Very harsh lighting on the figures makes the cut of the jacket look very poor, especially around the left shoulder. Light direction on figures has nothing to do with light direction in the BG photo, though some might not object to that. Dichotomy between the misty-romantic BG look and the harsh, angular look of the figures is offputting to me. The masking on the woman's head is poor, it looks very artificial. The rest of the masking is pretty good at first glance.
Overall, though, there is good drama and good color.
ETA: one other thing, the leftmost pier light is WAY too dominant, it pulls the eye away from where we should be looking, I'd mute it considerably.
for me there's two things in this photo that don't work for me. First is the bride and groom body position. Is awkerd ever for contemplating the BG. I would defenitively change that. The second is the unrealistic treatment of the light/background with a kind of mist feeling, when there's no wist in the sky, or the harbour could'nt apear so clearly in the photo.
the light seems off, maybe burn down the males right arm? other than that i like the tones and colors, but im not sure the background works well with the attire of the subjects..
It's a treat to see your style evolving, Joshua. Applied to wedding photography, it will be unique--I predict you will make a name for yourself, & have many assistants who will tote the lighting equipment around for you. And wrangler to manage the models clients hair, makeup, clothes, etc. "D
What I see here, is a landscape that's a little too dominant. And the newly married couple is looking into the sunset (IMO a sunrise would be more appropriate, symbolically). The composition is excellent. I hope you post more of these!
I really like the concept, Joshua, and don't really mind the prominence of the pier. But for me the couple does not look incorporated into the image, rather like they're standing in front of a big screen with that photo :-)
I really like the concept, Joshua, and don't really mind the prominence of the pier. But for me the couple does not look incorporated into the image, rather like they're standing in front of a big screen with that photo :-)
I can see that. I believe a big part of that is the beach was shot with a wide angle while the couple was around 50mm. Normally I make sure to shoot the same or at least very close focal lengths when doing a composite. I just wanted to use a bride and these are all I have, I am hoping to get more bridal sessions in the near future.
Joshua on the color version the reason it looks a little off is the obviously the color. If you stamp the layer, create a duplicate, and go to filter>>blur>>average, change the layer to color and reduce opacity it should help with the overall color scheme.
If not make a new layer, select your brush, pick a color closest to them and paint over the subjects. Double click the layer and on the lower section of your layer styles, you will see the blend if section: hold down the alt/option key and split the black slider and drag it left. It will only allow those colors you selected to show in the highlights, do the opposite for the shadows. Reduce your opacity.
I did do an average blur from the big onto the subjects. I understand about the lighting but my thinking is if I actually shit this on location I would likely have used a similar setup for the lights and it would look the same or similar lighting wise. But I will look again at the overall shot after leaving it for a bit and hopefully I will be able to see it better.
I did do an average blur from the big onto the subjects. I understand about the lighting but my thinking is if I actually shit this on location I would likely have used a similar setup for the lights and it would look the same or similar lighting wise. But I will look again at the overall shot after leaving it for a bit and hopefully I will be able to see it better.
I'm thinking if you shit this on location, the clients would be mightily impressed.
I did do an average blur from the big onto the subjects. I understand about the lighting but my thinking is if I actually shit this on location I would likely have used a similar setup for the lights and it would look the same or similar lighting wise. But I will look again at the overall shot after leaving it for a bit and hopefully I will be able to see it better.
I'm thinking if you shit this on location, the clients would be mightily impressed.
I did do an average blur from the big onto the subjects. I understand about the lighting but my thinking is if I actually shit this on location I would likely have used a similar setup for the lights and it would look the same or similar lighting wise. But I will look again at the overall shot after leaving it for a bit and hopefully I will be able to see it better.
I'm thinking if you shit this on location, the clients would be mightily impressed.
I really hope you mean shot :)
Either way the clients would be impressed, but for different reasons. Very different reasons. Disturbing reasons.
oops, yes I meant shot, see I should have went to bed just a few minutes earlier. I don't know I like the couple standing there, I am someone who would do this, just stare out at the ocean thinking about life. With the couple in their wedding dress it is as if they are looking out into the unknown future, the vast open of uncertainty and while they look timid about the future their grasp on each other will get them through. Maybe it is just because thie couple are very close friends and I am looking at it in more than a technical way but don't think I don't listen to advice.
To me, your photo is very creative, and the right couple would absolutely love it. You can see that most of the suggestions here were spot on. I like the color version much better - a lot less stark than the b&w version to me.
Considering that my wife & I got engaged on a similar beach, unaware that the tide was coming in around my VW Rabbit (yes, I'm that old...), it would be very conceivable that we would revisit that location in wedding attire. My wife grew up across a narrow road from the beach, and loves the ocean.
Your 2nd edit definitely has better shadows, more dramatic lighting. It would show more emotion of the couple looking at each other not into the water like the Great Gatsby. I would also like to see the circular sun between them, that might indicate a warm bond. You can try some Fog-Misty f/x filter from NIK Software, now owned by Google. For our "Fantastic" wedding photo taken in Film days, we snuck away from the reception, just at sunset. We were turned 3/4 toward the camera, with the sunset at chest and hand level. It was a hand hold and maybe a kiss. These are just my opinions.
It's seems strange to me, surely the message of the newly weds looking forward would be at the end of the pier looking out to the vast emptiness that they are yet to fill as a married couple, not at the underside of the pier
Or just setting foot on the pier with its entire length to go as a metaphor for their journey through life together to reach the end of the pier together etc
I don't like the angle of the two either seems awkward and stiff
It's seems strange to me, surely the message of the newly weds looking forward would be at the end of the pier looking out to the vast emptiness that they are yet to fill as a married couple, not at the underside of the pier
Or just setting foot on the pier with its entire length to go as a metaphor for their journey through life together to reach the end of the pier together etc
I don't like the angle of the two either seems awkward and stiff
Excellent thoughts, I will rember to get some photos looking down the pier next time I visit the beach. And the pose isn't even a pose, this was shot while they were walking to get in position for their formals in the church and I was testing the lights. 2.5 years ago, I really need more brides...
