1st wedding as an amateur

[William W]

. . . My best 50 odd images (and these still need to be trimmed down) are online at http://www.jasonwells.co.uk/Photography/Weddings - if any of you have five minutes I wouldn't mind hearing some feedback . . .

Based on those 50 images, I think that the B&G should be happy. Congratulations.

Some points that you might look at (and some examples from your images in brackets):

> Why drop down and shoot from a lower camera angle - that only accentuates the weight of the hips and usually gives a less flattering perspective of the face. (bride and groom - half shot)

> Using a W/A lens (or zooming out) to create more space is not usually the best answer - using closer to a standard lens and moving back is usually a better option to make a better and more pleasing perspective (groom father best man - full shot).

> there are quite a few hard shadows from the flash: practice with the light modification (just married, signing the register, the bride, happiness . . etc)

> there is not adequate flash fill on most of the outdoor backlit or side lit shots. If shooting in AL was your vision, then the shots are under exposure for the skin tones and to best capture the Subjects' expressions and emotions. (groom with his best man)



WW

[wellsie82]

Based on those 50 images, I think that the B&G should be happy. Congratulations.

Some points that you might look at (and some examples from your images in brackets):

> Why drop down and shoot from a lower camera angle - that only accentuates the weight of the hips and usually gives a less flattering perspective of the face. (bride and groom - half shot)

> Using a W/A lens (or zooming out) to create more space is not usually the best answer - using closer to a standard lens and moving back is usually a better option to make a better and more pleasing perspective (groom father best man - full shot).

> there are quite a few hard shadows from the flash: practice with the light modification (just married, signing the register, the bride, happiness . . etc)

> there is not adequate flash fill on most of the outdoor backlit or side lit shots. If shooting in AL was your vision, then the shots are under exposure for the skin tones and to best capture the Subjects' expressions and emotions. (groom with his best man)

WW

cheers bill

drop down & shoot - good question. i set the tripod up & after 2-3 shots i felt it was getting in my way so i did away with it so i wasn't stood on the same spot. there were a few distractions in the background but you're right with the perspective not being very flattering

the flash is certainly my weak spot. other than when i was some distance from the subjects (few % of images) then i bounced off a flash bender on all the shots where the flash was fired - perhaps i need to try pointing the flash back & bouncing it onto the bender. my tactic on the weekend was to point the flash up (90d from the subject) & then bent the flash bender over slightly at the tip

[William W]

I rarely used a tripod ever at Wedding, if I had noticed any previous mention of a Tripod I probably would have commented.

WW

[Colin Southern]

Controlling of the flash - was always going to be my weak point having used the flash so little. By the end of the night I was controlling the amount of flash light hitting the sensor with my aperture but earlier in the day I was using FEC only - this lead to overexposed images - some of which were beyond repair.

Under X-Sync Speed, changing aperture doesn't affect the amount of flash light hitting the sensor (assuming ETTL) as the reduced aperture that attenuates the flash also attenuates the pre-flash by exactly the same amount -- so the camera increases the flash output by the same amount to keep it the same (assuming that the flash isn't already putting out its maximum output).

[cathycroteau]

I am really enjoying reading these posts about wedding photography . I am going to be taking pictures for my husbands uncles wedding the end of May, so I have been reading everything I can get my hands on or eyes LOL