booray

<p>I stopped following the forum a while back, mostly because I didn't feel I had anything to contribute. Every time I read a post that I wanted to reply to.... I would discover that Nadine had already replied and said exactly what I wanted to say, only better. </p>

<p>Her ability and talent were only matched by her willingness to help others better themselves. She will be greatly missed.</p>

<p>The best trick for shooting in a low-light church is to focus on something stationary, like the flowers at the end of a pew... lock focus and then wait for the couple to step in-line with the flowers. Since you have already locked focus, the shot will be instant and they won't be able to step out of focus.</p>

<p>Full time weddings</p>

<p>I just want to point out that processional shots rarely make it into the album with my brides except for two that always do: The bride walking with her father (full frontal) and the grooms face when he first sees the bride. The shots of the wedding party that DO always get picked for the album are the reception entrance shots with everyone acting crazy.</p>

<p>William has written two great posts... tons of valuable info there. I'll toss in a few additions that might come in handy.</p>

<p>With outdoor weddings, I tend to shoot in Tv mode. Set your shutter speed at a reasonable speed (1/200..) and go to town. Typically, I am using exposure compensation of +1 but that's because I'm at the beach and the camera tries to render all the sand to neutral gray. Sure, I blow out the sky sometimes but that's the price you pay for white sand.</p>

<p>Posing people for outdoor portraits is easy but so often screwed up. If you have bright sun, put it behind the subjects at a 45 degree angle. You want the sun to act as a kicker light. Then, use evaluative metering and focus with the center-point on the brides face, re-compose and shoot. Check the LCD and dial up the flash compensation if needed (the brighter the day, the more you will need). Shoot again until it's right, then you are ready to rock. If you have the time and inclination to use OCL, set it up opposite the sun. If you are on the beach and it's bright you have to choose between letting the sky go white and letting the sand go grey. In a non-beach setting it's not a big deal since dark green grass is still okay. </p>

 

<p>I shoot 60-80 beach weddings a year so I'm always in a situation where I can't set down my gear.<br>

I carry everything in a Naneu Pro bag. Two cameras, 3 lenses, 3 flashes, spider holster, modifiers, remotes, hoodman, cards in a pelican wallet, batteries, and various other doo-dads and doo-hickeys.<br>

I also carry an Boda Bag on a belt (empty). <br>

When shooting an event I leave the Boda behind and go back to my bag if I want to swap lenses. When on the beach or shooting an engagement, etc, the Naneu stays in the truck and I strap on the Boda with a second lens, extra batteries,etc. The Hoodman is on a zip cord attached to my spider belt so I can grab it easily and then just let it go. I wear nothing around my neck or on my shoulders.</p>

<p>The IR assist on the flash is essential for focusing in a dark room. That's why the flash needs to be on your camera. Not sure if it works the same on a cord since the flash is not necessarily the same distance from the subject as the camera. Perhaps someone else knows more about this?</p>

<p>I only use FE lock in a model-type situation where I can explain not to move after the pre-flash.</p>

<p>I bounce at all times with no modifier on the camera unless the walls and ceiling are black. If that's the case, I use a bounce card to throw light forward and bounce straight up. It's flat light but I rarely find myself in a location with all black walls.</p>

<p>Drats! Busted! Caught using black-market techniques to increase my chances of booking a fellow photographer's wedding who lives in Tampa, likes my work and doesn't have any friends who are photographers! LOL</p>

<p>I see your point, Yvonne, I just don't think that this is a very good example of the effective use of that sort of marketing. If this is a marketing attempt, I clearly suck at it. :)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The photographer who stole my images acknowledged the theft and has since removed the images.</p>

<p>I would very much like to here your theory on how a zenfolio account for a photographer in Alabama which does not link to me in any way can raise my google ranking. Or, how a posting on a forum for photographers attracts more clients to me. or increases my google status without my having posted a link to my website.</p>

<p>I can see how my posting resulted in increased traffic to the site of the person who stole my images but I don't see how it increases traffic to me, other than the occasional photographer who is curious.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Most of the time I have nothing to add to what Nadine says. She's very thorough and does a great job of explaining technique. There have been times when I have looked at a post by her and thought, "That's what I would have said except it would have taken me an hour to write it so clearly.." :)</p>

