bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

OK, this is the shoot from a week ago Saturday. Unfortunately, it was windy, and I had no help, so within 10 minutes, my light stand blew over and broke my umbrella and my wireless receiver stopped receiving. (after getting home and removing the batteries and putting them back, it now works, but I'm not going to rely on it for anything important without a LOT of testing. So, most of this is natural light, or on camera flash, which I had not planned on

This shoot was held at the convent where the bride started out as a nun before she decided that it wasn't for her. It was a little funny, because although the Mother Superior had given us permission to shoot at the beautiful convent, there were about 30, 80 year old nuns on Hover Rounds watching our every move, giving us "looks"

The bible in the 3rd shot has been in the groom's family for over 200 years.

Just so you know, I had requested "no sleeveless shirts, and no white shirts... and...well, this is typical. :roll: I'd say that even though I send instructions on what will photograph well, 80% don't pay attention. Girls for senior photos are even worse.

This is my couple for August 1. Despite all the things going wrong (clothes, broken equipment, angry nuns), I just absolutely love these kids. They are every bit as fun and friendly as they look.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Sleeveless shirts, white shirts...No problem for you!!
Pat

superpijak Loc: Middle TN

I see it didn't break your concentration...

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Hmmm I just noticed that the whites are blown out here on UHH upload, but they aren't on my system. Weird.

Anyway, thanks for looking.

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

I like the third one. Hopefully, you didn't get grass stained. UHH uploads confuse me as well. I wish I could figure out what is going on. My uploads look flat and colors are slightly off. If the download button is hit then everything returns.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

No grass stains, but, we were all wet, and covered with mud. My black pants showed the mud the worst. That's why I saved that shot for the last. :thumbup:

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Nice series- worthy of a good critique.

OK- The silhouette shot. The big issue with this approach is that the couple is too dark- usually a semi-silhouette;basically a back lighted or rim lighted effect works better in this kind of image in that this method would define the couple's profiles and bring the main light to the subjects. In this case the couple is so dark the the viewers' eyes goes directly to the brilliantly lighted background. The archway framing is a good idea but it would have worked out better if the back-lighted couple were on the outside of the archway or near the far end of it whereby the arch would create a good framing effect. Sometimes a touch of flash fill helps but, especially if your flash gear was disabled, this effect could be pulled of with natural light in many cases. Another suggestion is that images like this work better if the background is out of focus enabled by lower ISO settings and wider f/stops resulting in less depth of field.

The shot with the camera tilt is cute but the tilt does not add anything to the composition. It's more of a trendy thing that young folks like.

The last pose works because the expressions are lovely, show lots of personality and the setting is pretty. I am sure that this image will be treasured by this couple and their families for many years to come.

The rest is a matter of turning a nice shot into to a really outstanding fine portrait. Less depth of field, more softness and more judicious use of the natural light would have made of a more romantic image- well romance IS a bit difficult to accomplish with a group of rather angry nuns looking on. Sometimes I will opt for a less manicured out-of-doors location to insure a bit more privacy and less distractions. On some of theses low angle shots, I create natural vignettes by shooting through out of focus high grass, weeds, flowers and foliage. My fill light is usually a white or “silver” flat reflector that can be easily transported and not easily damaged. Even if it falls or blows away- it's only a sheet of Foam-Cor ™ with some crushed and re-expanded aluminum foil glued to one side.

I have attached a wedding shot where the bride decided to wear her mom's wedding dress- we went to a park after the ceremony and did the formals. Natural light and one reflector only!

Dress codes! Yeah- you are right! They don't always listen. I just tell them that of the don't heed my instructions, the quality of the images may suffer and I can not guarantee top quality results or provide free re-shoots if there are clothing issues in the images. That usually works! I also tell them that they are perfectly welcome to bring along more casual or even “grubby” clothing for more casual poses etc. That's fun and it works!

If they insist on bright clothing, I try to create a more high key effect by finding a brightly lighted background area. If the clothing is bright and the background is bright as well, the faces will be the darkest element in the composition and therefore stand out well.

In you image, the view of the young ladies body is correct, however, the young gentlemen is posed in such a way that it creates the illusion he is coming out of the ground- we need to see more of his lower body.

Oh- That fallen slave unit of yours- it is not likely to malfunction due to the fall. If there is an intermittent connection, a damaged circuit board or component or a short circuit caused by the drop; it would most likely would have malfunctioned by now! Of course, some testing is in order!

I hope this helps.

Ed

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

It does. I always appreciate good critique. The angle one was actually not planned. I was looking at my LCD and adjusting things, and snapped it without looking through the viewfinder. I think I've actually only done about 3 "dutch angle" photos "on purpose". My wife convinced me to leave it in with the proofs. Not my cup of tea, but whatever works for them.

I really like your example, and it just goes to show you how much I still have to learn after all these years. I didn't notice a lot of what you mentioned, until you mentioned it. I was just so blown away by one thing after another in the photo, that I didn't bother looking at the fine details, (like his pose "coming out of the ground")

Thanks for taking the time.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

bkyser! Thanks for your feedback! Any time- my pleasure! Listen- I have been at this full time for well over 50 years and I am still a "student" I am still learning at 71 years of age. I am my own worst critic and when I screw up- I do it big time. My trick to avoid mistakes is to work by Murphy's law- "What ever can go wrong- will go wrong"! So I pay as much attention to detal as possible 'till it becomes second nature! Learning all the time makes my job for fun!

Regards, Ed

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Just back from vacation (watching my nephew's graduation from Marine bootcamp) I remember your quote about "what happened to elegance" and had to share this. Came home to a message from this bride (the ex-nun) she said that she wants to do several of her "formal" shots on the basketball court with her playing one on one with her husband, and then more with her bridal party playing basketball. My immediate thought was of you. Even when I try to do elegant weddings, I get asked to do just the opposite. I often wonder how they'll feel about this type of trendy stuff in 30 years?

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

B- Yeah- you are 100% right- what will they think of some of those silly images 20 years from now! Trash the dress and all of that. I always tried to avoid the strange special effects and gag shots that came upon us, like a plague, in the late 50s through the 90s and have since been replaced by new ridiculous notions. If the bride wants to smoke a big Cuban cigar just for fun, I don't mind garbing a fun candid of those things or “crazy drunken Aunt Lilly” who traditionally stands on dinner tables at family weddings and reenacts a striptease from her early days in burlesque- OK- but setting up or pre-planning stuff like that is beyond me. We are, however, in business to satisfy our clients so we cater to their needs and hope that folks looking at these images don't “blame” us. Sometimes I decide not to have my logo or studio name engraved on the inside covers of the album! For shame!

Sometimes the new generation of folks want to go away from tradition so badly and, God forbid, end up with something like their parent's elegant wedding album, that they resort to this crazy stuff! A good shot of the bride, in full regalia, sinking a great hook-shot in mid air might win you a prize at the next print competition, or you could just substitute a basketball for the flowers at the bouquet toss! You can then enter in two categories; sports photojournalism and wedding photography!

Thanks for thinking about me and congrats on you nephew's U.S.M.C. boot camp graduation- thank him for his service to come and wish him God's speed! Those brass bands and the solders marching past are awesome and memorable events.

Semper Phi

Ed