Awesome Tipi Wedding.

theurbanclown

theurbanclown

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Ben
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An amazing couple to work with and great day to photograph.

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More shots on the blog.
 
I checked out the whole set... nice work Ben, I always quite like your stuff. A lot of really nicely composed images that tell the story well. There are some crops I'm not keen on, chopping off heads or bodies in a few.... but I've seen this as part of a style that's been creeping in, and a lot of people are doing it. It's always been a big "no no" in my book... but I guess it's trendy or popular at the moment.
Out of interest, do you always process weddings in this style (editing not shooting I mean) or do you change your editing depending on the wedding you're shooting?
 
_Jim_ said:
I checked out the whole set... nice work Ben, I always quite like your stuff. A lot of really nicely composed images that tell the story well. There are some crops I'm not keen on, chopping off heads or bodies in a few.... but I've seen this as part of a style that's been creeping in, and a lot of people are doing it. It's always been a big "no no" in my book... but I guess it's trendy or popular at the moment.
Out of interest, do you always process weddings in this style (editing not shooting I mean) or do you change your editing depending on the wedding you're shooting?
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Thanks Jim. I think the cropping thing will also be a bit of a marmite subject - personally I like it, but tend not to do it as much as a lot of other photographers do.

This is only my second full wedding so I'd say my processing is still evolving, but yeah, I do edit all weddings in the same way and try to put my own style to it.
 
It's a good set - I like the abstract framing/cropping, although there were one or two that just looked bizarre to me, but I accept it's personal taste.

What was your most used, and if different, your favourite lens used?
 
_Jim_ said:
I checked out the whole set... nice work Ben, I always quite like your stuff. A lot of really nicely composed images that tell the story well. There are some crops I'm not keen on, chopping off heads or bodies in a few.... but I've seen this as part of a style that's been creeping in, and a lot of people are doing it. It's always been a big "no no" in my book... but I guess it's trendy or popular at the moment.
Out of interest, do you always process weddings in this style (editing not shooting I mean) or do you change your editing depending on the wedding you're shooting?
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Not really. Just people these days seem to want their weddings shot in a documentary style such as this set. I can't see that changing any time soon..... so I would hardly call it "popular at the minute" or "trendy".

EDIT: Great set ben (y)
 
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UaeExile said:
Not really. Just people these days seem to want their weddings shot in a documentary style such as this set. I can't see that changing any time soon..... so I would hardly call it "popular at the minute" or "trendy".

EDIT: Great set ben (y)
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I don't think it is the documentry style that is being criticised it's the more abstract crops such as the shot that is 99% the make up artists back with even the brides eye covered and some of the negative space shots where you have a subject cut off with loads of space above like the one of the girl hanging up the dress.

Back on topic other than the weird crops some of which I will never get, in general it's a great consistent set that tells the story of the day well and the processing is really good.
 
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UaeExile said:
Not really. Just people these days seem to want their weddings shot in a documentary style such as this set. I can't see that changing any time soon..... so I would hardly call it "popular at the minute" or "trendy".

EDIT: Great set ben (y)
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I'm not talking about the documentary style... I'm talking about composition, cropping and editing.
 
_Jim_ said:
I'm not talking about the documentary style... I'm talking about composition, cropping and editing.
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Look at almost any wedding tog who does a documentary style shoot and you'll find obscure compositions and cropping... The two are one and the same, in my opinion.
 
UaeExile said:
Look at almost any wedding tog who does a documentary style shoot and you'll find obscure compositions and cropping... The two are one and the same, in my opinion.
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Disagree, if you go back two years everyone was still shooting a dcoumentary style but the strange crops were nowhere to be seen, plenty of didgy tilt shift mind you! Go back a bit further and it was all gimmicky shots of groomsmen lifting the bride and selective colour everywhere but still in a documentary style. The crops is just a current trend that will pass much like the current trend for muted colours and a bit of grain or the bride and groom stood miles apart and tiny in the frame in front of a building.

The documentry style will out live all the other fads and trends as it is the story telling that makes the whole process works and what makes a set of pictures really good even if you don't like some of them. It is afterall what people have been doing since the last days of film.

Will leave it there so as not to de-rail the OP's thread which afterall highlights a lovely set of wedding pictures that even he admits contains some Marmite crops.
 
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a1ex2001 said:
Disagree, if you go back two years everyone was still shooting a dcoumentary style but the strange crops were nowhere to be seen, plenty of didgy tilt shift mind you! Go back a bit further and it was all gimmicky shots of groomsmen lifting the bride and selective colour everywhere but still in a documentary style. The crops is just a current trend that will pass much like the current trend for muted colours and a bit of grain or the bride and groom stood miles apart and tiny in the frame in front of a building.

The documentry style will out live all the other fads and trends as it is the story telling that makes the whole process works and what makes a set of pictures really good even if you don't like some of them. It is afterall what people have been doing since the last days of film.

