Better Pictures if You Know the B & G?

[jenseay]

Hey Everyone,

 

In the past two weeks, I photographed two very different weddings - which led

me to ask myself a question, and I'd like to pose the question to all of you.

 

I'll start with the background: On June 17, I photographed a wedding that was

booked through a yacht company, and I didn't personally meet the bride and

groom until just before the ceremony. I photographed the wedding and reception,

and have great pictures for the couple, but nothing that I see as particularly

spectacular. Then, on June 24th, I photographed the wedding of one of my very

best friends. These pictures are amazing to me - I feel that I really captured

the emotion of the day, but because I know the couple so well, I really knew

what I was going after.

 

Here's the question: IS IT JUST MY IMAGINATION, OR DO I REALLY TAKE BETTER

PICTURES WHEN I KNOW THE COUPLE BETTER? DO YOU TAKE BETTER PICTURES WHEN YOU

KNOW THE COUPLE BETTER?

 

The picture below is from the June 24th wedding. Here are links to the two

weddings I'm talking about (each is a preview of my favorite 30 or so images):

 

June 17 http://jenseay.smugmug.com/gallery/1577680

 

June 24 http://jenseay.smugmug.com/gallery/1600928 (password is witt)

 

Jen<div></div>

[annealmasy]

From an outsider's point of view, I thought that both weddings were equally well-

photographed. Nice exposures, good composition, etc. Great work!

 

Probably you just have more of an emotional attachment to your friend's wedding.

 

I know that for myself, I always FEEL that the photos are better when they're of people I

really connected with and liked. When it's a couple I don't "click" with, I tend to have less

appreciation for the images, and I usually have a hard time picking the best ones out.

They're all just stale to me.

 

But like I said, I believe that's just the result of an emotional attachment to certain images/

shoots. Your skill seems consistent, regardless of the couple.

 

Cheers!

[fotografz]

I agree with the above poster. You probably react more emotionally to someone you know

well and care about on a personal level.

 

But you'll get beyond that after wedding #500 : -)

[jennifer valencia]

To me, both sets of pictures look equally nice (great job!)

 

But it's possible that you got better pictures for your friend than a stranger would have, because your comfort level allows you perhaps to get closer, joke a bit more, urge them into poses or positions more easily, or anticipate cute/funny moments.

 

I do not personally always get better pictures when I know the subject - it depends a lot on the subjects themselves, how photogenic they are, how comfortable they are, the lighting, etc. Once I took formal portraits of my mom and she was so nervous that they didn't turn out well at all, although I DEARLY love her and wanted so much to get good pics of her! (I'll have to try again...)

 

On the other hand, I think I get AWESOME pictures of my nieces & nephews because I am so comfortable getting down close to them, acting silly, directing them, etc -- more comfortable that I am with strangers.

 

I think your friend was lucky to have you there to shoot her wedding!

Jennifer

[brendon]

I thought you did great both days! Perhaps the light was a bit better on the 24th--was it overcast or later in the day? I really liked your posing of the groomsmen and bridesmaids in the shots rfom the 17th.

[jon jacobson]

It's also a two-way street. The B&G respond better to you if they already know you.

 

But that's not just for those you know personally.

 

Given the same personality type, we'll do better with a B&G after getting to know them for a few hours between the engagement shoot and consultations, than an out-of-towner we're meeting for the first time.

[imgnepc]

I do find, doing portrait shots, that I do better if I know the person. Not because of how they react to me, but because I know their insecurities and not so attractive features and find ways to work around them via shadowing and such...

[beckyh]

For what it is worth, I was confused and thought the first set was the couple that you knew and was agreeing that you had captured the emotion of the day. When I opened the second set, I realized my mistake! I think you did a marvelous job with both weddings. Your friend's pictures probably elicit more of an emotional response from you because you have emotional ties to the people. I'm sure the other set do the same for those close to that wedding. Great work!