Weddings & Social Events - what did YOU shoot recently? June 2015

<p>This idea was from Bob Bernardo <a href="/wedding-photography-forum/00dHR7">(see here)</a>.</p>

<p>This thread allows our community to show a recent sample, or two of their work.<br>

I ‘d like to keep this very conversational and also without too many rules, so three basic, common-sense rules seem good to me:<br>

1. Make the image to be viewed “IN LINE” - so please, no links to image <br>

2. The information/commentary provided with the image can be detailed about the shoot or just an image or an image and some questions etc.<br>

3. If you don’t want any comments that constitute “critique” then just state that, something like ‘I just want to show you this image, but please no critique of my work, thanks’</p>

<p>Who is going to kick it off . . .<br>

<br>

</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Here's one from the last wedding of last year (October):</p>

<p>It presented a real challenge as the client requested a shot with a massive hanging plane in The Henry Ford Museum at Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan (where they were married in a separate hall).</p>

<p>We only had a few minutes to do the shot because the museum was about to close. When I rounded the corner to the plane's location I was a bit dismayed by the lack of ambient and especially the quality of that existing light ... frankly, it was a cave with a plane looming overhead. Any frontal lighting just looked horrible. Bouncing off the wood ceiling looked even worse.</p>

<p>Fortunately, I had anticipated this type of scenario and brought off-camera lighting with me. I placed a battery driven light with a 12" diameter translucent ball modifier directly behind the subjects and used an on-camera speed-light for frontal fill. The silver plane also acted as a reflector. (the ball modifier was made using a $15 globe from Home Depot's lighting section, to which any lighting brand of speed-ring can be added). </p>

<p>This little web sample below doesn't do it justice ... the final image was printed as a 12' X 18" spread in the client's album.</p>

<p>- Marc</p>

<p>(BTW, questions are welcome). </p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Here's another from the first wedding of this year.</p>

<p>Just a fun shot from a Jewish wedding featuring the Hora dance which usually begins with lifting the B&G up in chairs and precariously parading them around the dance floor. </p>

<p>This was lit with an off-camera strobe set in the corner of the dance floor aimed at the white ceiling ... while I also used an on-camera speed-light set to TTL for fill.</p>

<p>- Marc</p><div></div>

Nice shots Marc, great lighting!

<p>Where is everyone else?</p>

<p>Come on folks, post some shots. </p>

<p>Is the wedding photography business really that bad?</p>

<p>Or, maybe it is booming, and no one has time to post anything : -)</p>

<p>- Marc</p>

<p>First birthday party.<br>

kids entertainer. it is amazing how well cameras can handle mixed light. I'm guessing this is mostly daylight but there is tungsten, flo and other lighting as well some of it with weird shades. i wish i had another click at higher shutter speed, i'm not sure I like the blur in the hands. <br>

More important than picture is how i got job. I met Grandma many years ago when the newspaper I photographed for did a story about her art. That turned into her daughter's wedding, her son's wedding, now his daughters birthday, and other events not mentioned here. Delivering quality and service consistently is an investment in the future of your business.</p><div></div>

<p>Marc, do you use moonlights or speed light for your off camera light?<br>

I've used both. In big rooms I like the more powerful lights but set up is so much speedier with speedlight. </p>

<p>Hi Shawn, I've also used both … although lately I've mostly used battery driven strobes. The main reasons for that preference are:</p>

<p>> Many of the strobe Brands have radio triggers with transmitters that allow control of the off-camera strobe light from the camera position … so you can increase or lower the power level without returning to the light across a room, or up high on a stand. </p>

<p>> A 500Ws strobe set to 200Ws provides an almost instantaneous recycle compared to a speed-light set to full power (approx. 70Ws). Plus, I've experience "thermal shut down" with modern Canon, Nikon and Sony speed-lights when firing them to rapidly. Strobe do not suffer from the same issue. <em>(However, I am suspicious of using certain lithium rechargeable batteries in speed-lights because they run hotter, and may be the reason for the premature thermal shut down).</em></p>

<p>> With more output, the strobes allow me to shoot in bright conditions outside and over-power the sun, OR indoors, I can shoot at a lower ISO so the image quality is generally higher than what I can achieve with an off-camera speed-light. I also can select a smaller aperture to get more Depth-Of-Field for shots that would benefit from f/5/6 or f/8.</p>

<p>> Lastly, I like working with different types of light modifiers which is easier, and the choices more plentiful, with strobe systems.</p>

