View Full Version : My first wedding shoot - the results
It's taken a while to get through editing all the photos since the wedding but I have finally completed it and the results are now up online here:
http://johnhobsonphotography.com/weddings/20070528_Andy_and_Jane/
I am, on the whole, pretty pleased with them especially considering that it's a first attempt. I'd be interest to get comments on what you think as I've been staring at them for so long now I'm certainly not the best person to critially appraise them!
The wedding was a fairly informal affair which I think is reflected in the photographs. The couple had very few demands on what photos they wanted and just let me do my own thing.
I certainly learnt a lot that day and have a few things that I would do differently next time round:
Buy more memory cards - I almost ran out! I have actually done this now, got another 4gb in my pocket
Check the histogram more often, I had made a mental note to do this but didn't remember half so often as I should have
Take test shots before formal shoots and then set camera to manual for consistent exposure. I was saved by lightroom's recover slider on some photos where the highlights were close to being blown.
Keep memory cards and batteries on your person. I was almost caught out with batteries running out and memory cards filling up with my bag where the spares were not immediately to hand meaning a quick dash through the rain to get them.
I need to get better at directing large groups of people and getting an air of authority. Next time I will enlist the help of ushers to get people moved.
I missed a few details like a close up of rings on hands and button hole detail. I need to be more aware of getting these photos in the future.
My next wedding is a far more formal and expensive affair and the couple are much more demanding with a very clear idea of the photos they want and more emphasis on formal portraiture so that will be a completely different challenge - I'm looking forward to it!
Thanks again to everyone on here who offered advice prior to the wedding, I know some of it I directly implemented and it definitely improved the quality of the photographs - cheers!
Anyhow, comment away!
Well done John.. they are a great set. And thanks for the snippets of advice.
Although I always use manual now i had made my mind up to not use it at my first wedding shoot in August in case it buggered everything up completely.
Im still not sure... i thought i might go with P mode and play safe.
Did you use manual but matrix metering.........or spot?
You've some very good shots in there. They should be well please with that little lot. :thumbs:
I note however that you occasionally dropped into the same goof that I usually do. ie Use the center focus point on the subject and forget that half the frame will be empty. Your group shots (good as they are) are top half background and no feet. I'm trying to train myself out of this and to use different focus points.
I use aperture priority and sometimes combine it with auto ISO with minimum shutter speed of 1/30 or sometimes 1/15. Having the 50mm f1.8 helped in low light.
I think if I used flash more I would be more tempted to go with manual more often as I would have more control over the lighting but aperture priority with matrix metering seems to always get me close enough to the correct exposure and by shooting raw I have a reasonable bit of latitude for altering the exposure in post-production. I actually found that up the exposure in most photos by about +0.25 to +0.75.
And you just reminded me of the other thing that I need to do more of in the future - use spot metering. There wasn't actually much call for it at this wedding as the light conditions were so consistent being gloriously overcast and in bloody big greenhouse - like a giant light tent! I have aperture priority assigned to my D200's function button so I can switch to it ad-hoc and not have to worry about forgetting to turn it off afterwards.
Another thing that I found really handy was to have two bodies, being able to switch between tele and wide was invaluable on a large number of occasions.
You've some very good shots in there. They should be well please with that little lot. :thumbs:
I note however that you occasionally dropped into the same goof that I usually do. ie Use the center focus point on the subject and forget that half the frame will be empty. Your group shots (good as they are) are top half background and no feet. I'm trying to train myself out of this and to use different focus points.
I was annoyed at having chopped out feet there. I think it's because that was the bit that I was most nervous about and didn't really think as clearly as I should have done. I will definitely be paying more attention to that in the future. I think formal photography is probably the biggest area that I really need to improve on.
Thanks for the advice!
Irritable_Rabbit
08-06-2007, 10:19
I agree with oldgit.
Yes some nice work there which should mean they are a happy couple in more ways than one.
But yes, I also noticed the lack of feet and also some slithers of heads chopped of the top (only on a VERY few:)). Not sure if the latter was on purpose, but might want to work on the framing for your more demanding audience and give them some feet back every now and then. ;)
Of course, we all get sloppy when the pressure is on and I'm sure you were nervous. Done the same myself and bad enough to make me say 'What did you think you were doing with that camera Mr IR?!' ;)
Nice effort and good luck for the next round I say. :D
Well done m8 the happy couple will be thrilled with them...those reds are just gorgeous.
I use aperture priority and sometimes combine it with auto ISO with minimum shutter speed of 1/30 or sometimes 1/15. Having the 50mm f1.8 helped in low light.
