Barn wedding.

An Exception said:
No you got it backwards. I work to my own taste. Clients either book me or don't book me based on that.
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I agree with RP here.

If you end up adapting your style to what the client want then I am sorry, you've lost the game.

Client pay for your art, not just your time. You buy a Picasso because it is a Picasso. You don't buy a Picasso to get a Monet.

Same here.

You do your best to work at your art, put it out to the world, not everybody will like it, some will hate it even but you don't need to please everybody, because someone out there will love it. That's all you are trying to do and that's all you can do. When you start to please everybody then you will be lost.
 
You can actually look at it the other way too.

If you want a particular style then it is best to hire a photographer with that style rather than hire one that is adapting to suit on your demand.

The work from the one that suit your style that he is already shooting and comfortable with will undoubtedly be better than the one doing it for the first time.

I think it works out best for both sides and it is as much as a meeting of the minds between both the photographer and the client as opposed to purely the photographer working for the client. It should be seen as they are working together to get great images.
 
It is all relative. I don't like An Exception's PP style as a personal opinion (i prefer a cleaner, natural look that will endure), but he does and so does his clients, so his processing is matching the customer base. If the clients disliked the style as much as I do then there would be no clients and no business, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.
 
D.P. said:
It is all relative. I don't like An Exception's PP style as a personal opinion (i prefer a cleaner, natural look that will endure), but he does and so does his clients, so his processing is matching the customer base. If the clients disliked the style as much as I do then there would be no clients and no business, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.
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Personally I think it will endure. I've been processing this way for a long time now and I love it just as much as when I first tried the recipe.

In comparison, I would view your processing as non-offensive to anyone, but also dull as dishwater.

Personally I would rather someone HATE what I do than feel indifferent.
 
Each to their won I guess. natural looking punchy processing has been popular for the last century and with the current popularity with Fuji Velvia look would indicate it probably has another century in it at least.
EDIT:
Anyway, the processing isn't my main critique as that is mostly down to personal choice, If your clients are happy then that doesn't mater. The distracting foreground OOF heads is more off-putting for me.

I do like the set overall and there is some great captures, i'm just trying to point out some issues I see in the compositions here.
 
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Hmmm.

I'll start by saying that I agree that the photographer shouldn't adapt their 'style' to the client. The client should be hiring you because they like the style that you do and also like the way you interact with them.

I like some of the shots, but some unfortunately make me go 'why the hell was that taken?'

Why is there a shot of a gopro camera secured to a rosebush?

Why is there a shot of some waitress wheeling a stack of white plastic chairs?

Why is there a shot of Military cargo plane?

Then as DP has already said, some of those photographs are dominated by too much blurred foreground detail. Sure it can be used to good effect, but I think there are far too many shots where the blobs of colour or out of focus body parts are distracting and lead the eye away from the subject of the photograph.


I also think you could improve a lot of the shots by cropping out distracting blurred cut in half people at the extreme edges.

The processing is nice, I can see that it is what a lot of people like and want at the moment, it's vibrant and I suspect looks good in an album.

edit - I think you should number them An Exception since it would be easier to critique.
 
Andy90 said:
Why is there a shot of a gopro camera secured to a rosebush?
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Grooms Gopro he did time-lapses with. Context.

Andy90 said:
Why is there a shot of some waitress wheeling a stack of white plastic chairs?
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Painted wooden chairs. Context of behind the scenes work. Also took pictures of them setting out the chairs, but I have to draw the line somewhere in terms of how many pictures I post.

Andy90 said:
Why is there a shot of Military cargo plane?
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Really?
Because there was military cargo plane.

I can understand the points about the gopro and chairs though tbh.

Regarding individual picture critique. It's actually easier to right click, copy link location, and repost the image in question.
 
An Exception said:
Can you post/quote some example pictures, just so I have a better understanding of your view?
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certainly.

First some general compositional observations.
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-001.jpg

The horizon across the center doesn't work well for this kind of image, it works well to emphasize symmetry such as reflecions.

http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-008.jpg
I would prefer a vertical composition and a step closer so the girl on the left is no clipped.


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-006.jpg
I would like space for the ducks to move in to on the left and remove the dead space to the right, balancing the image

http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-027.jpg
Person on the left is clipped


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-030.jpg
Dead space on the left. the processing has blown the sky, this highlights [no pun intended;)] my issues with the PPing.


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-051.jpg
I would prefer wider to encompass the entire dress, or tighter to emphasize the hands.



http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-084.jpg
Did you apply an artificial blue, looks wrong to me


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-101.jpg
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-163.jpg
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-026.jpg
There are a few photos where you have clipped at the elbow.
Would be nicer to crop higher or lower, not at the joint.


Similar http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-172.jpg
It kind of gives the impression of an amputee, just a few inches higher or lower just makes it more pleasing IMO

DoF issue:
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-137.jpg
I would be happy if the face was either much softer or sharp, but here is just not enough contrast to the hand/glass


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Now for some example of distracting foreground OOF elements:
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-020.jpg

Whatever causes that shadow i don't know but it distracts me.


