phil vaughan - yorkshire u

Take what Dave said about the videographer, turn it to the caterer, and ask if the bride wanted to taste 'all the food' even the stuff that got dropped on the floor or was in an unevenly kept part of the oven so is either burned or raw? At this point she'll realise what it is we do. Seeing the potato peelings and stock vegetables isn't going to help her appreciation of the meal. We produce great images of the day; that's not the same thing as producing great images with every click of the shutter.

 

Customers only have a right to see everything we took when they're unhappy with what we produced. But hopefully that won't happen to you or I!

from a UK email address - "organization", and you needed to ask?

 

See Kevin's answer for the clue, English spelling = "organisation". We allow for the former colonies to use Z's in place of S's. ;)

 

But I agree that Lens is a cooool surname for a photographer.

<i>Your article makes it sound like wedding photographers all shoot digitally? IMHO, only those that really know their stuff, and those that haven't a clue, use digital to shoot weddings.</i>,<p>

That really is the single most narrow-minded statement I've ever read, unless you equate "really know there stuff" to be everything between 'Truly inspiring' and 'OK', and that "haven't a clue" means everyone below OK.<p>

For the sake of a balanced viewpoint, how many categories of talent would you say there are within the wedding film-shooters?

Exactly what Debbie said. Just sit there with your camera to your eye, they'll soon learn to ignore you - the more furtively you act the more attention you'll draw to yourself and the more unnaturally people will behave. Oh and a longer lens will help, It's difficult for people to behave like you're not there when you'e that close to them.

 

when shooting posed shots / portrait sessions, we interact to get what we want out of subjects, candid photography is about blending into the background.

<i>The most important post production tool available is the delete key. Mine is pretty well worn : -)</i> <p>

Marc I love that line, do I need to pay fees if I reuse it? ;)

<i>The most important post production tool available is the delete key. Mine is pretty well worn : -)</i> <p>

Marc I love that line, do I need to pay fees if I reuse it?

If you search the internet for 'failed CF card' you'll find loads of stories about failed ultra-fast Lexar and Sandisk cards (the most expensive). Is this because they're the biggest selling brands, or is it because in their race to produce ever faster cards they're always working on the limits of current technology?

 

I use cheap cards, never had a failure. BTW you should remember that there's far fewer manufacturers of flash memory than there are brands of CF cards, something else to bear in mind.

The joystick thingy does change the focus points, however I find spinning the wheel better. If I use the joystick I generally can't 'hit' the corner points, however the wheel will get there (albeit slower).

I'm not an expert on Nikon flashes, but I believe that 2 identical flashes will make work easy. Also, IIRC they can both be used in the Nikon wireless system.

 

The only common flash brackets in the UK are the Stroboframe ones. I'd suggest you try a couple of different ones with your gear as they're very much about personal taste and comfort.

I'm currently watching Canons Ebay site for a dye sub printer (usually 15-40GBP) for a gratis event for the local scout group. I'll be using the laptop for downloads and there'll be 2 of us there (Wifey got me into this one...).

 

I hadn't considered getting the projector running though (Scout group own one) Great idea and it might help boost sales plus it'll do some good for the publicity (local press attending).

Don't worry too much about looking for images of older / larger brides in online portfolios. We shoot older people all the time, but unfortunately a web gallery is a shopfront and beauty sells. If you have concerns that it needs to be done a certain way, go speak to a photographer, ask that they show you some 'older' brides. I'm sure they'll be glad to. Take a look around several, you'll soon realise it's not a unique experience for us.

The 550ex;

 

has manual settings

 

can be used as a master in a multi flash setup

 

has FEC and 2nd curtain sync built in

 

has the high voltage port

 

will definitely sell for more when you are ready to upgrade

You need to appraise your work against your local(ish) competition. There's nothing wrong with offering a competitive service, but don't try to undercut everyone. Realistically look at the quality of what you offer compared to them. Include in this the album etc. I recently encountered a yung guy who was planning on making a fortune offering the image books from Photobox! Before he realised what real pro albums actually cost to buy.

