Wedding photography , taking the next step

Desmond · May 8, 2007

Here's a first attempt at off camera flash . I know the flash reflected on the pillar and cast a nasty shadow on the dress ... this post is all about advice on getting much more professional . There is a list of my gear below , i have a 70-200 2.8 Vr on order to add to the collection . My D50 has a flash synch speed of 1/500th , the D80 only at 1/200th . I have a wireless remote trigger if i need it for the D50 and the SB800 can do AA mode or ttl with the D80's built in wireless trigger . Lately i have left the built in speedlight on command mode , keep the SB600 in a separate pouch set on wireless mode so i can quickly pop off the SB800 and try a few side flash shots . I have had a few comments from pro's about constant aperture lenses for wireless flash shots and seem to think the next step for me is doing more wireless flash . I would appreciate advice on this or being steered in whatever direction I should be going .
So far I have done 6 paid weddings , most of which have been word of mouth , I have told the people i am an amateur and they have the option of paying me $500 or a professional $2000 upwards . All have been more than happy with the results but of course when i post the pictures here many flaws are pointed out and I really benefit from helpful advice , the latest being on my use of flash at high speeds .
Let's say now the average wedding for me has been : about 10 am start taking pictures of bride getting ready , groom eating a big mac , bride ready just before leaving . race off to location , bride arriving , ceremony , then about 2 hours of formals before the reception . A few at the reception , cake cutting , end .
I have been taking up to 1000 pictures , a fair amount the same picture with and without flash to compare and decide what is best for a situation .

What is the next step ? An assistant with a reflector ? Light stands for wireless flash [ maybe too awkward for busy days ?] I have been getting better lenses but maybe someone can give some good advice here on where I need to change strategy or advance to semi-pro level .

Art Scott · May 8, 2007

Your wedding pics are good.....if it were me, Instead of worry so much about equipment ... worry about making the photo look fantastic with posing......do you know how to fluff the brides dress.....in sevral of your shots that I have seen...the dress just lays haphazardly....not in an awful way...but just not perfect.....Yes get an assistant...that will help speed things up...formals prior to reception but after ceremony really should not take more than 30 minutes..especially if the receptions directly follows......You getting paid now....STOP TELLING ANYONE YOU'RE AN AMETUER.......If you're doing pro work then you are a pro....maybe not a toatlly self sufficeint pro....but a pro........I haven't had the time to spend on here that I would like to critique peoples shots and answer their questions but I try to as much as possible....I am blunt at times but never mean it to be mean......

Here is how I try to shot all shots of the Bride, if full length is in the equation.....

1- start with the Bride facing away from you (1st shot is of back of dress)
take a hold of the edge of the train approx 8" - 12" either side of the middle seam....now quickly rainse the train up no maore than 12-18" off the floor and snap it back down and let go of it as you pop it towards the floor.....thios does 2 things....1- it fill the dress with air and puffs the train out .....2- it also cools the bride - be awre she may start asking to have the dress fluffed as the day goes on those dress are extremely hot.

2 have the bride hold the bouquet on her right hip with both hands....

...........Shoot.....

Now you are posed for perfect shots....tell bride to not step but rather rotate where she is standing for each new pose.......

3- rotate to the right about 45 degrees.....

Shoot full and 3/4

4- rotate 45degress

shoot full and 3/4

5- rotate 45 degress

Shoot full 3/4

6- roatate 45 degress

shoot full and 3/4

Now do the same from begining having the groom step in at the 90 degress position (actually this is the first shot with groom so no need to reshoot the back and first 45 degress...unless you want to just to be safe...I do sometime)

You roatate them bothe util they are facing you....now start adding your wedding party and that dress stays out of everyones way and looks absolutely gorgeous for all the full lenght shoots....also this is how you want b/g for the formal family photos also....so they just stay there until you are finished......

Hope this has been of some help.

sorry for the bad----no terrible spelling.....just came off a 12 hour shift and got home to find a man hunt going on from a shooting at 1 am and the idiot had to run towards my neighbor hood.....should been asleep 2 hours ago....:D.....now that all the barney fifes have left I can now go to sleep

Good luck in the future.

seeker · May 8, 2007

Art Scott wrote:

Your wedding pics are good.....if it were me, Instead of worry so much about equipment ... worry about making the photo look fantastic with posing......do you know how to fluff the brides dress.....in sevral of your shots that I have seen...the dress just lays haphazardly....not in an awful way...but just not perfect.....Yes get an assistant...that will help speed things up...formals prior to reception but after ceremony really should not take more than 30 minutes..especially if the receptions directly follows......You getting paid now....STOP TELLING ANYONE YOU'RE AN AMETUER.......If you're doing pro work then you are a pro....maybe not a toatlly self sufficeint pro....but a pro........I haven't had the time to spend on here that I would like to critique peoples shots and answer their questions but I try to as much as possible....I am blunt at times but never mean it to be mean......

Here is how I try to shot all shots of the Bride, if full length is in the equation.....

1- start with the Bride facing away from you (1st shot is of back of dress)
take a hold of the edge of the train approx 8" - 12" either side of the middle seam....now quickly rainse the train up no maore than 12-18" off the floor and snap it back down and let go of it as you pop it towards the floor.....thios does 2 things....1- it fill the dress with air and puffs the train out .....2- it also cools the bride - be awre she may start asking to have the dress fluffed as the day goes on those dress are extremely hot.

2 have the bride hold the bouquet on her right hip with both hands....

...........Shoot.....

Now you are posed for perfect shots....tell bride to not step but rather rotate where she is standing for each new pose.......

3- rotate to the right about 45 degrees.....

Shoot full and 3/4

4- rotate 45degress

shoot full and 3/4

5- rotate 45 degress

Shoot full 3/4

6- roatate 45 degress

shoot full and 3/4

Now do the same from begining having the groom step in at the 90 degress position (actually this is the first shot with groom so no need to reshoot the back and first 45 degress...unless you want to just to be safe...I do sometime)

You roatate them bothe util they are facing you....now start adding your wedding party and that dress stays out of everyones way and looks absolutely gorgeous for all the full lenght shoots....also this is how you want b/g for the formal family photos also....so they just stay there until you are finished......

Hope this has been of some help.

sorry for the bad----no terrible spelling.....just came off a 12 hour shift and got home to find a man hunt going on from a shooting at 1 am and the idiot had to run towards my neighbor hood.....should been asleep 2 hours ago....:D.....now that all the barney fifes have left I can now go to sleep

Good luck in the future.

Hey Art!

Thanks for the quick rundown on this suggested sequence of pics. I have a wedding (my first solo) coming up in a couple of months, and I am currently thinking through just how to accomplish the formals in the least amount of time.

- Brian

Desmond · May 8, 2007

Thanks very much for the encouragement , I know I need to concentrate more on the frilly bits and am slowly getting the courage and confidence to do it more . It would really be nice if you could direct me to some pictures of what you have described , that would really help with the memory process . That's a nice way to do the "formals " and group shots . My use of the word formals however also includes the whole bridal party taking a walk afterwards [ around the gardens , the beach etc. ] for some fun shots and extra goodies where I eventually just take some of the bride and groom in some special locations . So we would then have about 1 1/2 hours for the "fun formals" including shots like this ...

Wedding photography , taking the next step

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