Wedding

wxwax

My elder sister got married (again!) this weekend. It was a small affair, and they had a shooter booked for the ceremony. I took my camera along just for fun.

It was an interesting experience, and the first time I've tried to get any pix from a wedding. I tried to use the flash, something with which I'm not familiar.

I didn't really get many usable pix. The worst were indoors during the meal. The 550EX can't light an entire room, of course, so the wide shots are throwaways. And my inexperience led me to forget to tilt the head when I shot with a portrait orientation. As a result I bounced a lot of shots off a wall instead of the ceiling. I don't have a Stofen that fits the 550, so I used an index card and tilted the head up a bit.

All of which means the only halfway decent shots were outdoors! I still used the flash, for fill.

Here's my sister, the bride. I used a Kevin Ames technique on this one, as described in Scott Kelby's CS book for digital photographers. Dunno if it's too much or not, but the original shows too many age marks, and she wouldn't care for that!




And this is her son, waiting to lead her to the place where they had the ceremony. I didn't do much to this, just a small crop and saturation, a wee bit of sharpening. No levels. But I did make two RAW exposures, one for his face, the other for his shirt.

DoctorIt

I see you in his glasses!

wxwax

DoctorIt wrote:

I see you in his glasses!

Do they make me look fat?

I noticed that the first image looked a little dim. So I added a very light touch of curves to give it some contrast and a bit more pop.

Nir

Both excellent shots Sid!

Have you had a chance to compare with the hired photographer's results?

Angelo

I think they're very nice waxy.

wxwax

Nir wrote:

Both excellent shots Sid!

Have you had a chance to compare with the hired photographer's results?

Thanks Nir. No, not yet. I'm very curious to see what he came up with. The wedding was in the sunlight at 1:30pm - very harsh light. Luckily, the couple was backlit, so his shots may have worked out alright because he too was using a fill flash.

wxwax

Angelo wrote:

I think they're very nice waxy.

Thanks Angelo!

Shay Stephens

Yes, the indoor stuff, especially the reception, can be very dark, and I find it the most challenging part of the day.

One of the things I wonder about is what did the guests get? I rarely get a chance to see any. But I always wonder.

Your photos here look real nice, and would no doubt complement what the pro got.

wxwax

Shay Stephens wrote:

Yes, the indoor stuff, especially the reception, can be very dark, and I find it the most challenging part of the day.

One of the things I wonder about is what did the guests get? I rarely get a chance to see any. But I always wonder.

Your photos here look real nice, and would no doubt complement what the pro got.

Thanks Shay, I appreciate it. It's funny to hear you say that you wonder what shots the guests got. I guess these days, with folks having capable cameras and the technology making taking piccies easier, there's always the chance they'll (me'll!) get something good.

Shay Stephens

I have only seen guest photos from two of the weddings I have shot, and they were terrible. The standards, blurry, dark, too far away, etc. You always hope that they get better photos than that, at least they get something good from people like you, and it's those photos I am eager to see

wxwax wrote:

Thanks Shay, I appreciate it. It's funny to hear you say that you wonder what shots the guests got. I guess these days, with folks having capable cameras and the technology making taking piccies easier, there's always the chance they'll (me'll!) get something good.

ian408

Sid, these are nice shots.

I read a thread over on FM about guests shooting weddings. Since I don't shoot
them (but am sensitive to the working pro), I found some of the comments from
pros regarding guests shooting to be, well, interesting.

Ian

wxwax

ian408 wrote:

Sid, these are nice shots.

I read a thread over on FM about guests shooting weddings. Since I don't shoot
them (but am sensitive to the working pro), I found some of the comments from
pros regarding guests shooting to be, well, interesting.

Ian

Hmmm, I'll hafta too go over there and read about it. I assume that folks elbow and get in their way, flash at all the wrong times, and generally make their work a lot harder. I've heard that sort of stuff before.

I stayed well away from the official shooter and only worried that my flash would bother him. I talked to him later and he said there wasn't a problem at all. I was glad to hear it, hate to get in the way of a working person.

patch29

wxwax wrote:

Hmmm, I'll hafta too go over there and read about it. I assume that folks elbow and get in their way, flash at all the wrong times, and generally make their work a lot harder. I've heard that sort of stuff before.

I stayed well away from the official shooter and only worried that my flash would bother him. I talked to him later and he said there wasn't a problem at all. I was glad to hear it, hate to get in the way of a working person.

Now you know the real reason to carry a monopod. :thwak

ian408

wxwax wrote:

Hmmm, I'll hafta too go over there and read about it. I assume that folks elbow and get in their way, flash at all the wrong times, and generally make their work a lot harder. I've heard that sort of stuff before.

I stayed well away from the official shooter and only worried that my flash would bother him. I talked to him later and he said there wasn't a problem at all. I was glad to hear it, hate to get in the way of a working person.

I'll paraphrase all 15 pages

Some prefer to have it their way or no way. You agree to their terms and
if others start shooting/snapping, it's your job to get rid of them (or make
them stop). If not, they threaten to leave.

