I shared this shot last Friday on Social Media and here’s what I wrote:
“I hesitate to even post this shot from yesterday’s bridal shoot (Kalebra was there doing the art direction and she was just amazing). It’s one of my favorites but I hesitate to post it because I emailed it to a buddy last night and he said “Selective Color?” Of course, it’s not. There’s lots of other color in the image. Please don’t make me regret sharing it with a chorus of selective color comments. Many thanks.”
So, I held my breath, and posted the image. Luckily the comments were very kind (over 160 that day), except for the usual few unsolicited critiques (groan), but then one of the commenters, Daniel Nicholas said something thatâ¦wellâ¦here’s what he wrote:
“I love it!!! He must be color blind lol”
The moment I read it, it hit me. Oh my gosh â” my friend actually is color blind!!! I am not making this up. I just about fell on the floor!!! My friend was just ribbing me either way, but literally laughed out loud the moment I read that, and felt a whole lot better about sharing it.
Anyway, here’s a behind-the-scenes photo — and if you look on the screen you’ll see the final image is very close to what was captured (more in the caption below the photo).
Above: While she was well lit from the front, from behind it was pretty dark, and I wanted to over-exposed the background so it would blow out to white (for effect), so I had to use a tripod. I actually started with the tripod extended up over my head and used a stepladder (a LadderKart actually), but I kept getting parts of the ceiling in the shot so I finally lowered it and came back down.
Camera Settings:
This was shot at f/3.2 at 1/10 of a second. My ISO was 640 (I was on a tripod so I could have lowered the ISO quite a bit, but it would have slowed the shutter speed down a lot and if she moved even a little, it would be blurry, so I left it where it was. I was shooting a Canon 1Dx so the noise doesn’t show anyway).
Tethering:
I’m shooting tethered into Lightroom 5.5, and that’s Julio (our 2nd assistant on the shoot â” Brad Moore took this behind-the-scenes shot). Kalebra is a few feet behind Julio so she can see the screen and direct the bride). We have a Tethertools laptop stand we usually mount on the tripod, but it was trickier than it looks on those stairs so we removed it and Julio just held the laptop. He loves holding laptops. It’s a sickness.
Venue:
It helps to have an amazing venue, and we sure did. This was taken at the Kapok Tree Event Center in Clearwater, Florida. It is literally attached to, and shares the same parking lot as Sam Ash Music. I think I should get some points for completing this shoot and never walking into Sam Ash, even though I walked directly past their front door. I think that was my biggest accomplishment for the day, but when I returned to the office, the used Boss Super Chorus stomp box I ordered had arrived, so somehow it all worked out.
I think you can see, the camera part of this was simple â” what made this come together was having Kalebra doing the art direction, and having the vision for this shot in the first place â” that just left me to compose, get the exposure I was looking for, and hit the shutter button. We make a great team. :)
Hope you all have an awesome Tuesday, and we’ll see you here tomorrow for Guest Blog Wednesday. :)
Best,
-Scott
I noticed the brown of the bannister so selective coloring didn’t come to mind but there’s a lot of blown out highlights up top…but I’m sure that’s the look you set out to achieve.
It absolutely is — as I mentioned I intentionally overexposed the scene to blow out the background. :)
It’s with great honor (I think) that I can say you are not the only criticized photographer! Check out my post and what happened, I think it would be a great talking point. :)
http://www.kentoneyphoto.com/mabry-mill-judgement/
i am confused. Artistic and/or technical criticism is not inherently negative. It can identify what works, either technically or from an artistic point of view, and what does not work. Whether it is classified as a comment or a criticism, it seems that what is at issue here is whether comments (or critiques) must always be positive. I seek criticism, both positive and negative, because it strengthens my final image. Even “pros” don’t hit the mark 100% of the time and should not be exempt from reasoned comments or critiques. It is not enough to say “I like this image” or “I hate this image”. One must express their thoughtful reasons supporting the comment. In any event, it is not rude. At worst, it is unwelcome because of the sensitivities of the recipient.
I understand you’re confusion, this was (in my case) about wheather the photo belonged to me since I got Photoshop help from a friend. I don’t mind critism, I’m married. :)
As am I, and my wife doesn’t ever like it when I create a B&W print. :) Your situation is different than Scott’s, and I don’t understand how a comment made in good faith can be described as rude simply because it is not solicited and it is not complementary. If one wants only positive comments about posted images, then a better forum would be family, friends and Facebook.
I’m still confused on what rude comment you are talking about. Nobody made a rude comment. In my case they said something that was wrong and stupid. It’s been picked up by a big time podcaster, soon to be on air.
I was referring to Scott’s response to HarryTheR above where Scott says that giving someone a critique who hasn’t requested one is “just plain rude”. That is what gave rise to my initial post. You didn’t say anything about rude. Sorry for the confusion I created.