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-024.jpg
This just doesn't work for em. The reflection on the girl on the left looks awkward and uncomfortable, it looks like someone tried to purposely hide someones identity


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-028.jpg
The bleaching from the reflection just doesn't look right IMO


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-032.jpg
That purple Halo is just not pleasant IMO. Very distracting.

http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-034.jpg
Likewise the green foliage blur, it doesn't work as a framing element to me but is obscuring part of the subject.

http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-039.jpg
As above, the red foliage is not helping framing
but here it works much better:
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-042.jpg


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-044.jpg
Women with green top and camera sticking out is in the way
This is way better:
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-045.jpg

http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-047.jpg
50% of the frame is a blurred green blob, and much of the rest os just the ground, but one of the man's hands is clipped.


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-048.jpg
Similar. It just kind of feels that you weren't invited and were hiding in the bushes without getting a good view.



http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-121.jpg
The person in the foreground is just distracting since it obscures
While here it is not a big deal:
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-132.jpg



http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-147.jpg
way too much blurred blob for me


http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ab-378-of-466.jpg
The blossom is just distracting.


i''m not saying you can't add some out of focus stuff around the edges, it can work great to frame the subject, but if it dominates it looks like you failed or are an undercover detective.

Here is an excellent example of it working well:
http://www.rhysphotograph.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Caswell_House_Wedding-064.jpg


So I have just picked out examples that I don;t like and would reject. there are plenty that i really like If you want O could go through later and pick some highlights.
 
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D.P. said:
certainly.
Snip
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Thanks Dp, that was some pretty good critiquing, and I agree with much of it.

The ones regarding walking down the isle. You may not realise but there was in fact a large bench and bush blocking me. I could crop closer I guess, but I would lose the blue sky or people. No blues were harmed btw and the sky was that colour.

This one though is actually one of my favourites. I love the purple hue, and deliberately shot through it to add a splash of colour.
Caswell_House_Wedding-032.jpg
 
Nice set again mate. Don't see an issue with your PP it hardly looks like aan Instagram shot.

Also, I'd take it as a compliment that some of your shots are getting questioned. I've had the same in the past but at least it proves you're doing something different.

Style wise I'd say we were quite similar actually. I've often got obscure objects on our storyboards, the clients and family will love it as they understand the context and relevance of certain things.

Keep it up.. Gotta say I'm jealous of your venues, Staffordshire venues are a little lacking. I have 6 out of the next 9 weddings are at the same venue for us, albeit it is one of the best venues in the area.
 
mr tommo said:
Nice set again mate. Don't see an issue with your PP it hardly looks like aan Instagram shot.

Also, I'd take it as a compliment that some of your shots are getting questioned. I've had the same in the past but at least it proves you're doing something different.

Style wise I'd say we were quite similar actually. I've often got obscure objects on our storyboards, the clients and family will love it as they understand the context and relevance of certain things.

Keep it up.. Gotta say I'm jealous of your venues, Staffordshire venues are a little lacking. I have 6 out of the next 9 weddings are at the same venue for us, albeit it is one of the best venues in the area.
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Thanks Mr Tommo, I'll take that onboard. :)
Hope you get some better venue variety soon...
 
mr tommo said:
Nice set again mate. Don't see an issue with your PP it hardly looks like aan Instagram shot.

Also, I'd take it as a compliment that some of your shots are getting questioned. I've had the same in the past but at least it proves you're doing something different.

Style wise I'd say we were quite similar actually. I've often got obscure objects on our storyboards, the clients and family will love it as they understand the context and relevance of certain things.

Keep it up.. Gotta say I'm jealous of your venues, Staffordshire venues are a little lacking. I have 6 out of the next 9 weddings are at the same venue for us, albeit it is one of the best venues in the area.
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Well, I am much more conservative with compositions and styling and there is some thing to be said for more adventurous or unusual techniques. However it is a double edged sword. Selective colouring was considerd cool and different by some, as was OTT tone mapping. Not comparing anything here to that, but just because so ething is different doesn't make it good.

A lot of considerations in composition are not so much an artistic preference but have fundamental issues in they way humans perceive and understand scenes.
 
I'd book you, really like those. Especially like the one looking thru the gap in the door.
There was one on this forum maybe a couple of years ago photographing a young bridesmaid peeking round a corner at the bride getting ready in her room, any idea who took that or if it's still on, loved that one and wanted to show it to the girlfriend
 
darreny said:
I'd book you, really like those. Especially like the one looking thru the gap in the door.
There was one on this forum maybe a couple of years ago photographing a young bridesmaid peeking round a corner at the bride getting ready in her room, any idea who took that or if it's still on, loved that one and wanted to show it to the girlfriend
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That was mine :)

It's one on rotation in my homepage...can't link to it obviously !
 
An Exception said:
Grooms Gopro he did time-lapses with. Context.



Painted wooden chairs. Context of behind the scenes work. Also took pictures of them setting out the chairs, but I have to draw the line somewhere in terms of how many pictures I post.



Really?
Because there was military cargo plane.

I can understand the points about the gopro and chairs though tbh.

Regarding individual picture critique. It's actually easier to right click, copy link location, and repost the image in question.
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Context? I'm not really convinced of that. As for the aircraft - nice picture, but when you were pointing your camera at that, what did you miss in the crowd?

I've got to nip out for a white so I'll post later on what I think is wrong with some shots (don't get me wrong I like most of them, I just think some could be improved by cropping - DP has raised most of the issues I think).
 
Out of interest, are the married couple cool with you sharing pretty much all of their wedding photos on a public forum?

Whilst its always nice to see a small selection of lovely photos from someones wedding, I personally, would really not like all my photos of the day shared on the internet! Perhaps I am alone in this thought?!
 
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