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Another Christmas Wedding...
heatherfeather
Registered Users Posts: 2,738 Major grins
Well, it was the weekend before Christmas anyway.
I had the opportunity to act as a second shooter for a destination photographer, Dan McCay with IZLAS Photography out of Salt Lake City and it was a wonderful experience. I was so stoked to do so, because I haven't really seen another wedding photographer in action except for at my wedding, which was a long time ago and the few others I have attended as a guest. What I learned from the experience: I pretty much do it right- which is a great thing to figure out! I have to say I might quit being the primary just because it was so relaxing to not have the stress of being head hauncho. (Just kidding- I think it is in my blood! Besides, it doesn't pay all that great.) I even slept the night before- and the night after! Which I can almost never accomplish!
Here are a few of my shots from the event:
1. I love the captured emotion in this shot. Emotion always tempts me to go b & w, but I think the wb was so good, I hated to hide it. I'll probably end up cropping it too.
2. Here is Dan in action- doing the "wanna see how beautiful you are?" trick. Right out of my play book. I thought it was the perfect photo of a wedding photographer.
3. The bride was so cute in her little snow bunny jacket.
4. The wedding was held at a local ski resort. The bride and her attendants were very game to trek about in the snow in their less than snow gear.
5. The whole bridal party took the tram to the top of the mountain, and there was some fun shots to be had up there. I found it to be really strange to give up the "best spot" to the other photographer. But I was still able to make some really fun photos. Unfortunately the sky was completely socked in, and it was snowing. Otherwise we would have had quite the background- the inlet and valley below.
6. Fortunately for these ladies it was a fairly warm day- like around 30 degrees or so.
7. And then it got dark. Dan had me do some portraits of the bridal party, so that was fun ...
8. When we got back to the chapel, it was pitch black. I hopped outside for a couple shots of the venue. I think it turned out ok. I thought the chapel's name was kind of cute- Our Lady of the Snows.
9. This is my favorite photo of the night. Though there are 2 more that are right in the runnings with it. My one complaint is the cut off foot and the centerpiece antlers, but I can deal with it by making all kinds of excuses for myself. I love the energy of the girls and the happy faces.
10. With me being only the secondary shooter, I took that as an excuse to play with the lighting. 2 lights on stands, OCF, fired with STE2. You know if they changed a flash to have that IR sensor all the way around the base, I would be simply delighted. The ETTL technology is simply easy peasy.
11. The ball room was very dark. And the ceiling was painted black:huh.
So I ended up using the "flash on the stick with fairly low ISO" tactic that Jeff is so darn good at. It worked pretty well. Yay for Jeff and his wonderful tips!
12. So you can see the dark venue a little better:
13 & 14-
This just cracked me up. I was making my rounds looking for subjects, and this little trio caught my eye. Dad and big brother really want to help out baby brother. So cute! "Look this way!"
15. The flower toss...
I wish I had brought my 2 lights a little closer together to avoid that shadow on her face. But thought that it was just dandy for how dark it was in there.
C & C are always welcome.
I had the opportunity to act as a second shooter for a destination photographer, Dan McCay with IZLAS Photography out of Salt Lake City and it was a wonderful experience. I was so stoked to do so, because I haven't really seen another wedding photographer in action except for at my wedding, which was a long time ago and the few others I have attended as a guest. What I learned from the experience: I pretty much do it right- which is a great thing to figure out! I have to say I might quit being the primary just because it was so relaxing to not have the stress of being head hauncho. (Just kidding- I think it is in my blood! Besides, it doesn't pay all that great.) I even slept the night before- and the night after! Which I can almost never accomplish!
Here are a few of my shots from the event:
1. I love the captured emotion in this shot. Emotion always tempts me to go b & w, but I think the wb was so good, I hated to hide it. I'll probably end up cropping it too.
2. Here is Dan in action- doing the "wanna see how beautiful you are?" trick. Right out of my play book. I thought it was the perfect photo of a wedding photographer.
3. The bride was so cute in her little snow bunny jacket.
4. The wedding was held at a local ski resort. The bride and her attendants were very game to trek about in the snow in their less than snow gear.
5. The whole bridal party took the tram to the top of the mountain, and there was some fun shots to be had up there. I found it to be really strange to give up the "best spot" to the other photographer. But I was still able to make some really fun photos. Unfortunately the sky was completely socked in, and it was snowing. Otherwise we would have had quite the background- the inlet and valley below.
