My first wedding!

[ScarySquirrel]

EDIT: Final, full set here - HERE


I have updated my Flickr with re-edits so some of the images in the first few posts may not load, see here for full set -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scarysquirrel/sets/72157622165656003/


Following my thread seeking advice about wedding photography, I got a chance to put it all into action on Saturday.

Naturally, everything went out the window, I forgot the very basics of photography, and generally screwed up lots of things. First off, I wasn't paid for this, I was simply helping out with another guy who does a bit of photography, so I didn't cover EVERYTHING, mainly the bride getting ready, the ceremony, and a bit of stuff in the evening.

Lots of things went wrong for me! Things happened so quickly I ended up messing simple things up, like forgetting to change ISO and overexposing loads of shots, forgetting to set high speed sync on my flash, blah blah blah.

I didn't do many shots of the guests, to be honest, I was put off as some of them really hadn't made an effort and seemed very unnaproachable!!

Anyway, here is a small selection of the first batch of photos I have processed, the bride getting ready and the ceremony. Some more coming up in the next couple of days.

Oh, by the way, you can't escape Helen! There's plenty of her in this set too!!!!

1// Told you!

2//

3//

4// Had to be done!

5// Bride and groom's daughter!

6// Some colour!!!

7// Helen was a bridesmaid by the way!

8//

9//

10// Blown highlights on purpose of course....ahem!!

 

[ScarySquirrel]

11//

12//

13//

14//

15//

16//

17//

18// Waiting for the other bridesmaid to turn up! Believe it or not she went in a different car and went to get a drive-tru KFC, resulting in holding up the wedding by 15 minutes!

19// Ohhhhhhhhhhhh.....see what I did there? See that? I focussed somewhere different! That's talent for you ladies and gentlemen.

20//

 

[ScarySquirrel]

21//

22//

23//

24//

25//

26//

27//

28//

That's all for now, I have some more to process so will update this thread with some more shortly.

Wedding photography is hard!

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Have to say I was not too impressed with the first couple I saw; composition is good but they just seemed a bit flat with no real tonal range.

Hmmm....I agree actually. What could I do to bring them to life a bit more?

But then from 7 onwards, a massive difference. It may just be a personal thing but I am not a fan of the soft processing.

Are there any in particular which stand out as too soft for you, which would benefit from being brought back a peg or two?

Anyway, that aside, the later ones are terrific. I am sure they will be very pleased with them.

Thanks Hopefully they like them!

There's some nice shots there - I must admit I'm not a big fan of using unusual angles, or rather, that should be overusing them.

Yeah perhaps I did overdo the angles, I should have been a bit more aware of this whilst shooting. Most of the shots are traditionally framed, it seems that my 'picks' for this thread just happen to contain a lot of angled shots!

I wouldn't put number 8 in the collection as it stands - her nose looks enormous on that shot!

She has a crooked nose, not much I can do about that



Thanks for the comments though, much appreciated. Unfortunately due to the mistakes I made it has made the processing very difficult on many of the shots. Perhaps why I used some soft focus effects a little too much on them.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Nice work mate

How did you get on with the rented lens?

Yeah it was good thanks, very quick to focus and worked well. Unfortunately due to my own inability to photograph under pressure (as I was extremely nervous) I really didn't keep my eye on the shutter speed enough, this is one thing I have learnt from this event and the last shoot with Helen.

The result, lots of photos which aren't particularly sharp.

I think the main thing about this day though is that I learnt a hell of a lot, in a weird way I am glad that I made some mistakes, as now I know I will not make them again

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Really appreciate the advice guys.

One of the problems was that I had to deal with blown highlights in most of my shots (due to me being a retard and throwing out everything I have learnt in the last two years out the window), which is maybe why some of the whites have gone a bit grey.

I'll revisit the 'getting ready' ones tonight and see if I can do anything else with them

I have the second batch to go through tonight so I'll be doing those first and then come back to these ones for a second pass.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

My neck hurts from all the tilting!

SOme good work but far too many tilted shots, too much B&W.

Careful of the highlights also.

As mentioned in the OP, I screwed up a lot and ended up with so many blown highlights. Good thing is though, I know where I went wrong and have learnt from it.

For anyone interested, full set from the first batch is here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scarysquirrel/sets/72157622276210734/

As you'll see, there are around the same number of colour photos than black and white, it just seems that, like the tilting, most of the photos I picked for this thread are black and white.

Besides, the bride and groom kept telling me they like black and white photos

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Cool, cheers for the advice Raymond.

I think I'll leave it a couple of months and then perhaps contact some local wedding photographers and look into helping out as a second photographer a few times.

I can't see me doing this for money, but it was good fun and I learnt a lot.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Good point about the processing guys, I hadn't really thought of that. It's difficult when one image works well ina certain style but none of the others do.

What would you say is the maximum number of processing styles? 2? Or 3 maybe?

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Ok Raymond, I'll give that a go

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Very very useful read.

I think I'll go back over these tonight rather than do the second lot. In doing so I'll pay closer attention to highlights, and try to stick to a single processing style for colour and one for black and white.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Can you give details of how you were using flash especially on #6, 15 to 20.

Impressed - well done !

All of the shots with flash were simply in ETTL mode, with the wide angle flappy thing down and with a simple diffuser on the flash. Flash aimed directly at the subjet, and shooting in AV mode.

Thanks

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Lovely shots as always . Just not enough of Helen

Persil

Here you go

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Question. Were you there to photograph the wedding or your girlfriend?

I was hoping no one would notice that. Naturally I took a fair few of my GF but I'll perhaps omit these from the set that I deliver to the B&G, as she shows up in a fair few

I was doing them a favour though, so I'll take pictures of what I like

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Wasn't having a go!

Oh I know mate. My sister mentioned the same thing, hehe

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Okey dokey, I've done a re-edit on the 'getting ready' shots, to try and give them a bit more punch, and to make them more consitent with the black and whites from later in the set.

Now, I know that I have probably overdone the black and white in these shots, but I simply cannot get them looking good in colour, so no comments on the fact they're all black and white please.

The B&G told me they love black and white, so I simply meeting the brief.............

Compared to the first ones posted, any better?

Too many of Helen to start with, I know, but I can't resist!!!

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Better?

I want to get these as best I can for when I give them to the bride and groom

 

[ScarySquirrel]

I feel much happier about the re-processed ones, I have OcUK to thank for that

Possesed, are you referring to my last post, with the kid being held, as missing something?

 

[ScarySquirrel]

It might be the high key lighting, not sure. I think the others feature more blacks so perhaps that is why they stand out more

I know they will like it though, so I guess that's the main thing.

Thanks for the comments though, much appreciated as always.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Right, well most of tonight has been spent improving the first batch, and I am pretty happy now. The processing is now much more consistent. Although I have left the church B&W's as they are as I preferred the darker feeling to them. Some updates:

Brought the dress detail back a touch

Brought more in line with the rest of the set

Brought in line with rest

Trying something different, some cinematic borders