Three Lights

A kiss

A twirl

In previous weddings on this post, I either use natural light only, or I use ambient light assisted with a single flash mounted to the camera.  The problem is that the light is fairly uni-directional, and often it isn't enough.  I end up with images that have the light facing the subject, and the sides of the subject and the background are dark.  One way around this is to slow down the shutter speed and drag the shutter, but then I get some motion blur or camera shake.  Also, the uni-directional light flattens the subject.  Bouncing the light off the ceiling helps, and it also reduces shadows cast by the subject onto the background, but then there is a big loss of light from the flash.  

Shadows for depth

On the chairs

Not sure about that shadow in the back

With this wedding, I used three lights,  One is still on the camera, but the other two are in the corners of the room, remotely triggered.  This way, the subject is more "awash with light" as I like to put it.  There is just more light on the subject, and the light is in different places.  Often, the light falls across the subject, providing a more dramatic image.  Shadows are accentuated, and this gives a greater sense of depth. 

Dancing

Too much fun

Don't stop... believing!

Of course, the shadows are not necessarily where I want them.  They fall across the subject, but that only helps if they fall into advantageous positions.  A shadow that falls across a quarter of the subject's face will provide depth.  A shadow that falls across three quarter's of the subject's face provides drama.  However, a shadow that falls across the subject's entire face often merely serves to ruin the image. 

Sassy

Shadows for depth

Shadows for drama

Another effect is a second color temperature of light.  Ambient light is often warm.  Incandescent lights are still the most common, and they have a warm yellow-orange color temperature.   A flash has a truer white color, so the light from the flash looks either stark white, or comparatively blue and cold.  Or sometimes both.  If there is too much of this, it just looks like the subject is light by police spotlights.  If it mingles pleasantly, there are both blue and orange highlights to provide depth and balance.  If it mingles unpleasantly, there is just clash. 

Single tear

And, of course, the drama of the subject matter always trumps the technical accomplishments of the image. 

Let the Sun Shine

Harsh shadows, but check out the earring.

So we need light to make pictures, just like we need water to live.  Not enough, and we languish. Too much and we drown.  A bright, sunny afternoon presents certain challenges for photography.  Specifically, harsh shadows, glare, and overexposed images.  But once again, we can break the rules and still have a pleasing image.
 

Dogs in ceremonies are great.

Great Highlights

I love how her face and hair are blown out in highlights, but it seems sort of ethereal.  It really gives the viewer a sense of the heat of the sunlight.  Or maybe it looks cheesy, like an ad for a Lifetime movie.  I guess it's your opinion.

The most romantic moment

Here the effect is more subtle.  It still works, but the image isn't quite as striking.  Many people have said that more traditional images tend to stand the test of test of time better than mer experimental images.  So there is something to be said for an image that is "less striking." 

Detail Shot

More Details

Detail images often come out well, usually because they are still-lives and don't tend to move, so I can get really sharp images.  The light is still blown out here, but I like the effect of the image being awash with light.

Eye Contact

Eye Contact

I love these shots of subjects looking into each other's eyes.  It's just such an intimate composition.  It communicates the sentiment of an emotion between subjects. 

Laughing? Singing?

And images like this that tell a story.  They look like they are laughing, but I think they are actually singing along to the music.  Either way, it still captures the moment in way that conveys some sort of message or emotion.  

Look into my eyes.

One of my favs

These two are some of the best pictures I've shot.  Well, I guess that would again be my opinion.  But I love the light, the tone, the contrast, the composition.  They really draw and hold the eye. 

Baby Gil

Well behaved baby

This was my first portrait session with a baby.  He was a remarkably well-behaved baby.  I was able to photograph him for about 45 min before he got cranky and tired and started screaming and crying.  That's better than most adults do.  

One way to keep a baby still: swaddling

There's an added level of creativity with portrait shoots, because I have to pose the subject.  With an adult, it's easy enough to say, "lean on your elbow" or "look over there," but babies don't really respond to instruction.  And I don't really know about babies in general to feel comfortable moving or positioning them.  So a lot of it is making suggestions to the parents or taking suggestions from the parents, and then hoping for the best.  

