My first wedding!

[William Michael]

<p>Yes it makes sense, thanks for answering.</p>

<p>WW</p>

[wes_bob]

<p>I would just like to touch on the flare subject.....Is it not possible that she wanted the flare? There a couple of big named studios which I won't mention that really utilize the the sun & flare to their advantage to give a very warm/sun washed feel (albeit executed differently).</p>

[nikkimoore]

<p>John - I had intentionally processed the photo to have a washed-out, faded look. The original is very close to your 'after' version. :) I do love warm, sunny faded images and so I often process my photos in that way. Probably not the ideal for a portfolio (which is why not all of them were like that), but still, I think, beautiful.</p>

[wes_bob]

<p>Nikki - I think if you learn to process them a little further and use the sun to your advantage when composing these types of images (always think full circle....What do you want the final product to look like?) they might come out a little nicer and processing like this might not throw some people off. Try shooting into the sun directly or through some trees about an hour or so before sunset & you will get natural flare which will blow this away</p>

[fuccisphotos]

<p>Nikki, some of these are looking much better, but one image is really jumping out at me that I would definitely remove from the bunch unless the bride loves it: #3 just seems really off. Because we only get a single eye and it's so off to the side, it looks strabismus-ey, and she looks like she's being gagged vs. #1 is MUCh better. #4 is BEAUTIFUL! 6 will be great if you crop out the water bottle. 7 is a nice real moment. 9 I would take out, she's being eaten by her dress. If her head were peaking out, this would be a good shot, the next one is interesting, kinda harsh, more of a statement about the pain the bride goes through on getting ready. 13 would have benefited from either more DOF so you could make out what she's holding, or just better placement of the necklace. 17 if the bouquet is the focus, give us more of the bouquet. With only a little of it available, and in focus, it makes it seem like your camera just focused on the wrong thing automatically. 19 VASTLY better processing! KUDOS!<br>

20, bride is in focus and so is the next girl, and kinda the next one, but the rest are not in focus. Try to think of the story this tells. We don't care about the girls in back being in focus??? When a shot like this is outside, stop down and get as much DOF as you can. Also, have them point their bouquet's more forward tilted, so that they aren't just holding them like pitch forks, shows off the bouquet's better too.<br>

21, if the groom was in focus I'd say the soft focus on the other girls would be ok, because they are moving, but overall just seems way too soft a focus for me to present to a client.<br>

22, you have essentially created the line up shot. here's the trick to these. If you insist on basically having everyone be in one line and not create more levels, you need to round the group or stop down fairly hard. Here's why. With a group that big, the distance to the front of your lens from the center of the group and the distance from the edges of the group to the front of your lens will be very different, putting them on different focal planes. So the trick to get everyone to be in focus is you have the center people step a little back and the side people a little front. basically like this illustration.<br>

(=group <=your camera<br>

( < <br>

Here in this photo again you'd see the benefit of them tilting their bouquet's forward. And for the guys, having their arms slack isn't the best. If they can put their hands in their pockets it will be more flattering.<br>

23, I'm thinking I am getting what you were trying to do here, but the execution was lacking a bit. If you are going to do the out of focus background people, I'd bring the groom closer to the group horizontally. It makes it like he's all there by himself instead of them being there to support him. <br>

24 & 25, j'ADORE!<br>

27 is a real moment there, I'd just PS out the mom's sunburn mark.<br>

28, if we saw just a smidgen of the top of her head or something like that, this image would probably work really well. he is just too turned away and not enough of her for my tastes. See image 32 for intimacy shot that DOES work well!<br>

29, love, would probably turn up the blacks just a bit so his suit didn't look so yellow-green cast.<br>

34, again I like it, but the tonal range, there are no black blacks in the shot. <br>

36 is just too highlight blown for me<br>

37 catches a great moment<br>

38 I don't think is flattering of the bride, who I do think is pretty. I try to never post unflaterring shots of a bride (or of people in general).<br>

39 CUTE<br>

43, like how it captures and the wind and colors are better<br>

45, ADORE!<br>

46 very nice!<br>

47 just looks like a oopsies shutter went off, I'd take it out<br>

48, having his head cut mid head and that thing look like it's floating from him, I wouldn't have kept in the reel<br>

