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Archive 2013 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?

  
 
MRomine
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p.5 #1 · p.5 #1 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


Evan Baines wrote:
Since we're trending down this road, and because I think it is germane to what I was getting at before:

What is a good group portrait?

What are the possible purposes of group portraits at weddings? What are some of the things we might be trying to do?

WHY do we take these? Only if we know why can we determine how to execute better.


How do you answer your own questions?



Oct 29, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Ziffl3
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p.5 #2 · p.5 #2 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?






Actually there is a right and wrong. But ... the question is how many wedding shooters learn that part of the craft? Or do they use the tag line .... how ever i shoot it is art....therefore i am never wrong. blah, blah, blah.


and the right and wrong .... pretty much step into any art class when it is based around the human form.
yes many start with one model ... but they do get to groups and settings.
Items like leading lines, compositions, subject, where is the main source of light coming from, balance, tension, broad lighting/short lighting.....

proof is in the paintings in this thread.





Oct 29, 2013 at 10:52 AM
MRomine
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p.5 #3 · p.5 #3 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


Ziffl3 wrote:
Actually there is a right and wrong.


According to who? Who makes or sets the standard?



Oct 29, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Evan Baines
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p.5 #4 · p.5 #4 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


MRomine wrote:
How do you answer your own questions?


What is a good group portrait?

A good group portrait is an image that accurately represents the subjects and also illustrates aspects of their individual or collective character. This may mean conveying a sense of a family being warm and down-to-earth or beautiful and aristocratic. We may focus on the individualism within the group or the cohesiveness.

What are the possible purposes of group portraits at weddings? What are some of the things we might be trying to do?

A group portrait serves as a document for preserving family history, and also a vehicle for the exploration of relationships. In an ideal world, I group portrait might even serve as a means of reinforcing relationships. If you consider the impact of posing people, and especially of physical connectedness, you can imagine that the process might literally and figuratively bring people together. For example:

http://www.upworthy.com/a-photographer-persuades-strangers-to-do-something-really-odd-and-they-totally-love-it

(whether or not you like the results, listen to the subjects talk about the PROCESS)

WHY do we take these? Only if we know why can we determine how to execute better.

I've basically covered the why already, but I am well on record as stating that most photographers use photographic tools aimlessly. Imagine using every technique at your disposal to reinforce a MESSAGE about the family. As a photographer, you not only record but interpret. A "style" is not a collection of techniques, but a consistent and well-developed perspective.



Oct 29, 2013 at 10:59 AM
MRomine
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p.5 #5 · p.5 #5 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


Evan Baines wrote:
What is a good group portrait?

A good group portrait is an image that accurately represents the subjects and also illustrates aspects of their individual or collective character. This may mean conveying a sense of a family being warm and down-to-earth or beautiful and aristocratic. We may focus on the individualism within the group or the cohesiveness.


I agree, pretty much what I wrote but you have a much better skill of writing than me.

Evan Baines wrote:
What are the possible purposes of group portraits at weddings? What are some of the things we might be trying to do?

A group portrait serves as a document for preserving family history, and also a vehicle for the exploration of relationships. In an ideal world, I group portrait might even serve as a means of reinforcing relationships. If you consider the impact of posing people, and especially of physical connectedness, you can imagine that the process might literally and figuratively bring people together. For example:

http://www.upworthy.com/a-photographer-persuades-strangers-to-do-something-really-odd-and-they-totally-love-it

(whether or not you like the results, listen to the subjects talk about
...Show more

I couldn't see unless I signed up and gave my e-mail, so I passed. But if it is what I think it is. The story about the NYC photographer who does street portriats of two total strangers in various forms of intimate interactions. Very cool project but I thought some of his results were poor in comparison to the comments that people were expressing about their experience.

Evan Baines wrote:
WHY do we take these? Only if we know why can we determine how to execute better.

I've basically covered the why already, but I am well on record as stating that most photographers use photographic tools aimlessly.


Very ture. For example, today's craze of backlighting everything thinking that it always looks cool just for the sake of back lighting doing so becasue the flash manufactures have made it so easy to do.