Great shot Scott!
As she sweeps down the stairs into wedded bliss… Great shot Scott!
Very nice shot, Scott! Will you be sharing more from this shoot with us? Maybe on Google+?
–John
Beautiful setting – however, I think the bride is kind of lost in the shot though, as the white background almost overwhelms her dress. The setting is dominant in this image, not the bride.
Hey Harry. I totally disagree. But thanks for the unsolicited critique nonetheless.
That’s what makes “doing photography” so neat – – different views on the same view. Thanks for posting.
Rule 1:
If you having nothing nice to say, rather don’t say it.
Rule 2:
If what you’re saying is not nice, untrue and inaccurate then definitely restrain yourself and keep quiet.
Rule 3:
Scott is a high level pro and every element in the picture is intended to be there.
Isaac,
I did not know that offering an opinion about an image taken by a “high level pro” is by definition, “not nice”? Worse, it’s untrue land inaccurate?
Sorry for offending you and the master, I won’t do it again, as it seems that somewhat contrary, and unsolicited are “Bad Things”.
Harry,
All of us are entitled to have opinion, it’s one thing having an opinion and it’s another thing voluntarily giving a negative opinion, especially when it’s technically incorrect.
What Harry said is technically correct. Your eye goes to the brightest spot in the image. In this image my eye goes right over the brides head. Just because something was intended to be there doesn’t automatically make it technically correct. Now since photography is an art everything doesn’t have to be 100% technically correct. Art is very subjective.
To me this picture is one part of a series.
Saying photography is subjective basically means anything goes which is incorrect. Eg. an utterly skew horizon line in a landscape.
Besides, this isn’t the point. The point is social etiquette that us pro photographers abide by. Sharing doesn’t mean critique my work.
No saying photography is subjective means people can disagree about an image and neither person is wrong.
I’ll repeat myself again. This isn’t the point that we are talking about here. We are talking about critiquing someone’s work when they didn’t ask for it. Like Scott said earlier, it’s simply rude.
That’s why you don’t see pro’s doing it because it isn’t social etiquette.
This is social media — as RC says: “The button says ‘Share’ not ‘Submit for critique’.” Giving someone a critique who hasn’t specifically asked for one is just plain rude. That’s why you dont see top pro photographers making unsolicited comments — they understand that it’s not their place to pop in on everyone’s posts and criticize their images. Hope that gives you some perspective. Thanks. :)
Exactly the point, well said.
Point taken – please accept my apology.
No worries, Harry. :)
Can you explain how you shoot the 1Dx tethered with Lightroom? I assume you are using ethernet on the 1Dx (I don’t think there is USB). I’ve read that you have to go through Canon’s software to download to a folder and have LR auto import that folder. I didn’t know if there was an easier solution without involving Canon’s software. Thanks!
The 1DX has a USB port.
I guess it helps to read the manual fully :) I thought it was just an A/V terminal for some reason.
Very very pretty. Dreamy, even. You give us only the slightest sliver of her face, and since the rest of the shot lends to beauty, I’m left wishing she’d turn around. Very cool. It is like a calculated tease. And what a classy location!
Way to much color for a selective color shot. One thing we have to remember on selective color is that if the client wants a selective color shot, we need to give them the best one we can. Most of us don’t go out to capture an image for just selective color, but we have to be able to do it good to satisfy the requirements of the client and the shoot.
It’s already an old stale joke…
Hi Scott, you said you are using LR 5.5, not 5.6? Explain please? Cool shot also!
Paul
I hadn’t installed the 5.6 update yet.
Hi Scott, I love what you do! This is completely off topic, but I am going to Ravenna Italy Sept 1st and I am wondering if you have any suggestions for day trip photo guide/tour in Florence/Tuscany or Venice.
Much appreciated, Sabrena
Scott, Thanks again for the post. One of the reasons I like the posts on here is because it gives me different ideas of looking at a shot I may not have thought of given my limited experience.
Please do not stop posting shots like this and any other ideas you may have because of the unsolicited critiques. I may not like every shot you take but that is only because I am not you. We all have our personal preferences which is why we all can be creative and not all shoot the same things the same ways. I’m sure we all have many shots that others may not like but we do and to me that’s all that counts.
By the way, I love the shot and it reminds me of the way you have shot/processed some of your iconic location shots-London Eye, Eiffel Tower etc. Keep up the good work!
I get it that you and the other Photoshop guys don’t like selective color. I have never done a selective color photo but I kind of like some (not all) of the ones I have seen. Could you be more specific in why you don’t like that technique? By the way, love Kelbyone.
Ahhh, yes. The classic “Selective Exposure” technique. Very clever, young Grasshopper.
Couldnt you have used exposure compensation in this scenario as well?