this is what I refer to as "orange peel" for its funky texture.

The first image was taken on velvia 100 at about 5 pm, outdoor light with my 28-105 lens.
The negatives were developed and scanned onto my disc by my lab.
This picture is as it is from the disc.
Do you see the blotchy-out of focus look around his face, her thumb against his face, and the fence? But then her face is fine.
http://www.artevillena.com/orangepeelexample.jpg

Second picture was indoors on provia i believe 400. shot with my 70-300 lens (i was sitting across the room from them)
Here the out of focus and blotchy look are picked up again on her face, my sons face, some of their hair and again the background rather than looking like a normal out of focus background looks all splotchy.
http://www.artevillena.com/orangepeel2.jpg

Is it me? My cam? Lens? The labs scanning?
I didnt use a tripod that day, wasnt expecting to take any formal shots, just some hand held snaps.

Since you have the same result on two different films, I would suspect the scanning. how big are the files? Do you have anything to let you look at the film closely? Maybe have a couple frames scanned elsewhere.

Yup - the lab. If it was on the film itself then you'd (probably) see it evenly throughout the frame. Scanning isn't the easiest thing in the world to get right.

Try a different lab that uses different equipment. It's most likely happining in the scan/processing stage of things. If you looked at the original, I'm confident you won't see the same thing there. Point it out to the lab and see if they can resolve it for you.

You guys rock! Thank you for your input- all of you.
I swear they dont look that way on the slide itself!

I had an engagement session come back this way, and now, this from an inlaws baby shower! Thankfully I sent off my first wedding rolls to a lab that Loren reccomended.

I went nuts cleaning my equipment and had my n80 body cleaned as well. I was freaking out!

I wasnt sure altogether if it was the scans, because it didnt look like normal artifacting or other goofy stuff i see in poor scanning.

If you are shooting people with Velvia, I always overexpose by a 1/3 stop. It's not the best for people, but in this case I agree with Trevor about the lab.

Thanks Loren! I actually used provia 400 for the indoor shot, and the velvia outdoors. I thought I grabbed three rolls of the provia, and had infact picked up the velvia by mistake.
Thanks for the overexposure tip :) I'll have to keep that in mind the more I experiment with the velvia!

What lab did you use?

Man that is just gross. They should be run out of town.

Is that your husband in the first one? Orange peel and all, he's kinda hot :D

HA!!!!!!!!! No way. That is my husbands cousin (the preggie girl) and her husband.
My husband is a dark Indian man :)
I'll have to find some pics of him.

In the second pic, that little sweetie is my son ;) you know, he's hitting on women all over the place these days :)The woman in the picture is a friend of mine.

I'll have to find a pic of my hubby and post it now.

well, i dont want to name names, Almo.... but its a little lab in Dublin, CA.
I have had some funky issues with them on a few occasions now.
I found two more locally that should be ok.... and Loren reccomended a great one for weddings
(I shot my first wedding on the 7th, I have another on the 10th, a quince on the 23rd, and a wedding in October, and possibly November... and I DONT want to shoot weddings;) I just want the practice.)