karina_a

Thanks Syed!

Thanks so much Julie. He does have a beautiful face doesn't he - he looks so kind. I am glad you enjoyed. India has so many beautiful colours - I wish I could go back now, knowing a little more (photographically) than I did when I was there last time - I guess that is always the way : )

Thank you again Barry! It is nice to be back home and able to spend a bit of time on PN - it is such a great source of inspiration and support from lovely people like you.

Thank you for your lovely comment Barry! Have been away for some time so only got it just now. Look forward to checking out your work too! Warm regards

Hi Raymond. Sorry I am only replying to this now - I have been away for some time. Thank you for your lovely and very helpful comments! Much appreciated. I look forward to checking out your pics soon!. Warm regards

Gorgeous shot Dave. Lovely tone & composition. I love it when there is a bit of action from the elements - makes for some movement and drama.

Hi Cindy, This will be a lovely shot when you get it down. The one thing I think it is missing apart from light is warmth of tone, which I don't think flash will give you (however I could be wrong - I am just an amateur, & am not the person to ask about flash - will leave that to others). But some other ideas:

 

I agree - reflectors may be the go if you have someone who will hold one for you, and they are pretty cheap (perhaps a gold one to add some warmth? Again - there are people who know a lot more about this than me).

 

If you really want a great shot of her on her own, then try a few different options (now & on the day): this pose with reflectors; a different place near a window; outdoor full-length poses with a couple of different backdrops - you may even find there is an outdoor area like the front steps of the church where you can still have the train running down the steps which is lovely, and hopefully it has a nice stone texture to the wall or a nice door as background - & then you have a similar pose, but with light(hopefully with some lovely warm light - try a shoot now at the same time of day if you can to see where the nice light might be); a few different types of poses & expressions (& a range of formal/informal - the one that works the best may not be the one you are expecting - I like the reflective look, but a slight smile might be interesting too); if you have a film camera you can borrow to use as a 2nd camera - put some fast film 1600 or even 3200 (the grain is a matter of taste, but I love it, and it gives a classic look) - this won't be your main approach, but you might score a couple of great shots with it, and it will give you extra light, and it is important to have a backup camera anyway (I agree with what someone else said about the Rebel - I have one, and have learnt the hard way that over 400 ISO doesn't blow up very well. One more thought - is there any way you can still have her central without the dove looking like it is pecking heer head?

 

Just a few different ideas from an amateur. Good luck, and well done for practicing before hand. Love to see some images after the wedding.

I Love this shot. Very classic, 60's Fellini feel.

Lovely composition and framing with the ice

Lovely shot

Lovely capture!

Fantastic portrait Amar, I love it. 7/7

Thanks for your lovely comments Rune. I wondered what was in their minds too. They live simple lives, but perhaps are happy for it. They certainly had immense dignity.

I am enjoying the movement of the veil in the wind, as well as their pose; I would love to see a close-up crop of this.

Lovely composition, lighting, smile & she's very pretty - lovely shot. 6/6

Gorgeous, subtle and quiet - I love it.

Thanks Kevin!

Kevin's message encouraged me to put this one up. Critiques &

Ratings much appreciated (please leave suggestions if giving low

ratings so I can learn). Thanks so much for your time!

Hi Kevin, Thanks for your very lovely comments. I love his face too. India has so many interesting and kind faces with stories to tell - I was in heaven. I have a closeup of this on my screensaver, and I do like it that way - will pop it into my folder soon, but mayhaps you have encouraged me to put this one up for further critique. I am touched you want to grow a massive beard in honour of this photo (it is some beard isn't it) - we want to see pics ; ) Thanks again! Karina

Hi Amar, Thanks so much for taking the time to play with this. I agree it looks much better lighter, and I think you may have decreased the grain too? Anyway it looks much better. I must try redoing it myself less dark & less grainy. Did you use curves, or the brightness button?

 

I am a sucker for grainy 3200 B&W film (used in the right context on the right kind of shot), so there I am shooting on my new digital in India & Europe for 2 months, using 1600 for low light, not realising it's not such a great idea on the 300D (perhaps I should have used my EOS 50 & at least known what I was dealing with, but you know - new toys); and then on top of that I add grain in PS (maybe too much caffeine that day : )) I am very new to PS as well, so still learning the basics - a steep learning curve. Just got a film scanner, so looking fwd to playing with PS and film as well. Will put some more shots up soon.

 

This is also just a straight desaturation, as I have only just realised there are better ways to convert to B&W. Ah - so much to learn - hopefully I get back to places like this once I have learnt more. Thanks again for your nice comments & help, much appreciated!

Hi Kevin, I think the colour in a b&w shot is just a personal taste thing. I am generally not into it, but some people love it (I am told lots of clients do) so I guess your clients would tell you which way they fall, and so long as you don't do it to every photo it can be good. Here you have done it well - it just isn't my thing. It's otherwise a lovely shot. Not sure why the pro was so upset so long as you were staying out of his/her way & using a zoom & only taking a couple & not distracting the couples attention. Anyway - nice shot.

Lovely light, composition & intimacy

Hi Rune, I do think this works much better than the colour version, and it really brings attention back to the bride (for my money) - really works well. I wonder if you could get a bit more detail in her dress in PS - on my monitor it is a bit blown out, but could just be my monitor. Otherwise looks great.

I agree Clemson that the drama & interest was inside the door, but just wondering whether the choice of whether you would want more focus on that might be depending on whether the drama was one the bride might not wish to remember; and also whether the photo is for her or for a portfolio. I just think if I were the bride, and just before I walked into the church for my wedding something stressful was happening, I wouldn't want to remember it so much as remembering being about to be married. Just a thought, but I agree that otherwise this would be the case, and I could be wrong anyway. I guess Runa will have more of an understanding of the context.

I like seeing this moment just before it all happens. I would have liked to see a tiny bit more of her face, but still like the shapes and feeling. I would really like to see this in black and white to see if it takes away the factor of the eye being drawn by the bright yello & blue dresses, and the feeling that something is happening (possibly even going wrong) with the woman in the yellow dress looking like she is grabbing the other womans arm urgently. Perhaps in B&W the focus would be back on the bride, & if that didn't work, I wonder what it would look like if you blacked the other women out altogether? Overall I like it though.