Voice of dissent
Voice of dissent
So, here's the thing, my wife thinks I'm an ass sometimes. Usually its because I "tell it like it is." My point of view is this: I didn't start getting better until people hated my photos. The problem with online critique is that rarely does somebody post a photo that receives honest and constructive feedback. Second, I've taken tons of crappy photos, even crappy wedding photos when I first started shooting and found myself in the same situation.
Since you posted this in the "critique" forum, I would like to offer my completely subjective, though grounded in experience, critique.
Photo 1: The bright background is distracting and the highlights have been blown. In this instance I would have backgrounded the subject with the tree on the left. Also, the tree splits the frame and half, and the highlight area on the right takes away from the overall photo.
Photo 2: Detail shot, required, but crappy light (2 in the afternoon?). While it'll be nice for their scrapbook, not sure why it's here.
Photo 3: Again, unavoidable crappy light, I might have pulled them aside to stand in a shadow or something, also would have cropped WAY tighter and maybe done some edge burning as the guy holding out his arms seems to be the subject and I want to use everything in my power to draw eyes to him.
Photo 4: I really like what you're going for here, but smudges on the mirror or bad focus hurt the overall impact as the brides(?) face is blurry.
Photo 5: Classic window light shot, although the background is a little cluttered. I would crop much tighter on this as well, so much so as to cut out the corner from the window.
Photo 6: Another tight crop to remove the lady on the left and focus attention on the bride rather than the window - as I assume the subject is in fact the bride.
Photo 7: Nice. Highlights blown, but probably unavoidable. Would be nice to have detail in the highlights though.
Next Set,
Photo 1: Don't be afraid to move around and get in peoples faces and way, in a polite manner of course. Remember, you have a mission to accomplish and need to use all the space you reasonably can to "get the shot" I understand what you're trying to do with all the cameras in the frame, but I'm not sure you pulled it off. Might be fixed with a tight crop of bride and groom.
Photo 2: I'd like to see all of the subjects face in this one. Get close and attention to detail.
Photo 3: The groom almost disappears into the black. This shot would have worked better with the bride against the shadow for great contrast.
Photo 4: Nice.
Photo 5: Crop tight or get closer, the subject appears to be the placing of the rings and the photo should have only enough info for me to understand that.
Photo 6: Nice. Fill flash would have helped the grooms face, but you've already acknowledged this.
Photo 7: I'm probably just an insensitive jerk, but I don't really feel the emotion in this one. Maybe its because I don't see tears, maybe its because it looks like the guy is picking his nose. Not sure.
Okay, I know it seems like I've been a total harshmellow and your photos aren't that bad. I hope you can take this as subjective constructive criticism and not some personnel attack.
Since you've opened yourself up to critique, I think it's only fair that I share a wedding that I recently shot:
http://beyondthenegative.com/gallery/RobertNatashaWedding/index.html
They aren't all favorites, but the photos are for the family, not me. Thank you.