Love the "catch light" in the eye

The benefit of shooting portraits is the subject remains relatively still, so I have more time to adjust settings, check images, and redo shots.  The disadvantage is that there is less margin for error.  If I'm shooting a couple dancing, I can have a little motion blur.  Sometimes, it's advantageous.  But with a portrait, it has to be perfect.  Sometimes just shooting numerous frames increases the chances of getting a keeper.  But sometimes I shoot a bunch of frames, and I don't realize that there is a chair in the way, or I've cut off an arm, until I look at the images on the computer screen. 

Detail Shot

I found that detail shots like this one work really well.  In fact, looking back at the album, the comparison of the adult hands with the child's hands/feet/body work really well.  I'll have to remember that for the future.  As it turns out, this shot wasn't planned at all.  I saw it, shot it, and it came out well.  A lot of this is just luck.  And a lot of luck is knowing how to capitalize upon an opportunity.  

First indoor ceremony.

The wedding party.

These were shot in a museum in Salem, MA, and as you can tell it was a Jewish ceremony.  

Warmed up the lighting.

Getting the lighting right is always difficult with an indoor ceremony.  Most are inside churches, and they tend to be dark.  You can set up flashes, but people find that distracting.  Also, it does strange things to the color.  You end up with very white light.  The museum had a lot of natural lighting through big picture windows, but they were in strange places, like right behind the alter.  Also, the walls and floor were cool, pale stone, so the reflected light was very cold. 

Lens flare.

This image has some lens flare, which is an anomaly caused by reflection in the glass or on the sensor.  Sometimes it is distracting, but often it provides a pleasing effect.  The light source here is a large, reflective disk-shaped piece of art.  It's tough to figure out what to do with something so conspicuous in an a composition. 

Tight crop. 

Although I do love the full-frame sensor on my 5D, I also love the tight crops I get from the 50D with the 100mm lens.  This one is not as sharp as I prefer, but a tight crop has a level of intimacy.  

Focal point.

 Putting a lot of people in a single shot is a balance between telling a story and having a busy shot.  It helps that there is a clear focal point, and all of their eyes redirect the viewer to that point. 

Breaking rules. And glass.

And this is one of those shots that breaks the rules, but works anyway.  I cropped off their heads.  Rupert's head is right int he way.  It was underexposed, and when I pushed the exposure, the white balance became too hot.  But it tells a story.  And this shot is meant to be fun rather than beautiful. 

Goodnight everyone.

Of course, it's allowed to be beautiful and still tell a story. 

Preppin'!

 So this was my first time shooting the bridal preparations.  The wedding was in Narragansett, the day before Irene.  I met the bridal party at the hotel, and one of the bridesmaids took me to the beauty salon to meet the bride.

The stylist told me in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to photograph her face, just her hands and the bride's face.  She told me "today is all about the bride, not me" (me being her, the stylist).  Later she confided that she thinks she is not photogenic and hates appearing on camera.  It was a shame, because I had a few nice images with her in them, but I had to crop her out.

This shot is pretty traditional.  I think I desaturated it too much and cooled the temperature too much.  I really like cool tones, blues, grays, and silvers.  I'm aiming for "silvery light" an "airless environment," a sense of depth, and light that fills the image.

This one is much warmer, and the contrast between the warm tones and the cool tones is relatively pleasing.

Picking out a lipstick color.  The stylist and I both voted for the more vibrant red.  It "pops" on camera.

 I think it really started feeling real when she put the veil on.

One of those behind the scenes moments.  Eating a last slice of pre-wedding pizza.  The room was kind of dark, and the lighting came out too warm.  Still, a cute and funny moment though.  

Love the light in this one.  It just blows out the sensor, but it really washes over her.

The groom's prep was less involved.  It mostly involved scotch and kissing the baby.  I left out the scotch.