Finally got the online photo gallery for my daughter's proofs. Now I really DO wish I had taken my camera. The pro did okay. Not great, not awful. He took over 500 shots and hard to believe he missed several I wanted, but he did. I should have been VERY specific about some of them.
Some are just too cheesy, some are technically not good, some are really nice. He didn't get any of the vocalist, the recessional photo is awful, and there are NO traditional type shots at all of the bride or the bride and groom. I mean, there's not really a what I consider a "bridal portrait" shot with her bouquet and a formal pose. It will also be hard to find a good newspaper announcement shot. I will say the bride is not nearly as picky as I am and she is happy enough with the shots.
Overall, I'm really disappointed, but can't do a darn thing about it. I will have all the files, so perhaps I can edit some a bit more to my liking. I love to look at wedding shots and some of you may also, so I'm posting the link in case anyones' interested. Comments always welcome! Please disregard the close up of me looking like I'm walking to someone's funeral :) LOL
Edited to add: My favorite shot of my daughter is probably not one most folks would choose. It's number 226, and I just love the lightness of it and the movement. I think it's a very nice shot of her just before she and her dad go in.
I think they came out good. He hasn't done any editing yet. Also, not everyone photographer can get that incredible situation with the incredible backgrounds !! Took me a while to realize that. I'm sure they'll look real good when he's done editing.
I think they came out good. He hasn't done any editing yet. Also, not everyone photographer can get that incredible situation with the incredible backgrounds !! Took me a while to realize that. I'm sure they'll look real good when he's done editing.
No..we didn't have an ocean in the background :) AND..it was probably the hottest day of the year. Easily over 100 w/ the humidity factored in.
However, I believe these have had minimal editing because the wedding was August 4th and he just put these up last night. He said he was "working" on the photos, which I assume to mean at least some minimal editing.
Perhaps I had my expectations too high. Regardless of the quality of what is here, there are definitely a few I really wanted (as far as poses etc.) that they (two shooters didn't get. That's probably as much my fault for not making sure my wants were crystal clear.
I think there are some great shots in there. There are a few that are off but overall I think they are beautiful. The focus and color are perfect in almost all of them so at least you will have something good to work with. :)
Judy ... I just adore the ones at the end ... near the water and walking down that path ... I think that those are very natural and speak volumes about the love they have for each other ...
I'm sorry you're disappointed, Judy. It's a shame, really, that you didn't get what you wanted. I bet you paid a lot for him too. I don't know much about wedding photography but I was wondering why he took so many of them on an angle. If he was trying to be creative I don't think it worked.
I too think those came out pretty good. The lighting is really nice in all of them. What sort of setup was he using? I can tell that light is coming pretty far off camera. Some of the crops he chose to shoot bothered me a little bit but overall they look nice. Its very easy for us photograhers to tear apart the work of others on such an important day.
I think there are some great shots in there. There are a few that are off but overall I think they are beautiful. The focus and color are perfect in almost all of them so at least you will have something good to work with. :)
Are you getting a high-res CD?
Yes, I will be getting the high res files. I've already been editing in my head on a few of them :) They really are not terrible, they're just not as good as I'd hoped.
I have already talked to my daughter about getting her dressed up again and going to the church so I can take some of the shots I wanted. I'll even pay for a duplicate bouquet, as it was not expensive.
I'm not sure I'd ever do photography for a photographer :) He did work very hard and I have no problems with his efforts...it's just the results weren't as perfect as this perfectionist wanted. Plus I'm REALLY stingy, and when I pay for anything, I expect a lot. Maybe too much.
I too think those came out pretty good. The lighting is really nice in all of them. What sort of setup was he using? I can tell that light is coming pretty far off camera. Some of the crops he chose to shoot bothered me a little bit but overall they look nice. Its very easy for us photograhers to tear apart the work of others on such an important day.
For the sanctuary group shots, he had set up two umbrellas - one on each side, up high on a tripod, pretty much at a 45 degree angle to the subjects. I definitely like the lighting in those shots. Other than those, he just had a bracketed flash on the camera.
Also, not everyone photographer can get that incredible situation with the incredible backgrounds!!
Yes, but EVERY wedding photographer should see the EXIT sign over the brides head in the background...
and Candles or crosses coming out of the top of people's heads and whether the shadows are horrible in the background. He seems to have a poor ability to see past the people he's photographing.
Also, not everyone photographer can get that incredible situation with the incredible backgrounds!!
Yes, but EVERY wedding photographer should see the EXIT sign over the brides head in the background...
and Candles or crosses coming out of the top of people's heads and whether the shadows are horrible in the background. He seems to have a poor ability to see past the people he's photographing.
I don't think I made it as far as the "flaming heads!"
What?? You can only make comments if they are flattering the photo? By critiquing other's work.... we learn.... from pointing out the flaws in other photos..... maybe the next wedding one of us shoots... the light fixture on the top of the heads will be remembered and avoided :)
I like the light fixture out of the top of their heads on page eleven
I hardly claim to be a wedding expert but have quite a few under my belt now. Ceremonies can be a real pain. The church appears to have a lot of candles on stands around the place, especially when they're walking back up the aisle. With these sorts of photos you have one shot and that's it. What makes it worse is that with the excitement the couple can move up the aisle very quickly so you don't have the chance to move to a slightly better position to avoid something like candle etc. Sure, pre-planning comes into it but the amount of times I have checked out a venue only to find it's laid out differently on the day. There are some good shots amongst them and with a bit of cropping and editing they will look great.
I like the light fixture out of the top of their heads on page eleven
I hardly claim to be a wedding expert but have quite a few under my belt now. Ceremonies can be a real pain. The church appears to have a lot of candles on stands around the place, especially when they're walking back up the aisle. With these sorts of photos you have one shot and that's it. What makes it worse is that with the excitement the couple can move up the aisle very quickly so you don't have the chance to move to a slightly better position to avoid something like candle etc. Sure, pre-planning comes into it but the amount of times I have checked out a venue only to find it's laid out differently on the day. There are some good shots amongst them and with a bit of cropping and editing they will look great.
Dont get me wrong.... I completely understand.... Ive done it myself... more than I care to admit :P
Sometimes its unavoidable.... sometimes you have to get the shot.... you look at the photo and say.... darn it.... that stinkin' light fixture got in my way :)
I'm glad to see that people here at DPC are so perfect they can ridicule others work so easily.
I paid a professional for services and I feel well within my rights to voice dissatisfaction or satisfaction with the results. He (and the second shooter) certainly captured the day, worked very hard, and came up with adequate results. On the other hand, out of 500+ shots, there is not ONE that stopped me in my tracks and said "YES, this is it." There are several where I have said "That's a good shot"...but none that really wow me. I certainly don't expect to have but maybe one or two of those shots, but I suppose I did expect at least one.
In any case, I posted them because I think we all learn by viewing and critiquing the work of others. The points that have been made are, I think, valid. I'm NOT saying I could have done better.
Also, probably the most expensive photography purchase (besides equipment) any of us will buy will be wedding photos. Therefore, I for one, really am interested in discussions of wedding photos....the good, the bad and the ugly :) For what it's worth, I have not voiced any dissatisfaction to the photographer. There is nothing he can do about it at this point anyway, and he has provided adequate results.
