Flash Photography

[Gregory Fraser-2]

I have my second wedding to shoot this fall and I have a question about camera settings for events like weddings. I have noticed that most wedding photos I see appear to have been shot at around f11 because the DOF is quite long. I prefer at least a little bokeh in the background so I thought about why people would shoot stopped down and I figured the reason was that the photographer does not have enough time to get that critical focus.

 

Anyway I'm wondering if the professionals on this list have preferred or standard camera settings for events where you or the subject moves around a lot.

 

Greg

 

 

[Robert McCulloch]

Back when I would shoot weddings the formula was ASA 100, 50mm lens, f11, whatever X snyc was, and a big flash preferably auto, this was pre thyristor flash units so big battery pack. Bob

On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 8:00 AM, Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@...> wrote:

I have my second wedding to shoot this fall and I have a question about camera settings for events like weddings. I have noticed that most wedding photos I see appear to have been shot at around f11 because the DOF is quite long. I prefer at least a little bokeh in the background so I thought about why people would shoot stopped down and I figured the reason was that the photographer does not have enough time to get that critical focus.

 

Anyway I'm wondering if the professionals on this list have preferred or standard camera settings for events where you or the subject moves around a lot.

 

Greg

 

 

[Tina Manley-3]

At 08:00 AM 6/19/2009, you wrote:

I have my second wedding to shoot this fall and I have a question about camera settings for events like weddings. I have noticed that most wedding photos I see appear to have been shot at around f11 because the DOF is quite long. I prefer at least a little bokeh in the background so I thought about why people would shoot stopped down and I figured the reason was that the photographer does not have enough time to get that critical focus.
 
Anyway I'm wondering if the professionals on this list have preferred or standard camera settings for events where you or the subject moves around a lot.
 
Greg

Greg -  Check out my favorite wedding photographer's site: http://www.zoeicaimages.net/index2.php?v=v1  Lots and lots of bokeh! 

Tina

Tina Manley
www.tinamanley.com

[mark-461]

Greg  I don't mean this to sound mean, but I do think its something you need to ask yourself.

Ask yourself, IF I need to ask these types of questions of flash, am I really ready to accept a wedding in the first place?  The fact that its in the fall if you choose now, you likely can give someone time to find someone else if upon further reflection you think it isn't a good idea.  Everyone has to get a start somewhere and at sometime.  Only you can decide when its right for you.  It sure isn't my place to tell you you are not ready, nor will I.  If you believe you are really ready to take on these type of tasks, I wish you only the best of luck.

The craft side has to be almost instinctive to do an effective job.  Why?  Time and 90+ percent of a good wedding book is about people and not photography.  Its gee I want these 200 photos all done within 15 minutes after the wedding so we can get to the reception and get drunk.  People tend to be far less patient when there is booze waiting.  I wonder what the percentage of wedding photogs have had to deal with this.  My guess is that its nearly 100.  Further more there is ALWAYS someone that is stressed out beyond belief. Its normal and natural, but they often take it out on either the wedding planner or the photographer.  You have to grin and bear it, even if you did nothing wrong.

Now the risks.  I know of one case where a photographer was sued for poor performance.  What did he have to do?  Reshoot totally has their expense.  That meant rebuy the flowers, rebuy the cakes, re rent the tuxs and fly in the entire wedding party, rent the hall and pay the pastor again.  It ran into the 10s of thousands of dollars.  Even if they don't go to these extremes, people tend to get real cranky if a once in a lifetime event is fouled up for some reason even if it is a mechanical failure that is not your fault.  Do you use two bodies or have another person also taking pictures in case your body fails?  What if a card crashes and the images are lost?  Do you use multiple cards to keep the number of images lost to a minimum and a book can still be made, even if it isn't an ideal book???  In the days of film I once saw a tech get film out of a machine that she said looked funny.  I guess it did.  The tech had run a roll of film from a wedding photog through the C41 machine, only this was an E 6 slide film. 