 

Personally I'd drop the low end coverage because I just don't want to go shoot the 1hr package (or similar). We only shoot all day coverage, the only difference in our packages is the size / quality style of album.

I appreciate that you'd rather not do the extra step, but Irfanview will give you a border on a folder full of files in about 12 clicks and 5 minutes.

<i>ETTL II ignores area of high-reflectance in flash calculations, so I questions whether or not the podium really did cause this.</i><p>

 

ETTL II is certainly supposed to ignore there areas, however I've seen many posts similar to this with reflections from TV's or windows in the corner of frames and ETTL II underexposure as a result.<p>

 

If it's not the reflection, what do you suggest that it is? There is nothing in the post to suggeast the flash was out of range, as he's using the green square it's unlikely to be -FEC, there's no expanse of light colours in the picture, so what is it?

I'm with Dan, you need to get high, I'd also go as wide as possible and have fun with the resultant distortion.

I tried Photobox but could find no way to stop them 'enhancing' my careful colour balance. I had a bride with a very pale mushroom colour dress, they decided it was white and it threw everything alse off.

 

Chris, When I use Peak imaging I request 'straight' see above.

My first few weddings were all shot for cost, they got what they paid for.

 

The next load were a mix of cost and gifts, they got a bargain.

 

After 30 plus weddings my prices are climbing to meet the competition head on, I'd say that's a fair business model. If I'd apprenticed under someone else I'd have had similar pay, similar experience and a similar business today. However all the people that got their wedding pic's at cost would only have had uncle Joe's P&S pic's to choose from.

I understand your desire to have "everything is preserved in its absolute best state for as long as possible".

 

However the rest is frankly illogical. Your images aren't in their 'best' state as RAW files, they're at their best after having been processed and printed. Do you listen to the original studio masters of your favourite music, track by track? Or are the digital files the actual finished product as supplied by the artist?

 

A quality album full of a selection of the best images from your day is the finished article. The prints and album will outlast you by some way, what would your grandchildren make of 1000 unedited images?

 

It's a request you'll get someone to agree to, but I'd rather have a Beatles album than the multi track tapes of a pub band.

This is, as you've found, a matter of style.

I used to shoot 160 film, and all my shots would be outside in the daylight, with a few indoor (cake cutting etc.)

 

At the same time I went digital, I started to shoot a more PJ style. My ISO's are all over the place, I prefer natural light where I can and when I can't I like to ensure that at least some of the ambient is added into the picture. However I always use as low an ISO as possible, usually jumping from 100-400 then 800 or 1600 indoors.

I use Peak Imaging for digital, and providing I tell them not to adjust the files, everything is sweet.

 

The FTP could be simpler though...I haven't discovered a quick way to do it.

I agree you're in need on the short end, I'd recommend the Sigma 10-20, sharp and inexpensive compared to the 10-22. Any of the EX flashguns will be good (including S/H 420 or 550).

I just can't think why I'd want to. The whole point of the coffee table style books is the ability to print montages IMHO. Otherwise a traditional matted album looks much better and is cheaper.

 

However, there's nothing to stop you doing it if you think it 'adds value' in some way. The number of pages you'd require depends heavily on your style and the choices of your customers.

I guess what I was trying to say is that I want to keep the ISO low (to reduce noise)

 

But givenm that the ISO is one of the variables in the exposure value, what you want is too much. We have to use high ISO's to capture the light where there isn't enough light, it's as simple as that. ISO100-200 outside bright daytime, ISO400 outside overcast / evening etc. ISO800 and upwards for shooting in the dark.

 

Correct exposures will ensure minimal noise, after that it's noise reduction software.

Put the 300usd saving towards the 17-55 2.8IS, nothing will help with low light shooting better than that lens.