Well... the good news just keeps right on coming. I tried to schedule plenty of time with the bride and groom before the festivities so I could get some good composed shots. they tell me that the groom doesn't want to see the bride in the dress until the ceremony. So I can get shots by themselves before but nothing together.
The action is pretty fast and furious from the ceremony going immediately to the reception so there is going to be little time to get some good shots with the bride and groom alone.
I will have to deal with the cards I am dealt I guess.
Nikon D4, 400 2.8 AF-I, 70-200mm 2.8 VR II, 24-70 2.8
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter http://DalbyPhoto.com
Well... the good news just keeps right on coming. I tried to schedule plenty of time with the bride and groom before the festivities so I could get some good composed shots. they tell me that the groom doesn't want to see the bride in the dress until the ceremony. So I can get shots by themselves before but nothing together.
The action is pretty fast and furious from the ceremony going immediately to the reception so there is going to be little time to get some good shots with the bride and groom alone.
I will have to deal with the cards I am dealt I guess.
Well again....just relax....
Probably the most uttered words from a wedding photographer to himself is..."it is what it is"....
The location, the pace, the coordination, the venue, the time of day, all of this...is what it is....
Dont worry about the things you have no control over. Instead worry about....having all your storage formatted and ready, plenty of charged batteries on hand, a strategy for "getting" the obligitory shots, and making sure the camera is set up correctly before you leave home.
Most everything after that...is what it is.... .....and you just have to capture that.
...as for the use of gels.....tough call...
If outdoors in sunlight...the flash is daylight balanced....so no REAL need there.
I use CTB in shade, CTO at late afternoon, and cto when mixing with incandescents, but......if you arent familiar with matching these to the conditions....well....it may just add one more layer of stress on you.
If you shoot RAW and automatic white balance, your camera should do a fair job of choosing a wb that takes into account the flash and ambient conditions.....AND you will have given yourself the luxury of being able to fine tune that in a RAW editor.
Another way to handle a mismatch of white balance is to simply convert the image to black and white
Are you familiar with.....do you currently use gels?
I have never used the gels. It is just something else that I always carry in my bag. I just haven't done much portrait photography.
This might be something you would want to experiment with prior to breaking out for a wedding.
You could give it a shot during the "getting ready" shots.....
Bring a piece of white cardstock or printer paper. Set the paper where it is directly lit by the incandescents in the room. Set camera to AWB and shoot a frame filling shot(no flash) of the cardstock(you may need to use manual focus....but the shot doesnt need to be in focus). Be sure the exposure of the frame is set so that you have properly exposed this white...as white....that is...push its exposure to the right but not over the edge of the histogram. When viewing the resulting image you will more than likely have a solid rectangle of an orangey tint. Lay out your CTO(orange) gels on top of the cardstock....then compare the different densities of orange to that of the LCD screen. Whichever one most closely matches........use the next darkest orange gel.
Now.....use that frame you shot as your custom white balance reference shot....attatch the gel to the flash and shoot away. Now...if there is a window in that room with daylight pouring in...you are better off to forego the CTO gels and just let the cameras AWB figure things out.
Seriously though.....I doubt Id want to break this out as a new technique at a first wedding....as your efforts will be better spent keeping the flash POWER and ambient exposure balanced so as not to have that flashy look......ie- not over flashing.
Seriously though.....I doubt Id want to break this out as a new technique at a first wedding....as your efforts will be better spent keeping the flash POWER and ambient exposure balanced so as not to have that flashy look......ie- not over flashing.
Thats my $.02:D
No refunds....eh!
Thank you for the technique help. I think I will take your advice and wait. I will have enough on my mind.
Thanks
MD
Nikon D4, 400 2.8 AF-I, 70-200mm 2.8 VR II, 24-70 2.8
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter http://DalbyPhoto.com
I have little wedding experience either, and I'm shooting one this weekend as well, so we're both in the same boat!
I just keep thinking about what a great experienced wedding photographer told me once: "Take the shot that you want. Experiment and don't be afraid to try taking the shots that you want - you never know which ones will come out amazing."
I think you've got the action stuff down - your action shots are amazing. You might want to put together a shot list to help you to get the important shots that you're trying to get - ones with grandparents/parents/ect.
Thank you for the technique help. I think I will take your advice and wait. I will have enough on my mind.
Thanks
MD
No problem.....it is definately a technique that can bring shots to the next level, but for this weekend (at least) I think you may already have enough on your plate.
I use Phoxle Flash Match filter sets and highly recommend them.
We are wishing you the best of luck...be sure to share some of your favorite shots with us!!!
...and we can work on flash gels for the next one!!!
Well... This was DEFINITELY a learning experience. My sports experience has pretty consistent shooting conditions. With the wedding I was switching form indoors to outdoors over and over and having to change settings left and right. I learned an awful lot.
I made my share of mistakes. I wish I could do it all again. But, it is what it is...
For example, the following the exposure in the background and I wish I would have focused on the hand and the ring rather than the faces.
I am still going through the photos and I will post more when I get things cleaned up.
I was tired at the end. I have a whole new appreciation for you veterans that do this a lot. My feet were hurting.
I learned a lot from all of you. Thank you for helping.
