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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
Yesterdays Bridal Shoot

szerangue
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Nov 27, 2007, 8:45 AM

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Yesterdays Bridal Shoot	Can't Post

We spent the whole day at a bridal shoot during the workshop with David Beckstead. All I can say is, Wow. I cannot believe what this guy sees and how he makes it look so easy. We went on 3 different locations with two different brides. Here are 10 of the 2000+ images I shot. Critiques welcome.

Bridal Shoot
Miracle Pictures
"If it's a good picture, it's a Miracle!"

"Life Productions, coming out of the dark, into the light"
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mazzystar
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Nov 27, 2007, 12:15 PM

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Re: [szerangue] Yesterdays Bridal Shoot [In reply to]	Can't Post

great set Shane. Glad you found the workshop beneficial.

The only shot that didn't work for me was the first one. It had the subject dead center so the composition feels flat.

My favorites would include the bride sitting on the steps with the shadows falling over her and the wider shot at the theater ( the lines of the elements nicely lead to the focal point).

Being me of course, I love the blurred topshot of the bride.

A few more tweaks in PS would lend the extra pop to the images.

Thanks for sharing.

____
blog

Shadow
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Nov 27, 2007, 1:24 PM

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Re: [szerangue] Yesterdays Bridal Shoot [In reply to]	Can't Post

I like the shots!

Not sure if it is my monitor - maybe lightening them a little bit would help.

I've been on a day workshop, not bridal related - they're really fun. I'd love to go on a wedding related workshop.

__________________________

rodovideo
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Nov 28, 2007, 2:20 AM

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Re: [szerangue] Yesterdays Bridal Shoot [In reply to]	Can't Post

Looks like money well spent....
Great shots... I really need to spend some time on reading & experimenting on my lighting. Maybe even take in a workshop.... Wink

Do you think you could set up those types of shots after your "class" ?
I'm assuming David was setting up the shots and everyone was shooting over his shoulder (like at the weddings... when the photographer sets up the formals and everyone with a P&S camera grabs it...)

Thanks for posting your shots...
Mike R.

Look toward the Son, and you will not see the shadows

sample images from RODO PHOTO

Rodo Media BLOG

szerangue
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Nov 28, 2007, 4:51 AM

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Re: [rodovideo] Yesterdays Bridal Shoot [In reply to]	Can't Post

it wasnt quite like that... he did set up the shot with the lighting (pretty much as videographers we are pretty familiar with lighting in general, nothing especially new here) and the bride... he generally posed the brides (placed them in areas, gave them props, talked about colors) then it was all about the getting the shot and trying to be creative.. about 90% of what I got however was what everyone else was getting... he encouraged us to be creative... he showed us ways to be creative that I had not thought about before..
I came back with some tidbits that I can grow with. With practice, I think I will be able to see better what he sees.
Miracle Pictures
"If it's a good picture, it's a Miracle!"

"Life Productions, coming out of the dark, into the light"
4EVER GROUP AFFILIATE

szerangue
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Nov 28, 2007, 11:05 AM

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Re: [mazzystar] Yesterdays Bridal Shoot [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks Jason,
The workshop was great and I came home with some good information and a lot to work on. One thing that I walked away with was that I have a long way to go before I can even come close to what some of the others in the workshop are producing. I very much need to practice on composition and angles... the basics of photography... once I get to where I feel like I can see angles and light better, then I can start working on edgy type of photography. Photography is such an art but one that I believe, with practice, can be mastered. But to think that I have a camera therefore I am a photographer is way off base.. I am afraid that I have been partly guilty of that in both still and video. I am hoping to grow.

As for your review, Beckstead pretty much did not like the first one either.. we worked a lot with shadows and anything edgy was good for Beckstead, therefore the one with her sitting on the steps was looked upon as acceptable, there were others who did a much better job with that shot... I did get praise for the shot you liked the best because, as you said, the lines leading to the focal point.. he liked that one... He did not care at all for the blurred topshot of the bride.. I kind of liked that one but he stated I kind of missed the mark with that one... I think it just did not work for him for a number of reasons...

The only tweaks in those images were in lightroom, mostly just vignette.. no color correction or noise removal.. he made some suggestions on how I could crop some of the images and remove some clutter and add highlights.. he also made some cropping changes that dramatically had an effect on the images. I plan on looking for a 2 or 3 that I really like and tweaking them in PS and having large prints made.

Thanks for taking the time.. I will post my tweaks when done... (damn video backlog)
Miracle Pictures
"If it's a good picture, it's a Miracle!"

"Life Productions, coming out of the dark, into the light"
4EVER GROUP AFFILIATE

szerangue
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Nov 28, 2007, 11:08 AM

Post #7 of 7 (455 views)
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Re: [Shadow] Yesterdays Bridal Shoot [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks,,, yes, they are a bit dark, partly meant to be because of the edgyness of the shoot, but partly because there has been no tweaking of the images in PS whatsoever. The final images will pop more and look better when I am finished with them.
Miracle Pictures
"If it's a good picture, it's a Miracle!"

"Life Productions, coming out of the dark, into the light"
4EVER GROUP AFFILIATE