Comment and Critique the following images. The blind approach is done so that posters can get a fair and honest assessment of their work regardless of their social standing in the forum.

No guessing who is in the thread.
Guessing 'jesus' on the first post could sway the outcome of the thread. It will be up to the photographer to 'out' him/herself when and if they feel its appropriate.



1.

Am I the first to reply? What can I say. Not what we're used to see here. I like #12.

sorry...they look like overcroped in post, P&S images. Not really sure what else to say

Wow... aren't the Mennonites incredibly camera shy?

http://www.800padutch.com/amishfaith.shtml
"Why do Old Order Amish not like having their pictures taken?"
Old Order Amish and Mennonites forbid photography of their people, and their objection is based on the second commandment, Exodus 20:4: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth".

But then they also sponsor a photo contest...
http://www.themennonite.org/issues/11-18/articles/iThe_Mennoniteis_photo_contest

Seems like a rare opportunity and adds a very interesting twist to the thread.

#1. Love the simplicity (of the dress and of the photo).

#3. Need a better hanger.

#4. Wish it had EXIF. Soft (most of the shots in this set are really soft and out of focus), but it almost works on their faces. But on his fingers it looks like lens shake. Long zoom, low light, slow shutter?

#11. Nice scene. Love the wavy haze in the background beyond the fence line.

#12. Very nice window lighting. I think her watch looks out of place in these photos.

#13. It'd be nice if the scene out the window was something more rustic and natural like trees, farm house, silo, horse and carriage, etc.

#14. Beautiful... I love the excited peek of the youngest one in the lower left... reminds me of my kids and their cousins at Christmas when they're looking out the window for Santa. Girl #3 detracts, but that's not something you can really control without ruining the candid spontaneity of these shots.

16. Crop out the furniture on the left and some on the right. Shadows are a little harsh... but it looks like the strobe was at least elevated. Maybe a simple ceiling bounce would be ideal here... low white ceiling.

17. Crop out the partial bridesmaid on the left. Crop just above the heads of the groomsmen on the top.

18. Crop out the clutter on the left. This is tough because if you're trying to maintain the aspect ratio you want to keep the horizontal beam of the cross, otherwise it looks odd behind the officiant. Consider a touch of Noise Ninja or Neat Image.

19. Motion blur. Crop out the wall on the left.

20. Crop tighter... lose the electrical outlet, but keep the lit candle. Keep the palms. Crop along the wood edge on the right.

22. Crop tight... go ahead and lose the guy and mic on the right.

29. I like this... sets the scene and the environment. I'd crop behind the 2nd wheel... lose the orange triangle reflector.

31. Nice smiles.


If it weren't for the rarity of the Mennonite subjects, this set wouldn't be as interesting.

Wow, Mennonites in Illinois look WAAAAAY more conservative than Mennonites in PA. They almost look Amish even. Very surprising to see that.

I liked #9 the best, but to be completely blunt, it looks like a beginners work. While most of them are at least well exposed, there isn't much by way of composition or perspective that make me stop and stare.

Tony Hoffer wrote:
Wow, Mennonites in Illinois look WAAAAAY more conservative than Mennonites in PA. They almost look Amish even. Very surprising to see that.



+1 I see menonites in cars and in the mall in PA. Amish (like my neighbors) on the other hand are strictly horse and buggy, no electric, no phone, nothing.

Very interesting to see a Mennonite wedding. I was suprised they wanted pictures. (I don't have many Mennonites where I live, mostly Amish).

Could you post some details about the gear you used? This will help in making suggestions and photo critiques.

I will say that even though these aren't technically superb as far as sharpness and composition, they do do a great job of showing the emotion and happiness of the day.

Focus issues abound! Too many to list that look to have that "just missed it" look.

Number 28 is your strongest shot.

-Tim

Chrono1081 wrote:
Could you post some details about the gear you used? This will help in making suggestions and photo critiques.

I will say that even though these aren't technically superb as far as sharpness and composition, they do do a great job of showing the emotion and happiness of the day.

+1

There are both technical and artistic aspects that need to be addressed.

The shooter here needs to pay closer attention to shutter speeds. There is camera shake is a good number of these pictures and frankly that is unacceptable. This is one of the first things you should learn when you start shooting. So first thing is first, don't be afraid to up the ISO a little bit if you are getting shake.

Secondly, the compositions a pretty boring and the crops are a little too tight. Look into using a wide angle lens more often. Change perspectives some. Everything doesn't have to be from eye level. Look into getting a fast prime to utilize some background blur. Blurring the background is generally more effective from an artistic standpoint than cropping it.

