[FORBES] May 5, 2006 Wedding

[bpuppy]

Shot my first wedding of 2006 last Friday ... I was a little rusty, which in the end mainly meant that I wanted to die as the day wore on because I was so tired AND I shot 2500 frames during the day ... WAY too many.

I still ended up with 1000 good shots, but as I get sharper over the summer I will shoot less and keep more.

The ceremony was exclusively lit from the amber, AMBER windows in the back of the church. I think I got the WB pretty good, but if it looks a little off, it's not because I didn't do it right, believe me. I used my WhiBal A LOT. The light also bounced off the red curtains, AND they had tungsten lights on ... so three discrete light colours to contend with.

If you wanna, you can see more of the best shots here ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/bpuppy/sets/72057594129039799/

http://static.flickr.com/45/142786419_ff8f13a8a2.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/48/142786312_4c111f6e74.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/44/142787231_410aedc000.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/51/142786072_b1aeb1cdd2.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/44/142786713_d7c1189859.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/45/142787516_584e3c7473.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/51/142786166_a3b82e179c.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/44/142787396_729af613a3.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/47/142787274_596beab515.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/45/142787711_000b69e8d3.jpg

[song4themoon]

I love the first one, the light is great

[staciecd]

I like the last shot - great capture. I wish that the green from the bouquets weren't in the face of the bride and flower girl. Oh, and the first one of the flower girl is precious.

Stacie

[subtle_spectre]

These look good...you may have mentioned this somewhere before, but do you shoot jpgs with a custom whtbal or RAW and adjust later.

[bpuppy]

I shoot RAW and adjust in the comfort of my office chair :)

[puddinz]

Wow so many photos I love the first one too. I was at a wedding the other day and the photographer there had a hassleblad and only took 24 shots I do love digital

[bpuppy]

Thanks folks

[tim]

Nice - the first and last catch my eye especially :)

[liza]

The first one is simply marvelous! The lighting is perfect and evokes such a feeling of innocence.

[krista]

I'm with Tim - the first and the last one are GREAT!

If this is you being rusty can't wait to see what warmed up looks like. Good job!

[bpuppy]

Thanks.

[cinci-photo]

bpuppy.... You've ripped some of my photos apart in the past, but they've always been with constructive criticism. No harm, No foul. That's why I post.... to learn from individuals such as yourself. I absolutely love the first shot. I had to just stare and wonder if it was a reinactment or straight shot. Absolutlely amazing.

I'm a second shooter this coming August and I'm trying to get some more jobs for the experience. Is 2500 shots a normal amount to shoot? The weddings I've done, I've typically shot about somewhere in the neighborhood of 400-600 or so. Am I way under doing it or what? How much memory did you have and did you download as you went along?

Very impressive shots.

[bpuppy]

Thanks Jamey.

2500 is WAY too many. I'd say 400-600 is too little ... I try to shoot 1250 or so, and usually end up with 1500 ... I have two 4 gig cards and two 2 gig cards, and I bring my Powerbook along. As I dump cards onto the Powerbook, it automatically downloads the photos and burns a DVD ... so I just fire in the card, go away and come back and the card is dumped and burned to DVD. It works well ... if I was in a sketchy location, I would throw the backup DVD in a location other than the computer (like a shelf somewhere, so if the computer is stolen, the photos will be safe).

[jamiewexler]

Spot on exposure, and I think your color's fine. I also like the first and last ones, but I like #2 as well. Love the backlighting on the FG.

A couple of tips for heavier brides: Shoot down on them and have them look up at you at a wide aperture. It has a slimming effect on the face, and de-emphasizes chunkier chins. With all of the thousands I spent on lenses, one of my best investments was a $12 stepstool. If you don't have a stepstool, hve her sit down somewhere or "pop a squat".
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/SFHighangle.jpg

You can also have her lean forward and rest her chin on her her arms while seated (also causing her to stretch out her neck and slimming her face).
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/SFleaningforward.jpg

Finally, when you pose the B&G together, have them stand face to face turning their heads to look at you (slimming for their faces and bodies) and place his hand on her bicep to cover her arm.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/jamiewexler/SFhidearms.jpg

[bpuppy]

Those are all GREAT tips ... I did a lot of research before this wedding ... for the golf course shot (8) I was was shooting down, but from far away. Also, I was a little afraid of cleavage land, but f/1.4 would certainly help that.

Actually for 6 I was shooting down too, but with a long lens (70-200) I was trying to compress things a bit, but I don't think it worked very well.

I'll try the 50mm next time from right above.

[noelty]

My Whibal should be here tomorrow!!! I like this shot btw:

http://static.flickr.com/44/142787396_729af613a3.jpg