Done 4 Weddings Now. Critiques?

gohan2091

Senior Member
Hello,

I'm still fairly new to this, I appreciate I still have a way to go before I call myself a professional but I've been lucky enough to have photographed 4 weddings this year. I have uploaded a handful of photos for each wedding to my portfolio and was wondering if I could have a few comments? I don't mind critiques, it's how I grow. These were all taking with a Nikon D5100 and SB-700 speedlite. I haven't been brave enough to use external flash in an umbrella yet, but I plan to use it for my next wedding which is in a couple of weeks time. Here is a link to the wedding album of my portfolio: Weddings 2013 on Behance
 
Most are pretty good. A few could use a slightly different cropping. By that I mean that they were shot in landscape when portrait might have been a better choice. That is one of my biggest faults because I was in Television so long and they is the way you have to shoot there.

I would bet that the brides were happy with all these which is the important thing.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
Nice shots gohan, along with Don's comments, I'd like to see some more subject separation from the backgrounds. What was your primary lens/lenses?
 

gohan2091

Senior Member
Thanks for the comments, I shall take them on board. I do shoot portrait sometimes but for outdoors, I'm always landscape because my fill-flash is on-camera and I don't have a flash bracket. I used the Nikkor 16-85mm lens for all 4 weddings, that is my primary lens which is F3.5-F5.6 which I know is slow. For the last two weddings (at the top) I sometimes used the 50mm F1.8 and Sigma 105mm Macro F2.8. For the larger bride with black hair, some of the outdoor shots I used my Tamron 70-300mm F4-F5.6 too. There are a lot of really nice photos of the guests that I didn't include because I don't want my portfolio to be overflown with hundreds of images.

I don't charge too much to do these weddings as I am still learning. I don't know if I am good enough to call myself a semi-professional yet. What do you think? The bride and groom of all 4 weddings said they were pleased. One of the brides posted on my Facebook recommending me to everyone who is looking for a photographer on the cheap.
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
If you're going to stay in Dx, I'd save up for the Nikon 17-55 2.8. Will cover a lot of situations and give the subjects some nice separation, helping to bring your work to the next level.
 

Somersetscott

Senior Member
I think they are great!

Agree with the cropping/portrait comment

Not sure if you have one - Having a battery grip has improved the way I hold the camera in portrait - I'd recommend one to anyone that was doing a wedding.
 

gohan2091

Senior Member
I've been looking at the sigma and tamron 2.8 lenses but they both have flaws in different areas. The Nikon 17-55mm seems better but it's double the price. I can't justify the £1000 price tag on this lens for what I charge for a wedding at the moment .

I've also considered the 24-70 2.8 and using my 16-85 for larger group shots but again, the price is so much, although the half price Tamron and Sigma versions of these appear to be better than their 17-55 siblings.

I do shoot portrait orientation but as I said, it's difficult when I use on camera flash and got nothing to bounce off. I'm not interested in a grip as I'm fine holding my camera in portrait orientation :)
 
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