Jenn and Eric's Wedding

[littlegal]

Thank you so much Stacey,

To tell you the truth, I was starting to get kinda depressed about it. I recieve the same kind of remarks from a LOT of photographers about the PP. I was starting to doubt myself.

But I think you nailed my thought process right on the head Stacey. I do want it to look like a fairy tale. I spend untold hours removing exit signs and ceiling grates because I feel like they can sometimes kill a photo. I give my clients a "retouching" guideline, and let them decide to what level they get retouched. Most of them go for "full out".

A female photographer and I were talking one day, and she told me that she and some other photographers were talking about what pretty brides I always seem to get. Some of the other photographers insisted that they MUST be hired models. The photographer, who has known me my entire career corrected them. She has worked with me and knows. But some of the other photographers ignored her and continued to believe they were all hired models. So we got to talking about it, trying to figure out why all my brides are so pretty. I didn't understand it anymore than she and the rest did.

After discussing it for a while, we decided that the ladies I get spend a lot of time on their appearance and their clothing. They are almost universally collage educated, sorority ladies, who hold very professional jobs. They are type A people in every way. They are driven, and strive for perfection. They spend a lot of money on their venues and their dresses, the food, DJs, lights, cars...the whole shebang. They don't want to know if they have acne scars or wrinkles or sweat. They don't want to look back at the photos and see that they had a little bit of bloating that day, or was tired from staying too late at the rehearsal party the night before. They ask me to remove that little bulge in their upper arm, or that tatoo that they now regret. After all, they have spent tens of thousands of dollars to have their perfect day.

And not just on the wedding. They have spent thousands on gyms and teeth whitening, and dematologists, and hair and nails getting ready for the big day. They spend months prior to the wedding trying to make themselves look absolutely perfect. (Even though they were already pretty to start with). If I let that wrinkle go, or let that shine slide, they would be let down. At least that's the way I think about it. I'm not changing them. I'm just helping to make them a bit on the flawless side.

And you are right too that this is not for every bride. Some very beautiful, driven, and successful brides like a lot more realism. That bride wants to remember the day exactly as it was. There are many very talented photographers who can provide them with just that. There's also the "texture" photogs, the "color amping" photogs, the "sunflare" photogs, the "tilting" photogs, "the "traditionalists" and every other little things that we can find to set ourselves apart from the ever burgeoning slew of photographers entering the market ever year. And there is enough work for us all. There is more work for those that are somehow different, even if it's not something universally loved by our fellows.

I may never be fully appreciated by other photographers. Some of them might find my work quite ghastly. But I have dug out a little nitch that not everyone else will do. The brides that want that will come to me. Those that don't want it, will have tons of options elsewear. If I were to lose that uniqueness, I might also lose that segment of bride who really wants that.

[texasshooter]

Originally Posted by littlegal

Thank you so much Stacey,
I may never be fully appreciated by other photographers. Some of them might find my work quite ghastly. But I have dug out a little nitch that not everyone else will do. The brides that want that will come to me. Those that don't want it, will have tons of options elsewear. If I were to lose that uniqueness, I might also lose that segment of bride who really wants that.

Professor in a business class told of a man who had a hotdog cart shortly before and during the depression years. He sent his son to college using his hotdog cart money and when his son visited newly degreed, and educated, he told his dad that the country was in the middle of a money crisis he should not be doing as well as he was doing. His uneducated dad looked at his intelligent son and told him, "I guess I am too dumb to know any better".

I have taken a page from your book and have found a little attraction that brides have loved... It technically may not correct or even artistic, but it spends very nicely at my grocery store..... DO NOT EVER DOUBT YOURSELF.... I have become a better shooter for having been exposed to your work... Thank you Cindy.

David

[littlegal]

Ok David,
I'm crying now. Your beautiful post is just what I needed to lift me up.
Your work makes me grow as well.
I *HEART* you!

[Peacefield]

I'm one of the many for whom overcooked skin retouching just doesn't appeal. That said, I don't feel that way about these images at all. They're all outstanding.

I'd like to jump back to the topic of lighting which is what first attracted me to these images; especially those getting ready and the ceremony. The light looks too big and a bit directional to just be the wall behind you, no? Were those really flash to the wall behind you or was that ambient?

And when you're flashing against the wall behind you, don't you end up with unintended shadows?

[littlegal]

Yay! Back to lighting stuff.

On the ceremony, we had no flash use at all, and we were quite a ways back. It was pretty dark in there but we all shot at 1600. We wanted to expose correctly first, and worry about possible noise issues later.

As for the get ready shots, we all shot backwards flash. We aren't bouncing off of anything. For this to work, you have to be in pretty close quarters, using a short lens. What I like about it is that you get quite a bit of ambient mixed in.

And you are right. When I used to bounce, I got all kinds of color casts, and half shadows, or worst of all, the "flashed" look. This way works well for us, because backwards flash deflects all those problems. The only problem with it, is you have to jump in really close. (a good illustration is the photo of her smelling her flower. I'm very close to her, so she is exposed correctly. Her husband, only about a foot back is more in the shadows. The more you move your eyes to the back of the photo, the darker it gets. If I would have flashed it, It would have been black back there).

Thanks for the kind words Peacefield.

[benjeev]

i kinda agree with felix.reichardt... the soft focus on the skin is a little overdone imo... however, it doesn't take away from the fact that they are still great shots

[felix.reichardt]

Originally Posted by benjeev

... however, it doesn't take away from the fact that they are still great shots

Yup

[TheShoot]

Cindy,

What lens are you using? I know you said you had your AP at 2.8, flash bounced backwards, and ISO around 1600 (only indoorsn or out and in?)

Also, trying to keep up with your PP, though being a bit more green at all of this I'm still "slightly" lost. Going to start looking things up in a sec. LOL But, are you using a "Smart Blur" to get the texture/smoothing effect? (Smartblur = Photoshop... at least my version).

I'm just trying to compare... below is an example of what I'm looking at. I love the effect it gives, on a lot of the pictures I've used it on, but worried about it loosing details. Do you notice this being a problem for you? Or do most of your clients like the more smoothing/art style look?
Is your method the before mentioned Noiseware?

[KellyL]

I haven't had time to hang out in weddings lately, but I always enjoy looking at your work, Cindy. I know your PS is not my style, but I respect it that it is yours. But I do love the exposure and the sharpness that is consistently found in your work. Amazing. I need that lens we talked about.

[woojiebear]

wonderful! looks like a ton of fun

[rainer]

Originally Posted by littlegal

The only thing I do with lighting (unless it's formals) is just bounce my flash backwards. It's weird, and you have to get close, but I like the way it lights things.
I start out in Lightroom for my exposure and white balance correction, and it's fairly fast doing the job. I then batch Noiseware at half default on all images.
Then it's just a matter of cropping and post.
Hope that helps!

Lovely Photos and I like your detail Photos and in particular with the Rings Droping down the Flower Bud.
Very creative.
I have some inside shots to be done at a Wedding. I know I can bounce the light from behind ,ceiling, e,t,c.
I usualy do this with my Flash defuser down with the BL along with higher ISO usage. Just not sure about a larger Room if I should pop my defuser up or not? I like to defuse the light nicely across most of it and it may be that when doing a larger Room that having the Flash defuser down may not be necessary.
I have not tried rear curtain Flash as yet and not sure how well that will work.
Witch one works best for you in that sort of situation?

Rainer

[Song4themoon]

The light is great, the angles are great but the skin looks way overprocessed. Minus the processing I love them