Saturday's Wedding...

jeffreaux2 · July 21, 2008

I am really just beginning to edit my shots from last Saturday. I hope to be able to work on the rest of the photos this week, and may post more as I get them done. The location was very nice even though the mixed lighting leaves something to be desired. I had turned this wedding down 6 or so months ago due to my work schedule, and then a few weeks ago they asked again...even though they had found someone to do it. In the end that someone did not show up, and I did it anyway. Easy come easy go I guess. Only I was stuck also with no one to assist...in a fairly large church!

Here are a few from the ceremony. I usually dread editing shots at the ceremonies since the lighting is often less than stellar...resulting in having to use high iso, low shutter speeds, and all of the undesirables that can be attributed to those things. In this case, I nearly...almost...but not quite had enough light to shoot before they turned on the lights, so that was nice even though the daylight and tungsten mix are something I'd rather not see. I was able to use...(this is a memory test)...ISO800, 1/80, F4 for pretty much the entire ceremony, and used the 17-55mm lens for everything. The only alternative would be in the same building after dark, but then the stained glass windows would not be lit. I guess we just take what we are dealt? Enjoy.

1-As soon as the bride came down the isle, I hustled 3/4 way down the isle for a few shots from the back, and then ran out the sanctuary and up the stairs to the balcony for these first three. I decided at the rehearsal that I would not do without the balcony shots even though I was working this alone. This was my second run up the isle actually, as I had earlier done the same after the flower girls passed to get shots of the bride and her father as they waited....then of course back to the front of the church before she came down the aisle. I guess I got my excersize in for the day anyway!

2-

3-

4-

5-

6-

ShepsMom · July 21, 2008

These are nice Jeff

shatch · July 21, 2008

Great Job Jeffreaux2!! These are great!

Photosbychuck · July 22, 2008

Great Photos!

The church looks so dark I am sure it was hard to shoot.
I like #5 the best.
Did you use flash?

Take Care,
Chuck,

Scott_Quier · July 22, 2008

Number 1 & 5 do it for me - well worth you working up a sweat to get the balcony shots.

Mr. 2H2O · July 22, 2008

Wow that's a tough mix for lighting!

I think you did right to peg the main focal point on white balance and let the rest of the composition go free.

I know what you mean about running around - I find myself doing it a lot too.

- Mike

Swartzy · July 22, 2008

Nice Job Jeff. Heh? Moving all around you say? Those weddings will keep you trim..

. Good treatment on the lighting difficulties. Nice photos.

cmorganphotography · July 22, 2008

Well, slap me and call me silly. 17-55 you don't say. I need a full frame camera.
These look beautiful. I hpe you got a few up by those stained glass windows.

The last one of the kiss plays tricks with my mind. It looks like there's extra lips in there... but I know that can't be true.

Scott_Quier · July 22, 2008

cmorganphotography wrote:

Well, slap me and call me silly. 17-55 you don't say. I need a full frame camera.
These look beautiful. I hpe you got a few up by those stained glass windows. The last one of the kiss plays tricks with my mind. It looks like there's extra lips in there... but I know that can't be true.

The 17-55 is an EF-S lens - crop only, doncha know!

joshhuntnm · July 22, 2008

all very nice.

I am curious about #5--no flash?

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

jimmyjojo wrote:

those are unreal photo's, very nice

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Thanks jimmy

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

ShepsMom wrote:

These are nice Jeff

Looks like you edited your comment. To answer the ? you had....there was no flash allowed during the ceremony. I was allowed to use flash during the aisle shots both coming in and leaving.

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

shatch wrote:

Great Job Jeffreaux2!! These are great!

Thanks shatch!:D

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

Photosbychuck wrote:

Great Photos!

The church looks so dark I am sure it was hard to shoot.
I like #5 the best.
Did you use flash?

Take Care,
Chuck,

Actually the area where the action really took place was lit very well by wedding standards. Much better than my last one. No flash during the ceremony....only when walking down/up the aisle.

#5 utilized flash.

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

Scott_Quier wrote:

Number 1 & 5 do it for me - well worth you working up a sweat to get the balcony shots.

