Blink-ers

divamum

There is not ONE SINGLE group picture from this last wedding where somebody didn't blink. Not.One.

Do you do eyeswaps for all of them, or...? This is gonna take forever (in the larger groups there are usually two or more with their eyes closed.................)

And yes, I was letting them know when I was going to shoot; sure I shoot a few when I think nobody will notice in the hope of getting something relaxed, but I'm not talking about that - this is in ALL the shots.

aj986s

Something I read a while ago (I believe on Dgrin.....) was to have everyone in the group close their eyes first, and then open them when you say so (just before you shoot). I've had very good success with this method.

Post process eye swaps can be done, but can be tricky. Easiest if you have multiples of the group shot, and the needed eyes are open in at least one other shot.

divamum

This is the first time I've found it this much of an issue - sure, I get blinks when shooting headshots, especially if I do a fast series, but even then I usually see them and delete in camera.

But this batch... Wow. With groups of 15-20 I guess it was inevitable there would be some, I'm just amazed it was SO MANY. I have open eyes I can pull from adjacent shots, it's just the time involved when there are 2-4 of 'em in each image. Groan.

zoomer

Take three or 4 shots of each group. pick the best one, move on.
I have never changed out a head or eyeball in any group shot. Clients understand. If it is an issue they will come back to you later on and ask you to fix it....also never happened.

I normally do a quick zoom eyeball scan at the time of capture....takes just a few seconds. I still miss one here and there.

Mitchell

I take two group shots and also do a quick chimp for eyeball checks. If someone had their eye's closed in both shots, I usually say jokingly "Sir, you are a blinker! I'm going to take one more shot. Keep your eyes closed until I count to three and then open for the shot." This usually works.

Matthew Saville

welcome to my world! Honestly? I got so sick of it, I would just start checking the photos and calling people out if they blinked. It helps to have the 1-click 100% zoom during playback.

(Tip #3 at: http://www.slrlounge.com/six-tips-dslr-autofocus-sharper-images-qa )

Once in a while I'll have to do a face swap, but usually it's not too bad...

=Matt=

divamum

The problem (or possibly bonus, since it means I have multiples to pillage) is that it was always somebody different in each shot! Seriously. Blink blink blink blink blink. The bride's mother is particularly probelmatic; I think she has her eyes closed in about half of them, maybe more, but she was definitely NOT the only culprit.....

And yeah, Matt, the minute Zoomer posted that I thought "That's Matt's one click zoom at work!!"

divamum

PS I'm cheating and only swapping eyes, because as well as blinkers, they were movers. .

These formals were pretty brutal, frankly - despite flash use are high ISO thus high noise, making them frustrating at sooo many levels. The rest of the day has some wonderful shots, but I'm definitely NOT enjoying editing these at all

zoomer

Don't feel bad the formals are not fun for anyone.....it gets easier.
Next time you do a wedding you will remember the problems you had processing the formals and you will take steps so that doesn't happen to you again.....sometimes the fix may be equipment or technique or processing. It is a journey.

Icebear

To TTL or Not to TTL
TTL = Blinkers.
I always get more blinkers when I use TTL than when I shoot manual flash. Some people have such krazy-quick reflexes!

Sam

While I have failed in many other ares, this is one where I seem to do pretty well.

I will use two methods, one is a simple I tell everyone (insure you have their attention) to look at the camera I will take the photo on three and to make sure their eyes or open on three.

If that ain't working I go with the close your eyes and open on three.

Sounds very boring counting to three every shot but it works.

Yes I try to let them know they are doing great, and I will say, "somebody blinked" I am going to take another one. Once you have their attention most will try hard. Yes I normally take two or three, but if time permits will take more.

Sam

divamum

Ya know, I counted to three on every.single.shot.

Ah well.... maybe this is just a particularly blinky group. Pass me a layer mask and soft black brush....

lilmomma

Diva, others have posted this but I am serious when I say that I have the entire group close their eyes and tell them when I get to 3 to open and smile. They usually think I'm kinda weird but I never have an issue with blinkers!!

Matthew Saville

Oh, and I always use manual flash in rear sync. That way there is ZERO pre-shutter flashing. TTL flash, and/or 1st curtain sync, can be especially bad for blinkers...

=Matt=

divamum

If I ever do this again, I'll try the close until 3 method - good to know!

