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DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> How could I improve?
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09/13/2007 11:32:29 PM · #1
This is in no way a rant thread. I'm done with making those threads :P
I'm just new to the wedding photography business, and just by using my score from the recent Power challenge. How could I improve this shot?(wedding photographically wise and challenge wise)
and FWIW the score was 5.8250

09/13/2007 11:37:15 PM · #2
It's hard when we enter photos into challenges because not only do you have the photo quality to contend with but you also have to fit it into the challenge. So I would take the scores you get here with a grain of salt in that respect when it comes to your professional work (as this is). Some people may not have seen a strong enough tie to "Power" thus resulting in a lower score then say if it was in a "Wedding" challenge.

I think it's a wonderful wedding photo. If I had any critique at all it would maybe with the crop, a little too much dead space up top. But that really just boils down to personal taste.

Does this make any sense??? :)

Message edited by author 2007-09-13 23:37:42.
09/13/2007 11:38:15 PM · #3
The top half does nothing much for me. I think shooting it horizontal and filling the frame with all of them would make more of a connection and make it easier to engage in their reactions. The lighting is good, I thought it fit the challenge well, gave it a 7.
09/13/2007 11:39:27 PM · #4
I think it's a great shot, very cool and well done. The girls look like they are having fun with it and the background is gorgous. The only issue I could find with it is that her dress is a bit blown out but it's not really distracting from the image itself.
09/13/2007 11:40:24 PM · #5
Originally posted by jdannels:

The top half does nothing much for me. I think shooting it horizontal and filling the frame with all of them would make more of a connection and make it easier to engage in their reactions. The lighting is good, I thought it fit the challenge well, gave it a 7.

thanks, for these shots I wanted to get lots of sky in there, there were some neat clouds(cant really see them in this shot) so i was messing around with my GND and them to see what I could come up with
09/13/2007 11:45:29 PM · #6
I think as a wedding photo it is good, however for the Power challenge the girls look so small compared to the background and it gives me the impression that the girls may think they are powerful but in reality they are not.
09/13/2007 11:51:28 PM · #7
Originally posted by sclephane:

I think as a wedding photo it is good, however for the Power challenge the girls look so small compared to the background and it gives me the impression that the girls may think they are powerful but in reality they are not.
but then with you saying that could leave one to think that with the extra dead space with the sky and everything around them that they are powerless, and what holds the real power is the world around them, and that the girls have no chance against it.
Which would fit the description :P

but that was not my intention and i let my mind go way to crazy for that :P
09/14/2007 12:02:10 AM · #8
What would happen if you tonemapped this image...I would think that it would make the sky much more dramatic and recover some of the lost details...just may offer more depth and drama.

On the other hand, I may not know what I am talking about...but I will say that I tonemapped this image and layered the tonemapped with the original to bring out more detail in the chicken's feathers since on the original all detail was lost. Tonemapping brought out all the details and added depth.


I don't know...just a thought.
09/14/2007 12:35:47 AM · #9
I think for a wedding shot, it looks great.

But DPC voters tend to smell commercialism and vote it down. At least, that's the impression I've gotten. You and the bride may love the image ... it means something to them, it even means something to you, but to the average DPC voter, it's just another bridal party .

So don't let it discourage you. What sells to customers isn't necessarily what DPC likes or even vice versa.


09/14/2007 12:37:42 AM · #10
do you shoot raw or jpeg? do you use lightroom or bridge? (or neither?) :0)

09/14/2007 12:47:19 AM · #11
I have to run (girls night out!) but let me know what you use and I'll come back and leave my steps later on this :0)


09/14/2007 01:00:42 AM · #12
Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:

do you shoot raw or jpeg? do you use lightroom or bridge? (or neither?) :0)

raw, i use both lightroom and bridge... well i did, i now use C1 Pro
09/14/2007 01:01:08 AM · #13
Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:

I have to run (girls night out!) but let me know what you use and I'll come back and leave my steps later on this :0)


it just looks like you added contrast.... :S
09/14/2007 11:08:28 AM · #14
Well, I was just taking a quick look through your portfolio and you don't need much improvement! The bit of your stuff I saw is awesome :0)

The reason I was asking what you're using is that with weddings or any big shoots where you have multiple images under the same conditions it's nice to do batch conversions. But I know nothing about C1 Pro...

All I really did was add a vignette and I warmed it up just a touch (barely noticeable really, now that I'm looking) and then I did an action that (yep, you guessed it) adds contrast and sharpens- but it didn't really need that end part at all!

The idea is to get it how you want in bridge or lightroom or whatever you're using and walk away letting the computer do the batch conversions overnight. I really stay away from critiquing much anymore but when you asked, the only thing I thought could use improvement was the sky and I wanted to answer in a way thats workflow friendly :0)

So really it's an awesome shot, challenges are tough on weddings simply because they don't fit very well. But a place of 41 is pretty darn good if you ask me!! :0P

Message edited by author 2007-09-14 11:09:23.
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