Thanks for having a look and commenting Scott. I'll take the thumbs up as a huge compliment...based on your experience and success.

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

cmorganphotography wrote:

Well, slap me and call me silly. 17-55 you don't say. I need a full frame camera.
These look beautiful. I hpe you got a few up by those stained glass windows. The last one of the kiss plays tricks with my mind. It looks like there's extra lips in there... but I know that can't be true.

I think I have decided against a full frame camera. Here's why. Though I love to use wide apertures to throw BG's out of focus there is a speed drawback with full frame cameras vs 1.6 crop cameras. While it is true that at equal focal length equivilents the full frame camera would have a thinner depth of focus this also means that at that same equivilent (18mm on a crop camera vs 24 on a full frame...or there abouts!) a smaller aperture would be needed on the full frame camera to get as much in focus. So, to make up the difference that smaller aperture would give me in shutter speed I have to now raise the iso. Therefore....full frame is slower. No biggy usually, but for weddings.....a killer!

oh and....no extra lips in there....I think!:D

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

Scott_Quier wrote:

The 17-55 is an EF-S lens - crop only, doncha know!

Yup and unfortunately for the full framers there is no substitute for that lens. The 24-70 L has no IS.

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

joshhuntnm wrote:

all very nice.

I am curious about #5--no flash?

Thanks Josh....yes....flash on #5 and #6

Moogle Pepper · July 22, 2008

Check out reflection in the marble [or granite] tiles of her dress!! :whew It's pretty!

jeffreaux2 · July 22, 2008

Moogle Pepper wrote:

Check out reflection in the marble [or granite] tiles of her dress!! :whew It's pretty!

yeah....I wished the aisle were marble as well. Either way, with the wood and marble at that end of the building, and most of the rest of the surfaces either glass or brick....the accoustics were extraordinary. ALL of the music sounded fabulous.

JulieLawsonPhotography · July 23, 2008

The balcony shots are amazing! I simply love them, I'm sure the b & g will too.

urbanaries · July 23, 2008

Love the wide angle shots. It is nice when churches have great lighting at the altar! Then everything else can just expose as it may, even if its mixed. I like the drama in the church lighting, very attractive even with the different color temps. I really like the exit shot! Very well composed. At first glance it looks underexposed, but I can appreciate the difficulty in shooting a couple with such a wide range of skin tonality. Don't envy you that one, though I'll be trying my hand at it myself this weekend!

Last shot doesn't do it for me, but I tend to like "almost" kisses or faces buried kisses rather than puckered lips ones. ewwww.

:saurora

Can't wait to see more, especially some closeups of that bride and KILLER bouquet.....it looks gorgeous, wow, none of my brides go all out on their bouquets like that!

jeffreaux2 · July 23, 2008

JulieLawsonPhotography wrote:

The balcony shots are amazing! I simply love them, I'm sure the b & g will too.

Thanks Julie...btw I have just returned from a session with an 8 month old....so...I am hoping you will have a peek once I get them done for an earful of your point of view?:D

jeffreaux2 · July 23, 2008

urbanaries wrote:

Love the wide angle shots. It is nice when churches have great lighting at the altar! Then everything else can just expose as it may, even if its mixed. I like the drama in the church lighting, very attractive even with the different color temps. I really like the exit shot! Very well composed. At first glance it looks underexposed, but I can appreciate the difficulty in shooting a couple with such a wide range of skin tonality. Don't envy you that one, though I'll be trying my hand at it myself this weekend!

On tonality...he does have dark skin, but her skin is extremely fair. WAY!:D

If I remember right I actually had to back off a tad on exposure on that shot for the mid section of the dress. I was super satisfied with the flash balance in that one!(whew!!!)

On a sadder note....
As soon as they finished kissing I was sprinting up the aisle to get to the back of the church for that exit shot....while switching my focus mode to servo...and looking for my flash stick I had laid in the last pew...turn it on...turn on STE2....spin around and.....ruined what may have been the most awesome exit shot I ever had a chance at because I focused...and recomposed...in AVServo focus mode. I was fully prepared for what I needed to be doing, but an opportunity presented itself and I was in the wrong focus mode...er...or ...just forgot I had swithed...the botched exit shot is posted below.

