Advice for engagement photoshoot on a cloudy day

<p>Hi all, I am just starting to take photos of weddings and engagements on film. It is all fine when there's some sun and beautiful sunset/ sunrise light. However, as winter comes it gets less and less bright outside and the light is mostly grey.<br>

Has anyone have advice on which film / settings to use to lift the photos up a bit (apart from overexposing by 1-2 stops)? Are there any scanning instructions you give to your lab to correct the light/tone?<br>

Many thanks!<br>

Elena</p>

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<p><img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00d/00dZwR-559181984.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="513" /></p>

<p>You might want to ask this in the film & processing forum. <br>

since film is generally scanned for printing anymore you can do about 99% of what you can to a digital picture before printing it. <br>

You may want to consider using one light far off camera axis as an accent, in flat light. a speed light will do you don't necessarily need a lot of power for this. just enough to raise the contrast on their face a little. Practice to discover what you like is important.</p>

<p>It was initially in the topic for films but the administration has moved it here... </p>

<p>As for editing in Photoshop, I know how it works but the film is also known to give a beautiful color itself if all settings are right. I am trying to do as little post-processing as possible, so I was wondering if anyone has tips. </p>

<p>I'm slightly confused by what you're asking.<br>

The prevailing quality of cloudy weather is that it results in flat light. This isn't something that can be remedied by overexposing, nor will overexposing help sculpt faces in a way that directional light can.<br>

So are you asking about solutions for brightness or for the lack of dynamic multi-hued directional light?</p>

 

<p>Hi Pavel,<br>

I wouldn't say that flat light is the problem but the color mostly as it can be really grey and dull. Whenever I was shooting digital I could just add a bit of flash to brighten up a couple and separate it from background, but I am trying to use just ambient light with film, I aim to have really soft images. Overexposure with film does a different trick than in digital - it makes the colors brighter and more pastel instead of blowing up the highlights. So I was wondering if there any special tricks film photographers use on cloudy days. I used the reflector as well but it didn't change the overall color (I used white one). </p>

 

<p>If you do not want to use Flash as Fill to separate the Subject and create Modelling and Depth and if you are scanning the negatives to digital files and then you do not want to use digital post processing on those files (for example to increase Colour Saturation and/or change the Colour Balance), then two suggestions are:</p>

<p>1. Print from the negatives and control the Colour and Contrast in the wet lab with the choice of Printing Paper; Colour Filtration and Dodging/Burning <br>

or if you only want digital files <br>

2. Try using different Film Stock until you get one that has the Saturation and Colour rendition that you want.</p>

<p>***</p>

<p>A reflector is of little value on a cloud day because of the type of light a cloudy day is. <br>

WW</p>

<p> </p>

Note: This question was first posed in the Film and Processing forum and was zapped over here by the moderator. I believe that the question of lighting under flat skies would be one that professional Wedding and Engagement photographers would be most familiar with and could give good advice. I thought that a lighting problem and settings would be the same whether using film or digital.

 

Were you using Portra film? Unfortunately, there are few high contrast, high saturation films such as Portra VC made anymore. Ask again at the Film and Processing forum for recommendations for film and perhaps that scanning question again. I will leave the question there. I should have remembered that it is a rare wedding photographer who uses film now-a-days.

<p>I am not a professional photographer but the blue value is increased on cloudy days. Have you tried a gold reflector or a mild yellow filter?</p>

<p>Try an 85C filter on your lens to warm up that blue cast.</p>

Why shot film this day and age. In the circumstances you describe I would have gone straight into Lightroom/Photoshop

to lift the photos up a bit. I know people are going to say only film can give you a certain look but that may have been true

at one time but the software these days is so powerful you can do anything with it. Would you use a horse and cart

instead of a car....no so why still use film for a wedding. I am not trying to be mean but you would not have this problem if

you shot digital. Good luck.

<p>you can use a gold reflector. It will add a touch of warmth to the skin but not the background. they worked well with film but i don't like what they do with digital.</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone for advising! I have actually shot a full love story session on film last weekend and just asked the lab to add a bit of pinkish tones while scanning, rather than yellow. The pictures turned out great - there were some moments of sun and clouds, but all pictures look in the same spirit throughout all the rolls, I was amazed! Overall, I didn't edit the colors at all - easiest post-processing ever! <br>

Here's an example:</p>

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<img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f7736a_7c38ab295acb46c9a6937330602d5cdc.jpg/v1/fit/w_1020,h_748,q_75,usm_0.50_1.20_0.00/f7736a_7c38ab295acb46c9a6937330602d5cdc.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="514" />

Elena, glad you figured it out. Was looking for more pictures. (8-)

<p>Hi Randy, you can take a look at the series here: http://www.instants-secrets-photography.lu/#!Beautiful-love-story-captured-on-film/e199k/564ede9f0cf2afbb050ac9f9</p>