One piece of advise that I think works in any photography type of situation is plan ahead and plan for what you don't expect.  Have backups for backups and be ready to work with what you have and not complain about what you need that you haven't got.  More often than not there is a way, if you can think of it quickly enough.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Flash Photography
From: Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@...>
Date: Fri, June 19, 2009 7:00 am
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
<photoforum@...>

I have my second wedding to shoot this fall and I have a question about camera settings for events like weddings. I have noticed that most wedding photos I see appear to have been shot at around f11 because the DOF is quite long. I prefer at least a little bokeh in the background so I thought about why people would shoot stopped down and I figured the reason was that the photographer does not have enough time to get that critical focus.

 

Anyway I'm wondering if the professionals on this list have preferred or standard camera settings for events where you or the subject moves around a lot.

 

Greg

 

 

[lea murphy]

Greg,

I've shot a bunch of weddings. Always did a good job but didn't love doing it. I got out of the business and now focus on children which I'm good at and which I love (a blessed circumstance, indeed).

Mark makes excellent points. Excellent points.

In your defense, from now until fall gives you lots of time to practice. And that is exactly what I would do if I were you. Set up shots and shoot away. They can be in a church or any large space....just work with your tools and figure out what they will do. That is the best, and really the only way to learn this stuff.

I would encourage you to use manual settings on your flash, not auto, ettl, ttl or any of the other ones that lets the flash and camera think without your input. If your flash does not have variable output get one that d o use it. Ask your salesperson to give you a tutorial on it.

An excellent dvd is available for shooting flash you can find it here: http://www.OneLightWorkshop.com/page5/page5.html

I have the dvd and I've taken a class with Zack. His work is amazing but his teaching style even more so. You will learn all you need to know if you watch and apply what he teaches.

Good luck.

Lea

On Jun 19, 2009, at 8:17 AM, mark@... wrote:

Greg  I don't mean this to sound mean, but I do think its something you need to ask yourself.

Ask yourself, IF I need to ask these types of questions of f o accept a wedding in the first place?  The fact that its in the fall if you choose now, you likely can give someone time to find someone else if upon further reflection you think it isn't a good idea.  Everyone has to get a start somewhere and at sometime.  Only you can decide when its right for you.  It sure isn't my place to tell you you are not ready, nor will I.  If you believe you are really ready to take on these type of tasks, I wish you only the best of luck.

The craft side has to be almost instinctive to do an effective job.  Why?  Time and 90+ percent of a good wedding book is about people and not photography.  Its gee I want these 200 photos all done within 15 minutes after the wedding so we can get to the reception and get drunk.  People tend to be far less patient when there is booze waiting.  I wonder what the percentage of wedding photogs have had to deal with this.  My guess is that its nearly 100.  F YS someone that is stressed out beyond belief. Its normal and natural, but they often take it out on either the wedding planner or the photographer.  You have to grin and bear it, even if you did nothing wrong.

Now the risks.  I know of one case where a photographer was sued for poor performance.  What did he have to do?  Reshoot totally has their expense.  That meant rebuy the flowers, rebuy the cakes, re rent the tuxs and fly in the entire wedding party, rent the hall and pay the pastor again.  It ran into the 10s of thousands of dollars.  Even if they don't go to these extremes, people tend to get real cranky if a once in a lifetime event is fouled up for some reason even if it is a mechanical failure that is not your fault.  Do you use two bodies or have another person also taking pictures in case your body fails?  What if a card crashes and the images are lost?  Do you use multiple cards to keep the number of images lost an still be made, even if it isn't an ideal book???  In the days of film I once saw a tech get film out of a machine that she said looked funny.  I guess it did.  The tech had run a roll of film from a wedding photog through the C41 machine, only this was an E 6 slide film. 

One piece of advise that I think works in any photography type of situation is plan ahead and plan for what you don't expect.  Have backups for backups and be ready to work with what you have and not complain about what you need that you haven't got.  More often than not there is a way, if you can think of it quickly enough.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Flash Photography
From: Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@...>
D :00 am
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
<photoforum@...>

I have my second wedding to shoot this fall and I have a question about camera settings for events like weddings. I have noticed that most wedding photos I see appear to have been shot at around f11 because the DOF is quite long. I prefer at least a little bokeh in the background so I thought about why people would shoot stopped down and I figured the reason was that the photographer does not have enough time to get that critical focus.