Last shot doesn't do it for me, but I tend to like "almost" kisses or faces buried kisses rather than puckered lips ones. ewwww. :saurora

That was taken just after they exited the sanctuary. It is of a series of about three that I grabbed while waiting for the wedding party to make it into flash range coming up the aisle.

Can't wait to see more, especially some closeups of that bride and KILLER bouquet.....it looks gorgeous, wow, none of my brides go all out on their bouquets like that!

Well there wasn't a whole lot of time before or after the wedding for things like that...unfortunately. The dress arrived an hour before the wedding and had to have buttons sewn on. WE did get some, but not at the pace or locations I really would have liked. The bouquet was very pretty, and I have a really unique one of her tossing it to the crowd that I hope to share here if I can get the whole batch done!

Shima · July 25, 2008

These are fantastic as always, I'm in love with #4!!

jeffreaux2 · July 25, 2008

Shima wrote:

These are fantastic as always, I'm in love with #4!!

Thanks Shima!!

I was sure to use the 17mm end of that lens a lot during the ceremony to try and get some of the drama of the location included.

I am pretty much done with my rough editing and will upload the rest soon. I will be travelling 4 hours away weekend after next for another wedding. It will be the smallest I have ever done, but I will have to stay overnight. Right now, the location is top secret!!! ...but the lighting will probably go AGAINST everything I try to avoid as a portrait photographer!....so....cross your fingers for me?

heatherfeather · July 26, 2008

jeffreaux2 wrote:

It will be the smallest I have ever done....

the location is top secret!!!

Perhaps these two statements have something to do with each other....

I love your set, Jeff. You never fail to impress!

I am interested in how you move around like a wild man during the ceremony. Does it seem to bother the guests or family? I always "attempt" to keep my movements as sneaky as possible so as to keep my presence "undercover", or at least at a minimum, but I would dream of having the freedom you expressed about in your op.

What kind of feedback to you get from your clients from your sprinting about? Do they even mention it? It certainly would be handy to be able to be a "jumper" like that new movie,

!

So far with careful planning, I haven't missed anything crucial, but.... you never know, I might become an aisle sprinter yet! Maybe I should stop worrying about it, and just do what seems right.

I guess one could say feedback on your feedback would be appreciated! Haw-hah!

jeffreaux2 · July 26, 2008

heatherfeather wrote:

Perhaps these two statements have something to do with each other....

Maybe...

.....or ?

I love your set, Jeff. You never fail to impress!

Thanks Heather you are too kind.

I am interested in how you move around like a wild man during the ceremony. Does it seem to bother the guests or family? I always "attempt" to keep my movements as sneaky as possible so as to keep my presence "undercover", or at least at a minimum, but I would dream of having the freedom you expressed about in your op.

Hmmmm. I would say things are wilder inside my head than in actual appearance from someone else's vantage point. The very last thing I would want is to become even a slight distraction for guests. I stay quiet....excepting for the shutter noise...I stay low...and I use the side aisles for travel unless there are none. Most churches have side aisle, but I have done one wedding that was set up in a building where there were no side aisles. You can trust me here. When the flower girls pass EVERYONE begins looking toward where the bride will appear....and NO ONE will notice anything else in the church. There is usually a lull in time there as one music piece finishes and before her music begins. If anyone did see you scoot back there, they absolutely wouldn't notice you getting back to the front of the church to catch her coming down the aisle. During the wedding...this time I backed offdown the aise to try some shots from farther down the center aisle than I normally do...and then went on to the balcony. If I had a few more days notice, I could have had a friend do the balcony shots, but I was stuck alone so....

...Turns out that they are 3 of the very most dramatic of the day, and I am happy I made the effort. Her father was still holding her hand when I returned to the altar area via the side aisle....where I shot a few from the wing and then crouched low and scooted myself over to the center aisle for the remainder of the ceremony.
WEll....until they kiss...which right after that I stand and walk to the back of the church in preparation for exit shots....which I have had some luck with more than once. Trust me no one definately will notice you here. You can jump up and down screaming and their eyes will be glued to the altar area.

