It’s FLASHBACK FRIDAY!
And that means I get to show you how I went from an amateur photographer to a professional one!
I am going to pose two photographs: one from earlier on in photography career and the second from my recent years. And, then you’ll get to see the HUGE differences in my photography technique and style.
Disclaimer: I was still learning to perfect my talent, so don’t judge too harshly.
OLD PHOTO
(shot in 2006)
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NEW PHOTO
Shot in Fall of 2012
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As you can see there is a VAST difference between these two photos. The first one I took in 2006 as you can see, in only six years, I have drastically changed and refined my style, knowledge, and technical skills.
First, look at the crop of the first photo. It was much closer (feet cropped out) and harshly tilted. As a starter I tried to tip for style, and I tented to over do it—leading to a bad crop. When I look at this photo it really bothers me that the building in the back looks like it is sliding out of the frame. If you look at the background, I have cropped out most of the beautiful structure as well. In the second, more resent photo, I shot farther back and more fully captured the beauty and location of the couple’s wedding day. After all, I am trying to tell a love story with these images and setting is key! The second photo is definitely more powerful in capturing this fairytale.
Now, look at the lighting in the two photographs. The first is shot in natural light (in mid day) and casts harsh shadows on the couple’s faces and one overexposed wedding dress. In the second one, the lighting is softer and much more even on their faces and all shadows are eliminated. They also have a nice back light which lights their hair and clothing creating a separation of the subject from the background to add dimension and help bring more focus to the bride and groom. To create this lighting, I use either a studio light or reflector to create the best lighting on their faces. I shot with the sun to their backs but into a shaded background.
Not only do I have better technique with lighting, but now when I book a wedding I talk to the couple way before the big day to arrange the photography schedule taking advantage of the most prime lighting times to ensure better photos. Before I let the bride decide the timeline instead and did not end up shooting at more desirable times of day because the bride was not well educated on lighting and how long it takes to take photos. This left you with rushed photography schedules, lots of stress, and bad lighting.
Since 2006, I have learned so much about editing photographs. The first photo has imbalanced colors with a dominant orange tone. The contrast is overdone and honestly, it looks like it was just a snapshot anyone could have taken. Nothing special. In the second photo, the colors are more accurate and I have created a romantic mood by toning the image, which gives it an artistic dynamic. I also have sharpened my images more to improve the quality of the photograph and refined the way I retouch the face to create a flawless bride (aka, no zits on your wedding day!).
Lastly, the posing in each photo is vastly different. The first, although it is fun, can be done better with the RIGHT DIRECTION. I probably said something like “ok just pick her up!” SNAP SNAP. I probably gave very weak, and unspecific direction to the couple. Now I give very specific direction to help the couple feel comfortable, look natural but to pose them in the most flattering way. Now I would say something a little more like, “pick her up by the waist, lift her slightly off the ground, spin her softly, stop and give a quick kiss, now lean to me, chin up, and hold it!” SNAP SNAP. A much different approach but giving specific direction ensures you look and feel your best!