1st wedding shots for critics...

[henavs]

My god-sis asked me to be their main photog...
After reading several posts and gathering some helpful advice from fellow CSers here, here's my 1st wedding try...


http://www.pixisinteractive.com/gall...pipi/index.htm



These are beginner's shots, so pls bare with lousy timing & composition...

Comments & critics are most welcome...
Thx

[Bluestrike]

Bouncing off the ceiling is good.... but sometime, you to reflect some of the light to the subject! if not it will seem like the Sun on top of them!

[henavs]

Originally Posted by Bluestrike Bouncing off the ceiling is good.... but sometime, you to reflect some of the light to the subject! if not it will seem like the Sun on top of them!

Ic...Will remember this on future indoor shots next time...thx!
Was too nervous & tense at that time that I didn't pay attention to my cam & flash config...

[ming76]

hi henavs

What angle did u tilt your flash head? ( 90 degree straight up or other angles)
Some of the shots can still see the harsh shadows although u have bounce your flash. the flash might not be able to cover 17 mm lens and might result in the dark corners...

some of the shots are quite good,not bad for a first try..

[Bluestrike]

Originally Posted by henavs Ic...Will remember this on future indoor shots next time...thx! Was too nervous & tense at that time that I didn't pay attention to my cam & flash config...

That the problem...
Try to relax more. then interact with the subject.. they will not be so "dead"
see pi_20, it a clear example of the "Sun" thing .... hehehe.e.

Pi_14 look good.. but duno if it the scanning, the colour (skin) look funny... very pale... or maybe she is that way

ok... Hope I dun sound too HARSH!

[henavs]

Originally Posted by ming76 hi henavs What angle did u tilt your flash head? ( 90 degree straight up or other angles) Some of the shots can still see the harsh shadows although u have bounce your flash. the flash might not be able to cover 17 mm lens and might result in the dark corners... some of the shots are quite good,not bad for a first try..

Thx, ming...

I tilted it at about 45-60 degree, which sometimes just above or behind the subject...

[ming76]

Originally Posted by henavs Thx, ming... I tilted it at about 45-60 degree, which sometimes just above or behind the subject...

for indoor shots, and for lens length 50mm and below, can use straight up(90 degrees). that shld give u better lighting.

and aviod using lens which the flash cannot cover, (like 20 mm and below) otherwise u get dark corners for yr photos. or dun use flash if u want to use very wide angle lens...

my 2 cents..

[henavs]

Originally Posted by Bluestrike That the problem... Try to relax more. then interact with the subject.. they will not be so "dead" see pi_20, it a clear example of the "Sun" thing .... hehehe.e. Pi_14 look good.. but duno if it the scanning, the colour (skin) look funny... very pale... or maybe she is that way ok... Hope I dun sound too HARSH!

Too nervous...can't move...

No pbm, Bluestrike...Harsh critics is always a good thing, it helps us to improve more...Thx!

I guess for Pi_14...the flash is quite near her face, makes her look quite pale...
For Pi_20...oh well...

[Bluestrike]

Originally Posted by henavs Too nervous...can't move... No pbm, Bluestrike...Harsh critics is always a good thing, it helps us to improve more...Thx! I guess for Pi_14...the flash is quite near her face, makes her look quite pale... For Pi_20...oh well...

ok .. then I'll be HARSHER LIAO!
:P

Continue shooting!!!!

[henavs]

Originally Posted by ming76 for indoor shots, and for lens length 50mm and below, can use straight up(90 degrees). that shld give u better lighting. and aviod using lens which the flash cannot cover, (like 20 mm and below) otherwise u get dark corners for yr photos. or dun use flash if u want to use very wide angle lens... my 2 cents..

Ic, thx...Will remember that...

Its my 1st time using flash below 28mm...
I guess I can't avoid using flash & wide angle at the same time, coz my meter shows 1/8 @f/4 using ISO 400...i was less than 2m away from subject due to small space...

[henavs]

Originally Posted by Bluestrike ok .. then I'll be HARSHER LIAO! :P Continue shooting!!!!

oh no...

Thx again...

[Snowcrash]

Just a question first before I comment:

Are you satisfied with the pictures you show for this wedding or you did not edit much but show even those you don't like?

Ok here are my comments.

To me only pi_23, 31, 34 looks ok.