What kind of feedback to you get from your clients from your sprinting about? Do they even mention it? It certainly would be handy to be able to be a "jumper" like that new movie, !

Well no actual sprinting! Just a quick deliberate QUIET walk.
In a medium to small church, with a medium telephoto lens folks might not even know you are there. I did one wedding where I moved through the pews from wing to to wing and shot a lot up the center all from BEHIND the audience. THey would have had to look over their shoulders to see me. Location is critical I guess, and I always attend rehearsals if possible to get my routine down. I also ALWAYS ask the wedding coordinator and pastor if there are any ground rules for photographers. The church I attend only allows photography from the balcony during the ceremony. I am sensitive to the fact that we may not be the only church with that rule....and/or others.

Being a jumper would be nice. Like "jump" to starbucks for some fancy latte after she walks down the aisle, and then "jump"

back for the ring exchange! I can dig it. Let me know if you get that figured out!

I have NEVER had negative feedback about anything that has or hasn't happened during a wedding. You can imagine that if I attend a wedding and am NOT shooting that I watch other photogs very closely. I think I am probably less obtrusive than many I have seen. Much less in fact. Mostly, I am told that I am nice:D , and that I did a great job!

So far with careful planning, I haven't missed anything crucial, but.... you never know, I might become an aisle sprinter yet! Maybe I should stop worrying about it, and just do what seems right.

I guess one could say feedback on your feedback would be appreciated! Haw-hah!

I have never moved around this much until this wedding. It was all about those balcony shots ya know. Usually with an assistant we can divy things like that up. If alone though I'll give you one bit of advice......Don't trip!

The very first wedding I ever did was at Jimmy Swaggart Ministries which is a tremendous facility. There were 6(yes six) light bulbs burning in the sanctuary....in an effort to keep things intimate. My co shooter had set up a tripod and 70-300mm lens on the balcony. She walked that path several times before the wedding to check for things to trip on....and finally decided she needed a flashlight to light her way!!! So...be careful!

This was taken at Jimmiy Swaggart Ministries, my first wedding, with an 85mm lens I was a Looooog way away for this shot, but still amongs the pews. Guests all seated to my left....a looong way away also!

In this one, that arm belongs to the JOP. I didn't move at all during this one. We just stood shoulder to shoulder throughout.

This one is from a small church with a handfull of guests. I shot almost all of this wedding from center aisle, but behind the guests. I did have to goto one of the wings for face shots of the bride due to her hairstyle. This with 85mm lens.

heatherfeather · July 26, 2008

Wow, Jeff! Nobody could accuse you of not replying! That was some awesome feedback.

Once I had a MOM OB all worried because she thought I did not get any photos of the ceremony because she never noticed me. And then when she saw how many I got and from where she was shocked... and pleased. It really cracked me up! I had just pounded away at the shutter the whole time and she walked with around 200+ pictures of just the ceremony. And here I thought I was too much of a physical impact for that wedding. Funny how perceptions play into things.

I had one wedding this summer where there were no side aisles. Man was that a pain. I just hung out in the front, waited and then got the shots I needed from the back just before they did the presentation. It worked out ok but certainly was not optimum because there was no real place for me to be. The room was really long and skinny and the ceremony was on the end of it. What a pain. The photos did turn out nice, but I will be asking prospective brides about their aisles from now on.

ian408 · July 27, 2008

I generally like these. However, #5 has a red cast to it. Not sure if that was your intent since the dress looks to be white(ish).

The balcony shots are a very nice touch.

jeffreaux2 · July 27, 2008

ian408 wrote:

I generally like these. However, #5 has a red cast to it. Not sure if that was your intent since the dress looks to be white(ish).

The balcony shots are a very nice touch.

Thanks Ian. I noticed that too....once I looked back through my edits. That image has been completely reworked and I have posted a copy in the Dgrin Challenge "Filters". I had originally converted and toned it in Lightroom in the version in this post. For my rework, I began with the color version in CS3 and started over again...with a more predictable result. I think!

Thanks for commenting.

Better?

Saturday's Wedding...

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