Help me decide

[bfphoto]

I am having a hard time deciding which of these images to use in a slide show. What do you all like?

[DigitalScape]

Bill,
I like the third photo the best. In the first photo the B&G are slightly out of focus (or it could be my eyes); the second photo is too dark - the B&G are kind of hidden in the background. That's my 2 cents.

[KeepsakeGirl]

I like #3 the best, but how about adding contrast and making it sepia?

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

#1 I know what you were trying to do but the Brokeh isn't quite there, what lens did you use and what F stop? (to nail this you need at least a 2.8 and really a 1.8/1.4/or 1.0 would nail it-I know you couldn't move the candleabra farther away or get the B+G to move farther away).

#2 Does nothing for me

#3 Isn't that great either.

Now if you were shooting with an assistant and have the ability to remote fire a flash the third shot would be great if you threw about a 1/4 or 1/8 stop worth of light with heavy difusion just to lighten up the B+G in the scene (may be able to PS them).

[bfphoto]

Thanks for the suggestions. I may try the sepia. The lens was Canon 24-70 2.8 L. Shot at 2.8, but not sure about shutter speed. Paul, I'm glad someone knew what I was trying to do. Don't have a 1.8 or 1.4, but one of them is on my list of lens' to get. Just got the 70-200 2.8 IS this week. Sure could have used it this past weekend.

Thanks again.

[AndrewCCM]

That 70-200 can generate some very nice bokeh.. I would suggest backing up and zooming in for a more shallow DOF. I have great luck with that lens (F2.8 IS) both with bounced flash and off-camera flash.

[LadyShutterBug]

i like 2 the best.

in #1, the outta focus stuff isn't outta focus enough for me... it just looks like oops, i missed! maybe if the couple were blurred a bit more i'd like it better.

2 is romantic and vague, and you are clearly focused on the candelabra. do you have noise reduction software? this image would benefit from a little noise redux, or possibly some diffusion. some softening.

3.. there is a lot going on and it makes (to me) the candelabra distracting.

[bfphoto]

Thanks Kasey, I think no.2 is my favorite since it is closer to what I was trying achieve. The images are straight out of the camera, so have not done any post processing yet.

Andrew, backing up more would have been nice, but I was between the table and the back wall with my backside planted firmly aganist the wall. Had to get permission to move the candleabra from the back of the table to the front. As most of you know, weddings are not the best place to set up perfect conditions for a shot...just do the best you can with what you are given.

Paul, as far as using an assistant, I am the assistant. I quit doing my own weddings when I turned 67. Now all I do is help my friends when they need an assistant. I love doing weddings but hate having to deal with all the problems, and believe me, I have seen them all.

Now, if any of you want to play with these images, be my guest. I would love to see what some of you real creative people could do with these. I think they all have possibilities.

Thanks again for your commets, because you are never too old to learn something new, and I'm learning new stuff every day.