memecafe

wait another flash one! "can she turn her darn flash off in here? it is like the 4th of july!"

 

I wasn't even shooting a lot at the time...and we were inside a very dark reception hall at night.

Ed...how about this one.. "someone tell her that her flash is pointing up! The photos will all be dark!"

ok, so my last wedding the bride's mom was not too hot on her hiring a photographer. She figured that everyone's disposabes combined would make a fine album, I guess. Before the wedding started I was standing next to the bride and her mom, getting some candid sweet moments of them together. I also was getting some beautiful shots of her alone with her flowers. The mom starts to take photos of her daughter and insists I move because "I need to have photos of my daughter on her wedding day!" when her camera stops working...out of batteries. She is upset and says RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, "Well, I hope SOMEONE else brougt a camera!" I am standing there with about $10,00 on my neck and waist...I just laugh a little and assure her that I will take good care of it for her and not to worry.

by the way, I don't mean to insult anyone who has 3200 shots posted. Josh's photo looks nice, but how does it look enlarged? I guess sometimes you are forced to do it but I would really try to avoid it.

don't go to 3200. With any camera. Get a mono pod and slow the shuterspeed a little so you can lower the ISO. Some may disagree, but I think 3200 ISO looks like crap. Is it really going to be pitch balck at 4pm? I think you will be ok till about 6. With the flood light thru the stained glass I think you will be able to pull this off. Plus, it is x-mas eve, you have plenty of time to go there and test it out! I try to go before an event like this if I am worried or unsure. Even for a low paying gig. When I first moved here 6 months ago I had never been in a huge old cathedral and how no idea how to shoot in one, so I went and practiced. I would do the same here.

Please tell me your process used when editing the photos where the skin tone is off. You did something really weird here, but if you saved the raw files you should be ok. Please delete these photos and start fresh with the unedited photos! Please post an UNEDITED photo so we can see where your W/B issue is. Still, no matter what your W/B issue is, you still did something wrong in the post-process becuause W/B has nothing to do with the weird textures you have. My email is: nyc_photography@yahoo.com Write to me there, and I will give you some actions that will help because based on what I see here, it will be easier for you to just use plug-ins. But next time, do not shoot a wedding until you have become a more experienced photographer, free or not it is still someone's wedding and the photos just can't be bad.

The exposure problems you are having are from not having the experience and training you need. You must know your camera like the back of your hand, and NEVER over-expose. Once you become able to shoot in any lighting situation without over-exposing or blowing out a background, and you get your W/B consistantly right, and your comp is looking hot 85% of the time and your images are pretty much always sharp...THEN go assist a professional for a while before shooting your own wedding. But don't practice these things on actual weddings;)

this is a photo of a very tall groom and a ery short bride I shot, I cropped in close to hide it.

www.chemitryandlight.com GREAT QUALITY, very personal service and FAST turn around. Talk to Peter ;)

you can have him spread his legs and her on tip toes (or not) This will bring him down a bit. Also you can bring a posing block. Or just get creative, the other posters all had awesome ideas. Don't forget about off-setting, have her stand close to you and put him in the background.

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DO NOT GIVE THEM THE IMAGES! I think all photographer need to stand together on this one.

 

Always batch rename your "keepers" so that they have consecutive file numbering. This way the client can not immediatly notice missing photos, unless they remember a specific shot that you didn't include for what ever reason. In that case, just tell them taht the lighting was not favorable or they blinked (which will probably be the truth!)AND THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY DELETED THE UNSABLE IMAGES. Do not tell them that you took 1000 photos, people who are not familiar with what you go through as a photographer will assume they should get more than 300 out of 1000. (and out of 1000 you might try to get more usable shots next time, maybe you are duplicating the same shot too many times?)

 

I am dealing with a simlar situation myself...I did a TFP shoot recently, and the guy is bugging me for "all of the raw images." I provided him with almost 100 processed photos on high res DVD for no charge, yet he still wants the rest of the unedited images. The ones I did not give him were held back for a reason, and I will not part with work that is unnaceptable by my standards. Besides, what the heck does he want with RAW photos? He has no way of processing them, or even opening them on his computer.

 

In my experience, the less money a client pays for a gig the less respect they have for you and the more entitled they behave. If you are being treated like this, then you probably aren't charging enough. And like karina said, include something in your contract next time so there is no arguement.<div></div>

Wow you guy rock. All my questions answered.

