lori_b.

<p>Thanks Bob, for taking an interest in my photos! In regards to white balance, while my photos are underexposed, the color cast is true to the environment. I wonder if this will be more evident in a better exposed image? The pictures I posted are unedited, converted from RAW. I usually keep my white balance setting on auto, and always shoot in RAW. In going back to play with the editing of these photos, the only color issue I found was that the grooms face was too red, something I also see in Bob's edit, but I did like it brigtened up. What I also saw was what Nadine was talking about with the noise being brought out. Another point taken.</p>

<p>Nadine, your tip about opening up the apeture is taken. I had hesitated to go as large as I could because of the DOF. I had not thought about the distance makeing a difference. Little did I know getting into photography that so much dreaded numbers, ratios and math could be involved! lol! When you talk about the metering, I am embarassed to say I don't know! Working in P, S, or A modes I know the difference between camera matrix metering and camera spot metering and have used that with some success in tough lighting situations. Sometimes I will take the settings for P mode and use that as a starting point when usuing M mode. I do not know how the metering works in M mode. I don't have a seperate metering device. Ah, to the camera book I go....Did I mention that the d700 is fairly new to me?<br>

As for the posing, YES! I agree that only classic formal poses will work for this couple. It suits their personalities and their age. I have been looking into this and think I have a handle on it. What I may do for the first few shots is let it flow and see what they give me. These might may end being the more "creative" formal shots.</p>

<p>All of your info and discussions are not only "Wedding 101" for me, but a great learning opportunity for me to use the info in any situation. My ultimate goal is be a professional in shooting children and families, this wedding business may be my first and last! But who knows? I will look forward to a scathing critique of the finished wedding photos. </p>

 

<p>Theresa - Thanks for the reminder of the shot list. I have been working on one of my own, going step by step through the day, but I willmake sure to get the bride to write down her must get shots, especially of people.</p>

<p>Alan - Thanks so much for writing down all that info! Yes, some basics but good to review. I like to wide angle for the interest it can give to some shots but will keep in mind the distortion. I also appreciate the pointers on the lens hood, as I don't normally like to use it.</p>

<p>Nadine - Yes, I agree that my samples are underexposed. I hate that their faces are dark. The bride is firm about no flash during the ceremony so I will have to find a way to bring up the exposure. I know I can push the ISO even more on the d700. I am also going to try working in differnt modes and bumping up the exposure compensation. I think my biggest fear and what I consider to be unacceptable is blurry or OOF images. So if I nail that but need to work on exposure in PP it will be ok. But of course my goal is a to get the best shot possible straight out of the camera. I have decided that I WILL use a bounced/diffused flash during the processional and the recssional. You have given some great pointers, especially about the outdoor pictures. thanks! I will be looking into the posing books as well. I have been looking at hundreds of wedding pictures, but all except the most formal do not seem to fit this couple.</p>

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<p>The rest of the practice shots are in a gallery folder in my portfolio. Thanks again for your help!</p>

<p>Hello! I am looking for your support/encouragement, advice, critique, words of wisdom and or suggestions about a wedding I have coming up. This is my first time to shoot a wedding, at the request of a friend. The couple knows I am not a professional and that I have not done this before. Her comments to me when I explained my limitations were "Its ok, we know you can do it! We love your other pictures". A nice compliment, but unrealistic when it comes to wedding photography. I agreed to take the pictures mainly because this has turned into a "church event" wedding, meaning many different members of the church (which is my church!) are volunteering, doing things like the decorations, food, readings, etc. It is a low budget affair, and me taking the pictures fit right in. I know that low budget or not, this is a special day for them and when it is said and done all they have left are the memories and the pictures. I am determined to do this in a professional way to the best of my ability, which is why I am looking for your help. They are paying me $250.00.<br />Last Saturday I went to the church to get some practice shots in the sanctuary. I didn't know they were coming, but the bride and groom showed up to go over some things, so my husband as model was off the hook and I was able to get some practice shots with the B&G. They have no wedding party and no one will be standing up with them. They have requested no flash and no movement down the aisles during the ceremony. Moving around the perimiter is ok. She wants lots of candids in a journalistic style. I am posting some shots for your consideration. Please feel free to discuss any aspect of them. I have another chance to practice the day before the wedding as she has asked me to come and take some snaps as the ladies of the church get things set up. <br />I am also interested in ideas for poses for formal shots. We will take some in the sanctuary after the ceremony and then move to a memorial garden outside. The wedding is at 10:00am. Outside shots will be around 11:30 in EXTREME bright sunlight reflecting off of white walls. (Arizona with no clouds in sight!) The brunch reception is in a fluoresent lit, white walled fellowship hall. There is an open invitation for anyone in the congregation to attend.<br />The equipment I will have that day is:<br />Nikon D700 with D80 as back up<br />my husband (non photog) to assist - carry photo bag, help change lenses, be an extra set of eyes<br />Lens: 70-200mm, 2.8 (rented), 14-24mm, 2.8 (rented), 50mm1.8, 60mm macro 2.8,<br />The d/80 will be set up with the 18-200mm<br />1 sb600, one softbox type diffuser attachment, one plastic diffuser, one 32" white and silver reflector<br />tripod, lots of batteries and memory</p>

