wayne-03 wrote:
I photographed a very small wedding yesterday. Actually, my first try at a wedding. It was a nerve-racking experience although I did enjoy it. I was totally unprepared for the amount of work a wedding requires. I know that I made a ton of mistakes. But, I would like to work with a pro as a second shooter to learn the process.
Broke a sweat, did ya?
...and that looks like friendly e a nice calm,casual l wedding with nice cooperative folks! This is a good way to start out in wedding photography- in a way. A big, heavily populated, fast moving, hyperactive (sometimes really cool ethnic affair) wedding can bring about a nervious breakdown and a bad case of wedding-phobia for a first time solo shooter.
Someone mentioned that shadowing a professional wedding shooter is not necessary but I have to disagree. There are many nuances in posing, camera position and lighting that shoud be learned and practiced, especially in the formal and casula portraits. Of course, you will develop your own style and creativity but there are basics that are the foundation of a good job. A lot of folks confuse learning the basics as a formula for creating stiff- cookie-cutter pictures. They confuse leaning craftsmanship and artistry with humdrum images- not so!
Brides, even those who plan modest wedding celebration, place a great deal of effort in aesthetics- the gown, veil, makeup, flowers and hairstyle- they want flattering wedding pictures. They want the groom and the guys to look sharp as well.
So...you captured fine expressions and that is extremely important. Your exposure are good as is your background management in the close up images.
The boob-boos are as follows: In the full length poses, especially the groups, you FORESHORTENED the folks by shooting down at them, possible with a wide angle focal length. In a full length formal portrait or group, the camera should be at the subject's waste level- normal to slightly longer focal lengths are preferable
In the bridal formal she is holding the flowers too high and hiding the bodice of the dress- the bouquet can be be held more to the side in a more graceful line. She is grasping the stem of the bouquet with a fist and that is cutting off her fingers. This nosegay style of flower arrangement presents a problem so the hands need to be carefully placed.
You gotta watch the "pits"! The area near the armpits, when the arms or flowers are held high, can be unflattering. Naturally, there is always a bit of fatty tissue there, which is perfectly normal but if you have the subject turn her body at a more frontal angle and elongate the arms, this issue. is minimized.
In all poses- close up, 3/4, and full length, building the pose start a the feet and legs- continues up to the hips, torso, upper body and influences the posture and the shoulder line. Weight distribution is important. If the posture is poor, sometime the clothing seem ill-fitting even if it is not. Guys should pull up their pants! If anyone is interested, I'll post a tutorial on some basic, fast posing directions.
Listen y'all young whippersnappers- If I can drag my 75 year old body to weddings and get down of the floor to drape gowns and trousers- so can you
!
When you pose groups, don't place folks in front of each other and cut half of their faces off. Get some chairs, steps, or inclined land and stagger the heights.
Spotty lighting can be somewhat corrected in retouching but it is extremely painstaking. Back and side light can serve as a kicker but you need to move the subject into pattern where it does not cause distracting burned out highlights or as others have mentioned, gobo the stray light.
In this section we are bad boys and edit stuff to illustrate some of out points- see attached images. The cake shot is lovely- a tighter crop does not show feet at the bottom under the table and brings more attention to their super expressions.
Please do not consider this a harsh critique. When I started out, this is how "the boss" trained me- "nut and bolts"- no philosophy- just the basics- the philosophy and creativity will come later. When you knw the drill, the job gets easier and the sweating becomes lessened, even on an out-of-door gig in 95 degree weather. I just carry a spare change of clothing in the car. At country clubs and hotels on long jobs, I have been know to grab a shower during a short break!