I think if I used flash more I would be more tempted to go with manual more often as I would have more control over the lighting but aperture priority with matrix metering seems to always get me close enough to the correct exposure and by shooting raw I have a reasonable bit of latitude for altering the exposure in post-production. I actually found that up the exposure in most photos by about +0.25 to +0.75.
And you just reminded me of the other thing that I need to do more of in the future - use spot metering. There wasn't actually much call for it at this wedding as the light conditions were so consistent being gloriously overcast and in bloody big greenhouse - like a giant light tent! I have aperture priority assigned to my D200's function button so I can switch to it ad-hoc and not have to worry about forgetting to turn it off afterwards.
Another thing that I found really handy was to have two bodies, being able to switch between tele and wide was invaluable on a large number of occasions.
Some great stuff there. I also find that my D200 tends to underexpose by about 1/3 of a stop. My D50 does it as well so I think it probably a Nikon trait (opens up Canon-vs-Nikon debate again... not).
Your website is also very good. Nice and clean, easy to navigate which is good when word of mouth marketing gets going and people start hitting on your site. Really good first impression.
I like the B&W stuff that you have done as well. A nice mix there. Good luck for your demanding client!
Bob
But yes, I also noticed the lack of feet and also some slithers of heads chopped of the top (only on a VERY few:)). Not sure if the latter was on purpose, but might want to work on the framing for your more demanding audience and give them some feet back every now and then. ;)
I hadn't actually noticed that I did that but looking back at the photos I can see what you mean. I think in some cases it was intentional and does work. I'm not of the school that you have to have the whole head in the frame. However in others the chopping off is detrimental to the photograph to a degree and not something that was intended.
By this I conclude that I must not scan the top of the frame as well as I do other parts. I'll have to pay more attention to this in the future.
Thanks again for the comments!
Hi John,
some really lovely shots there, you must be very pleased with yourself :thumbs:
Some great stuff there. I also find that my D200 tends to underexpose by about 1/3 of a stop. My D50 does it as well so I think it probably a Nikon trait (opens up Canon-vs-Nikon debate again... not).
Your website is also very good. Nice and clean, easy to navigate which is good when word of mouth marketing gets going and people start hitting on your site. Really good first impression.
I like the B&W stuff that you have done as well. A nice mix there. Good luck for your demanding client!
Bob
My demanding client is an old school friend and my payment was a nikkor 50mm f1.8!
Wedding photography is something that I am seriously looking to earn at least part of my income from in time. At the moment it's all about getting experience under my belt.
Some cracking shots in there.
A couple of shots you have converted to BW with the groom smiling don't work too well, his teeth are not the best and the deep eye shadows make him look a wee bit dracula-ish. Some shoppery might work in these ones, failing that colour might be better?
I agree completely with your tips especially working with large groups, they are all having their little conversations and not paying attention to you so a very large bullhorn would be in order :)
Some brilliant candids in there! Very nice shots :D
Irritable_Rabbit
08-06-2007, 10:41
By this I conclude that I must not scan the top of the frame as well as I do other parts. I'll have to pay more attention to this in the future.
Thanks again for the comments!
No problems. :thumbs:
And I will add this for total honesty. :eek:
I usually fear the worst when I see a first Wedding shoot thread.
So thank you very much indeed for giving me a pleasant surprise. Credit where it's due I think. :D
Gary Bagshawe
08-06-2007, 10:59
You have done a great job there under difficult circumstances, I have a wedding at the Botanical gardens as well in August, hopefully the weather will be a bit better. Does the chap performing the ceremony allow you to shoot during the proceedings or not? Also I have heard that when using flash inside the glass houses the mist from the fountains puts rainbows across everything.
You have done a great job there under difficult circumstances, I have a wedding at the Botanical gardens as well in August, hopefully the weather will be a bit better. Does the chap performing the ceremony allow you to shoot during the proceedings or not? Also I have heard that when using flash inside the glass houses the mist from the fountains puts rainbows across everything.
I was actually asked by the couple not to photograph during the ceremony but all the other guests were snapping away with flash so I decided a sneaky couple would be ok. As far as I'm aware the registrar didn't have any objections to photography.
