First attempt at an engagement shoot

gill

gill

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I recently took some engagement photos for friends due to marry in Chicago later this year- only whilst researching possible locations did I discover the existence of the Pergola and Hill Gardens just up the road from me by Hampstead Heath - such a beautiful location!

I was quite apprehensive never really having shot people before, but the shoot was a lot of fun. I'd really appreciate any comments and suggestions!

Larger set of 12 can be found on Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomgillespie/sets/72157644143410415/

[1]
LP2 by tomgillespieuk, on Flickr

[2]
LP4 by tomgillespieuk, on Flickr

[3]
LP3 by tomgillespieuk, on Flickr

[4]
LP6 by tomgillespieuk, on Flickr

[5]
LP8 by tomgillespieuk, on Flickr

[6]
LP12 by tomgillespieuk, on Flickr
 
Some really nice shots Tom - good perspectives and compositions.

In the one of the couple walking away from the camera, did you get any of them with you in same position but the couple posed towards the end of the walkway. Be good to see them if you did.

One big thing for me though is the processing. It spoils all of them to an extent. The faded blacks and vignetting isn't nice, but that can always be changed. At least you have the shots to start with :)
 
gill said:
I was quite apprehensive never really having shot people before ...
Click to expand...

I have a few observations to make (one of which is that I'd be happy to have taken two of those), but before I do that, may I ask if you've never really shot people before, what do you usually photograph?

Also, are you sure we're looking at sRGB files here? And what's with the vignetting? I'm struggling to see what you were trying to achieve with that processing ...
 
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Very nice, and I like the low contrast PP. Number 6 is the least typical looking shot but my favourite, despite having a distracting branch, it's a lovely scene and very natural looking, as if you have stolen a shot.
 
I think these are quite creative, a nice set especially if it is your first attempt (and I'm not just trying to stroke your ego).

#1 - Not so sure I like the framing. Pose is good but I would possibly do something different with his hands.

#2 - Love this

#3 - Not for me, it's a nice shot but I don't think it's an 'engagement shoot' type shot, if you know what I mean?

#4 - This is great, possibly a bit more exposure on the couple?

#5 - Fantastic shot. Just get rid of the vignette as it is covering the girl.

#6 - Another great shot, the stray branch is a bit annoying though!
 
I quite like 2, 4 and 5 but think they could shine with more sympathetic processing, they just seem a bit drab and depressing if I'm honest.

Also, not sure if 6 is from a different session but the change in clothing looks odd.
 
I very much like these in a general sense and like you, have never heard of the Pergola before despite driving past Inverforth House quite literally hundreds of times and having walked in GH Park!! MUST go for a wander soon, looks a great place.

As to the pictures, like other comments here, there is something about the colours/processing that isn't quite working for me. I understand going for a muted look, but these have a slightly muddy effect that isn't to my own taste. However, if you don't generally shoot people you have done pretty darned good as an opener. #3 I really like, it's quirky and different. The last one bugs me, mainly because I can't help but feel if had you clicked a step or two earlier that branch across them would not have been intrusive and they would have been 'framed' by those trees behind. Generally though, keep shooting people and keep learning, you have possibly found a new outlet ;)
 
Well I'm temporarily unable to get on with what I should be getting on with, so FWIW here goes from a professional wedding photographer POV ...

#1 The idea's fine but it tends to work best if you can frame the shot so there's no distracting clutter behind the couple - and certainly none in the foreground. If the idea is to show the subjects in context with their immediate surroundings, those surroundings need to say something about the situation they're in.

#2 A cracking shot with which I'd have been perfectly happy.

#3 Works for me and good for you for trying it. It's the standout shot of this 6 if for no other reason than it's not a British Standard Engagement Shoot Picture.

#4 I'd have been happy with this too, despite there being something niggling about it which I can't put my finger on!

#5 There's a picture there but that's not it. I've tried cropping it different ways while keeping the aspect ratio and got nowhere because of the expanse of paving between them and you. If the pond was small enough to let you do it, the answer would have been a longer lens from more to your left so you had more reeds in the foreground to work with and less paving.

#6 I can almost guarantee that if they'd kept walking and you'd kept shooting as you moved to your left, you would have got precisely the shot you had in your head.

If you're really not used to photographing people like this, I reckon you did very well indeed with those. Certainly better than I did with my first few attempts. Having said that, though, I simply cannot understand why you've processed an engagement shoot, which is about love, happiness and upbeat stuff like that, so the overall feel to those pictures is flat and lifeless.

PS I took a quick look at the other shots you linked to, and on the strength of those you're not going to have much of a problem doing more of the same and rapidly getting very good at it if that's what you want to do.
 