And as for the banding (posterization):

The origional photo has a completely overexposed WHITE sky, so it was darkened with a soft black brush at opacity 30, and some burning later on. After I did this, I then made the selective color layer and messed with the tones. This is when I see the posterization happen.

I fixed it by selectivly desaturating the purple colors and then bringing back the rest of the image with history brush. A better way to fix this?

next, the tree is backlit so I get the lighting is having an affect on the tree, but this doesn't look right to me. Not to mention the purple again.

Ok first I am having an issue with this ugly purple outline on my image. I only shot with this camera for a short time and I am not having this problem with my 5D. i don't know, but I think it was something to do with the D50 I was using? Correct if I am wrong.

 

Example:

ok I will put up some before and afters in a little while (working now).

 

I started to disect it a little, and most of it occurs when I am using a selective color layer.

 

thank you guys for helping.

I wouldn't do it. You are not prepared, even if you have the equipment rented. Are you going to rent the equipment in advance so you can shoot with it before hand? You say you are used to everything being automated, so I think these are things to consider. Everyone starts somewhere, and I am not saying I am the best photographer...I just think you would benefit from assisting a professional for a while before attempting to shoot as a primary, let alone sole photographer in a wedding.

 

If you do it, I wish you the best! But just be clear about your experience level to the couple before hand. If they can't afford a photographer then this is a good chance to get your feet wet.

 

Also, try to learn the time-line of your wedding. Find out what they will be doing and when. Are they having a unity candle? Are they reading their own vows? How long is the ceremony? When will you have time to get other perspectives without missing the needed close shots?

 

 

And another tip...you need to coach the couple. Even in photojournalistic wedding photography a lot is posed (posed photojournalism). Some tips you can give them BEFORE the wedding to help the photos are:

 

Tell them to keep their heads up and walk slowley. When people are nervous they tend to look down and rush! BAD for photos!

 

Have them put the rings on slowley and tell them not to hide the rings. This is not considered obvious to the couple, you need to tell them. Have them put the ring on half way, pause, then the rest of the way. Get in close for the shot.

 

Try to see if they can arrange for no other photography during the ceremony. Otherwise you will have uncle joe standing in the isle with his rebel runing all of your shots. And flashes firing off will ruin your photos. People will usually NOT obey this request, but it takes the burdon off of you if you warn them.

 

Don't over-expose her dress EVER. You will lose all detail she paid a lot for. It is better to under expose the whole scene a tad and deal with it later. Shoot in RAW your first time.

I am getting banding (look above the tree for worst) Why? This is an old photo

I took with a nikon D50, but I did shoot in RAW so I can't imagine the photo

could turn out this bad. Also, I use this process on other photos and I never

get this banding. But every time I try to process this image it turns out like

this. Should I just junk it or can anyone help me fix it?<div></div>

Eddy, thanks for your input...and by the way I just spent the last 20 minues loking at photos of Jordan...I feel like I know her now she is SO adorable!

 

Thanks to everyone else with their input, I think I have decided to go with bludomain...I understand the possible risks, but I will take the chance since the price is SO low (right now their $800 sites are $400) and the finished products that I have seen have been very nice. Hopefully my experience is good, either way I will be letting everyone know how it went.

 

xoxo

Stacy

just a note, I did NOT take any photos of him yet, I am not sure who to give the photo credit to for the ones you see.

I have the opportunity to photograph a performer at Coney Island. He is

awesome...I have a couple ideas but I would love some suggestions from you guys!

 

This is him:

http://www.myspace.com/christmcdaniel

I posted a request for critique in "digital darkroom" and the administrator moved the thread here to CC. I don't think people should just post anything here, but if you have a specific need for suggestions then it is fine. I need help improving my photoshop specifically with "dragan" type processes, and if I am not getting the feedback I need on the critique forum then I will ask in a more specific forum and people have been responding positivly with useful advice.

 

I would hope the CC forum does not become overrun by people saying "look at me! Look at me!" but when posting in the critique forum fails then it is sometimes necessary to post here.

Thanks everyone...still not sure what I am going to do but your comments are helpful.

Just be nice and let her know your prices? is it a secret anyway? Who cares if she knows? And if she is a wedding photog in your area there is no reason to burn a bridge. We all started somewhere and though lying is not the nicest way to get info there is no need to start drama over it. maybe let her know you figured her out, but then give her the info. Don't you hve the price on your website? She probably admires your work, so let's not embarress her.