marekd

<p>The only time when it bothers me is during formals when they use flash and I shoot available light - it literally messes up my pictures. But even then I let it go (I just take a burst). These people are your possible future clients and it's not like they mean bad - they just don't know any better.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.marekd.com/Pictures/Copyright_Marek_Dziekonski_2010.jpg" alt="" /><br>

Castle Farms in Charlevoix<br>

Nikon d700, 70-200 2.8</p>

<p>Hi Dave,<br>

D700 truly changed the way I shoot weddings and allowed me to take my work to the next level. I'd certainly recommend it for wedding work.<br>

Biggest pros (for me):<br>

- Full frame<br />- Extraordinary hi ISO performance<br>

Cons:<br>

-The rubber comes off of it left and right - very disappointing... considering the price I expected a better build from it.<br>

Cheers!<br />Marek </p>

<p>Congratulations Don, great capture. Also congrats are in order to the honorable mentions. :)</p>

<p>Serge, these are exactly the same batteries I'm using. What ISO do you use? What aperture do you use? When using flashes I often shoot with ISO 400 - 800 and at f 1.8 - 2.8. The batteries last forever...<br>

I have also contemplated Alienbees but decided against them mainly due to size, weight and portability.<br>

Good luck!</p>

<p>Serge, what batteries do you use? I can go for 5 hours with very similar set up (1 SB-800 and 2 SB-600s + Radiopoppers).</p>

<p>Nikon d700; Nikkor 50 1/8</p><div></div>

<p>Taken at a recent wedding with Nikon 60mm 2.8<img src="http://www.marekd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Nicole-Steve-wellers-wedding-saline-michigan01.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="718" /></p>

<p>Guys, thank you so much for your critique! It really made me look at this image anew. I've had quite a few "aha!" moments while reading, especially on comments coming from Phil B - I totally see now how having bride and groom switching to that place would make them more central and work nicer in the composition. And the missing leg - something I also did not notice..<br>

As far as flare and contrast go, I intentionally "washed out" blacks and kept the sun and flare for a vintage look.<br>

Thank you for all the valuable critique! :)</p>

<p>Is anyone else "bugged" by the fact that Nikon did not put a sample image at f/1.4 from the new 35 1.4 on their website? I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does... :/</p>

<p>Bridal party shot from a recent wedding in Frankenmuth, MI.<br>

<img src="http://www.marekd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Meg_Erik_Wedding_Frankenmuth_Michigan02.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" /></p>

<p>I would definitely go with these without thinking twice!<br>

EF 35mm f/1.4L USM<br />EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM<br />EF 135mm f/2L USM</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Aura, I would respectfully disagree with most other posters about taking on that $450 wedding. It was obviously a bride with unrealistic expectations and likely with no respect for photographer's work. These brides very often turn out to be bridezillas. It's better not to take a job like that than to take it and have your name ruined by a an angry by default bride and be put off from ever taking on the wedding again.<br>

The only time I would recommend taking a wedding for that cheap is for a friend or a couple that has realistic expectations and values your work but is just experiencing financial hardships.<br>

I'm sure you have friends who are getting married even this season, take your camera with you and shoot some pictures (just be respectful towards a hired photographer). Call or meet with photographers you second shoot for and see if they could refer you to some of their clients that have a wedding on an already booked date. I am now in my first season in the US but I started in Poland and we (the wedding photographer) would recommend each other all the time.<br>

Your images are fine for the most part - I would remove repeats and out of focus ones - so if you keep persistent, I'm sure you'll do fine.<br>

Cheers!</p>

<p>Absolute number one: 135 f2 (I love - and envy - Canon's)<br>

85 f1.2 or updated 85 f1.4<br>

So happy 24 1.4 is out! Price is a little steep though...</p>

<p>Thanks to the judges and all the great entries this year!</p>

<p><img src="http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad248/marekd/Alicja-i-Piotrek-Plener037bw.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<strong> After The Storm</strong></p>

<p>Sooo.. when is the contest coming? :))</p>

<p>Otto,<br>

It's shooting RAW with prime lenses opened wide. I don't see any special editing besides little fiddling with white balance, contrast, etc...<br>

I guess it could be something else, but if you shoot RAW and use prime lenses that's what you will get.<br>

Cheers!</p>

<p>Read their Terms and Conditions. I was outraged.</p>

<p>Arthur, this type of bokeh is typical to bright prime lenses. A lot of people love it and try to achieve it. If you want smoother bokeh try stopping down the aperture to f/4 or smaller. Although I may be wrong on that, but I believe the wider open the lens is the more your bokeh will look like that. Nikon 70-200 2.8 is known for what you call smooth bokeh, but I personally don't like it as much as for example Canon's 135 f/2 @ f/2<br>

I may be all wrong on all that, so let us know if you try to test your bokeh at different apertures..</p>

<p>Missy, could you post an example of the picture that you deem not sharp? Please keep the exif data also. It will be easier to advice if you do that.</p>

<p>Just judging from the bride's behaviour described in your post, I would do nothing to upset her. It seems that she has a vicious character and will stop at nothing to black mouth you and bring you down just as she's bringing down her mother in law.</p>

<p>Nikon lacks in bright lenses. The one I miss the most is 24 1.4. I can't believe Nikon doesn't have one out yet (AF). Nikon has great equipment for wildlife/landscape/architecture, but in my opinion Canon has better photojournalistic 'hardware'. I still love and shoot Nikon though :)</p>

<p>I was hopping to learn from other people's experience. I wonder sometimes what would I do if I lost all my pictures, if all my equipment broke/got smashed. What would I tell the bride and groom? I guess I'm more interested in how photographers who have had more experience than I, deal with such things. Sometimes despite having a dual card camera, three bodies, four flashes, things can still go wrong.<br>

But perhaps you are right. I didn't mean to come through as someone who finds joy in others' failures and it is not my business to demand of others to open up.<br>

I appologize if that's the impression my posts gives anyone. I meant for it to be a learning experience.</p>

<p>I thought it would be very interesting to hear some heart-stopping, every-photographer's-nightmare-come-true stories that you have experienced while shooting the wedding. <br>

Hardware failure, loosing all the images from the wedding, bridzilla, getting in fight with a videographer, etc... Any crazy story that happened to you.<br>

Thank you!</p>