50 I love the perspective, man your processing is a zillion times better this wedding<br>

53 feels too staged to me<br>

LOVE your receiving line shot<br>

58, I might suggest cropping out the groom, looks a little distracting that head in that upper corner<br>

59, still missing a black black<br>

61. looks a bit too CSI to me<br>

65. you have the tonal range right here. You see you have a white white and a black black. Good job.<br>

67 you can't see either person's face. Try to get at least one person's face in dance shots. Same problem with 71. It's hard, but if it's ok with the bride and groom (ask in advance) get in much closer and circle the dance floor. Get the angles you need. They will appreciate it later.<br>

I like the concept of 73, but again the tonal range needs to be fixed.<br>

74 is a great scene setter shot.<br>

75 just too much lack of distinction between her dress and the chairs for me<br>

76. like your cake shot!<br>

77. for cake sharing shots, it's really hard to get the right moment, but when both of them have their mouths open widest, is probably the least flattering angle possible. Try getting a shot of them with the cake in their hands just right before, rather than cake in mouth<br>

79 I feel like the bride looks like she's getting sick. I definitely wouldn't have that be the facebook album ender. Just delete it and end with the cake kiss.</p>

<p> </p>

[nikkimoore]

<p>Vail - you've done it again! Thank you so much. It is so helpful to have specific comments like yours. I've removed a few that you suggested. I do really need to take the time to remove the sunburn marks and stuff. And on #36, the highlights weren't blown initially but that's the way I processed it. Old habits...? But I do like the way it looks! About #21 with the groom and girls - I do have clearer ones with them all smiling into the camera, but I guess I would just rather have more emotion/authenticity than absolute clarity. It's my hope that one day I won't have to choose between the two, but...I guess I always pick the one that has more depth to it. People smiling into cameras really bore me...which probably accounts for my lack of vision on the posed shots. I am always up for inspiration and suggestions on fun group shots. I hate the lineup too. I did have some spare time with the bridesmaids and thus the fun jumping/peering out from the trees photos (which I really like). I know there is the idea of getting up high and looking down...but it seems like (depending on the outfits of course) you'd always be looking down some girl's dress! Thanks for the motivation to create some different setups.</p>

[fuccisphotos]

<p>Usually first talk to the bridal party to see if they have any ideas as to poses they want to do. Then after that, if they don't have anything, then try to be more creative yourself. I agree, just smiling into the camera shots can be quite boring, although you have to have a certain number of them for the Grandparents and Parents to have copies of to send in their Christmas cards, etc. Those aren't the ones you post on facebook though usually. For the emotion vs clarity, I totally get that. What I often do if for example it was a really good emotion, but the clarity isn't perfect, those are the ones I do an effect on, like say sepia tone it, or your old fashionedy filters on it. That way, it more looks like you meant to do it. Also what you provide the bride and groom and what you select from a wedding to put in your portfolio are 2 different things. Facebook is like a funky hybrid. Remember that other people will be looking at the shots so it is similar to your portfolio on your own website. Also, it's WAY easier to critique something than it is to get it right when you are shooting. By NO MEANS do I always get it right. Critiquing other's work helps me identify pitfalls that I could easily fall into myself, and helps me to strengthen my approach as well. So thanks for the opportunity to look at your stuff. If you want to see some of my recent work, check out this page from an Indian wedding I did recently. <a title="http://fuccisphotos.zenfolio.com/amolreshamawedding/slideshow" href="http://FuccisPhotos.zenfolio.com/amolreshamawedding/slideshow">http://FuccisPhotos.zenfolio.com/amolreshamawedding/slideshow</a></p>

[picturesque]

<p>Vail--technically, it is not necessary to bring the edges of a group closer in than the center for DOF reasons. Here's a previous thread.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00UpgT">http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00UpgT</a></p>

[nikkimoore]

<p>Vail - what a beautiful and interesting wedding. I love your choice of music...the soundtrack from Slumdog Millionaire is on my favorites list right now! So much color and emotion at the event...wonderful photos. I think photo #10 is great - lots of power in that one. And you have some great shots that appear to be in very low light - still very sharp!<br>

Nadine - thanks for the link, I've read up on that.</p>