In short, this person has a lot of work to do. They need to keep practicing and avoid being discouraged.

Tony Hoffer wrote:
Wow, Mennonites in Illinois look WAAAAAY more conservative than Mennonites in PA. They almost look Amish even. Very surprising to see that.

I
How do we know where this is?
Did I miss a clue in one of the shots?

brucemuir wrote:
Tony Hoffer wrote:
Wow, Mennonites in Illinois look WAAAAAY more conservative than Mennonites in PA. They almost look Amish even. Very surprising to see that.

I
How do we know where this is?
Did I miss a clue in one of the shots?

Marriage license

Hi,

I agree that there is improvement ahead, however you captured of the mood of the wedding, the environment and the happiness of the couple very well.

Stephanie

Many focus issues.
Also, regulars here do not post pictures that are so large, can't see any of them without scrolling.

They are good. Lots of repeats, (wait-up, kissing, embraced). The set needs some PP. They look mostly SOOC. SOOC is good but slight curves adjust is better. Good to see a Mennonite wedding. Up ill now I'd never seen one.

~Sam

Too many tight shots. Feel crowded. Perhaps that was to hide the less-than-opulent facilities, or a function of only owning a 70-200 or 70-300 lens on a crop camera (I didn't check EXIF, just guessing).

For example, #30 would've been better at wide angle, and maybe focus on her face and not the license.. You had a good moment where she was looking to her new hubby.

The table shot #27 is another example of 'missed' focus. The candle in the foreground really draws my eye, but it's out of focus. Obviously you intended to shoot the centerpiece, but if that's the case.. shoot the centerpiece and not everything else.

Overall, grain and camera shake killed most of them. There are some sweet moments captured, but not in an artistic way that couldn't be done by any guest.

On the dress shots: In general, there are a few areas people are interested in seeing on a dress, the end of the sleeve isn't necessarily one of them. The bow shot is better, but until we see a full length of the dress, we don't know where the bow is or what we're seeing. The full length needs a bump in exposure; it seems underexposed to a dull gray while the curtains get a better representation.

#13 - Would be better if the window was more blown so we aren't seeing the vehicles (like #14).

I agree with Andrew Welsh on the table shot. I see what you were going for by focusing in the centerpiece and framing it at the intersection of "3rd" lines, but it still just can't compete for attention against a really bright object (candle) dead center.

You have a good bit of learning ahead of you, but dig in and work it out!

- Jeff

I enjoyed this set. I thought the simplicity in the photography matched the tone of the event. Regarding the sleeve of the dress - that looked like a fairly fancy sleeve considering the simplicity of design in the dress. Among people whose dress codes are really strict, even such a thing as a button can be very racy and raise eyebrows. It's an interesting sleeve design and worthy of notice.

I see photos here that would not have been created by just any guest but by someone who has givensome study to the subject. There are a lot of useful criticisms and suggestions presented here and, even though it's been picked apart, it's a sweet set portraying this family's wedding in ways I'm sure they'll appreciate.

If Illinois is anything like KS, there are several different groups or sects of Mennonites, such as Old Order, General Conference, Mennonite Bretheren and Holderman, some being more conservative and some more liberal. Amish are a sect that split off from the Mennonites. Old Order Amish are the most strict while some other Amish groups even drive cars.

Even though my grandparents were reformed Mennonites and my grandmother's sisters and brothers were Mennonite farmers who wore the traditional clothing, I wasn't exposed to their culture enough to know much about it. I had the sterotyped impression that a lot of people have about them being isolated, old world farmers. I was surprised, many years ago, to learn that the Mennonites founded Bethel College back in the late 1800's, and that there are several other colleges in the US and Canada, also founded by Mennonite groups.

If you're interested in learning more about Mennonites, this site has links with a lot of info that's presented by Mennonites themselves.

http://www.bethelks.edu/bc/aboutbc/mennonites.php?urlid=323

The photos are sincere - as are the people being married. There is no affect or pretension. I suspect that the pictures are emblematic of what the bride envisioned on her wedding day.

There are a range of obvious flaws that may be worth mentioning or overlooking - the dresses are exploded and the blacks are blocked up and a few other things but all in all.

The sincerity is the strong suit and you should be proud of these and inspired to improve.

Brian Lingle wrote:
I enjoyed this set. I thought the simplicity in the photography matched the tone of the event. Regarding the sleeve of the dress - that looked like a fairly fancy sleeve considering the simplicity of design in the dress. Among people whose dress codes are really strict, even such a thing as a button can be very racy and raise eyebrows. It's an interesting sleeve design and worthy of notice.

Good point. All about context.

- Jeff