My First Wedding C&C welcome

[Mark101]

Got asked by my neighbor to do her wedding.Church was very very small no lights but did have a few windows and it was in the late afternoon.Im very nervous to see what they think of these.Thanks for looking
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_MAL0312 by lifthard1, on Flickr
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_MAL0309 by lifthard1, on Flickr
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_MAL0311 by lifthard1, on Flickr

 

[actionshooter]

First suggestion is to number these to make it easier for people to comment. I'm assuming that you have several basic color shots? Personally I don't mind a couple of processed images such as sepia and reduced saturation but feel it can be over done if too many images are that way.

 

[Mark101]

THanks so much Randy

 

[Pupator]

Weddings are really important events and people shouldn't just ask friends, family, and neighbors to shoot them. Their expectations are too high; as are the stakes. But - I know they do. And wanting to be nice we always say yes (even when we shouldn't).

So here's some serious C&C on each image - if you weren't really looking for honest critique don't read the rest of this post.

1) This is the best image of the group by far. Because of that, I'd put some extra time into really doing it right. Make this a lifetime keeper. Clone out the speaker in the back. Crop it a bit tighter on the left to get rid of that random pew leg. Do selective exposure reduction on the blown out windows. I'd probably even clone out the white haired woman in front of the window. It'd be great if you could do something about the disinterested looking people on the front row, but I don't think you can. It might be worth trying some really tight crops though.

2) Needs to be straightened. It needs to lose the red color cast. It needs the exposure boosted but it also needs either less noise or an intentional film-grain look.

3) Is that selective coloring or some other weird processing? The people with blue/green shirts look like aliens. The flower-girl making a face is very distracting. Perhaps crop tighter, add a vignette and certainly do away with the weird green color cast (look at her dress from the waist down - that should be white).

4) Throw it away. What is this a picture of? Her right breast? (I know it's supposed to be the hands but you aren't at the right angle.)

5) Terribly uneven lighting. She's not looking at the camera yet she's got a fake photo smile on. Throw it away.

6) An excellent picture of the bride. I'd probably crop tighter again. The light on her face is fantastic. The light reflecting off the bald guy's head is not. (And what's the deal with that disinterested woman in the front row? Someone should have sat her in the back!)

If she knew what she was getting (an inexperienced wedding photographer) then she shouldn't be disappointed. Don't show them too many images. Keep only your best work, post-process it well, and present them with a very small but good portfolio of shots.

 

[actionshooter]

Here is my general thoughts (while probably not worth much):

1. Looks almost antique except the speaker stand in the back. I would consider a tighter crop to move the focus the bride and groom. The negative space to the left of the groom doesn't do much for me.

2. I like the composition, but would like to see more light on her.

3. Is the brides eyes open?

4. I like the color, but I'm honestly not sure what the "point" is of this one.

5. Would love to see this one in full color and not desaturated.

6. Like this one. Perhaps would like to see their hands more, but the focus is on the brides loving expression so it works as is.

Your eye is pretty good, I'm not sold on the PP.

 

[actionshooter]

Funny Paul must have been typing at the same time!

 

[Electromen]

Mark,
Did you shoot RAW?
I'm not a fan of the processing. For me, I prefer full natural color.

 

[Mark101]

Mark,
Did you shoot RAW?
I'm not a fan of the processing. For me, I prefer full natural color.

Yes I shot RAW

 

[mrluilou]

not bad for your first wedding ! at least they aren't blurry :biggrin: i suggest to redo the editing on the photos and i'm sure you'll be happier w/ the results.

 

[lightp8nter]

Mark -

First, I would like to provide feedback from the perspective of the B/G - they should be pleased. These are way better than Uncle Bob and his camera could have done.

Technically the above comments are valid. Sometimes (often) its a good idea to put your work in full screen slide show mode and just watch it cycle a few times. In the heat of battle (editing) its easy to focus on one aspect like getting a nice sepia effect and missing a detail like the speaker.

While some additional editing can improve, I would also say that you have a good eye for shots. I really like the Bride in the foyer. Make sure you go back and lighten her.

Just remember, shooting your first wedding is like jumping off the high dive - you can only claim to be brave if you do it a second time.