Will leave it there so as not to de-rail the OP's thread which afterall highlights a lovely set of wedding pictures that even he admits contains some Marmite crops.
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Yeah fair enough Alex, agree with a lot of what you've said there.
 
I'm torn with this set as there's some really good work in there, specifically most of the black and white stuff which has been processed beautifully. However there are some other truly weird compositional shots which are mostly in the first half of the set, namely the bride and groom getting ready. I understand why you have to take these shots to fill the documentary style brief but isn't there a better way? Some of them black and white images are what the couple will look back on over the years and really treasure, whilst the prep images will be just glanced at and forgotten.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I feel like you have a far better style in your monochrome work in terms of processing and even composition than you do with your colour stuff.
 
Lovely stuff Ben. Processing is very nice indeed, a really warm friendly feel to the tones.

now i really like the "rule breaking" compositions. as i think i commented to ross harvey when somebody brought it up with one of his sets, our memories and recollection of events like these are often little bits and fragments. these sorts of images really work on a subconscious level by focusing on detail in perhaps a more abstract and unconventional way.

even the really weird photos that are nothing more than grainy reflections which sometimes get chucked into a set - i really appreciate those kinds of images too because they kind of set the scene and trigger memories buried deep down in the subconscious.

that's what this sort of photography is all about, i reckon.
 
grotty said:
It's a good set - I like the abstract framing/cropping, although there were one or two that just looked bizarre to me, but I accept it's personal taste.

What was your most used, and if different, your favourite lens used?
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Cheers Joe. Any in particular?

Has to be the 35mm 1.4

UaeExile said:
Not really. Just people these days seem to want their weddings shot in a documentary style such as this set. I can't see that changing any time soon..... so I would hardly call it "popular at the minute" or "trendy".

EDIT: Great set ben (y)
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Much appreciated Adam. Documentary style is definitely here to stay. As for more modern crops, some of them enhance the image and some just feel contrived. I only try to include ones that I feel genuinely enhance a shot.


a1ex2001 said:
Will leave it there so as not to de-rail the OP's thread which afterall highlights a lovely set of wedding pictures that even he admits contains some Marmite crops.
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Cheers for the comments Alex. Much appreciated.

James J said:
I'm torn with this set as there's some really good work in there, specifically most of the black and white stuff which has been processed beautifully. However there are some other truly weird compositional shots which are mostly in the first half of the set, namely the bride and groom getting ready. I understand why you have to take these shots to fill the documentary style brief but isn't there a better way? Some of them black and white images are what the couple will look back on over the years and really treasure, whilst the prep images will be just glanced at and forgotten.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I feel like you have a far better style in your monochrome work in terms of processing and even composition than you do with your colour stuff.
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Thanks James - not harsh at all. Surprised you say that though as I feel my colour stuff is stronger.

cuthbert said:
Lovely stuff Ben. Processing is very nice indeed, a really warm friendly feel to the tones.

now i really like the "rule breaking" compositions. as i think i commented to ross harvey when somebody brought it up with one of his sets, our memories and recollection of events like these are often little bits and fragments. these sorts of images really work on a subconscious level by focusing on detail in perhaps a more abstract and unconventional way.

even the really weird photos that are nothing more than grainy reflections which sometimes get chucked into a set - i really appreciate those kinds of images too because they kind of set the scene and trigger memories buried deep down in the subconscious.

that's what this sort of photography is all about, i reckon.
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Thanks a lot Mark. Always enjoy your threads.

I like your thinking and I agree. It's the story of the day as a whole that's important - little fragments that may have gone unnoticed by the couple, are captured and trigger other memories of the moment. Couples also pay for the way we as photographers see the day and tell a story of it. They receive 400+ photos. Not all of those can be of key events, but the gaps are filled with the little bits in between that help evoke the spirit of the day as a whole when reflected upon a few years down the line. Couples always comment on the more "interesting" shots, and whilst 95% of those won't be hung on the wall, they mean just as much to the couple as those that will be.

Ben-BSH said:
Loved looking through them, great set of images!
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Thanks, man with same name as I.

richard.grainger said:
Hey Ben. Freaking awesome as set man!

How good is the cigar frame.

Totally rad work mate. Keep it up.
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Cheers Rich, it was such a cool wedding.

Always follow your stuff! That recent one of yours is excellent.
 
It's a nice happy image. The crop is OK, but I am not super keep on the hand top left.

The set is nice as well (apart from a few random crops), but where are the POSED images?
 
daugirdas said:
It's a nice happy image. The crop is OK, but I am not super keep on the hand top left.

The set is nice as well (apart from a few random crops), but where are the POSED images?
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Thanks. Obviously there wasn't a lot I could do about the hand, and I'd imagine most people's focus will be on the happy couple who have just got married.

As for posed shots, that was the couple's decision. They wanted a small handful outside of the church despite the wedding being adjacent to an amazing field with panoramic views of the Somerset countryside.

I don't want to encourage that though, so didn't blog many of them.
 
theurbanclown said:
Cheers Joe. Any in particular?