 

Anyway I'm wondering if the professionals on this list have preferred or standard camera settings for events where you or the ot.

 

Greg

 

 

babies. they're what i do.

www.leamurphy.com

[Gregory Fraser-2]

 >  Ask yourself, IF I need to ask these types of questions of flash, am
I really ready to accept a wedding in the first place?  
 
Yes Mark, an excellent question. Before I agreed to shoot this wedding I
made it perfectly clear to the bride that, unlike a pro, I have no
backup equipment and the equipment I do have is not professional grade.
If I have a failure with either the camera, media cards or possibly even
my PC, everything could be lost. I also have precious little experience.
What I can do, when everything works out, is sometimes take a better
photo than her mother can with a p&s.

For this wedding the bride and groom are on their second shot at
marriage, the event will be in their back yard, dress code is shorts and
t-shirts and they are going to buy a pile of disposable cameras to give
to the guests to use during the ceremony so if I fail, they should still
have plenty of shots.

Greg

[Gregory Fraser-2]

Interesting responses. Thanks everyone.

 

Tina, your link about bokeh is specially interesting. When I think about the wedding albums I have seen, they have all been taken by photographers on the lower end of the price scale and perhaps that explains the safer shooting style.

 

Greg

[mark-461]

Ok if you have decided to do it, a couple of other pieces of advise.  Go ahead of time, and since its in their backyard, go test and test often.  You have been given an opportunity to learn.  You have till the fall to learn what works for you.  Yet on that day, unless you can afford the time for a throw away photo, don't guess what a photo will look like.  Use only procedures where you have tested it an KNOW what is going to happen.

Don't count on much from disposables.  Even if they do get the lucky photo, I read somewhere a while back when they broke down the cost to make those things they figured out the lens was worth about 27 cents.  They shouldn't get anything close to what you do which is why most pros don't mind it.  Think of it this way.  It doesn't matter if you have one bag of garbage or ten bags of garbage, all you have is a pile of garbage.  Only the size is different.  You may be able to improve it, just as you can sometimes help the stink with a pile of garbage, but it will still be what it is. 

On the equipment front, the one investment I would suggest that you make either through purchase or rental is to get the flash off camera.  You can do this with a minimal expense usually.  The cords are not that expensive.  This will also require a bracket for the flash and camera.  The low end probably runs about $40 to $50 US and once you have it, you will wonder how you did without it.  Getting the flash off camera is the single one thing I believe one can do to improve the results.

Now the testing and learning you do in the mean time should help you with the one thing you need the most and that is confidence.  Now you will learn when to let the event take place, and then to stand up and lead with a smile.  A confident photographer with a smile on their face can get people to help them get the photos you need and the bride wants.  That you will figure out.  I wish you luck

Mark

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Flash Photography
From: Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@...>
Date: Fri, June 19, 2009 8:56 am
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
<photoforum@...>


> Ask yourself, IF I need to ask these types of questions of flash, am
I really ready to accept a wedding in the first place?

Yes Mark, an excellent question. Before I agreed to shoot this wedding I
made it perfectly clear to the bride that, unlike a pro, I have no
backup equipment and the equipment I do have is not professional grade.
If I have a failure with either the camera, media cards or possibly even
my PC, everything could be lost. I also have precious little experience.
What I can do, when everything works out, is sometimes take a better
photo than her mother can with a p&s.

For this wedding the bride and groom are on their second shot at
marriage, the event will be in their back yard, dress code is shorts and
t-shirts and they are going to buy a pile of disposable cameras to give
to the guests to use during the ceremony so if I fail, they should still
have plenty of shots.

Greg

[Galen A Grimes]

I have been reading this thread with a lot of interest. I have a job in
October shooting a Jazz benefit. The photography part doesn't bother me,
but I was intrigued by the comment in this message advising for the use
of a flash bracket. Can anyone recommend a flash bracket that works with
Nikon equipment? I have a Nikon D300 and a Nikon SB-900 flash.