Hi all, thanks very much for taking the time to reply, it's really appreciated. Generally the processing clearly needs work. Besides removing the vignetting (I've always had a bit of a problem with vignetting) how would people recommend to put more life into these? The main changes to most of these were a slight reduction in vibrance, the vignetting and a custom tone curve:
13923600092_914088b7df.jpg


The colours on the day were fairly muted so I don't feel like I've made a huge amount of changes in that respect (although perhaps that's the problem). Here for instance is #4, exported from Lightroom with no changes made to the RAW (besides the same crop) side by side with the edited version:
13923634042_d1efdf3286.jpg
13933814493_da4ab96047.jpg


David, thanks for your comment!

Ben- unfortunately I don't have any in that location posed towards the camera. We were up against the clock slightly by the time we got to that point and didn't spend as much time in that spot as I'd have liked. I do have a couple more of them walking away from the camera but further down the path-

13923368756_cb016216e4_b.jpg


13946524083_f9e253d77a_b.jpg


Thanks for your comments about the processing - I laughed when I read the comment about vignetting because I've always had something of an unwanted fascination with it - someone did mention it to me a couple of years ago on a completely different set of photos and I'd tried to cut it out but I completely forgot when I started editing these and went onto vignetting autopilot...

Sid, my comment about shooting people was perhaps slightly poorly worded - although I have shot people in different settings before (although I don't really have a 'specialism' to speak of) this was the first time I've attempted a portrait session. Where I've shot people in the past it's been candids at an event or something similar. The images above are sRGB... I guess it's just the processing making them look a bit off :) I'd love to hear your other thoughts.

cmcm789, thanks - funnily I'd barely noticed the branch in this shot, I was more hung up on whether there was generally too much shrubbery on the left hand side. I've got a couple more from that set which perhaps work better (although one is a blinker)-
13923507876_1e6eacc433.jpg


13946657203_95db361a8e.jpg


Danny, thanks for your comments. #1 was one of the first of the day, and we found it easier to get more natural poses as the day went on. I see what you mean on #4; I'll have a play with that one to see if I can lift them slightly. #5, as I mentioned above I need to ween myself off the vignetting :)

John, the couple had a change of clothes just over half way through the day, so we did about 2/3 in one outfit and 1/3 in another - it's my choice of files to upload here which makes that photo stand out a little on its own!

Yvonne, the Pergola is wonderful, it's quite set back there however and without any particular signage you'd never really find it without someone pointing it out. Makes it lovely and quiet though :) Thanks very much for your comments.
 
Serendipitous Sid said:
Well I'm temporarily unable to get on with what I should be getting on with, so FWIW here goes from a professional wedding photographer POV ...

#1 The idea's fine but it tends to work best if you can frame the shot so there's no distracting clutter behind the couple - and certainly none in the foreground. If the idea is to show the subjects in context with their immediate surroundings, those surroundings need to say something about the situation they're in.

#2 A cracking shot with which I'd have been perfectly happy.

#3 Works for me and good for you for trying it. It's the standout shot of this 6 if for no other reason than it's not a British Standard Engagement Shoot Picture.

#4 I'd have been happy with this too, despite there being something niggling about it which I can't put my finger on!

#5 There's a picture there but that's not it. I've tried cropping it different ways while keeping the aspect ratio and got nowhere because of the expanse of paving between them and you. If the pond was small enough to let you do it, the answer would have been a longer lens from more to your left so you had more reeds in the foreground to work with and less paving.

#6 I can almost guarantee that if they'd kept walking and you'd kept shooting as you moved to your left, you would have got precisely the shot you had in your head.

If you're really not used to photographing people like this, I reckon you did very well indeed with those. Certainly better than I did with my first few attempts. Having said that, though, I simply cannot understand why you've processed an engagement shoot, which is about love, happiness and upbeat stuff like that, so the overall feel to those pictures is flat and lifeless.

PS I took a quick look at the other shots you linked to, and on the strength of those you're not going to have much of a problem doing more of the same and rapidly getting very good at it if that's what you want to do.
Click to expand...

Sid, thanks so much for your detailed response! I think our replies overlapped (it took me a while to type my previous post) and I missed your latest message until just now. Lots there for me to take on board.

Specifically with regards to the post-processing - does anyone have any broad suggestions of how the PP could be changed/improved (besides removal of the vignette)?

The day itself was quite dull and the colours quite muted - what would people do in PP in this instance to try and make the photos more upbeat? Or, perhaps, would it be something that we could have tackled pre-shoot like bring more brightly coloured clothes?

thanks again!
 
Now that I've composed myself a little.

These have the makings of a good set. I'd like the processing to be a little brighter though - a wee bit punchier. the tones and stuff are great but its just a little muted.

Some great ideas - the wellies off and stuff. As with all these shoots I'd like to see some tighter crops - a bit more intimate.
 
My word Gill these are fantastic... wish you did our pre wedding shoot.

Not a great fan of #1 tbh but only cause it looks seedy. But the rest amazing.
 
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Carl, Bryn, thanks for your comments.

Stevie, thanks for your thoughts, and yes - very observant! For the life of me I can't remember why, but the ring did indeed change hands during the day!
 
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