The flashlight is way off with harsh shadows or uneven exposures in MOST of the shots.

Don't give up, Shoot MORE, EDIT MORE, SHOW LESS.

Spend more time editing your pictures (what works for you...etc). I'm still telling myself that.

[henavs]

Originally Posted by Snowcrash Just a question first before I comment: Are you satisfied with the pictures you show for this wedding or you did not edit much but show even those you don't like? Ok here are my comments. To me only pi_23, 31, 34 looks ok. The flashlight is way off with harsh shadows or uneven exposures in MOST of the shots. Don't give up, Shoot MORE, EDIT MORE, SHOW LESS. Spend more time editing your pictures (what works for you...etc). I'm still telling myself that.

Well, these are some of them only... The rest are traditional custom where which are not worth showing...

I made a mistake coz I was using Manual mode instead of Av or Tv mode, so I was not using the camera metering...Tats why a lot of shots are uneven whenever I change aperture......Still need to learn more...

Agree with u, I should be more selective in displaying these shots...

Thx for the advice, Snowcrash...

[tert]

Hey Hen,

Great attempt... The results are quite good given that its your first try.

I especially like pix 29; great composition... you captured the essence of everything in the pix.

As mentioned by other CSers, the exposure, lighting and shadows are less than desirable. You'd probably not want to shoot @ 17mm. Personally, I feel that 28mm is the widest that I would need. Most of the time, you'd would be able fit what you want into the frame at that focal. My preference for the flash angle for the 420ex is 75 deg (shots where my lens is parallel to the ground), or 90deg when my lens is tilted downwards (to capture below). It results in more even flash lighting.

You may like to take note and improve on your composition a bit. Like pix (11), shift more to the left; pix (12) not to put the couple at the end of the frame.

It is definately easier said than done. I shoot M to lessen the pressure of changing settings. As mentioned before a couple of times, I primarily shoot in 5.6 Av and 1/60, 1/30 Tv for ISO 400. FEL on the subject almost all the time then recompose and focus. Given the fixed setting to apply to most situations, I would need to pay less attention to the camera and more on getting the shot.

Thanks for sharing...

[pkj]

Certainly doing it for the first time is very stressful. my first wedding (adrian & shermeen) as a main photographer, I had to jot down and memorise the important shots (both conventional and artistic) on paper weeks in advance and running through the event in my mind. Of course, i still missed some but u will also discover "new" perspective... ...keep learning. Being main photographer, esp if you the only one, you will be stressed between taking standard shots vs artistics shots. Some standard shots are very very impt .eg. tea ceremony to parents. In making sure you do not miss the standard shots, sometimes it is v difficult to "feel" creative and daring to try something unique. I guess in time you (myself included) will reach "alpha" state and we would be able to switch between standard shots and arty shots seamlessly.

Regardly the lens, i think the 17-40mm gave very nice perspective, it gives the picture more background of what is going on the people participating in the event (like pic 16). (of course, it can also be distracting... eg. someone digging nose). also, Just be careful not to include too much of the ceiling since it is just white space.

Regarding the flash, I suggest you tilt at 75 degrees (to 90) and put a white bounce card. This would give good background and foreground lighting. U notice how dark the lower part of your subjects are and how uneven the lighting. Otherwise, can also try stofen omnibounce.

Indoors, I only shot at M and set my flash to auto. On the flash I set it to be 1 stop above the aperture of the lens. The only thing which I may vary occasionally is the shutter speed depending on the zoom perspective used. at 28mm - 1/30 and 70mm - 1/60 or 1/125

Cheers
PKJ
www.hisphotos.com

[henavs]

Originally Posted by tert Hey Hen, Great attempt... The results are quite good given that its your first try. I especially like pix 29; great composition... you captured the essence of everything in the pix. As mentioned by other CSers, the exposure, lighting and shadows are less than desirable. You'd probably not want to shoot @ 17mm. Personally, I feel that 28mm is the widest that I would need. Most of the time, you'd would be able fit what you want into the frame at that focal. My preference for the flash angle for the 420ex is 75 deg (shots where my lens is parallel to the ground), or 90deg when my lens is tilted downwards (to capture below). It results in more even flash lighting. You may like to take note and improve on your composition a bit. Like pix (11), shift more to the left; pix (12) not to put the couple at the end of the frame. It is definately easier said than done. I shoot M to lessen the pressure of changing settings. As mentioned before a couple of times, I primarily shoot in 5.6 Av and 1/60, 1/30 Tv for ISO 400. FEL on the subject almost all the time then recompose and focus. Given the fixed setting to apply to most situations, I would need to pay less attention to the camera and more on getting the shot. Thanks for sharing...

