Church Directory Shoot.

[gmonkeh]

Hey guys, I've been hired to do portraits for a local church directory. I have 4 Sundays to shoot 200+ families with about 4 hours per day.

Suffice it to say I was worried, but the first week has past. Got quite a few print orders and online sales as well. And I just sent out the first batch of photos to the printers.

It was a challenge for sure, I had 2 AB800's a 20x20 muslin and my D70s with 24-85mm zoom to shoot with. Metered both the main and BG lights both at f/8. I had the main directly above and to my right shoulder, and the background light feathered from left to right.

Here's some samples from the shoot, I would love to know what everyone thinks. Remember this is for a church directory. :)

I had some challenges in post as well. A majority of the congregation was elderly couples so a lot of skin discolorations, age spots, wrinkles and the likes. I was given permission to touch them up as I please. And so far the clients are pretty happy with the results.

1.
http://www.pbase.com/gmonkeh/image/74977562.jpg


2.
http://www.pbase.com/gmonkeh/image/74977622.jpg


3.
http://www.pbase.com/gmonkeh/image/74977580.jpg

[JimM]

I think the lighting is very nice for a church directory. Nice job!

[gmonkeh]

Thanks,

funny story, the old man on the third set walks up to me and asked what camera I have and how many megapixels. I told him D70s 6mp and he comes back with I have a D2X at home. Then I asked him how long he's been shooting and the answer was oh around 70 years. :)

Made me feel real tiny. lol

Lex

[CarnalSigh]

I am NOT critiquing your skills as a photograher. However, I am concerned about the washed out glare on some of the faces in photos 2 and 3. The background and clothing looks great. It's rich and warm, but their faces seem kinda....well...bright. Am I the only one seeing this? Pic one looks fine to me. Is this a lighting issue, a photoshop thang, or am I imagining this?

[gmonkeh]

I am NOT critiquing your skills as a photograher. However, I am concerned about the washed out glare on some of the faces in photos 2 and 3. The background and clothing looks great. It's rich and warm, but their faces seem kinda....well...bright. Am I the only one seeing this? Pic one looks fine to me. Is this a lighting issue, a photoshop thang, or am I imagining this?

It's photoshop, well me and photoshop. I had over 40+ images to work on and I wanted to get some proofs up on my site for client viewing. So rushed it a little. I'll tweak my workflow a little and pull down the diffuse effect.

Is it so noticeable that a client would go this is crap?

[urbanaries]

Thanks,

funny story, the old man on the third set walks up to me and asked what camera I have and how many megapixels. I told him D70s 6mp and he comes back with I have a D2X at home. Then I asked him how long he's been shooting and the answer was oh around 70 years. :)

Made me feel real tiny. lol

Lex

great story. his gaze is mesmerizing. now that i know he's a 70 year photography veteran his gaze almost now means "I got your number kid."

I agree the diffusion/brightness is a bit much, but not sure anything the client would take issue with. Well, maybe that maverick old-timer. :wink

[kres]

This is the perfect application for Lightroom. :D

That said, I think you did a fine job. This kind of work is assembly line stuff, and it seems that your quality control was pretty good over all.

[gmonkeh]

Thanks for the input guys/gals. Lesson learned, I already sent out e-mails for proofs. I guess I'll have to pull a switcheroo tonight. I'm going over the prints I've sent out and it looks like they're fine, luckily.

Kres, I'm gonna check out lightroom. Thanks again,

Lex

[Elaine]

great story. his gaze is mesmerizing. now that i know he's a 70 year photography veteran his gaze almost now means "I got your number kid."

I agree the diffusion/brightness is a bit much, but not sure anything the client would take issue with. Well, maybe that maverick old-timer. :wink

:agree

He looks like he would be a great subject for a portrait shoot. He's just looking right through my computer screen...right at me!

[Rhuarc]

Thanks,

funny story, the old man on the third set walks up to me and asked what camera I have and how many megapixels. I told him D70s 6mp and he comes back with I have a D2X at home. Then I asked him how long he's been shooting and the answer was oh around 70 years. :)

Made me feel real tiny. lol

Lex

Same type of thing happened to me at church last week. My wife and I were invited to a church dinner with a couple of other couples. At the dinner I started talking to a guy Dave Moore. We talked for a few minutes and I told him about my new camera and how I am getting into photography, thinking I'm all big and bad. Then I find out that was one of the first 100 employees at Microsoft, owns 4 1dsMk11 cameras, and has been shooting for 20 years. He's even owned 4 airplanes, which I can only dream of being able to do! He even worked on Spaceship One with Burt Rutan and Paul Allen and has thousands of pictures from it. Needless to say I was humbled! Lol... :huh

[schmoo]

great story. his gaze is mesmerizing. now that i know he's a 70 year photography veteran his gaze almost now means "I got your number kid."
:rofl Well said!

I think these are great for a church directory. Like others have said the diffusion and softness around facial areas drew my eye (as it does for any published photo these days now that I have enough PS experience to see these things on magazine covers), but I have seen much worse. I highly doubt the usual elder churchgoers would spit on your proofs over this. :D

Congrats on landing the gig and I hope your enthusiasm keeps up after all of those sessions!

[Addman8]

That is a classic story about the 70 year vet!!

I agree a bit on the brightness factor with the faces. Everything else is lit wonderfully and has a very warm, glowing feeling. Nice work.

Good luck with Lightroom...it rocks!!

[gmonkeh]

Congrats on landing the gig and I hope your enthusiasm keeps up after all of those sessions.

Thanks, but please don't remind me lol. I'm already thinking I'm getting the bum end of the deal. The Church is paying me $500 flat for my equipment costs and travel. And I have the option of selling prints. Well last Sunday was a little disheartening. I don't know if it was my assistant but out of the 40+ we shot only 8 people pre-ordered prints. I made the mistake of offering individual prints so of those people who did order it was for 4 wallets, 1 - 5x7. etc.

A little frustrating really, I mean I still made $150 in sales on the first day but I still have to pay my assistant.

So these next few weeks, I decided to drop my individual print sales during the event and just offer my 3 packages. If they want single prints they can still order online. And I will offer 25% off my top 2 packages through the event dates. http://www.reverbphotography.com/pricing.html

Would this be a good idea? Anyone else have experience with event sales and what it would take for clients to buy on the spot?

Thanks again guys,

Lex