On the other hand, there are guys who gather everyone around
that want pix and explain the rules. The rules are pretty simple. Let me
get set up and get the "official" shot, we'll stay posed and you shoot away.
Some will even help grandma get a nice shot with the disposable. They
spend a few extra minutes on each shot but generally, by cooperating, it
goes quickly.

Since I don't shoot weddings, my opinion doesn't count for much but I
would prefer the later--as long as it doesn't get out of hand--which sounds
like doesn't happen too often. Plus it makes people happy and that's
what a wedding is supposed to be about.

Ian

Shay Stephens

I do the later. Giving people a chance to shoot after I have shot a formal portrait helps keep the eyes looking at me, and the flashes off. After about the second portrait everyone has the rules down and it goes a lot quicker than fighting for position or threatening to leave. Everyone knows they will get a chance and they chill out, some even stop shooting oddly enough. The cooperation level goes way up.

However, this is not what some photographers want at all. The ones who rely on print sales for their profit have to carefully manage who can shoot their setups. It's a business plan that is getting harder and harder to make work, and thus the more stringent rules and penalties in the contracts to try and enforce it.

ian408 wrote:

I'll paraphrase all 15 pages

Some prefer to have it their way or no way. You agree to their terms and
if others start shooting/snapping, it's your job to get rid of them (or make
them stop). If not, they threaten to leave.

On the other hand, there are guys who gather everyone around
that want pix and explain the rules. The rules are pretty simple. Let me
get set up and get the "official" shot, we'll stay posed and you shoot away.
Some will even help grandma get a nice shot with the disposable. They
spend a few extra minutes on each shot but generally, by cooperating, it
goes quickly.

Since I don't shoot weddings, my opinion doesn't count for much but I
would prefer the later--as long as it doesn't get out of hand--which sounds
like doesn't happen too often. Plus it makes people happy and that's
what a wedding is supposed to be about.

Ian

ian408

I bet you get more referal business with the later too

Ian

mereimage

Here's some shots at my nieces wedding, the pro shot all medium format film... these were taken with a 10d and fill flash, though the pro did the directing on the group shots




http://mereimage.smugmug.com/photos/9642806-Th.jpg

sometimes we get lucky- matted and framed that one for my sister -she wouldn't/ couldn't pony up for the pros large prints--he was cool let me shot along with him///mereimage

mereimage

sorry wrong link
http://mereimage.smugmug.com/gallery/246499


hope this is right ///Mereimage

T4Tots

Also from the guests side of things... I love to take pictures at family weddings after the pro paid to shoot it of course. I stay well out of the way (though it is tough not to want to get the best shot right there in the way ). My pet peeve at a wedding I attended last weekend for my cousin was that the photographer was in every single picture I took!! I mean before she took her shots she was right next to the couple explaining what she wanted to take. Then after she got her shot, she walked up to the couple and chatted about the next shot I assume. I wanted so badly to go up to her and simply say "Is it too much to ask you to wait five seconds after you shoot for the like 5 people behind you wanting a quick shot of the bride and groom to actually get one before you step into the frame." In a nice way of course.

I have done a wedding and have another to do in July, and will definitely take others with cameras into consideration. I mean its family and friends and its special memories for everyone. I am just glad I don't have to shoot weddings for a living! Whew the work.

wxwax

mereimage wrote:

http://mereimage.smugmug.com/gallery/246499


hope this is right ///Mereimage

You got some good ones! This one is particularly striking.

http://mereimage.smugmug.com/photos/9642830-M.jpg

Photosbychuck

Hi, wxwax
I think your photos turned out great!
I have been trying to get some paid photo shoot but, no luck yet.
I have a friend that is getting married in a few months and was going to shoot
his wedding for free to get practice and show some of my shots to his friends and family. I hope they might ask me to do a photo shoot for them in the future.

Keep up the good work.
Take Care,
Chuck,
Marshall, NC

wxwax wrote:

My elder sister got married (again!) this weekend. It was a small affair, and they had a shooter booked for the ceremony. I took my camera along just for fun.

It was an interesting experience, and the first time I've tried to get any pix from a wedding. I tried to use the flash, something with which I'm not familiar.

I didn't really get many usable pix. The worst were indoors during the meal. The 550EX can't light an entire room, of course, so the wide shots are throwaways. And my inexperience led me to forget to tilt the head when I shot with a portrait orientation. As a result I bounced a lot of shots off a wall instead of the ceiling. I don't have a Stofen that fits the 550, so I used an index card and tilted the head up a bit.

All of which means the only halfway decent shots were outdoors! I still used the flash, for fill.

Here's my sister, the bride. I used a Kevin Ames technique on this one, as described in Scott Kelby's CS book for digital photographers. Dunno if it's too much or not, but the original shows too many age marks, and she wouldn't care for that!




And this is her son, waiting to lead her to the place where they had the ceremony. I didn't do much to this, just a small crop and saturation, a wee bit of sharpening. No levels. But I did make two RAW exposures, one for his face, the other for his shirt.