I didn't use flash at all in the glasshouses as the light was already fantastic - beautifully diffused and with a high ambient light level. Personally I prefer to avoid using flash where I can as I feel that not using flash lends the photos a more realistic feel as that's the way the couple and guests actually saw the day. For me that is what I am trying to capture about the day - the mood, the feelings, the joy, the tension and to record that in a realistic way with my own artistic interpretation layered on top. It's not all about beautifully flash lit, high-fashion style. There are of course situations where flash would be required and I would have no qualms about making subtle use of flash where I had to and even making the flash the main light source in some instances. Just that if I can avoid using flash then I will.
I'd like to add that I don't think wedding photos where greater use of flash has been made are bad, just that that's not my style and if we were all the same, well wouldn't that be boring!
Some excellent images there John, really nicely documented & executed.
Agree with the clipping comments but you should definately be happy with those shots & I'm sure the happy couple will be too. Very nicely done indeed :clap: :thumbs:
I can also agree with the above posts praising these. very well documented series of images that told a great story of a happy day.
I had a few comments to make but then read you post and saw you had noted the errors yourself ;)
I've shot a few weddings now (pretty much on the cheap) and have a web site being created and a business plan in the pipeline. So maybe one day soon i'll be able to start getting my name out there too.
I'm over in the west (almost a weegie - but not quite) and my next wedding too is a more formal affair and it's the first I'm doing where I'm also designing and printing an album (gulp)..... But I love it :)
Well done again
Regards
Jim
Awsome results for your first rwedding, you should be very pleased. Working on the theory that you will get better with practise I'd say that there is a rosey future in pro wedding photography for you :) :thumbs:
antonroland
10-06-2007, 12:58
.. i thought i might go with P mode and play safe.
:eek: :eek: :eek:
Please no!!
P will not drop you everytime but those few shots that you might not want to lose will be binned because of P
I know because I made this mistake :bang: :bang: :bang:
But only once and never again!!
antonroland
10-06-2007, 13:08
Very nice set of images there, sir!
I would be hard pressed to find too much critique other the odd bit of nit picking!
You could pay attention to D.O.F. in places and cropping on the rare occasion.
There is one image there where you very nearly clipped the dad's (?) nose and there is a lot of space "behind" the bride.
Still a great set of images for a first try:suspect: :D
:thumbs:
Really nice set there - and for a first set?! Excellent!
Check out pic no. 40 (I think) in the slideshow - the bride has a bruise on her upper arm which she might appreciate a bit of cloning on!
Wow, those are fantastic shots! well done :thumbsup:
Just out of interest, which lens did you use for the majority of the walkabout portrait shots?
Got to agree with the general feeling. Well done. Critically though.
Did you intend to blur so many images - either selectively one subject sharp and the other very soft and to my eye quite a few just very soft. I ask in a constructive mood.
There is one image there where you very nearly clipped the dad's (?) nose and there is a lot of space "behind" the bride.
I know the one you mean, I almost ditched it because of that but otherwise I really like the picture and the I think the expressions hold it together so I kept it in there. That's the problem with working on the fly, not every shot comes out perfect!
thanks for the comments.
I know my site has been down for a few days, this wedding album proved so popular that I exceeded my bandwidth allocation! Anyway it's back up now if anyone else wants to take a look.
Wow, those are fantastic shots! well done :thumbsup:
Just out of interest, which lens did you use for the majority of the walkabout portrait shots?
I mostly used my tamron 17-50 f2.8 although later on I had the nikkor 50mm f1.8 on quite a bit. The only other lens I used was a sigma 105mm f2.8 which I kept mounted to my D70 so that I could chop and change between the 17-50/50mm on the D200.
Got to agree with the general feeling. Well done. Critically though.
Did you intend to blur so many images - either selectively one subject sharp and the other very soft and to my eye quite a few just very soft. I ask in a constructive mood.
Yes I did intend make use of shallow DOF a lot and rather like the results for the most part. I like the way that by using shallow DOF it can hint at what might have happpened, say with an expression on someone's face in sharp focus and another person out of focus then the viewer has to make up their own story of what might have gone on as you can't fully see the expression on the out of focus face. There are instances where I think the DOF has been overdone, particularly when using the 105mm. If there's enough light then I would up the aperture a bit, unfortunately I don't always have that luxury though especially as I try to use available light where possible.
I think I would normally choose the subjects at varying distances approach as opposed to front on photographs as I find them to be rather more dynamic for the most part.
I'd be interested in hearing which you think are very soft, they've all been sharpened although admittedly that is one bit of post-production that I'm less hot on.
Thanks for the comments - very constructive and I took them in the right spirit so don't worry about offending me! I'm always aiming to improve and comments & advice from others are an excellent way of analysing the results.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to look at them all, all the comments have been really helpful.:thumbs:
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