helped a pro today

[kevin_lindeque]

So after all your advice i got in touch with a local pro and offered my services

for free.

 

I did learn a lot but realised what so many of you have been saying regarding

difficult shoots, it was in a large atrium type room no flashes alowed i took

400 shots and when i got back home and checked them out there isnt 1 "wow" shot.

 

What would i have done if i was the main photographer and they had paid me to

record their special day.

 

I thought i was a fair photographer today i have been brought back down to earth

with a bang

 

I have got a lot to learn and it will be a long while before i ever try this on

my own.

 

Thanks again for the advice

 

i will keep on learning and one day i will venture out on my own.<div></div>

[nstock]

Great experience tho wasn't it?

 

I learned how to ride horseback and my first horse show brought me down out of the clouds too. I was 13 at the time. A bit of humble pie does one of two things:

You throw your hands in the air and quit (I would NOT suggest this).

 

You go back home and get advice and work like hell with a winner until you are one too. I do advise this second approach!

 

Good luck and keep on posting so we can keep harassing you until you are better than all of us and making twice as much $$.

 

At that point we will be asking YOU for advice. ;)

[merle_white]

Kevin,

 

I'll never forget, nor do I wish to really remember the first portrait session I did.

 

Nancy, Great advice. Kevin you are going to walk away from this experience a quiter or a winner if you are willing to work at it.

 

The first thing you did was right, you looked at your work objectively. Now if you can look at your future work and always try to improve upon it, Then you have what it takes to be successful.

 

Good Shooting to ya !!

 

Merle

[larry schaefer - chicago,]

Harassment. Here?

[zofia]

...love to see your example but it's huge. Keep in mind the 511 pixels rule, and re-post it for

the rest of us to see!

Glad you had a good day, any learning day is a good day. Z

[jfr]

Wow, you're really pushing this forward. It speaks well off your willingness to learn and work that you're going so fast.

Just keep going, I'm sure you'll get there!

[kevin_lindeque]

sorry about the 511 pixel rule, i will re post<div></div>

[nstock]

The problem here is that you have too many stops of difference between the highlights and the shadows. Film or digital capture cannot handle what the eye can see. This photo needs the contrast reduced. The light on her veil is completely blown out and the shadow on her face is too dark. The capture media cannot handle it all and tends to expose for the middle.

 

You can reduce the contrast by adding flash (to fill the shadows) or decrease the highlights by shooting in the shade. Shooting in the shade is recommended and this is a good example of why. However, when shooting candid photos (PJ if you will) you cannot have 'em do it over in the shade, so you have to add fill light with flash. Flash is intrusive and if it alters the candid nature of the shot then the candid nature of the image is ruined. Of course the third alternative is to recognize the lighting and issues and NOT TAKE THE PHOTO. Not taking a shot is a perfectly acceptable solution.

 

As to composition the post/frame coming out of his head bothers me but it might not be so eye drawing if you could see her expression.

 

Digital media is like shooting reversal film. You expose for the highlights. In this case, if you had exposed for the highlight on the veil, the rest of the photo would be so dark as to be indiscernable.

[buckry]

My "wow" shots never sell anyway. The brides and grooms think they're artsy and they usually don't want any part of them. My favorite shots end up in my online gallery and in a special album, and some get framed for display. The shots that I think are boring are the ones that clients buy. So chances are your wedding shots are perfectly adequate for the bride and groom. You'll never know unless you ask them what they think.

[kevin_lindeque]

Ryan thats a great bit of advice, i got loads of "ordinary" shots which they would probably love<div></div>

[nstock]

This shot would likely be a keeper but it could be improved. Shoot vertical with only two ppl in the shot.

 

Turn her a little to her right so her body is not quite so perpendicular to the camera and this will eliminate the wrinkles in her neck (and add grace to her look).

 

Quite honestly if you get two or three WOW!!! shots in any wedding you are doing very well. A lot of the work is quite repetitive because the scenario is. You will get the same shots week after week (even PJ shots) with different players. It is hard work to find the unique in a play which often follows the same script but with different actors.

 

The truly great photographers in this business are great for a reason. I am not one of them and I am wise enough to know this.

[conraderb]

kevin - sounds liek a learning experience. the first 100 rolls I ever shot could be called that :-)