Perspectives #8
In this innovative exercise, some of the top wedding photographers in the world were asked to critique the same wedding photos independently on their own without knowing what the others think. Would they agree? How different or similar would their critiques be?
Citlalli Rico | Education
This photo is interesting because it has this melancholic idea of a very romantic way of shooting a portrait of this couple. When I see reflections like this or double exposures like this, I think it's important to make sure the message is clear. What we're trying to do is create an atmosphere of magic, of something different out of this world, where you can see her reflected in him and him reflected on her thoughts or something like this. A way to help your photo when you're willing to shoot something like this is to get rid of all the elements that give away that you are part of reality. In this case, it's both sides of the frame on the right and the left.
You don't need the wall. Crop it into a vertical. Now, inside a dream, I'm not sure what I'm seeing, I just have a reflection and I have the bride and she looks very in love and he's like looking away. Every time you are shooting something like this, get rid of the things that give away what is happening.
Also, think of how to pose the groom in a way that it doesn't seem like he's going away, or she's not going to see him anymore because that's the vibe that I'm feeling on this photo. It feels like he's going to war and she's saying goodbye to him. If that's the message that you wanted to give, it's perfect because that's what I'm reading. But if you're trying to say something more romantic or that they're more connected or they're interacting, make sure the pose, especially of the person that is reflected (in this case, the girl), matches with the message that you're trying to say.
Jesse La Plante | Education
Window reflection shots are extremely difficult to pull off. I know from experience because it's a tricky balance with the flash exposure and the ambient exposure in the sky outside. since those clouds are probably so bright. And positioning them to make the person that's inside the reflection isolated in a dark spot in his jacket there is really tough. So nice job with that.
But I want to see more emotion in this frame from especially from the bride, but from both the bride and groom. They both seem a bit bored to me. I'm not sure what they're doing. We need to elicit some emotion or create some kind of a moment or a connection with the two of them, even if they're just looking at each other - maybe a smile or a tear or a laugh, something beyond just standing there posing for the portrait.
Again, I know how difficult this is. You're focused on the technical aspects of this shot - getting the lighting right, getting the composition right, trying to focus on the bride through the window. These things are tough and it doesn't leave a whole lot of room for working with a couple and working in the moments. Creating a really cool lit portrait and eliciting some sort of emotion or moment is extremely difficult, but that's what needs to be done here to bring this photo to the next level.
Candice Cusic | Education
I really love that photographer took a chance and tried something creative during a big wedding day. Well done. It's a good idea. How could this be improved? Where's the emotion. I'm not sure that she's ready to get married. Sometimes it's so easy to set up lights, run around, get the lights right to get that shot. But by the time you're ready for the shot, your clients are bored or exhausted or want to go do something else. There is the need to work with your client and get her excited. How about a little smile? Little smile goes a long way. Just working on emotion in your staged portraits can elevate your portfolio. He could actually turn around and laugh at her. Then she would laugh. There's a lot of ways that the shot could be elevated. I think it's a great idea but the execution it just falls flat because it's a flat moment.
Rocio Vega | Education
It's really well done - the technique of the light inside with a flash and outside. If you're going to pose a picture, the posing must be better. Sometimes we just want to use a reflection just to use it. It would be better to use it if it's going to make your picture much better.
I don't understand why these lights are turned on. It doesn't help. These lines and this dirty wall are not adding into the picture. Maybe just cropping and keeping just the couple would be better because all this stuff on the sides are not adding to the story. When something doesn't add to our story, it's taking away the value.
With post production, you can make an more interesting picture with what you have. This is like the first picture of many others. It's a really good first step, you should go even further to investigate what else can you take out from this technique? Where else you can take this picture to? Just working with this area in the middle, getting rid of the sides, working it in black and white, maybe you have something interesting. But you have to do it when you take the picture. You have to think about all these elements that are not adding and seeing that they are just taking away from your picture. It's like your message has interception so you can not listen to it correctly because there's too many things intercepting the message.
David Murray
I would see this more as a vertical than a horizontal. I don't see the need to include any of the lines on either side of the window. There's an issue with the two candle highlights that are just to the left of the bride. I would have tried to find a cleaner area for this kind of reflective image. I would see if I could get it so that it's all sky or it's all pine tree. This is a bit too noisy for me, too complex. It needs to be simplified a bit. Also, I would try to find a better reaction of the bride.