Thx, Terence...

Will take note of the flash angle...But it was pretty hard to get everything in due to the size of the room, if u noticed carefully, the guy has the handycam fitted with wide angle converter...

Maybe i'm used to shoot at full wide for my scenery...Must limit myself, maybe glue the lens so it stuck at 28mm... Or get a DSLR...

[henavs]

Originally Posted by pkj Certainly doing it for the first time is very stressful. my first wedding (adrian & shermeen) as a main photographer, I had to jot down and memorise the important shots (both conventional and artistic) on paper weeks in advance and running through the event in my mind. Of course, i still missed some but u will also discover "new" perspective... ...keep learning. Being main photographer, esp if you the only one, you will be stressed between taking standard shots vs artistics shots. Some standard shots are very very impt .eg. tea ceremony to parents. In making sure you do not miss the standard shots, sometimes it is v difficult to "feel" creative and daring to try something unique. I guess in time you (myself included) will reach "alpha" state and we would be able to switch between standard shots and arty shots seamlessly. Regardly the lens, i think the 17-40mm gave very nice perspective, it gives the picture more background of what is going on the people participating in the event (like pic 16). (of course, it can also be distracting... eg. someone digging nose). also, Just be careful not to include too much of the ceiling since it is just white space. Regarding the flash, I suggest you tilt at 75 degrees (to 90) and put a white bounce card. This would give good background and foreground lighting. U notice how dark the lower part of your subjects are and how uneven the lighting. Otherwise, can also try stofen omnibounce. Indoors, I only shot at M and set my flash to auto. On the flash I set it to be 1 stop above the aperture of the lens. The only thing which I may vary occasionally is the shutter speed depending on the zoom perspective used. at 28mm - 1/30 and 70mm - 1/60 or 1/125 Cheers PKJ www.hisphotos.com

Now this is what I need,
The correct setting for flash in M mode...I still trying to figure out the right shutter speed & aperture for correct exposure...Must practice more on this...

Sometimes its kinda hard to try those artistic shots when everyone expect u to get the important standard shots...Hopefully I can shoot confidently like u in the future...

Thx a lot, pkj

[pkj]

Just to add. when you shoot indoors, the lighting do not change much, hence why i shoot at M for my camera.

My flash is set to auto, meaning using the flash light sensor on the flash itself. Not TTL. Not sure if Canon Flash has such a sensor or not. Somehow, I do not get consistent results using TTL. dunno why. Also, I use a opaque white card secured with a rubber band (SAF type) around my flash and tilt the flash 75degrees or more.

Since it is best to have as much natural lighting as possible indoors, I try to shoot to as low a shutter speed as possible but ensuring that I do not get motion blur. the simple guide is 16mm (1/15), 28 (1/30), 50mm (1/60)... ....basically the denominator of the shutter speed is higher than or as close to the focal length as possible.

cheers

[henavs]

Originally Posted by pkj Just to add. when you shoot indoors, the lighting do not change much, hence why i shoot at M for my camera. My flash is set to auto, meaning using the flash light sensor on the flash itself. Not TTL. Not sure if Canon Flash has such a sensor or not. Somehow, I do not get consistent results using TTL. dunno why. Also, I use a opaque white card secured with a rubber band (SAF type) around my flash and tilt the flash 75degrees or more. Since it is best to have as much natural lighting as possible indoors, I try to shoot to as low a shutter speed as possible but ensuring that I do not get motion blur. the simple guide is 16mm (1/15), 28 (1/30), 50mm (1/60)... ....basically the denominator of the shutter speed is higher than or as close to the focal length as possible. cheers

I brought with me the pocket bouncer & self-made white card...But I didn't use them coz I tot the ceiling is low enough for bounce...Damn, wasted...

I'll keep in mind the flash guide that u've pointed out...

Thx

[Bluestrike]

Originally Posted by henavs I brought with me the pocket bouncer & self-made white card...But I didn't use them coz I tot the ceiling is low enough for bounce...Damn, wasted... Thx

hehahhaa.. really bang wall siaz!!!!