chris_whitcomb1

<p>Here's a great <a href="http://trashthedress.com/">website</a> to see some fantastic and not so fantastic examples of TTD.</p>

<p>Mary, I would call these a day after or just a bridal shoot. Actually, from the 18 images posted (are there more grungy ones), they look like shots that could've been taken inbetween the ceremony and the reception. However, a TTD is in the eye of the beholder so if your "bride" was having fun trashing her dress and you were having fun capturing her trash her dress then nuff said. I like the blown highlights and the hue shift, more fashion artsy kind of look.</p>

<p>Now here's a <a href="http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2007/06/11/trash-the-dress-wedding-photos/">Trash The Dress</a> !</p>

<p>It just depends. And your question gives away your total lack of experience in all matters concerning weddings, I'm not trying to be harsh just matter of fact. My suggestion for you is to crash a wedding, this weekend, and that's only if you can't find a wedding photographer who will allow you to carry his lens cap for the day while you watch and learn. Every church has different rules even to the point of not being allowed in the sanctuary during the ceremony, period. Which means your shooting either through the back door with a 200mm lens or trying to capture what you can from windows, other door ways or even the baptismal. On the other end of the spectrum, you could be right on top of the couple with the officiant pausing during parts of the ceremony so you can get a good shot.</p>

<p>However, to give you a answer, the one lens I would take that would give me the range I might be able to get away with is the <a href="http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=295&sort=7&cat=27&page=1">EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM</a> .</p>

<p>Internet ordering: Adorama & B&H Photo are 2 safe sites.</p>

<p>I would get the D700 & the 85 1.4 if I could afford it or the D700 & the 85 1.8. The D700 is going to give you more depth to your images, almost 3D like, compared to the D300. Your "SB600" will be perfect for filling in those shadows either on camera or off using CLS. I would not forget that you'll need CF cards instead of the SD cards for your D40 & maybe an extra battery. An almost mandatory item for our work is the Lastolite Tri-grip 8in1 reflector set since they have a grip enabling us to have the camera in one have and the reflector in the other. This is JMO but if you get the D300 you'll always wish you had the D700.</p>

<p>Here's a link to <a href="http://www.parkerjphoto.com/pjddrv2/">Parkers sample video</a> ....I have his old set but after watching the new examples it looks like I'll be ordering some more.</p>

<p>Buy a really old camera with some really old film and there you go! ;)</p>

<p>Ok, I'm sorry. Check <a href="http://www.pjddr.com/index2.php">Parker Pfister's actions</a> for some really cool looking actions that also involve frames and textures.</p>

<p>Mark - I had a blast putting that together, like I could actually afford it, but it was fun dreaming and spending imaginary money.</p>

<p>Are you staying with Nikon or switching to Canon? I hear Nikon prices in NZ are outrageous compared to Canon. A budge limit would be nice as its not right to put together the "dream team setup" if you can't afford it, oh the temptation we all face when it comes to our gear. I'm sure there are a few little things I'm forgetting but my dream kit would consist of this:</p>

<p>-Nikon D700 w/ a remote release<br /> -Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR or Nikon 135 DC f2.8<br /> -Nikon 14-24 f2.8 or Nikon 20 f2.8<br /> -Nikon 50 1.4G<br /> -Nikon SB900's (at least 1 with a couple of SB800's if you can find them)<br /> -Strobist/OneLight kits: light stands, umbrellas, adapters, gels, soft boxes, a ton of rechargeable "AA" or Nikon/other brand battery packs.<br /> -Alien Bees Cybersyncs (yes, even over the Pocket Wizards)<br /> -Lastolite Tri Flips 8 in 1 reflector set<br /> -Tripod with ball head<br /> -Hoodman 8gb CF cards<br /> -4 Lexar firewire 400 CF card readers</p>

<p>Seth, if you rent those items be prepared to buy them. The difference between the D80 and the D300 is on a whole nother plane of existance. And then to top it off your pairing the D300 with 2 of Nikon's sharpest zooms....you'll be haunted in your sleep by the feel of the gear and the images you capture. I lasted about a week after I rented the D300 and a 80-200 2.8 before I couldn't stand it any longer, at least I purchased both refurbished and saved some money. Good luck my friend.</p>

<p>Bonus disk 3 (I think) of the "Strobist" DVD set goes over this very thing and he purposefully set up his lights so that the reflections off of the people wearing the glasses would bounce to camera right and not directly into the lens. Next he made sure the people wearing glasses were closest to the lights just for added insurance. I've always just put my light up high pointing down so the reflection would bounce under the camera but that didn't always work so now I'm setting up like Mr. Hobby and it works every time. Plus the group shots look a bit more dramatic now which my clients seem to respond better to as they are ordering more of them.</p>

<p>Steve - Here's an article written by Kirk Tuck for ProPhotoResource.com that I know you will appreciate. You'll have to register(free) to read the whole article but IMO well worth the time.</p>

<p>http://prophotoresource.com/index.php/Marketing-Techniques-to-Super-Charge-Your-Business.html</p>

<p>Exactly what kind of big room is this? Modern white with big windows, possibly the floor to ceiling type? Is the sunlight streaming in from a north facing window where the light is nice and soft or harsh coming in from a east or west window? Instead of using the 600's, is it possible to use reflectors to bounce the sunlight around to get the look you envision or maybe it would be easier to block out the sun and just use the strobes? Can you practice in this room before hand to get an idea of what your limitations are based on equipment?</p>

<p>Sounds like a pretty cool shoot, there's just a bunch of variables that need to be listed before we can really give an educated response.</p>