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<p>Thanks for sharing those! I am shooting a much smaller wedding (for the first time), for a friend in October and am trolling the forums looking for advice and ideas. I will be using a d700 and renting the 70-200VR so it was nice to see these. Your images are very nice. You have some real gems in there, especially in the candids. I did have a good laugh at the "lil gangsta", as David Shilling called him. I don't know if you missed that or not, but it is a good lesson (to me anyway) that you have to be aware of all the details. </p>

<p>Mr. Boring,<br />First of all I will agree with the others, listen to your wife! Going into their personal space will get you labeled as a "creeper" by the teens them self. I work with teens in a youth group setting and have learned quite a bit about what works and what doesn't in relating to them. With teens and photos, (especially girls) I have found that it is all about how they <em>think</em> they look. You can take the most beautiful, technically correct photo with a beautiful smile by the model, but if she doesn't like her smile, or thinks one hair is out of place, or that she noticed that one nostril looks bigger than the other, she will HATE the picture. And believe me she will notice things you can't even see. Nothing mom or you can say will change her mind. That is why they will post awful, blurry, blown out photos on their myspace/facebook - all that matters is how they look. So take lots of pictures and show the shots as you take them and ask her opinion about what she thinks are her best features. Also with photos, I have found that it is important to have some element of cool. This may come in the form of poses, or their choice of outfit, or the location or background. Ask her what she wants her pictures to look like. (You may have to put aside any preconceived notions about what you think senior pictures should look like.) If she thinks you have a pulse on what is current or hip she will trust you more as her photographer. So looking at magazines like <em>Seventeen</em> is a great suggestion! Ask her to show you pictures from the magazines or of her friends that she likes. Ask what she likes about them, it might be different than what you would say. If there is any tension with mom over these things, use humor and do some the way mom likes (probably more traditional) and the way the teen wants. To make the session fun, music is a good idea and so is having her bring a good friend along. This works for the shy ones as well as the more confident teens. In the end, teens want pictures that make them feel great about themselves, are original, and will be noticed by their peers. If she loves them, the minute she has a digital copy of her pictures she will post it on her myspace/facebook to show them off and to get comments from her friends. And you may get many referals!<br />Good luck!</p>

<p>Hi Michael, I like the over all look to the site, with the black background and bold accent colors for some of pages. It loads pretty quick and the pictures look good. I have a slight problem with the navigation. On your intro page you have titles below the pictures that led me to assume that if I clicked on that picture I would see "Kiddos" for instance. Many websites that have intros like that lead you to clearly defined, almost seperate sites for weddings or senior portraits, etc. I didn't like that not only was I not led to the "kiddos" I really had to hunt to find them once on the main site. I looked at "beautiful souls" thinking that might be the kids and found adult models. The menu titles are confusing, I thought "love" and "life" would be a portfolio. And then I was confused as to why "beautiful souls" was not listed with the other portfolios. As a customer I don't want to waste any time having to interpret or figure out a website. <br>

I am not against music on a website but the mellow acoustic songs did not seem to evoke the emotions of the pictures or match the energy of the site, so I did turn it off. BTW, I had no trouble finding the music controls and prefer the kind you used that tells you the name of the song and allows you to skip to the next one.</p>