Evan Baines wrote:
Imagine using every technique at your disposal to reinforce a MESSAGE about the family. As a photographer, you not only record but interpret. A "style" is not a collection of techniques, but a consistent and well-developed perspective.


Yes, good point.

Edited on Oct 29, 2013 at 03:47 PM · View previous versions



Oct 29, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Andrew Welsh
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p.5 #6 · p.5 #6 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


Cool stuff here. Even some biz thoughts too.


Oct 29, 2013 at 03:43 PM
dhp_sf
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p.5 #7 · p.5 #7 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


I came across this article on fstoppers that showcases a PBS video on creativity. It's pretty cool and I thought it was relevant to this thread:

http://fstoppers.com/how-to-take-advantage-of-the-creative-process-in-your-own-way



Oct 29, 2013 at 11:01 PM
Ziffl3
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p.5 #8 · p.5 #8 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


MRomine wrote:
According to who? Who makes or sets the standard?


There is no official standard like a law or the tolerance of the diameter of a soda can.

But since photography is a form of art, it derives its foundation from art. Specifically drawing/painting
There is a group of rules that make up good design or art in this case.

Granted nobody is checking each wedding photographer for there licence and/or there usage.
It is up to each one of us to know and understand the rules.

And that is the rub. How many shooters actually know a couple or more of the rules?
How many shooter want to 'break' the rules because they can.

It is these same shooters and others that struggle creating solid or even inspiring images on a consistent basis.

Look how many shooters want to shove the subject matter way-way deep into a corner of an image because they saw somebody do it. Most of them really look like junk. a few know when to do it and why.

And yet, when studying or trying to learn from the greats of the past you are stepping into these rules and there use of them.... compositions, lines, color, rule of thirds, etc.



Oct 30, 2013 at 03:10 AM
form
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p.5 #9 · p.5 #9 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


...So when and why do you shove the subject matter deep into the corner?


Nov 02, 2013 at 10:48 AM
Evan Baines
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p.5 #10 · p.5 #10 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


form wrote:
...So when and why do you shove the subject matter deep into the corner?


For starters, by reading this:
http://www.nhsdesigns.com/pdfs/graphic_ss_picture-this.pdf

Life and art can be a little more complicated than this book would have you believe, but its still the best single resource I've seen for understanding how composition impacts what we feel about subject matter.



Nov 02, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Andrew Welsh
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p.5 #11 · p.5 #11 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


Evan Baines wrote:
For starters, by reading this:
http://www.nhsdesigns.com/pdfs/graphic_ss_picture-this.pdf


Mind. Blown.

Any other resources like this? It's materials like this that is often missing from photography discussions. I am not one of those people where this stuff (composition, design) comes 'naturally' or 'intuitively'.

Questions for you Evan:
How did you learn about this resource? How did you know to look at this particular book or kind of book? I would gladly improve my education in this area but haven't the foggiest idea of where to start, what I need to look at, or what to read or do.



Nov 04, 2013 at 09:52 AM
VetraLens
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p.5 #12 · p.5 #12 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


Ziffl3 wrote:
wow redwhiteandred ... out of the wood works.... nice.


Red is back!



Nov 04, 2013 at 07:02 PM
Evan Baines
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p.5 #13 · p.5 #13 · How do you think of what to do with wedding formals?


Andrew Welsh wrote:
Mind. Blown.

Any other resources like this? It's materials like this that is often missing from photography discussions. I am not one of those people where this stuff (composition, design) comes 'naturally' or 'intuitively'.

Questions for you Evan:
How did you learn about this resource? How did you know to look at this particular book or kind of book? I would gladly improve my education in this area but haven't the foggiest idea of where to start, what I need to look at, or what to read or do.


Glad you liked it.

I actually got that book as required reading in a painting class in high school. It always stuck with me as a great way to start thinking both about composition and how "artistic" tools could be used to change the way we feel about the subject, rather than just for purely aesthetic purposes.

I have a huge book shelf. What are you looking to improve on? I don't know that I have anything quite as accessible as the Molly Bang book, but I can certainly give you a steer if you're looking for an idea in a particular field. The biggest hint I can give you is finding definitive retrospectives of major artists, which typically include authoritative essays and critical analysis.



Nov 04, 2013 at 07:50 PM
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