<p>I'll second the Scott Kelby books but also throw in Kelby Training Online for those of us who need to see/watch the action to learn (pun intended). I actually spent a year learning Photoshop just from the free videos on YouTube and was actually pretty good, then I bought some actions. Not a good move on my part as it made me lazy and my work started looking like "insert name of photographer here" based on the actions they created. Actions are not bad but if you don't know how and when to use them they will dominate your work and make your images look like everyones else's.</p>

<p>The focusing systems in the Canon 5DmkII and down are consumer grade compared to the 1D series. Nikon gives you the top of the line professional focusing system in the d300 and up. Nikon spends more money on making crappy kit lens' while Canon makes some of the fastest and sharpest glass in the world. Canon likes a sleek body with multi-purpose buttons for everything, Nikon puts buttons and switches right where you would expect to find them so you don't have to take your eye from the view finder to change a setting, i.e., the Auto Focus Mode switch. Nikon has CLS built in...Canon has nothing.</p>

<p>I have a D300 and while I feel its a well built camera and I love CLS, the lens selection is starting to push me towards Canon. My wife shoots a 30D and while I don't like its focusing system or noise, the images are sharp and I spend less time fixing skin tones with the Canon files. Neither system is perfect, however, either system is going to get the job done, which one you choose depends on which one you like in your hands better and which one fills your needs.</p>

<p>Talk to a lawyer! But my best guess is he has taken the steps to trademark his name as his brand. Try naming yourself Coca Cola Photography, Apple Studios, or Best Buy Weddings, etc., get my point. We've talked about getting our name protected nationwide but haven't....talked to a lawyer yet. Being famous really doesn't have much to do with it, if he's paid THE MAN, then he owns it.</p>

<p>Nadine - is the back of the church flash being bounced off the ceiling, shot through/reflected off an umbrella or did you use something like a Lightsphere? By chance did you use your new DIY dish on any of the shots?</p>

<p>Gregory C - I can't really say much to your 15 years of fighting the good fight but as for your last statements regarding letting the new, younger shoot 2000+ of everything that moves then photoshoping them all to death while posting their portfolio of "art" on the internet....I say, stay in the game a little longer. The winds of change are a blowing again and I think that if you could adopt a little bit of the more untraditional/lifestyle posing, using off camera flash not just to "even out the exposure" but to add a bit of drama to the image, and use your Hassy to do it; you sir would've just created a very niche market that is just to explode. More and more photographers who desire to differentiate themselves are bringing some things back, like film, like medium format (digital and film), like traditional poses but done in a more fashionable style, etc. Everything has cycles and I am starting to see a renaissance of sorts with high end wedding photography shot more akin to fashion than the "new traditional" of candid. Just one of the many indicators of this is the price and the number of bidders of used medium format on ebay going up and up. As Mr. Timberlake said...."Bringing high-quality-knowledge-laden-fashionable-supper-sexy wedding photography back" well, not really but I'm sure he meant to say that.</p>

<p>You might be able to get these guys to do almost all of them for free to very little money.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.photographersedit.com/">Photographers Edit</a></p>

<p>If you want to buy a DVD on flash/lighting then you can't go wrong with David Hobby's ""Strobist" set or Zack Arias "OneLight". I own both, love both and can't recommend one over the other as they are both really good with teaching you the basics of flash photography. David Ziser is another great flash photography expert and is most certainly worth the $59 to go see when his "Digital Wake-Up" Tour come anywhere close to you.</p>

<p>I have a very hard time learning from reading something, even when great images and fantastic diagrams are included so I understand the need to "see" how someone does something. I have a Photovision subscription and will keep renewing it until Ed Pierce decides to call it quits, but for learning flash techniques I would go with something else. If you want to watch some of the greatest photographers shoot a wedding, pick'em all up while they are 50% off.</p>

<p>Oh I almost forgot Kelby Training Online....he has Ziser doing wedding lighting and Joe McNally just being his totally awesome fantastic self doing things with speedlights that most can't even begin to believe.</p>

<p>Alan - Check out Zack Arias' OneLight DVD set.</p>

<p>Mr. Marc Williams - Thank you so much for your input into this discussion. The information presented by you would and should qualify for Marketing 101 college credit, maybe not that far but your words of wisdom are greatly appreciated. I don't know if you already do this but we photographers need what you have and I bet that a few of us would be more than willing to attend a workshop on how to market ourselves better. Just a thought.</p>

<p>Here's the article that Neil referenced:</p>

 

<h3 ><a href="http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003793731">Brides Speak Their Minds About Photographers' Web Sites</a></h3>

<p>Here's a video of Jerry using this light for a boudoir shoot in Italy. WARNING: She is in her underwear so view at your discretion.</p>

<p>https://www.theicesociety.com/?module=blog&page=46&category=7</p>

<p>Yervant and Jerry Ghionis use use this light a lot to help them get their high fashion look. We've been using a giant flood light for some of our work but will be getting this light sometime this season. Here's the most recent planetneil.com blog post using this video light:</p>

<p>http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/2009/04/06/video-light-boudoir/</p>

<p>Steve - Spend the next 55 min's <a href="http://media.showitfast.com/fts/USER_PLAY-87309.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_content=618577414&utm_campaign=FTS+Jasmine+_+hrkuul&utm_term=her+presenation">watching this</a> , it will help you to undertand your desired target market a bit better and introduce you to the theory of branding.</p>

<p>When your done, check out these photographers website's: Mike Colon, Denis Reggie, Joe Bussink, and David Jay. These are all photographers who are, at this moment, catering to your desired target market, earning well into the 5 figure range per wedding.</p>