Re: Flash Photography

> 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
>