Thanks in advance,

Galen

mark@... wrote:

> Ok if you have decided to do it, a couple of other pieces of advise.
> Go ahead of time, and since its in their backyard, go test and test
> often.  You have been given an opportunity to learn.  You have till
> the fall to learn what works for you.  Yet on that day, unless you can
> afford the time for a throw away photo, don't guess what a photo will
> look like.  Use only procedures where you have tested it an KNOW what
> is going to happen.
>
> Don't count on much from disposables.  Even if they do get the lucky
> photo, I read somewhere a while back when they broke down the cost to
> make those things they figured out the lens was worth about 27 cents.
> They shouldn't get anything close to what you do which is why most
> pros don't mind it.  Think of it this way.  It doesn't matter if you
> have one bag of garbage or ten bags of garbage, all you have is a pile
> of garbage.  Only the size is different.  You may be able to improve
> it, just as you can sometimes help the stink with a pile of garbage,
> but it will still be what it is.
>
> On the equipment front, the one investment I would suggest that you
> make either through purchase or rental is to get the flash off
> camera.  You can do this with a minimal expense usually.  The cords
> are not that expensive.  This will also require a bracket for the
> flash and camera.  The low end probably runs about $40 to $50 US and
> once you have it, you will wonder how you did without it.  Getting the
> flash off camera is the single one thing I believe one can do to
> improve the results.
>
> Now the testing and learning you do in the mean time should help you
> with the one thing you need the most and that is confidence.  Now you
> will learn when to let the event take place, and then to stand up and
> lead with a smile.  A confident photographer with a smile on their
> face can get people to help them get the photos you need and the bride
> wants.  That you will figure out.  I wish you luck
>
> Mark
>
>     -------- Original Message --------
>     Subject: RE: Flash Photography
>     From: Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@...>
>     Date: Fri, June 19, 2009 8:56 am
>     To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
>     <photoforum@...>
>
>
>     > Ask yourself, IF I need to ask these types of questions of flash, am
>     I really ready to accept a wedding in the first place?
>
>     Yes Mark, an excellent question. Before I agreed to shoot this
>     wedding I
>     made it perfectly clear to the bride that, unlike a pro, I have no
>     backup equipment and the equipment I do have is not professional
>     grade.
>     If I have a failure with either the camera, media cards or
>     possibly even
>     my PC, everything could be lost. I also have precious little
>     experience.
>     What I can do, when everything works out, is sometimes take a better
>     photo than her mother can with a p&s.
>
>     For this wedding the bride and groom are on their second shot at
>     marriage, the event will be in their back yard, dress code is
>     shorts and
>     t-shirts and they are going to buy a pile of disposable cameras to
>     give
>     to the guests to use during the ceremony so if I fail, they should
>     still
>     have plenty of shots.
>
>     Greg
>

[mark-461]

Galen   It's not camera specific.  One side has a mount for the camera body, usually just using the place where you would mount a tripod.  It also has a connector to mount the flash.  Now where that flash is can be different.  Some may position it directly over the lens, some put the flash in other places and some allow for some adjustments.  A lot of that is personal preference, but its not Canon Nikon or manufacturer specific.  Once you attach the flash one place and camera is somewhere else, you need some method to connect them.  For a simple hand held frame a cord is often the simplest and best.  That is Nikon/Canon specific.  Automated flash units need to keep the lines of communication open between the two and the manufacturer makes a cord for that purpose.

Now there is one feature I would consider strongly and a must if you are using it for 35mm or a digital slr.  Some brackets have the ability to have the camera turn to the vertical position  so you can take a portrait , without the flash changing position.    Now if you are using say a 6x6 medium format camera, this won't matter.

If there is any where near you that you can try a few different models, that's best.  What person thinks is the perfect fit and balance for them is just awful for the next person.  Stroboframe is one that seems to be popular and common.  I have even made a couple myself from copper plumbing pipe and pipe insulation to a better choice was a hardwood that was stained like a piece of furniture.  That is the tinkerer in me though and if it were just money Id have been better off with a stroboframe.

Perhaps others can share what particular frames they like that might help.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Flash Photography
From: Galen A Grimes <gag5@...>
Date: Fri, June 19, 2009 7:49 pm
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
<photoforum@...>

I have been reading this thread with a lot of interest. I have a job in
October shooting a Jazz benefit. The photography part doesn't bother me,
but I was intrigued by the comment in this message advising for the use
of a flash bracket. Can anyone recommend a flash bracket that works with
Nikon equipment? I have a Nikon D300 and a Nikon SB-900 flash.

