Latest Garter Toss Photo: Wierd?

I've been trying some slow shutter/flash combos. I got this at my most recent

wedding.

 

Anyone try this or some samples?<div></div>

I dont like it very much but that's just my opinion.

I try it with the bride throwing the flowers. I am not sure if it really work it was not good enough to submit. But i will try and load it up!<div></div>

Did you use rear-curtain sync? If not try it next time. Here's an example:

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/4550415

Michael...That's very nice.

 

Casey...I'm just playing with some ideas! I've been doing some personal photos with subject and camera movement involved and thought I'd try it at this wedding.

 

It's a hell-of-a-lot more creative than my "frozen" photos!

OK Todd, "Fess up"....you told him to fake a throw before the real deal,....which you played it safe and froze,.... right? :-)

 

Old habits are hard to break.

Edward...NO, I didn't. I just quickly used a slow speed on one camera.

 

I like what you did, very much.

 

I'm trying to find was to give a feel of "moving-life" and "time-movement" to my still photography. Not just "frozen moments."

 

Does that make sense? I'm not sure how to express it, but I know the feel I want.

David...Absolutely not. That truly is really the actual toss. Wanna see the catch-dance?

It gives me flashbacks from the "brown acid", I ate at Woodstock. But does the client like it?

I usually save dragging the shutter with flash for something else like dancing. The only other way I'd do that for the toss is if there's a 2nd shooter too.

 

Looks like IS or VR smoothed out the panning action well...

After tens of thousands of static photos, one my get a bit bored and be tempted to fool around with something else. The only problem is, the bride hasn't been bored by tens of thousands of photos. She only sees the photos in her proofs. What do you say when she asks, "Why is this so blurry?" Do enough of those artistic shots and the word may spread. "Some of the photos he takes are good but a lot are blurry."

My opinion, Mr. Frederick -

 

It could use perhaps one stop less ambient (maybe shutter first, perhaps aperture).

 

I think that as photographers, we tend to want to 'spice up' the 'tried and true' shots that the wedding clients are looking for. As we work at ways to make ourselves happy, we need to not stray too far from the client's expectations. I think this shot is perhaps a tad 'too far'.

 

-Mr. Peach

Todd's post re-posted without photo. (Todd - direct people to a folder if you want to show more images please)

 

Todd Frederick - San Francisco Bay Area Photo.net Patron Prolific Poster, aug 08, 2006; 08:50 p.m.

 

This is the "Garter-Catch-Dance," photo I mentioned, but not enough movement...just his left arm!

 

As I suggested, I'm trying to move away from static, frozen photos, especially, in dances, tosses, toasts, and anything else I can think of.

Michael - please remember the caption and that the image should be 511 pixels or less in width to show up in the forum!

 

A reminder to everyone to please read my recent post about posting images. It's further down on the list in BOLD letters.. ;-)

I like the photo. I would keep it, as well as faster shutter images, just to be safe. Your clients may have hired you for your artistic eye, but sometimes they just want the "normal" shot.

 

Natalie

My bride LOVED this photo I shot without flash.<div></div>

Always a difficult shot. It's equally amazing how keen the girls are to get hold og that bouquet...<div></div>

The bride loved this shot which really showed the chaos of this mexican wedding tradition: (also shot withot flash)</p>

<img src="http://tinyurl.com/qq3lh"></p>

Also, you can achieve pretty good motion blur with photoshop so you have the option of no blur/blur to present to the bride. I've used it a bunch on first dance shots.

I have other "static" shots of the same event, but I can't show them here for comparision purposes since it's against the forum rules to post more than one photo (sorry Mary, I forgot!), and they arn't in a portfolio to link.

 

I tried some with the dancing, but I didn't get the effect I wanted.

 

I'm just working on an idea.

 

Thanks for the samples and comments.

Todd Peach,

 

The ambient light, filled with many vivid colors, was intense, and even displayed this intensity in the background when using normal flash and shutter speeds.

 

Also, this was just one of a couple of such shots I took, and, as you say, it is best to work within the client's expectations.

Ariana Daner, how did you set up that shot ? Is the light behind bride & groom a flood ? If yes, what type ? thanks,,

Here's one with the garter toss ... just motion blur from moving camera slightly after the flash went off.<div></div>

Todd, my clients would consider such a picture a flaw, and would not pay for it. As for bouquet catching - take all the crowd outdoors and continuosly fire all the flight of the bouquet.

Ruslan,

 

If you are reading this, I do not sell prints. I document an entire wedding and I sell that documentation as whole event. The couple gets everything.

 

The above photo is just one of a very fast sequence of 5 images of the toss, but this forum won't allow me to post more than one photo so I can't show you what I was trying to do!

William, I love the angle, your work is having a great original look with your creative angles. I'd just be afraid if I was on the floor and someone stepped in front of me in the chaos, I'd completely miss the shot (I don't object to getting on the floor or standing on chairs in general though)

 

Todd, you do realize, you can post some shots in your pn portfolio and give us the link...right?