<p>Well, I didn't mean to type "buestions" so I was kidding about that. :)</p>

<p>I'm not kidding but I don't mean it in a negative way. You're just very good at giving detailed answers that are typically exactly what I would write so there's no need for me to repeat it. It's to the point now that I will read a question and I have something to add, I first look for your name. If I see it, I move on. I don't remember the last time I felt I had something to add after reading one of your replies. Good Job. :)</p>

<p>I stopped answering buestions a while back on the forum because Nadine always answers every question and she's never wrong. :)</p>

<p>As a rule, I try not to comment on other photographer's work because you open yourself up to being put under the microscope yourself and who needs that. :)</p>

<p>However, after looking at your website my first impression is that your style is all over the place. It looks like you open a picture in photoshop and try everything until you find something you like. I think, in the family portrait market, you need to have an identity so that the Mom's know what they are getting. In the family images gallery there are about 5 different style of post processing. Decide what you like and perfect it. You can still go in another direction on occasion just not in 10 directions.</p>

<p>Rather than lower your prices, you might just shoot for free. Take 10 free family sessions and give a free print. This will help you refine your style and fill your portfolio. Then, set your prices and go to work. :)</p>

<p>So, Bill, are you saying that I shouldn't be upset when a photographer takes my image, photoshops over my logo, and posts it on her website as an example of her work?</p>

<p>This thread isn't about a client posting something on facebook or whatever.</p>

<p>We are reaching the point where it is unreasonable for a photographer to not show his work in the #1 marketing venue on the planet (the internet) and we have reached the point where it is unrealistic to think that ordinary people know the rules regarding copyright. However, I still think it is reasonable to expect a fellow professional to not violate my copyright and represent my work as their own. Even people who have no clue about copyright law can see that is wrong.</p>

<p>I already did that and she has removed her entire wedding gallery.</p>

<p>For the record; She removed my logo but did not put her own on the image. </p>

<p>David - I would allow her more latitude if she hadn't photoshopped my logo off my image while at the same time putting a full-size watermark on her own images. She knows exactly what those marks are for, otherwise why mark her own images in such a way that no one can do to her what she did to me.</p>

 

<p>Here's what she wrote back to me:</p>

 

 

<p><em>These pictures are not for sale.. just a few of my favorite. Good work! Let me know if you see any others :)</em><br>

<em></em> <br>

<em></em>SERIOUSLY?!?!</p>

 

<p>I tried to direct link to the image here but the anti-spam won't let me.</p>

<p>Yea, I had to laugh when I saw her big watermark on her images. lol<br>

Here's the picture:</p>

<p><img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19286423/Engagement%20pictures%20Ybor%20Tampa%2016.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Just discovered one of my images on her website. Might want to check and make sure your's aren't there:</p>

<p>capturedbygodphotography slash zenfolio dot com (don't want her getting any links!)</p>

<p>Found it on her Facebook page as well</p>

<p>Vail - I'm curious as to how you decided on ISO 1000 for these shots?</p>

<p>After reading the "Bitterness" post from a few days ago, I decided to post a question for the few remaining readers.</p>

<p>A few years ago, there were multiple posts every day. Now, we'll go days without a post.</p>

<p>Why?</p>

<p>I have my own opinion but I want to hear from everyone else first...</p>

<p>It's a tool like every other technique you bring to the wedding. The choice you have to make is whether you define your style by this technique or just use it as "another club in the bag." It's very popular right now and a must for anyone who avoids flash as much as possible. </p>

<p>This shot was done with bounce flash and without. It only took a moment to realize that it would work better with all natural light so I shot the rest of the series that way.<br>

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19286423/st%20petersburg%20beach%20wedding%20photography%207.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Let me just point out that, with the mini-flex system you can control the flash power from the camera in TTL but not if the remote flash is set to manual. In that case it acts just like a dumb-fire remote. If the remote flash is set to manual, you have to adjust the flash power on the flash itself. If set to TTL, you can set the compensation from the camera -3 to +3... but you are at the mercy of the meter. :)</p>

<p>You can also control the on-camera flash and the off-camera flash with the on-camera flash acting as a master and setting ratios on that flash. However, you are still at the mercy of the ratios and the meter.</p>

<p>If they could figure out a way to let me set my off camera flash to manual and adjust the power from the camera I would be a happy camper...</p>

<p> </p>