# wedding on new years



## newrmdmike (Jan 11, 2007)

here are some from my last wedding . . . it was a tough wedding for me, i had to shoot using a strobe or id light on just about every shot.  resulted in me shooting most of the wedding at a very high iso.  it stunk, because the wedding started at 6 (dark).  it was on a paddleboat on lake conroe, and i didn't get home until around 1:45.

but i did pretty well i think given the circumstances and below are a few of the ones i liked from it.

in advance please excuse the odd coloring, i didn't change the color space from adobe, so they are all off.

1





2




3




4




5




6





any critiques or comments are welcome and appreciated!


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## markc (Jan 11, 2007)

I love that second shot!

If the noise removal programs aren't doing the trick, one of the things I'll do to cover up noise is to use a little of the "Artistic:Film Grain" filter in Photoshop. Grain tends to be more visually accepted than noise. I've found that it needs to be added to a large image though. Not one that's web sized.


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## Rusty_Tripod (Jan 12, 2007)

You have some successful photos in light of the circumstances. Looks like it was a decent event.

Rusty Tripod


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## ksmattfish (Jan 12, 2007)

It looks good to me.  I assume these were taken with a DSLR?  I'm finishing up the editing on my last wedding of 2006.  It was in a house converted into a bed and breakfast.  The crowd was small, but the lighting dim, and the ceilings painted dark gray for some reason.  I shot almost the whole thing at ISO 800 and 1600.  I'm convinced that ISO 1600 from a DSLR isn't really any worse than ISO 400 35mm film.  Just a few years ago, shooting all film, I'd never go higher than ISO 400 for a wedding.


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## ShutteredEye (Jan 12, 2007)

#2 and the last one are great shots!  Nice job!


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## JIP (Jan 12, 2007)

I think 3 is great but you could use a little less stair on the bottom I also like first one alot


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## ShutteredEye (Jan 12, 2007)

markc said:


> I love that second shot!
> 
> If the noise removal programs aren't doing the trick, one of the things I'll do to cover up noise is to use a little of the "Artistic:Film Grain" filter in Photoshop. Grain tends to be more visually accepted than noise. I've found that it needs to be added to a large image though. Not one that's web sized.




Good tip, thanks!


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## PhotoSarah (Jan 12, 2007)

Love that last one!!!  Looks like an ad right out of a bridal magazine.  Very nice!!!


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## AprilRamone (Jan 14, 2007)

These all look great.  I especially like #1 and the Bride on the stairs.  My only critique is that the noise in the bride on the stairs picture is a little too noticable for my taste.  Also, I would do just a tiny bit of touch up on the bride's forehead in #5.


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## newrmdmike (Jan 15, 2007)

wow, thanks for all the comments guys.  i'll agree with the noise being too noticable, but theres nothing i can do but hide it like mark said . . . i should probobly also check out some of the noise reduction programs out there.


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## AprilRamone (Jan 17, 2007)

I've liked what Neatimage has been able to do with the noise in most of my high noise photographs.  Might be worth a try?


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## RMThompson (Jan 17, 2007)

I don't really mind the noise. I don't understand why every shot needs to be clean. Sometimes, and this is the case in your Bride on the stairs shot, the noise sort of adds something... as if this wasn't a snapshot but an interior to a magazine. 

The second shot is increible, I love the light levels, although the Groom doesn't look old enough to vote, let alone drink that champagne! 

So what camera/flash were you using? Did you bounce it at all? What ISO did you shoot these in?

I wonder all this because I have my FIRST wedding soon, and its at night at the beach and then inside. I'm scared!


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## RMThompson (Jan 17, 2007)

P.S. How do you ask a bride to take a picture of her shoe? GREAT SHOT MAN!


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## newrmdmike (Jan 17, 2007)

the shoe shot was candid . . . but if i ask somthing like that i do it confidently and they normally don't think twice about it.

at this wedding i used a d70 and sb-800 speedlight.  lots of those were with a bounced flash.  

and i too dig noise sometimes . . . like right up until they ask for a 20x30

i'd be scared of a night beach wedding too, haha.  if i was doing it i'd prolly rent lights, or use off camera flash, my ringlight, and my id-light.

a lot of the shots from that wedding were shot at iso 1600

good luck on your wedding!


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## elsaspet (Jan 18, 2007)

Wonderful stuff.  I'm a noise fan too.  It gives them that rich magazine quality.  Well done.


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## shingfan (Jan 19, 2007)

may i ask what DOF do you need to achieve #6?  I'm a newbie...thanks


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## newrmdmike (Jan 19, 2007)

it looks like about a foot of acceptable focus . . . it was shot with at f/1.8 at 85mm


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## shingfan (Jan 19, 2007)

i see...........i guess i need a faster lense with larger aperature indeed........i can only go as high as 3.6 at the moment.....anticipating my 50mm f/1.8


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## tinacolada (Jan 19, 2007)

You did a beautiful job.  Where were you when I was getting married 5 years ago? Lol


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## nakedyak (Jan 21, 2007)

looks great! yet another photo with "hudson" for a last name


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## newrmdmike (Jan 22, 2007)

haha, i know!  theres actually another michael hudson photographer, if you google my name you get his websites!  damn!


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## nakedyak (Jan 22, 2007)

there are at least 2 other John Hudson photographers, and they've both been emailed when the person was looking for me by mistake! what a great name ;-)


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## nakedyak (Jan 22, 2007)

incidently, i'm shooting my first 2 weddings this year, kind of begrudgingly, but what kind of lighting did you use for these shots? some external strobes or just a good flash with a diffuser, or what? while your at it, what kind of lenses did you use? ;-) so many questions


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## newrmdmike (Jan 22, 2007)

lighting, hmmm...these actually were all with a nikon sb-800 for flash, bouncing straight up, to a wall, at an angle, with and without diffusers.

and i'd actually seen your website before.

lenses. . . while perhaps a little on the long side with the smaller nikon sensor, i love and i mean love my 85mm f/1.8.  and i also used the 18-70 kit crap lens out of need not want.


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## nakedyak (Jan 22, 2007)

well they all look very nice. I"ll probably use my flash in a similar way, i have a stofen diffuser that gives a little softer touch sometimes. Ive got a few primes, but might be looking into getting a 17-55mm f2.8, or the 85mm f1.8.

Is your 85mm sharp at 1.8 or do you usually stop it down to like 2.8 to get the best sharpness?


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## newrmdmike (Jan 23, 2007)

yeah between 2.8 and 4 is prolly sharpest, but i've been happy with sharpness at f/2 and even 1.8

that last one was shot at f/2 
. . . but i shoot wide open ALOT of the time


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## nakedyak (Jan 23, 2007)

it also doesn't hurt when the bride is very pretty and has a good tan ;-)


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## newrmdmike (Jan 27, 2007)

right!!!!

and thanks for the vote of confidence . . . i didn't make her look pretty she already was.....no just kidding.
she was half polynesian, and yes she was very pretty and had pretty good skin


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