Thanks in advance,

Galen

mark@... wrote:
> Ok if you have decided to do it, a couple of other pieces of advise.
> Go ahead of time, and since its in their backyard, go test and test
> often. You have been given an opportunity to learn. You have till
> the fall to learn what works for you. Yet on that day, unless you can
> afford the time for a throw away photo, don't guess what a photo will
> look like. Use only procedures where you have tested it an KNOW what
> is going to happen.
>
> Don't count on much from disposables. Even if they do get the lucky
> photo, I read somewhere a while back when they broke down the cost to
> make those things they figured out the lens was worth about 27 cents.
> They shouldn't get anything close to what you do which is why most
> pros don't mind it. Think of it this way. It doesn't matter if you
> have one bag of garbage or ten bags of garbage, all you have is a pile
> of garbage. Only the size is different. You may be able to improve
> it, just as you can sometimes help the stink with a pile of garbage,
> but it will still be what it is.
>
> On the equipment front, the one investment I would suggest that you
> make either through purchase or rental is to get the flash off
> camera. You can do this with a minimal expense usually. The cords
> are not that expensive. This will also require a bracket for the
> flash and camera. The low end probably runs about $40 to $50 US and
> once you have it, you will wonder how you did without it. Getting the
> flash off camera is the single one thing I believe one can do to
> improve the results.
>
> Now the testing and learning you do in the mean time should help you
> with the one thing you need the most and that is confidence. Now you
> will learn when to let the event take place, and then to stand up and
> lead with a smile. A confident photographer with a smile on their
> face can get people to help them get the photos you need and the bride
> wants. That you will figure out. I wish you luck
>
> Mark
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: RE: Flash Photography
> From: Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@...>
> Date: Fri, June 19, 2009 8:56 am
> To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
> <photoforum@...>
>
>
> > Ask yourself, IF I need to ask these types of questions of flash, am
> I really ready to accept a wedding in the first place?
>
> Yes Mark, an excellent question. Before I agreed to shoot this
> wedding I
> made it perfectly clear to the bride that, unlike a pro, I have no
> backup equipment and the equipment I do have is not professional
> grade.
> If I have a failure with either the camera, media cards or
> possibly even
> my PC, everything could be lost. I also have precious little
> experience.
> What I can do, when everything works out, is sometimes take a better
> photo than her mother can with a p&s.
>
> For this wedding the bride and groom are on their second shot at
> marriage, the event will be in their back yard, dress code is
> shorts and
> t-shirts and they are going to buy a pile of disposable cameras to
> give
> to the guests to use during the ceremony so if I fail, they should
> still
> have plenty of shots.
>
> Greg
>

[Gregory Fraser-2]

> Don't count on much from disposables . 

The bride is providing the disposables. They are her idea of good wedding photos. In fact her directions to me were to shoot whatever I think is interesting. 

 > Getting the flash off camera is the single one thing I believe one can do to improve the results.
I recently bought a used Metz CT with bracket and 2 battery packs. I have been testing it to get feel for its weaknesses like the 1-2 minute recycle time if it drains the capacitor completely.  

 
 > Now the testing and learning you do in the mean time should help you with the one thing you need the most and that is confidence.
 > Mark 

 

 I did a lot of testing on the weekend. I think I finally understand all the things I read about flash photography but never put into practice. By the end of the weekend I was able to quickly change camera settings between fill flash outdoors in full sunlight or shade using aperture priority mode and shooting indoors at full manual with little ambient light and dragging the shutter. Of course my yard and house are not the site of the wedding so more testing will ensue but at least I now know the basics and don't have to rely on a dedicated flash and camera doing the calculations.

 

Thanks for your advice Mark.

Greg

[mark-461]

What you are learning now is going to be invaluable, not only for this particular situation, but for your entire photographic career.  Learn before it matters, just as you are doing now.  Knowing you have a 1 to 2 minute recycle time is vital.  Do you want to miss one key photo because your flash is in recycle mode after taking one that isn't as important?