Flash is always set on 2nd curtain - I leave it that way. I do use ETTL, however. BUT I did that last time, too, where I think I had ONE blink in the entire set of formals. This time, almost every shot in the larger groups has somebody who blinked. Just "lucky", I guess!

Good article, Matt. I'm curious about AI Servo - I have typically avoided it and stuck with single point for just about everything I do. The few times I've tried it, it was kind of a disaster, and I found my focus keeper rate plummeted rather than improved. Any other tips above and beyond what you included? I suspect using thumb focus is part of the deal, but I wonder if I'm missing something else.....

Focus accuracy is SO important to me and, because I shoot 90% of my portrait work at very shallow depths of field, something I am ALWAYS seeking to improve. With a 5dII, I can't trust the outer focus points (on the 7d I used them more than center), so I have to focus/recomp. I keep looking for ways of making myself more accurate!

Matthew Saville

divamum wrote: »

If I ever do this again, I'll try the close until 3 method - good to know!

Flash is always set on 2nd curtain - I leave it that way. I do use ETTL, however. BUT I did that last time, too, where I think I had ONE blink in the entire set of formals. This time, almost every shot in the larger groups has somebody who blinked. Just "lucky", I guess!

Good article, Matt. I'm curious about AI Servo - I have typically avoided it and stuck with single point for just about everything I do. The few times I've tried it, it was kind of a disaster, and I found my focus keeper rate plummeted rather than improved. Any other tips above and beyond what you included? I suspect using thumb focus is part of the deal, but I wonder if I'm missing something else.....

Focus accuracy is SO important to me and, because I shoot 90% of my portrait work at very shallow depths of field, something I am ALWAYS seeking to improve. With a 5dII, I can't trust the outer focus points (on the 7d I used them more than center), so I have to focus/recomp. I keep looking for ways of making myself more accurate!

When you say AI Servo and Single Point, you're mixing up two different things. Do you mean "One Shot" focus? I do use "One Shot" often as well, it really just depends on how much the subject is moving, how close I am to them, and how shallow I'm shooting. And when I say "how much they are moving", I'm not just talking about them actually walking around, I simply mean that even two people trying to stand still just ~0-10 feet away from each other can create more than enough bodily movement to ruin perfect focus at any apertures faster than f/4 or so, let alone f/1.4...

But then again, honestly sometimes it just comes down to if I'm feeling lucky or not. I may use One Shot in one close quarters situation if I know my focus points can really get a good lock, and then use AI Servo in another situation if I think it is necessary.

Regarding off-center AF points, yeah there's really nothing we can do about the mk2. Aside from getting a mk3 , the best thing to do is to be really really careful about how you place your AF point over the subject, and how you shift your camera as you recompose. :-)

=Matt=

divamum

yes, of course I meant one shot. Fingers don't always type what's in brain!!

divamum

(Disclaimer: Gratuitous whining)

Ok, by the end of the formals.... PEOPLE WERE PHOTOBOMING THEM FROM BEHIND (there were tables/chairs in the area behind where we were shooting and I didn't notice people walking into shot at the edges of the frame as I was concentrating on the people and immediate backgrounds. Aside: WHO THE HELL IS DUMB ENOUGH TO KNOWINGLY WALK INTO SHOT WHILE FORMAL PHOTOS ARE BEING TAKEN!?!?!??!?!). Oy. Clone tool and I are good buddies this time out................ :bash

Matthew Saville

divamum wrote: »

(Disclaimer: Gratuitous whining)

Ok, by the end of the formals.... PEOPLE WERE PHOTOBOMING THEM FROM BEHIND (there were tables/chairs in the area behind where we were shooting and I didn't notice people walking into shot at the edges of the frame as I was concentrating on the people and immediate backgrounds. Aside: WHO THE HELL IS DUMB ENOUGH TO KNOWINGLY WALK INTO SHOT WHILE FORMAL PHOTOS ARE BEING TAKEN!?!?!??!?!). Oy. Clone tool and I are good buddies this time out................ :bash

Honestly, I wouldn't clone out THAT type of thing. Leave it in. The client knows that their guests were being disrespectful and unruly, and if you didn't get the time to create the shot properly then that's not your fault. They can pay extra for advanced photoshop trickery if they want a print. Maybe I'd do it for ONE or TWO images for free, as a demonstration of your capabilities and as a good gesture, but not more than ~1 hr of your time.

=Matt=