ellery_chua___singapore

You are over your head on this.

 

1. get a spare body, even a spare 18-55,

2 at least 5 more batteries - in digital no battery power mean no more pictures even if you have some more memory cards,

3 more memory cards roughly 5 to 10 gigs worth if you are doing raw make it at least 12 gigs, it ok to have more but if you out of cards then the shooting stops there. Borrow if you can.

4 you need to get hold of 2 flash - at least 16 to 32 batteries - what you describes seems to be a flash as main light for most of the day.

5. bring the battery charger there - at worse case if you only 2 batteries you could charge one while using the other - its a lousy way to work but it better than nothing.

6 think of using iso 400/800 and programe mode with direct flash - there is no time for you to learn how to finesse this gig. Use the 18-55 as the main lens even if it means you have to get close and personal ( keep at least 3 to 4 feet away from any subject or white out will occur).

7. the best way out is to bail out - tell the "friend" that you do not mind helping to take some pictures but not be the offical photographer for this since what you have is insuffiecent to do a proper job. Tell them that this could mean as bad as they get no pictures for the whole wedding. I think it important that you have that conversation immediately - this conversation after the wedding has a total different tone. I suspect that you will have probelms assemblying the equipment list without having to either pay a lot on rentals or out right purchases - personal esteem value is not worth that kind of expenditure when that cannot gurantee you can pull it off.

It depends on the contest - who runs it, who else in entering it. There is the PPA and the MPA ones as well but these are restricted to members only (these along with WPJA are professional organizations). PDN has one but I am not sure what are their requirements. Fuji and Kodak used to run their own too. I'd be a little careful about on line unknown or little known ones - some of them are serious money traps. Its not just about collecting pictures it also very much on getting you to part with your money.

 

Having said all of this do you think you have what it takes to deliver the quality of images to win ? I am not saying this to belittle you but just as a reminder that while we may like to think we are very good there are others who are very much better. Competing could be a tool to motivate personal level improvement.

Lovely work - it shows the love between them. Love the consistancy in the work. The choice of music to this was spot on.

 

Which software did you use to create this ? Where did you get the music from - love to hear this playing when I edit ...sets the mood.

Kurt

 

Appreciate it if you drop your tutorial by email. Thanks.

The 28-90 zoom would be all you need for basic cover IF you were using a flash. If its ambient (available) light - I'd start thinking about Fuji Press 800 rated at 600 for metering. Or if the film choice is cast in stone - bring the primes and be careful not to drop anything.

Kari

 

Sensual ? maybe but is more of a female version of the punch in the air - I got my man look. Okkkie I tried a few things on it - this may jarr on the eyes badly but I am trying to do whatever is necessary to bring life to this slice of time.<div></div>

Kari

Suggest you go with a higher viewpoint tripod mounted, with shutter drag and bounced fill flash with say 2 SB800's, probably an iso of 400/800. I am not so sure about the 17mm (effectively 25mm being able to cover the width) - my lookup on th dof calculator points to a 12mm (effectively an 18mm) as a good choice at f5.6 if you are about 9ft from front row. So if you get your hands on a 12-24mm zoom then get ready to use that.

Allison

The short answer is start looking for a new job. Has the studio owner ever look over the raw vs the finished ? Does he also shoot ; if so does he do it digitally ? If so how are his pictures vs the lead photographers, and how do the other photographers rate up against the lead.

 

There is nothing wrong inhereintly with shooting in Aperature priority mode or even P if you know why you are doing so and what the mode is doing. I used to be of the opinion that it was manual and nothing else but there is nothting like doing work professional to point out that it is being able to come back with the image that works that matters more than how you did it.

 

Long answer - why not pick out the dead files the ones that PS cannot save and ask the lead photog what she can do about those. Show her those that need PS to save vs those that are camera ready for printing. There is normally a difference in colors , saturation of ect - the ones that need extensive PS work to save are normally marginally acceptable pictures. Speak with them - lead photog and boss together and advise them that currently the amount of time need to post process could be too much and also tab out how many in camera good exposure, PS to acceptable exposure, and plain dead files in percentages are comming back. State clearly this is a for the business better good. If they are still not receptive then time to look for another place. One thing more you could do is suggest that the lead photog do a parellel run on post shooting processing - this would normally make a shooter aware of short commings.

 

But I think this is not a wise carrer move - the lead photog is gonna to take this personally. So I really think out this if I was you.

Last time I was at his site - he has converted and loves digital. Grin in order to stay relevant to his teaching market he has to know the tools the work with.

 

I think if your skills and knowledge base is not strong - go for the workshop. The convention is always more of a series of tasters, Monty could be close to a meal by itself.