Keep practicing and you will find that the labels on the camera controls are not even used.  You get so familiar with you equipment that the only looking you really need to do is to confirm that you have set what you wanted to set.

Now I would suggest a variety of photo experiences, some where speed is important, would be very helpful.  Some that need fill, some that need speed, some that stress composition, ect would help put a skill set at your finger tips that will make the day just flow.

Lots of ways to do weddings, and you will find from experience what works for you.

Mark

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Flash Photography
From: Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@...>
Date: Mon, June 22, 2009 8:10 am
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
<photoforum@...>

> Don't count on much from disposables . 

The bride is providing the disposables. They are her idea of good wedding photos. In fact her directions to me were to shoot whatever I think is interesting. 

 > Getting the flash off camera is the single one thing I believe one can do to improve the results.
I recently bought a used Metz CT with bracket and 2 battery packs. I have been testing it to get feel for its weaknesses like the 1-2 minute recycle time if it drains the capacitor completely.  

 
 > Now the testing and learning you do in the mean time should help you with the one thing you need the most and that is confidence.
 > Mark 

 

 I did a lot of testing on the weekend. I think I finally understand all the things I read about flash photography but never put into practice. By the end of the weekend I was able to quickly change camera settings between fill flash outdoors in full sunlight or shade using aperture priority mode and shooting indoors at full manual with little ambient light and dragging the shutter. Of course my yard and house are not the site of the wedding so more testing will ensue but at least I now know the basics and don't have to rely on a dedicated flash and camera doing the calculations.

 

Thanks for your advice Mark.

Greg

[Emily L. Ferguson-2]

A whole minute of recycle time is useless.  You need half a second
for any event incorporating people.  And that's max.  Immediate
recycle is nearly essential.

Find some other way to power your flash, like a battery pack on your waist.

Remember, the best images of people happen after they're finished
posing for the photographer.  That means you need to expect having
enough flash power to shoot continuously, and to shoot many, many
images.

Assess the attenders with the cardboard cameras.  They may be getting
the posed shots and you may better spend your time shooting the
candids.

If the bride, groom or parents expect you to shoot the formals,
search the web for wedding sites with lists of formals.  Some pros
have a list of 30-50 formal posed family shots which they check off
as they shoot the formals.  That's all the set up shots of the
leading characters and all their appendages.

Many brides expect the formals and do not regard the candids as an
adequate substitute.
--
Emily L. Ferguson
mailto:elf@...
508-563-6822
New England landscapes, wooden boats and races
http://www.landsedgephoto.com
http://e-and-s.instaproofs.com/

[lea murphy]

The best advice I could give regarding posed formals is to place the  
bride and groom, the full wedding party then take away from that  
(rather than add to it).

When you do family formals follow the same rule...set the bride and  
groom then add the full family then remove people as they aren't needed.

Formal photographs at weddings take nerves of steel but they sell so  
be sure to do them.

Lea

On Jun 22, 2009, at 11:24 AM, Emily L. Ferguson wrote:

> A whole minute of recycle time is useless.  You need half a second  
> for any event incorporating people.  And that's max.  Immediate  
> recycle is nearly essential.
>
> Find some other way to power your flash, like a battery pack on your  
> waist.
>
> Remember, the best images of people happen after they're finished  
> posing for the photographer.  That means you need to expect having  
> enough flash power to shoot continuously, and to shoot many, many  
> images.
>
> Assess the attenders with the cardboard cameras.  They may be  
> getting the posed shots and you may better spend your time shooting  
> the candids.
>
> If the bride, groom or parents expect you to shoot the formals,  
> search the web for wedding sites with lists of formals.  Some pros  
> have a list of 30-50 formal posed family shots which they check off  
> as they shoot the formals.  That's all the set up shots of the  
> leading characters and all their appendages.
>
> Many brides expect the formals and do not regard the candids as an  
> adequate substitute.
> --
> Emily L. Ferguson
> mailto:elf@...
> 508-563-6822
> New England landscapes, wooden boats and races
> http://www.landsedgephoto.com
> http://e-and-s.instaproofs.com/
>

babies. they're what i do.
www.leamurphy.com

[Gregory Fraser-2]

 
> A whole minute of recycle time is useless.  You need half a
> second for any event incorporating people.  And that's max.  
> Immediate recycle is nearly essential.

