Photo Arts Forum » Forum List » Weddings/Event » Here's one that I needs some improvement . . .

Here's one that I needs some improvement . . .

January 10, 2008, 07:08:43 PM

This needs work. Both the pose and the some post production. The actions that I usually use make his face go too ruddy and red.

When I usually do this shot, I have the bride keep her right hand and flowers on the grooms shoulder or arm. This bride (a former gymnist even at 5'10"!) said, "Do you want me to drop my like this?" I like the arm, but the image is now too long for an 8x10 which can make it a difficult sell.

Anyway . . . I am looking for suggestions . . . all comments are welcome!

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Ed Farmer
Mount Laurel, New Jersey

www.edfarmerphotography.com
www.photoartsforum.com

BobEdens

Reply #1 - January 10, 2008, 08:46:10 PM

If you cropped it with his head closer to the corner (at his shoulder on the right edge) the flowers would fit.

If you go black and white and pull all the red out it should clear up the splotches.

I hate to suggest it, but what if you put the color back in the flowers??

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-----------------------------------
"I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one heck of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult. "- EB White

Chattanooga Photographer www.BobEdens.com

Cindy Crabb

Reply #2 - January 11, 2008, 08:46:06 AM

Ed,
I agree with cropping closer to his head, or right into his back.
Also, if you'd like, I'd be happy to see if I couldn't come up with a variation in PP if you could put up the unedited.
Not that it would be any better, just a different eye on it.

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Proud Member of: WPJA, WPPI, TPPA, PPA, and NAPP

"I want to warn you, my photos will always be a bit more fantasy than reality."

Ginnypenny

Reply #3 - January 11, 2008, 08:53:29 AM

I wouldn't color the flowers, it would draw your eye to the bottom of the picture where the flowers aren't complete. Black and white was a good suggestion.

Ed, I would also like to play a little with an unedited version. I just finished a wedding where the groom's had a ruddy complexion but the bride was more olive skinned. I ended up selecting his face, doing a reverse select and editing the rest of the image and then reversing the selection back and fixing his face. I used curves to drop the red and blue just a touch and then did a slight gaussian blur except on his eyes.
The crop is one of those tricky ones, I have added a few pixels to the sides before, very successfully, to get the right crop.

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Susie
www.charlesbarnardphotography.com
www.definitionimages.com

Ed Shapiro

Reply #4 - January 13, 2008, 04:50:20 PM

ED! (You old stick in the mud)!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Don’t mess with that image- it is PERFECT! Hay- If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

I have seen hundreds of version of this kinda “dip” shot and I hated every one of them because most brides and some grooms always look like they can’t handle the chorography and the next stop is gonna be the ER or the chiropractor! …at least a few months in traction.

This girl is clearly enjoying her wedding, her photo session and most of all and most importantly her young man! Just look at that expression on her face and be proud of yourself. The background treatment is right on, and the guy in a kilt- how romantic is that? “Tres cool” as we say up here in Canada. Oh- the lighting is right on too!

Who in their right mind would not want to buy that image because it is not in the 8X10 format (?) unless of course they are hell bent in buying their picture frames at the $1.00 store! An image like this deserves a custom frame or matte to accommodate it’s free and spacious composition. In an 8x10 fixed album, make an 8x10 print with a border to accommodate the composition. In a newfangled “digital” fancy montage type album- who cares about the composition?

Photoshop actions??? Just dodge the groom for a bit for a little more shadow detail in his faces- that’s it- that’s all!

Ed Shapiro (The professional critique board’s official voice of doom.)

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Ed Shapiro
The Hintonburg Studio
Suite 201 78 Hinton Avenue North
Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1Y 0Z8
613-792-4837 Email: edshapiro@rogers.com

Ginnypenny

Reply #5 - January 13, 2008, 06:16:44 PM

Alright, after Ed Shapiro's comments I probably should not have done any edits and just left well enough alone. But.... I love playing in Photoshop and couldn't help myself. After looking at how much you would have to crop to get an 8x10 I am going to have to agree that you should just tell them to custom frame it. The composition and the pose are excellent.

My edit just includes some dodging, burning, playing with color, cloning out the leaves and a branch above his head (because I am an insufferable perfectionist), and a little tiny bit of liquify on her arms to flatter them a bit more.
No one has to like it, I just wanted to try.

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Susie
www.charlesbarnardphotography.com
www.definitionimages.com