Matthew

 

How shall I put this ? You saw the guy's porfolio, I assume you spoke with him and communicated what type of photography you want do - or did you say do what ever you think is good; I am cool with it. I get very worried when clients tell me this.... if they are conservative and I decide to be hippy then I am fragged, if they are hip and I go square ultra traditional then I am stone dead.

 

If you did spec the job and it was based on samples shown - and the samples look nothing like the files you got then you really need to speak to your photographer. Please talk to him. Some thing is not right in this case. Comming to us is like asking a second opinion with no notes on the case - we can not advise anything that matters.

 

Different people will shot differently - even the same person may not shoot in the same format always - but the point is always to have a product that can be printed and accepted by the client - we are not engaged to do personal art production - at least not the type where the client seems to be unaware to what he will be getting and will have issues with. This is called being able to hand over the work which is some time a skill more important than closing.

Lisa,

 

It's a hard lesson but this is why there is this stress on learning about how your equipment works on your own time and not a working gig. That's also why a flash is needed despite what ever people tell you about flash being not photojournalistic - if they did treat as as silly talk after all if Dennis Reggie aka father of photojournalistic wedding uses a combination of ambient only and ambient with flash should tell you something.

 

Was the main shoot a working pro. Funny most working pro's who are experienced enough will check with you are shooiting with and how you are going to do it. They may also suggest some guide lines on how to go about it - it's their show so if you mess up it them that mess up to.

 

As suggested go thru to lot, edit out the total blurs ect ignore the grain issue for the time being. Grain is not the only thing of importance in a picture nor is total tack sharpness sometimes when the Gods of Photography smile on you the mood, feel and look is strong enough to make the picture work despite the technical flaws.

 

Consult your main shoot about this show him the whole lot.

 

Oh yeah do not get itchy finger and start deleting file left and right just yet.

Hmmm sounds fishy its been a day and there are no replies to questions. I am given to think this is a hoax. Also note that Tim Smith has just joined us just to post this.

 

Not to sound callous and uncaring but if you ask for help and people ask you for information so they can "help" and there is no answer then its obviously not important enough to the asker, so why should we bother ?

 

As they say we been had.

Kate,

 

Unless the ambient is really bright unlikely unless its a gazabo on a nice bright day with some nice wall bouncing in light to give you nice soft but bright lighting - you will need to use flash. To aviod the flashed look you need to finesse the use of the flash(s) - direct is simple but give you terrible lighting but you know that. Something in the way of bounced light ala difusion dome of the SB8800 and a reasonable ceiling, or what ever flash modifier you have on hand would give you reasonable light to work with. The shutter speed should not be too slow either - there is so much that a flash can do to stop motion nor should it be too fash - the frozen moment look unless you planned for this to have an effect. My guess is from 1/30 to 1/200 would be a safe range for iso 400.

 

Dig up a picture I did on this on 31/12/2005 when I get back to home base.

Lisa,

There comes a time when you need to ask the honest question can you do it ? Only you can answer that - but based on the physical end of the biz you are ok - get a spare flash. Practice at the church before the wedding, borrow another 3 to 5 mb of memory - I would not want to trust the wolverine for this first case situation, you should be ok to do it.

 

Actually my opinion is you are ready to do it, the gilding of the lilly can only happen during actual shoots. There is only so much learning by video, by practice as 2nd shooter can do for you. Being the person on the spot is different.

 

My own experience is I keep getting pushed to do more and in order to meet the demands I am force to grow. Nike has it right - just do it.

And grin oh yes from a galaxy far away, in a different time - "Trust in the Force" and "There is no try - there is only do or not"

I tried with a 1 million candle light power torch - I suspect that since it was a cheapie it was not so light efficient - a lot of light leak back thru the reflector. It a little dim without any color correction gel or difuser. I think it was some thing like 5.6 or 4 about 3.5 feet away at asa 400 - note also its a spot light so light fall off is noticeable but I take that as a feature. Hot spot with out difuser is a definite.

 

I would not want to use a color correction gel - I think that cuts of about 1 to 1.5 stops of light and when you working with dim it just gets dimmer.

 

Holding this and shooting may not be the easiest thing in the world for people with 2 arms.... there is a hot light for video 50w or 100w lamps which may work better. ymwv

Ryan

 

Does your in law know that you are not a professional wedding photographer ? Important point if you want them to still talk to you latter but disregard this if its a throw at getting them to never want to be in the same room as you.

 

Get another tripod or borrow one - a stable one mind you.

 

Use minimunm 400 asa Portra is good or Fuji Press 800 - rate these at 320 and 600 asa. Try not to push if you have to push use the 1600 Fuji Press and rate that at 1200.

 

Do you have a flash ? The no flash rule should only apply during the vows but once the wedding is done normally its ok to use flash. Use the 400 portra with the flash. Rate at 200 to 250 asa. Watch your minumum closest flash point religiously to avoid white out surprises.