<p><strong>All that said,</strong> strobes are bigger, and we often already have two or three speed-lights in our kit. In most darker conditions an off-camera speed-light will suffice IF you are shooting at a bit higher ISO, using a bit more open aperture, while dragging the shutter for more ambient. </p>

<p>I also like that an off-camera speed-light can be placed almost anywhere … like this shot where the B&G were seated close to an ugly wall, so I set a speed-light with a Phottix radio receiver behind them on the floor and back lit them … the on-camera TTL speed-light provided frontal fill. </p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Here's another example of using radio triggered off-camera speed-lights in lower light. The interior light was pretty low. So without the additional light, the room was pretty dark even when exposing for the dim exterior. </p>

<p>I placed two speed-lights connected to the hot shoe of Phottix receivers on the inside wall pointed into the room, and one on-camera speed-light on the Phottix pass-through TTL transmitter for a bit of outdoor fill.</p>

<p>- Marc</p>

<p>(Come on folks post some shots … !!!)</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>I did a night shot like that years ago. The other photography and i played with aperture shutter speed and iso until we got the look then he went in and moved the bride and groom into the spot we wanted them. <br>

recently I've been using an einstein light powered by a battery / ac converter combo for similar reasons. I place the light near the dance floor with a 40 degree honeycomb. i like the added drama of the light and doesn't seem to get noticed by guest as much as other methods.</p>

Favorite lens - fish eye looks a lot better enlarged so you can see the couple.<div></div>

<p>I recently covered a social media event for a PR firm which consisted of 100% daylight exteriors. Since I was unassisted, I wanted to travel light. The only extra lighting I brought was a Quantum Qflash and a 4' x 4' silk. My intention was to make any strobe-fired lighting appear as part of the ambient lighting, giving the illusion that this was all shot using only available-light.</p>

<p>Below, the primary light source coming from camera-right is the Qflash on a lightweight stand bouncing into a patio overhang. The background is in an open area with direct sunlight falling onto it. A slight amount of fill, falling on the subject's right cheek, is indirect ambient daylight.</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/images/bloggershot-3.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Below, this is the "reverse-angle" of the same spa vendor's area where the backlight (camera-left) is provided by the same bounced Quantum Qflash. The fill light falling on the subject's left cheek (camera-right) is the indirect ambient daylight peering into the patio area.</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/images/bloggershot-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" /></p>

<p>Here's another vendor area just a few feet from the first's, lit using the identical set-up, using the bounced Qflash to rim the subject's face, while the indirect ambient daylight provided the fill:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/images/bloggershot-5.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Below, I set up a 4' x 4' silk on a baby location stand w/leveling leg for impromptu portraits in an area which was in direct-sunlight the entire afternoon. I set three 15-lb. shotbags on the stand, one on each leg, to secure it. I used no other supplemental lighting:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/images/bloggershot-2.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Of course, there were times during the day when I was forced to use my on-camera flash:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/images/bloggershot-8.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/11401581_700131496783235_4915615605102551954_n.jpg?oh=ea71bc1f5505139730b0842a4f629bff&oe=55F005F1" alt="" width="960" height="640" /><br>

A bridal shot from a yacht wedding in Toronto Harbour from the weekend. It was a late afternoon shot with the sun still pretty high in the sky but a beautiful backdrop.</p>

<p>Capturing emotion...this is what i live for...</p><div></div>

<p>From the same wedding...when the priest asked who gives this bride...the FOB started to break down...the bride stepped in...grabbed on to him...and this is the result. Stuff like this grounds me. Us wedding photographers witness such moments...we really are blessed.</p><div></div>

<p>Window light...</p><div></div>

<p>Passion.....</p><div></div>

<p>Sometimes you get a B&G who will try anything. The bride was a swimmer who competed in states..i had a blast at this one.</p><div></div>

<p>One more...</p><div></div>

<p>i shot a wedding this past weekend in a nice park location with an old school house at saint claire shores in michigan.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.zacharovphotography.com/2015/Wedding-Photography/Saint-Claire-Elise-Daniel/i-HP8DTbS" alt="" /></p><div></div>

<p>Alex...i like the symmetry and the use of the available lighting. The dip was set up nice...i like how the light spills on their faces with little shadow. </p>

<p>Couple of photos from two Recent Communion shoots..</p><div></div>

<p>Off camera flash...shoot through umbrellas...D800E</p><div></div>

<p>Last one...off camera flash...shoot through...D800E</p><div></div>