 

[Mark101]

thxs to everyone im going to go back and redo some of the shots

 

[Electromen]

Yes I shot RAW

Which software are you using?

 

[Mark101]

Which software are you using?

LR3,PSE9 and some Nik plugins for LR3

 

[stayathomedad]

Note - I have not read the replies yet and I'm not a "pro" wedding photographer (I've only shot 12 weddings).

1. Needs to be cropped tighter. I would try to remove the doorway and/or remove the speaker via a crop (vertical crop perhaps?). Just a touch too soft… what was your clarity setting?

2. I would pick a different split tone color… Too reddish pink for my taste… Also I would try a tighter crop…

3. Tighter crop to remove at least the little girl's face

4. Tighter crop… try vertical as well… the OOF leaves are nice, but too distracting….

5. Tighter crop again… just slightly… A bit too washed out for my taste, but if you want to keep it that way, then make her dress pop just a bit more…

6. Tighter crop by removing the upper right corner

 

[stayathomedad]

Would you be willing to share the original RAW files so that we (anyone on this thread) can edit them to give you examples of what direction others would take the images in if they were processing one of their weddings? I would be more then happy to give it a shot on these 6 images if I had access to the RAW files...

 

[Electromen]

LR3,PSE9 and some Nik plugins for LR3

Here are my suggestions for color in LR3 with NEF.

In Develop module:
Create a virtual copy (right click > Create Virtual Copy, then Reset the copy only. This will keep your adjustments on the first copy.

First under Camera Calibration
1. Set Profile to Camera D2X Mode 1

Under Basic;
2. Adjust the Exposure, watch the Histogram as you adjust or you can click and drag directly on the Histogram to adjust sections of it. You can also right click on the Histogram and check "Show Clipping". On the photo, red will indicate blown highlights and blue will indicate blacks with under eposure.

3. Select the color picker (eyedropper) and choose a white spot on a shirt or dress. This will get the White Balance close. Try several spots until you're happy.

4. Contrast = +30... default should be +25

5. Clarity = +18 If the photo is high ISO you may want to go lower if Clarity introduces noise.

6. Vibrance = +12

7. Saturation = +3

This should give you a good starting point for any photo with people.

 

[Mark101]

THanks GReg.One more question is there anyway on a W7 machine to move your pics once they are in a folder.I know on XP you could click and drag the pics within the folder to arrange them.

 

[Electromen]

THanks GReg.One more question is there anyway on a W7 machine to move your pics once they are in a folder.I know on XP you could click and drag the pics within the folder to arrange them.

If you move them, do it in Lightroom. Use Library mode. I'm on a Mac but it should be the same.

 

[Mark101]

If you move them, do it in Lightroom. Use Library mode. I'm on a Mac but it should be the same.

I tried that approuch but I shot with 2 different cameras and one has a prefix of DSC and the other has a custom prefix to the file and when I export to a folder it arranges them back to the original way according to the prefix of the folder.

 

[Electromen]

I tried that approuch but I shot with 2 different cameras and one has a prefix of DSC and the other has a custom prefix to the file and when I export to a folder it arranges them back to the original way according to the prefix of the folder.

My son and I use two cameras at weddings, a D3 and D3s. The cameras are near the same age so the files on one might be DCS 8750, the other may also be DCS 8750. When I Import I keep them in two different folders named Weddings 2011/Bride name/D3 and Weddings 2011/Bride name/D3s.

I sync the time of the cameras before a wedding and arrange them in LR according to time. That way they are in chronological order.
If you forget to sync the cameras time, it's possible to do it in LR.

When I export I create a folder Weddings 2011/Bride name/Edited.
During Export I use Custom Names that start at 0001 and may go thru 0600 (or how ever many there are). This makes it easy for customers to purchase and see them in order of the day. It also makes it easy to order a proof book because those books are arranged according to file name. Having a 0 before the number like 0500 also helps in the ordering of the proof book.

Here's how to do it:
During Export > File Naming > check Rename to > click on the drop down menu > Edit > remove any naming that is there and then > Insert > Sequence # (0001) > Done
You can add other custom names if you like, I just leave it Sequence.