MD
Nikon D4, 400 2.8 AF-I, 70-200mm 2.8 VR II, 24-70 2.8
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter http://DalbyPhoto.com
Sheesh....I forgot to tell you about the MOST important gear....comfortable shoes!
Do share some images...Lets see what ya got!
....and I like that you are able to say "it is what it is".....
Indeed... or at least some nice inserts to go into shoes you thought were comfortable but found out really weren't after shooting one wedding with them, lol. (Had this happen recently, promptly fixed it before the next wedding with said new shows by getting inserts... my feet were in happy land after that!)
Hello
I'm not a pro photographer, but I pay attention to photography and my wedding photos are going to be the most highly critiqued of all. My advice, is make a list or get a list of all the mandatory wedding photos.
Comments
The action is pretty fast and furious from the ceremony going immediately to the reception so there is going to be little time to get some good shots with the bride and groom alone.
I will have to deal with the cards I am dealt I guess.
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter
http://DalbyPhoto.com
Well again....just relax....
Probably the most uttered words from a wedding photographer to himself is..."it is what it is"....
The location, the pace, the coordination, the venue, the time of day, all of this...is what it is....
Dont worry about the things you have no control over. Instead worry about....having all your storage formatted and ready, plenty of charged batteries on hand, a strategy for "getting" the obligitory shots, and making sure the camera is set up correctly before you leave home.
Most everything after that...is what it is....
...as for the use of gels.....tough call...
If outdoors in sunlight...the flash is daylight balanced....so no REAL need there.
I use CTB in shade, CTO at late afternoon, and cto when mixing with incandescents, but......if you arent familiar with matching these to the conditions....well....it may just add one more layer of stress on you.
If you shoot RAW and automatic white balance, your camera should do a fair job of choosing a wb that takes into account the flash and ambient conditions.....AND you will have given yourself the luxury of being able to fine tune that in a RAW editor.
Another way to handle a mismatch of white balance is to simply convert the image to black and white
Are you familiar with.....do you currently use gels?
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Jeff,
I have never used the gels. It is just something else that I always carry in my bag.
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter
http://DalbyPhoto.com
This might be something you would want to experiment with prior to breaking out for a wedding.
You could give it a shot during the "getting ready" shots.....
Bring a piece of white cardstock or printer paper. Set the paper where it is directly lit by the incandescents in the room. Set camera to AWB and shoot a frame filling shot(no flash) of the cardstock(you may need to use manual focus....but the shot doesnt need to be in focus). Be sure the exposure of the frame is set so that you have properly exposed this white...as white....that is...push its exposure to the right but not over the edge of the histogram. When viewing the resulting image you will more than likely have a solid rectangle of an orangey tint. Lay out your CTO(orange) gels on top of the cardstock....then compare the different densities of orange to that of the LCD screen. Whichever one most closely matches........use the next darkest orange gel.
Now.....use that frame you shot as your custom white balance reference shot....attatch the gel to the flash and shoot away. Now...if there is a window in that room with daylight pouring in...you are better off to forego the CTO gels and just let the cameras AWB figure things out.
Seriously though.....I doubt Id want to break this out as a new technique at a first wedding....as your efforts will be better spent keeping the flash POWER and ambient exposure balanced so as not to have that flashy look......ie- not over flashing.
Thats my $.02:D
No refunds....eh!
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Thank you for the technique help. I think I will take your advice and wait. I will have enough on my mind.
Thanks
MD
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter
http://DalbyPhoto.com
I just keep thinking about what a great experienced wedding photographer told me once: "Take the shot that you want. Experiment and don't be afraid to try taking the shots that you want - you never know which ones will come out amazing."
I think you've got the action stuff down - your action shots are amazing. You might want to put together a shot list to help you to get the important shots that you're trying to get - ones with grandparents/parents/ect.
GOOD LUCK!!
No problem.....it is definately a technique that can bring shots to the next level, but for this weekend (at least) I think you may already have enough on your plate.
I use Phoxle Flash Match filter sets and highly recommend them.
We are wishing you the best of luck...be sure to share some of your favorite shots with us!!!
...and we can work on flash gels for the next one!!!
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
I made my share of mistakes. I wish I could do it all again. But, it is what it is...
For example, the following the exposure in the background and I wish I would have focused on the hand and the ring rather than the faces.
I am still going through the photos and I will post more when I get things cleaned up.
I was tired at the end. I have a whole new appreciation for you veterans that do this a lot. My feet were hurting.
I learned a lot from all of you. Thank you for helping.
MD
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter
http://DalbyPhoto.com
miss b
Newest baby: R.Gonzalez PHOTOGRAPHY or HERE
My rambling addiction: Crunchy Monkeys
facebook fan page: R.Gonzalez photography
:ivar
My Photos - Powered by SmugMug!
Do share some images...Lets see what ya got!
....and I like that you are able to say "it is what it is".....
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Indeed... or at least some nice inserts to go into shoes you thought were comfortable but found out really weren't after shooting one wedding with them, lol. (Had this happen recently, promptly fixed it before the next wedding with said new shows by getting inserts... my feet were in happy land after that!)
Facebook: Friend / Fan || Twitter: @shimamizu || Google Plus
I'm not a pro photographer, but I pay attention to photography and my wedding photos are going to be the most highly critiqued of all. My advice, is make a list or get a list of all the mandatory wedding photos.