6. Fortunately for these ladies it was a fairly warm day- like around 30 degrees or so.
7. And then it got dark. Dan had me do some portraits of the bridal party, so that was fun ...
8. When we got back to the chapel, it was pitch black. I hopped outside for a couple shots of the venue. I think it turned out ok. I thought the chapel's name was kind of cute- Our Lady of the Snows.
9. This is my favorite photo of the night. Though there are 2 more that are right in the runnings with it. My one complaint is the cut off foot and the centerpiece antlers, but I can deal with it by making all kinds of excuses for myself. I love the energy of the girls and the happy faces.
10. With me being only the secondary shooter, I took that as an excuse to play with the lighting. 2 lights on stands, OCF, fired with STE2. You know if they changed a flash to have that IR sensor all the way around the base, I would be simply delighted. The ETTL technology is simply easy peasy.
11. The ball room was very dark. And the ceiling was painted black:huh.
So I ended up using the "flash on the stick with fairly low ISO" tactic that Jeff is so darn good at. It worked pretty well. Yay for Jeff and his wonderful tips!
12. So you can see the dark venue a little better:
13 & 14-
This just cracked me up. I was making my rounds looking for subjects, and this little trio caught my eye. Dad and big brother really want to help out baby brother. So cute! "Look this way!"
15. The flower toss...
I wish I had brought my 2 lights a little closer together to avoid that shadow on her face. But thought that it was just dandy for how dark it was in there.
C & C are always welcome.
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Atlanta, GA USA
my smugmug
Atlanta Modern Wedding Photographer
SheriJohnsonPhotography.com
Ditto, we often are too hard on ourselves. Good job!
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My Images | My Lessons Learned and Other Adventures
ps. I woldn't worry about the 'cutting off the shoe' ... no one who cares about the content of that picture is looking for the back of the girls heel.
Here is a wedding website I created for a customer as a value-add. Comments appreciated.
Founding member of The Professional Photography Forum as well.
Glad you enjoyed my blabbering!
You know, vignetting is one of those things that a little can go a long way. I was also not happy with #1 when uploaded... it seems like her face is not in focus after the upload. But I swear it is!
Thanks for the vote of confidence in the dancing girls photo. It can still be my favorite, thanks to you.
As to the metering for the toast shot- I just metered on what I knew would be the bright side of their faces. I wish there were a bit more fill on the other side, but my other flash did not fire. Out of line of sight in that one. But it still works.
The girls dancing is beautiful for sure. The exterior shot is also stunning. Those gals musta been freezing!!!
So how do you like the light on a stick? Is it a hassle shooting one handed?
It doesn't bother me at all anymore....well it didn't with the little XTi....have to see how it works out on the new one. I might need a handstrap.
You did great, and I am sure they will be ecstatic!
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Thanks for your comments!
I found/bought a first generation 580EX (not the EXII) for that reason. It has a toggle switch for ...off( which is for normal shoe operation)...master....and slave. Using it to act as master for the stick mounted flash can quickly be change to "off" for normal shoe mount...on camera flash. Ive never used it that way, but bought that specific flash for that very reason.
The EXII...used in the same fashion requires some menu "digging" to set it to normal operation.
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
NAPP Member | Canon Shooter
Weddings/Portraits and anything else that catches my eye.
www.daveswartz.com
Model Mayhem site http://www.modelmayhem.com/686552
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
It took me quite a while to figure out what the birdie shot was, but I did get it!! Finally!
I had a bunch of fun and am so appreciative of your PM help on figuring out what to do in the first place!
DGrin must be the worlds largest natural resource of help and inspiration for the wedding photographer. Thanks so much for being a very important element of that!
Me too! That was one of those *chimp*, "check this out!" photos. The dad and I had a nice little laugh over it at the time.
It was weird- but so reassuring! It was the coolest thing to see for myself that I am not off on the deep end on how I do things, give direction and pose people and all that. I am basically sound in all my practices- which kind of shocked me! Like I said- I have learned everything I know through extensive reading, not observing, really.
Dan was really awesome- he was the perfect person to shoot with. Always thinking of me (even when I got seriously lost trying to find the parking lot) and helping me haul my junk.
Matt
Bodies: Canon 5d mkII, 5d, 40d
Lenses: 24-70 f2.8L, 70-200 f4.0L, 135 f2L, 85 f1.8, 50 1.8, 100 f2.8 macro, Tamron 28-105 f2.8
Flash: 2x 580 exII, Canon ST-E2, 2x Pocket Wizard flexTT5, and some lower end studio strobes