Photo Finish

Ah, young love! 

I took bridal portraits for this handsome couple a couple of days ago.  The groom is related to a wonderful family I know here in Virginia.

The weather was F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G!  I felt so sorry for both of them, but they were really, really good sports about the cold.

Fortunately the bride had a cape, which took the edge off a little.

 

The groom wasn't so lucky, so the poor guy had to resort to alleviating frostbite by putting his hands in the bride's fur muff.  Love that expression!

 

I have color versions of all these photos as well, of course, but I think I prefer the black and white on most of them.

While I'm on the topic of photography, I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask your opinion on a couple of self portraits...

I need to provide Benartex with a photo of myself (and a bio, which I STILL have not written!), so I set up some lights in my house and hit the self timer several times.  I've narrowed it down to the headshot above, or...

...this one.  What do you think?  Yes, I got my hair cut!  It's a nice change after having it the same for so long.  I could also just give Benartex the color headshot you see up in the top left corner of my blog, but it's a couple of years old...which explains the absence of my many new friends AKA crow's feet.  :-)  I could have blurred them out, but hey - I've earned those, right?  Too much photographic touch-up has always seemed deceptive to me anyway.

So, if you have an opinion on the matter, please let me know - thanks!

EDIT:  I posted a comment about these pics after all of your kind words, but since you're not in the habit of reading my responses there because I almost never comment on my own posts (which I'm going to change, by the way - more on that later), here it is in the text as well...

Thanks, everyone, for your compliments and your input!  Looks like it's unanimous, then - 2nd photo it is! 
Ann, in answer to your comment about looking relaxed...it actually took about 150 pictures (at 10 clicks per timer episode) to get that one!  You all would have laughed to have seen my routine:  I had to set up a chair with a pillow on it at the same height and depth as where my head was going to be so the lens would focus on my face and not the backdrop.  I'd press the button, race over to lift the chair out of the way, plop down on the floor, and quickly try to get into a "relaxed" position before the camera quit clicking 10 times in succession.  The first several shots were always blurry, but by the end of each set I'd get a few clear ones.  Then I'd get up, inspect the pose, and try the whole thing again because I was usually looking goofy.  Soooo...one out of 150 ain't bad! Thank goodness for digital cameras with LCD panels.  And yes, I'm asking for a camera remote clicker thingy for Christmas!

Just for your entertainment, here's one of the more typical photos, blurry and all:

 You can now see why I switched these to black and white - the colors of grey clashed, and the background was all shiny and I not-so-brilliantly didn't iron the fabric beforehand, so there's a huge fold line behind my head.  I fiddled around with Photoshop a bit and ended up "burning" the background out to make it all dark.  I know I didn't do a perfect job, and an experienced Photoshop person will be able to point out all my goofs, but hey - I'm on a deadline here.  Even though I'm a perfectionist, there are many things that I just have to say, "Good enough.  Time to move on."

Especially 5 days before Christmas!  I have so many more things to make before December 25 - so I'll stop typing now and finish those turtle candies for my kid's teachers that I started an hour ago and got totally distracted.  Good night!

Comments

[Ann]

WOW!!!! I LOVE the wedding photos you took - you did a BEAUTIFUL job! They look like such a happy couple. B&W is always more dramatic isn't it? I think sometimes color distracts from a person's expression.

Your self portraits are also VERY nice. I don't know how you can hit the self-timer button and manage to look so relaxed when the photo snaps. I prefer the second photo. You look great in both of them, but I like seeing your body language in the second one - relaxed but totally confident.

[Jayneofall]

The wedding photos are absolutely breathtaking. And the photos of you are very nice as well! I agree with Ann, the second photo is my favorite. Relaxed and confident. Couldn't have said it better myself!

[Shelley]

Great photos.
As for your self portraits - I also prefer the second.

[Sunny Price]

I prefer the second one. The bridal portraits are wonderful! You are truly a talented woman.

[Edith Songer]

I also say second photo. Love your wedding photography.

[Emilie]

The second photo speaks to me more than the first. It's like I get a peak a the true Shelly!

Amazing wedding photos!

[shelley]

Thanks, everyone, for your compliments and your input! Looks like it's unanimous, then - 2nd photo it is!
Ann, in answer to your comment about looking relaxed...it actually took about 150 pictures (at 10 clicks per timer episode) to get that one! You all would have laughed to have seen my routine: I had to set up a chair with a pillow on it at the same height and depth as where my head was going to be so the lens would focus on my face and not the backdrop. I'd press the button, race over to lift the chair out of the way, plop down on the floor, and quickly try to get into a "relaxed" position before the camera quit clicking 10 times in succession. The first several shots were always blurry, but by the end of each set I'd get a few clear ones. Then I'd get up, inspect the pose, and try the whole thing again because I was usually looking goofy. Soooo...one out of 150 ain't bad! Thank goodness for digital cameras with LCD panels. And yes, I'm asking for a camera remote clicker thingy for Christmas!