 

Interiors I would not use the 645 extensively especially when there is a lot of fast actions. It takes time to load and unload MF rolls and its not a happy thing to find a roll being light fogged because there was a little hicky when doing the unload loading thing. Use the Nikon with the zoom - it will serve you better than the cannon with primes - IF you are using flash. For ambient work use the cannon with the primes - use at least 400 or 800 asa - leave the 100 and 200 at home. Well exposed neg have normal grain, this grain for portra 400 is very controlled and ok even for enlargements. Better a frame that has a decent image than a grainless frame of a blur.

 

I still feel its risky for you to do this - if you are asking these questions means you do not have the answers. Not having the answers means you also will lack some skills which only experience can teach you - it's not possible to do this in a few paragraphs.

 

Also try to find some one to help you keep an eye on the gear it looks you may wind up bring it all - not nice to find out after the day that there are people who will "collect" your unattended gear as their new items in their collection. It's a church so let's not tempt the weak willed.

David if you are 100% certain would you need to ask. If you are uncertain about it admit it. Whether to get the D200 as an upgrade camera is a decision each photographer has to make based on his business situation. No line has been crossed as the boundary is different for each person (from a business perspective not a hobbist). To be frank your tone is a little too brash.

 

I am sure there is a difference that can be seen in enlargements at 16x20 between a 6mp and a 10mp and a 12mp camera - it's all in how critical are the pair of eyes doing the review. of course we will ahhh advise the client a little differently should we be shooting with a 6mp.

Ok this is a little off topic but I need to do a slide show for around 600 to 700 pictures. Would Showit or Proshow Gold be able to run ? The other software I got maxs out a about 200 to 300 pictures so I would need to to 2 to 3 slide shows and hopefully merge them into 1 show. Which would be better - not for on line viewing but view on computer or dvd player & TV screen

Corri

 

depends on what you mean fixxed - it could be camouflaged into shape but for a enlargement you need to look at your orginal file. As a straight shot, it lack life and drama.<div></div>

Oppss typo it should read 18-70 kit lens for the d70.

 

I assume you are working with flash especially if for the indoor segment - have yet to find a venue designed for a phototgrapher to work with ambient light with out being color casted to death. The slower lens work with some light from flash.

Andrea

 

You could use both lens if you can manage the weight and the changing of lens without droping something. My suggestion given that with the 1.5x factor your 24mm is now looking all lot a 36mm mean you have no wide angles... if buget premits perhaps a 18-50 kit lens for the D70 would be a good replacment.

 

24-120 - would not consider this range since it has no effective focal lengths wider than 36mm - a 18-200 may be a better alternative for DSlrs users trying to work on a one lens solution.

 

You can work with just the 24-85 or a 18-70 with no real issues. Or you could work with 2 bodies and different focal lengths on each body. There are no right or wrongs methods.

 

Bring plenty of batteries for flash and camera as well as cf cards.

Remember to factor in for the 6 hours of travelling on top of any over night stay that happens. My guess is prbably 30 to 50% of your hourly rate or call it one half day rate. Shooting the 5 plus one large group would take abt half a day to 3/4 day unless they all can be prompt - experience has shown this to the variance rather than norm.

Garry

 

I noticed the missing lake part after the quickie went up. Guilty - was tired and short cut thru the whole process ie a quickie.

 

Agree that to do it properly will take time per picture, that's why I suggested telling client about issue if it is not already known and offering to do touch up for the selected from proofs. My guess is that Kevin most probably would have may 3 to 10 pictures to do.... not likely to be the 100's.

 

Yes agreed that in the best approach way this should not happen but Murphy's prevails and we have to deliver images acceptable to client - so there needs to be touch up when we cannot get it right in camera for what ever the reason for not getting it right.

Steffi

Nice call on the color of the water looks more natural than Kevin's customer's request for blue lake water. Better than my first reaction call for blue green. Good work on recovering the gown detail.

 

Grin your endurance factor may be higher than mine - did the quickie at 2++am out here after a full day coverage in between the first wave edit for the day.Got to sleep at 3.50am knowing that the shot done are ok ie only need to discard dead ones and maybe adjust a few problem child.

Kevin

 

You've got a nasty one on your hands. If the client was told about the color of the lake during the shoot and agree to live with the color - leaving it as muddy lake would be a breeze. If they were not told about it and are expecting a nice blue green lake - then you may have to DI each and every selected shoot - ie not every shoot in the proof but the ones they pick out.

 

It could be done. Color balance to adjust for the greens, the magic wand the water and color balance it your choice of water blue green.

Attached a qucikie I did as proof of concept. I image a better DI'er could make this better - I could not without more work do anything to kill off the excess pink in the skin tones.<div></div>