Has to be the 35mm 1.4
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On my phone at the mo, but I recall one with just a head at the bottom of the frame which didn't make pleasant viewing. On the whole though, very good as I say.

Canon or Sigma 35?
 
yep...nice set...can see what you're aiming for! similar to others there's a few crops or angles i'm not keen on...looks like there was plenty to shoot....bet the tipee WB was a bitch! Im not keen on the colour wash/ filter you've got on the day shots, its a bit dreary (for me)....nice shoot through and DoF shots.
 
Really nice work, what are you shooting the 35mm at as mine seems to be getting worse at 1.4, 1.8 is pretty damn good though. I love the colour work and the white balance/colour balance is very very good.

I'd love grain but that's a personal thing. Also I prefer the images down the centre on the website but again personal thing.

Really good work and loved it!
 
Dan - Thanks. WB in the Tipi wasn't an issue, but it was crazily dark. Quite a few shots at iso 12800. It was a flat day in terms of light, but the moments more than made up for it.

Andy - Cheers, much appreciated! Yep, 35mm is quite soft wide open but gets pin sharp at f/2. I'm not one for pixel peeping so I'm happy to shoot at 1.4 or 1.6 but usually it will be about 2.2.

As for grain, I used to add it and still do a bit, but I'm preferring a cleaner look right now. A new site that I'm working on will have central images on the blog - can't wait to release it.
 
theurbanclown said:
Dan - Thanks. WB in the Tipi wasn't an issue, but it was crazily dark. Quite a few shots at iso 12800. It was a flat day in terms of light, but the moments more than made up for it. Andy - Cheers, much appreciated! Yep, 35mm is quite soft wide open but gets pin sharp at f/2. I'm not one for pixel peeping so I'm happy to shoot at 1.4 or 1.6 but usually it will be about 2.2. As for grain, I used to add it and still do a bit, but I'm preferring a cleaner look right now. A new site that I'm working on will have central images on the blog - can't wait to release it.
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Great stuff buddy! Keep up the good work love it!!

On a slightly off topic note can I ask you quick about Facebook, is wedding stuff doing ok on Facebook? My music stuff is dead on Facebook really. Not many people at all seeing my posts. I don't pay for likes, maybe that's why haha
 
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AndyHayball said:
Great stuff buddy! Keep up the good work love it!!

On a slightly off topic note can I ask you quick about Facebook, is wedding stuff doing ok on Facebook? My music stuff is dead on Facebook really. Not many people at all seeing my posts. I don't pay for likes, maybe that's why haha
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Thanks a lot mate!

I'm sure it is for a lot of people - Facebook is a great marketing tool if you use it properly. However, I don't. I've had a few enquiries from friends of friends and the like, but nothing from further a field. I don't post things on there anywhere near often enough and use it to it's potential - next year will be different. Being in the very early stages of my business I've decided to focus my time elsewhere on things like Twitter, on site and off site SEO for the time being, and by and large it seems to be working.

I'm sure paying helps a great deal, or having followers who actually share your posts! :)
 
theurbanclown said:
Thanks a lot mate! I'm sure it is for a lot of people - Facebook is a great marketing tool if you use it properly. However, I don't. I've had a few enquiries from friends of friends and the like, but nothing from further a field. I don't post things on there anywhere near often enough and use it to it's potential - next year will be different. Being in the very early stages of my business I've decided to focus my time elsewhere on things like Twitter, on site and off site SEO for the time being, and by and large it seems to be working. I'm sure paying helps a great deal, or having followers who actually share your posts! :)
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Yep indeed mate, food for thought :)
 
Really nice set well done and I really like how you have finished them in pp. Is it in the main LR/presets etc. that has been used?... not wishing to copy but it is the sort of finish I'm striving for in my own work so any direction would be appreciated.
 
Pegasus_Thrust said:
Really nice set well done and I really like how you have finished them in pp. Is it in the main LR/presets etc. that has been used?... not wishing to copy but it is the sort of finish I'm striving for in my own work so any direction would be appreciated.
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Thanks. All done in Lightroom with my own set of presets.

Have a play about!
 
I liked to look through that Ben - some lovely stuff :)

But that's me as a tog

Its not really my style at all, but when I've included a few 'arty' crops and negative space none of them ever get near the album, and as for shots of people's feet and even just shoes - well I've even had couples asking WTF is that all about when they've seen others' work :LOL:

Truth is - I just don't 'see' images like you do and hence I don't shoot it - but then I don't attract clients who like it either - much more than one market thankfully :)

Dave
 
Joe - thanks buddy. Don't think you miseed it but no, I don't shoot manual. AV + Auto ISO + dialling in the EC manually does the trick for me.

Dave - thanks very much! I guess you not offering it, is what makes you attract couples that don't like it. It obviously works well for you. The couples who book me like the more playful comps - in fact, the bride for this one was an artist. A proper one. So she appreciated the negative space and other less traditional aspects even more than most.
 
Love the set - certainly tells the story of the day. well done
 
These are really superb Ben. Love the processing and shooting style.
 
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