sessions! Doesn't happen that much in my area, though. Too conservative. :-D</p>

<p>I prefer the image as it is - it just screams "grab shot" with no time to straighten horizon or whatever. I say to all the editors that have played with this, leave it the way it is, the original looks best !</p>

<p>Excellent catch. Nice timing, perfect framing, Thanks for posting it.</p>

<p>Color tweak somewhere between yours and Michael's may help just tad (Michael's is a bit to red IMO). </p>

<p> </p>

<p>My normal, first instinct would of course be to straighten the horizon, but not after seeing the versions with straight horizons. The whole thing is just a bit off-kilter, and the leaning horizon fits that well. The off-vertical pillars add to it, as does everything else that's not *quite* square, but certainly not parallel, either. Indeed, the whole composition is fantastic. It's close to symmetrical, even down to the two boats and the positioning of their legs. But, again, it's not quite, and in a way that gives the picture lots of energy.</p>

<p>The whole effect is saying to me, ``Here's a young couple who're having loads of fun together and they don't give much of a damn what's going on around them. They're an almost-perfect match for each other, but nothing's *that* perfect.'' It's a great riff on the whole ``for better or worse'' theme.</p>

<p>My only suggestions would be very subtle post-processing and tweaking. The white balance is too cool or my taste; Michael's got it much closer. I think I'd spend a lot of time in Camera Raw tweaking the two sliders until the dress was as absolutely neutral as possible. That should oh-by-the-way get the sky looking less dirty, and the sea looking more real.</p>

<p>Next, I'd pay a lot of attention to global and local contrast. The whole scene could use just a bit more ``pop,'' but the bride's upper right...um...cheek...is blown out, and her hair is blocked. You can probably recover those details while still enhancing overall contrast. It'll take a lot of time and effort. But, for this shot...oh, yeah. For this shot, it's more than worth it.</p>

<p>Congratulations!</p>

<p>Cheers,</p>

<p>b&</p>

<p>An outstanding capture! </p>

<p>Peter, I basically agree with your fine critique. However, a little tweaking isn't a bad thing.</p>

<p>My only "complaint," IT'S NOT MY IMAGE:-)</p>

<p>Thanks for sharing,</p>

<p>Richard</p>

<p>Is this for real??? Surely--I keep thinking--this is a joke that I'm a little slow in getting. <br>

No offense intended to the photographer if the event depicted in the photo really happened at a real wedding, so I'm not trying to call the photographer a faker, or a liar. I just keep thinking (after viewing this image several times this morning) that it's meant to be a joke--or at least it's openly a *staged* shot for a wedding magazine, and most of the responders to this post are aware of that, and only someone who occasionally reads the wedding threads isn't familiar with the photographer's purposes.<br>

I keep looking at the photo and thinking: "OK, if it's staged, how was it done?" It certainly appears that the edge of the brides dress is behind the pier pillar, but on closer inspection, it's difficult to tell, and a little cloning could create that impression. A long telephoto would compress distance perspective and make it appear that the couple were leaping off the pier, when they were actually a few feet back from the edge and had merely leaped straight up into the air and then landed back on the pier. Then I read the thread again, and think "No, it's supposed to be an actual event."<br>

But then why would a bride ruin her precious, expensive wedding dress??? Presumably, the reception has ended, but isn't she about to depart on her honeymoon trip (as soon as she changes clothes)--and why would she want a water-logged hairdo, after spending all that time at the hair stylist's earlier that day (so that she could look nice not only for that day but the next day as well)??? Isn't the groom still wearing his watch? OK, so it's waterproof--but why not take a moment to remove it if you are about to leap into water? Am I the only one struggling with these questions?<br>

However the image was taken--a real event, or a staged one--it's a great shot!</p>

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