Hi Gareth, excellent set. Looking through the blog there are some really crackers in there. Few thoughts I have which are not so much criticism, but more just things that occur to me.
1. Pretty much the whole set is shot with wide aperture (mostly f/2). Obviously a stylistic choice you have made. I wonder if some shots would benefit from great depth of field. E.g. I struggled to find any images where more than one subject was in focus.
2. As other have said there is a lot in the blog, and whereas there are many great shots there are some which don't add much IMO. Perhaps that is a business decision you have made; after all the client's needs/wants come first.
3. I note that you shoot almost everything in landscape. It that a stylistic choice? Are you not keen on portait orientation?
4. One thing I like is that you use very little flash. I don't think I saw any flash lit images? I have used flash a lot in the past have absolutely loved it. I am gradually veering away from flash and find I prefer the look of natural light images.
Thanks for taking the time Patrick. I will answer as honestly as I can.....
1. Pretty much the whole set is shot with wide aperture (mostly f/2). Obviously a stylistic choice you have made. I wonder if some shots would benefit from great depth of field. E.g. I struggled to find any images where more than one subject was in focus.
To be perfectly honest, I am still learning this Nikon kit so F2.0 is a bit of a safety net so I know it will nail focus. If I was confident that it would nail it every time at F1.4, I'd probably do that. Ha. I love a shallow DOF. There are a few where I have stopped down a little to get more in focus. I had a look through the blog post again after reading your comments and I can't see many where I would have preferred more in focus to be honest, except the one in the car where she is sharp and he is slightly behind her. That's one I wish I had used more DOF on for sure.
2. As other have said there is a lot in the blog, and whereas there are many great shots there are some which don't add much IMO. Perhaps that is a business decision you have made; after all the client's needs/wants come first.
It's a tricky one. Depends who you are blogging for I guess. The wedding couple and their guests will see things in some shots that complete strangers will not and they will mean more to them. I was chatting to a friend about this. I could probably halve the images in the blog post but it wouldn't tell the story of the day as well. Believe me, it's something I am still working on. I can't give more of an answer than that at the moment.
3. I note that you shoot almost everything in landscape. It that a stylistic choice? Are you not keen on portait orientation?
Hmmm, it's not a choice I have sat and conciously made to shoot things in landscape. I just kind of do stuff at the time what feels right. There are a few in the full set of images that are in portrait format. A couple of bride portraits but your right, mostly landscape.
4. One thing I like is that you use very little flash. I don't think I saw any flash lit images? I have used flash a lot in the past have absolutely loved it. I am gradually veering away from flash and find I prefer the look of natural light images.
Thank you. No, no flash lit images at all. I am toying back and forth with the idea of using one for the first dance shots in the future. I love it when people use it well for that part of the wedding but then, do I want to shoot like other people? Still on the fence.
The truth is, there's no right way. I am in the fortunate position where I don't have to shoot weddings to feed myself or put a roof over my head so I can shoot how I like and the people who book me will book me because they like how I shoot, not just employ me to shoot how they want me to. I have turned down a few bits of other work lately, like children's portraits, because it doesn't interest me in the slightest. I could take their money and shoot, but my heart wouldn't be in it and therefore wouldn't be in the photos. I genuinely love a wedding day and hopefully people will buy into that. I know it sounds a bit idealistic and if it doesn't work, then I'll admit I was wrong, but as it stands I have now got 5 confirmed with deposits for 2015 based on the two I have shot so far (and the couples/engagement shoots) and a couple of couples to meet in the near future.
I am just winging it really. Doing it how I like and learning as I go. It's a massive learning curve and there are things from this wedding I will take into the next one and learn from and things which perhaps didn't work as I would have liked that I will discard going forwards. The same as peoples comments on here. It's taken me a while to toughen up to the C&C but I take it (mostly) how it is intended now and consider the replies, either embracing it or discarding it going forwards.
Oooops, apologies for the long post but I felt it needed more than direct replies to your questions so you can see where my head is at with it.