Bride Called Regarding Photographer Missing Important Shot

Jason Robinson · July 10th, 2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Phillips

Seems like photoshopping a photo he did get would have a better chance of working than finding a frame grab.

There were posed pictures right? Were there photos with the B&G in the center and family around them? Perhaps cropping would work and then adding a little soft halo effect around the B&G would get a usable image.

I just got off the phone with the bride. She was not too impressed with the shots as a whole. Kind of hit or miss. Some great shots. Some blurry shots. Several shots that were way off angle (he didn't even rotate & crop to correct!) The Photographer did do some cropping to get usable shots from what he did get. Apparently there were 7 shots available that could be cropped, but as we all know, getting a crop to look like the original is going to be almost impossible.

Now there are some photoshop gurus out there that could stitch him in from one shot, and her from another and get a shot that looks normal (as well as blurring out the background or just replacing the background altogether using a different shot)..... but unless that is someone hobby and they are just dam good at it, that isn't likely to be possible.

Dave Blackhurst · July 10th, 2008, 03:18 PM

If there's a group shot at a high enough res, that's not a big thing to doctor up in editing (presuming it was a digital original or can be scanned), but I'd think the photog would have done that already and covered his own goof...

Digitally fixing such a huge screw up is fair if done right, but that's the responsibility of the photog... or he should definitely cover the costs of the reshoot. That's just too big a mistake unless there were severe extenuating circumstances such as equipment failure or medication issues.

Stuff happens, but it's the responsibility of the professional to be on top of things like that. It sounds like this wasn't equipment malfunction, it was just plain old sloppy shootin', and if the guy has any pride in his work whatsoever, he should make up for it if the bride will let him... which presents another issue altogether.

My take is that if the rest of the guy's work is good, and he'll step up to correct the error both practically and financially, that would be fair and reasonable, and that'd be the best thing all around. People goof, so a bit of understanding on everyone's part couldn't hurt... hopefully it will work out.

Edit: Looks like we cross posted... doesn't sound like the overall "service" was all that good, so that's a big problem... Most people would call me one of those "photoshop guru" types (although I use other programs that cost far less), I've pulled off some pretty decent digital alterations along the way.... but it's still better to just get the dang shot!!!

Kevin Shaw · July 11th, 2008, 05:07 AM

If the bride's shopping for someone to do a reshoot, why not offer that yourself? Otherwise, pulling still frames from SD footage isn't going to meet the need here, and even HD frame grabs might be iffy for a formal enlargement print.

How can a photographer not get a formal posed shot of the couple? Ouch!

Vito DeFilippo · July 11th, 2008, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

so Photoshop has a "preset" filter for deinterlacing? Interesting. Wish I had PS. :-)

Hey Jason. I have Photoshop. If you want to email me a few grabs, I'd be happy to deinterlace them for you.

Cheers,
Vito

Jason Robinson · July 11th, 2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Shaw

If the bride's shopping for someone to do a reshoot, why not offer that yourself? Otherwise, pulling still frames from SD footage isn't going to meet the need here, and even HD frame grabs might be iffy for a formal enlargement print.

How can a photographer not get a formal posed shot of the couple? Ouch!

I did offer to do the reshoot. The only problem is my STILL camera looks like this (attached image). A Canon Powershot S1-is. And it took a tumble down the side of a mountain, landing in a group of lava rocks so that is why the flash cover is ripped off and it is scratched up (still works though.... but there are two hot pixels stuck on red in the middle of the camera!)

So I could shoot it for them, but I wouldn't do it with my camera. My wife's camera is a [url=http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/panasonic_dmcfz3.asp]Panasonic DMC-FZ3[url]. Yeah. FZ whaaa?

I have been eyeing the digital rebel if for no other reason than to have a true SLR and the ability to take better pictures should the need arise (like it just did). Because honestly, I think I can do the posing, and get a good portrait shot. No time constraints, no rush. It should be dead easy to get 10 or so different poses for them.

Jason Robinson · July 11th, 2008, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vito DeFilippo

Hey Jason. I have Photoshop. If you want to email me a few grabs, I'd be happy to deinterlace them for you.

Cheers,
Vito

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on that. I'll get the grabs using Vegas, try Vegas's deinterlacing, and see if your Photoshop deinterlacing is better.

I'll have to wait to work on that till tomorrow because today I need to get some ad copy written for a DVD insert for a high school graduation I filmed a month ago. I figure why not put a coupon for wedding videography in the High School graduation DVD. That way I'm the first videographer they heard of AND I got to their parents (who lets face it.... pay the bills) because hte parents are probably the ones buying the graduation DVD.

Jason Robinson · July 11th, 2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

Edit: Looks like we cross posted... doesn't sound like the overall "service" was all that good, so that's a big problem... Most people would call me one of those "photoshop guru" types (although I use other programs that cost far less), I've pulled off some pretty decent digital alterations along the way.... but it's still better to just get the dang shot!!!

No doubt. Get it in camera, rather than trying to fix it in post. That is why I got a white balance card and attached it to one of those retractable ID badge string spools. I just pull out the card every time I switch lighting conditions and re-WB. No sense hassling with it in post when I can just get it right there. Does add 30 seconds to any scene change though.

My photographer for my wedding (and my former roommate and business partner) pulled off an amazing photoshop trick on one of my wife's shots. She was in a grade school room for the dressing room so there were brightly colored posters all over the room. He painted out the whole background, so from what you see here, only the face & hair was left. Everything else looked like a perfect light gray cloth backdrop. I was amazed.

July 10th, 2008, 03:18 PM	#32
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	If there's a group shot at a high enough res, that's not a big thing to doctor up in editing (presuming it was a digital original or can be scanned), but I'd think the photog would have done that already and covered his own goof... Digitally fixing such a huge screw up is fair if done right, but that's the responsibility of the photog... or he should definitely cover the costs of the reshoot. That's just too big a mistake unless there were severe extenuating circumstances such as equipment failure or medication issues. Stuff happens, but it's the responsibility of the professional to be on top of things like that. It sounds like this wasn't equipment malfunction, it was just plain old sloppy shootin', and if the guy has any pride in his work whatsoever, he should make up for it if the bride will let him... which presents another issue altogether. My take is that if the rest of the guy's work is good, and he'll step up to correct the error both practically and financially, that would be fair and reasonable, and that'd be the best thing all around. People goof, so a bit of understanding on everyone's part couldn't hurt... hopefully it will work out. Edit: Looks like we cross posted... doesn't sound like the overall "service" was all that good, so that's a big problem... Most people would call me one of those "photoshop guru" types (although I use other programs that cost far less), I've pulled off some pretty decent digital alterations along the way.... but it's still better to just get the dang shot!!!

July 11th, 2008, 05:07 AM	#33
Kevin Shaw Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,488	If the bride's shopping for someone to do a reshoot, why not offer that yourself? Otherwise, pulling still frames from SD footage isn't going to meet the need here, and even HD frame grabs might be iffy for a formal enlargement print. How can a photographer not get a formal posed shot of the couple? Ouch!