The minute or two recycle time is only when the flash completely
depletes its capacitors. This happens if I put the flash on manual mode
or if I take a photo of the sky at midnight. When using it for fill
flash in sunlight or for regular shooting indoors the capacitor does not
get depleted unless I shoot fire 3 or 4 shots in continuous mode.  These
times are with a battery pack.

Greg

[David Dyer-Bennet]

On Mon, June 22, 2009 11:24, Emily L. Ferguson wrote:
> A whole minute of recycle time is useless.  You need half a second
> for any event incorporating people.  And that's max.  Immediate
> recycle is nearly essential.

Well; sure, yes it is.  But I've never had any flash that achieved it,
even when running from 510V drycell or nicad pack on my belt, or a quantum
2.  I feel very lucky if I can get 5 seconds for full-power recycle.

Luckily one can often use less than full power, which reduces the recycle
time correspondingly.

(I shot a wedding this weekend, in fact.  Outdoors, in dapppled sunlight,
and then with lots of the action under a shelter roof but with sunlit
backgrounds showing nearly any direction I pointed the camera.  I used
LOTS of fill flash.)
--
David Dyer-Bennet, dd-b@...; http://dd-b.net/
Snapshots: http://dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/data/
Photos: http://dd-b.net/photography/gallery/
Dragaera: http://dragaera.info

[David Dyer-Bennet]

On Mon, June 22, 2009 11:32, Lea Murphy wrote:
> The best advice I could give regarding posed formals is to place the
> bride and groom, the full wedding party then take away from that
> (rather than add to it).
>
> When you do family formals follow the same rule...set the bride and
> groom then add the full family then remove people as they aren't needed.
>
> Formal photographs at weddings take nerves of steel but they sell so
> be sure to do them.

I strongly agree that they're important to nearly all families.  I'm not
so clear why they take nerves of steel, though.  (However, I
sub-contracted working out the list of formals needed for this weekend to
one of the sisters of the bride, and also let her round people up for me.
That worked pretty well.  I know all the family well, though; I wouldn't
assign that job to a person I didn't have good reason to think was up to
it.)

Checklists of standard formals are useful, but can't encompass the
complexities of some of today's families.  At the wedding this weekend,
the bride's biological father was officiating, and she was walked in by
her unofficial step-father.  Her bio mother and the wife of her unofficial
step-father were also in the wedding.  The groom's side was simple and
conventional.  And, obviously, everybody gets along with each other;
that's where things can get disastrous, if they don't.

I find the hard bit getting everybody in the group focusing on looking
good in the photo.  I find a loud voice helps.  And the fact that I can
shoot more than three shots easily (digital vs. medium-format, back in the
day); with only 24 shots on a 220 roll, one had to conserve somewhat; plus
they cost money.

One surprisingly easy drastic tactic -- in Photoshop, you can transplant
heads between frames fairly easily (in a setup like a group shot, where
nearly everything is about the same in each frame, so there aren't
lighting and background issues).  So if everybody looks good except one
person, sometimes bringing that head over from a frame where they look
good is your best option.  I've also transplanted just eyes, to deal with
an unfortunate blink in what's otherwise clearly the best frame; again,
it's fairly easy, if you have the eyes you want open in another frame shot
in the same location, lighting, background, lens and distance, etc.

--
David Dyer-Bennet, dd-b@...; http://dd-b.net/
Snapshots: http://dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/data/
Photos: http://dd-b.net/photography/gallery/
Dragaera: http://dragaera.info

[lea murphy]

On Jun 23, 2009, at 10:57 AM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:

>  find the hard bit getting everybody in the group focusing on looking
> good in the photo.

This is where the nerves of steel part comes in.

It can be a bit like herding soap bubbles.

I second the part about photoshopping heads, eyes, etc as needed.  
Putting your camera on a tripod helps immeasurably in guaranteeing the  
camera position, at least, doesn't move.

Lea


babies. they're what i do.
www.leamurphy.com