Comments on: Taking wedding pictures that stand out from the pack

By: vencanice nis

vencanice nis — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:31:38 +0000

Great idea!

By: Booray Perry

Booray Perry — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:12:49 +0000

Experience mostly. In a dark room at ISO 800 and flash at 1/8 power you will be in the 2.8-7.0 range with your f-stop…. usually. So, I start at 1/8 power and take a test shot, then adjust as needed.

I’m not sure about the TTL question. I don’t use TTL for the off-camera flash. The power must be changed at the unit but once you have the right power you rarely have to change it at all.

By: John

John — Sat, 22 May 2010 13:25:41 +0000

How do you know you need 1/8 or 1/4 power on the secondary flash ?. I assume you can change the power remotely ?. Why not just no TTL on it ?.

By: Booray Perry

Booray Perry — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:54:49 +0000

Lighting is actually about 1/8 of the equation!

I consult with my clients beforehand on important people that they want photographed. I also tell them not to be shy about grabbing me and saying, “Booray, go take a picture of them!”

By: R_Brown

R_Brown — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:57:55 +0000

How do you figure out which groups to take pictures of? I manage to pull of the artistic shots, but identifying the key groups can be a struggle when all of the guests are from out of town. Lighting seems to be only half the equation.

By: Booray Perry

Booray Perry — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:38:08 +0000

Well, if you are shooting in a room with black ceiling and black walls you are in a world of hurt. In a case where there is nothing to bounce off you just have to make do with the on-camera strobe unless the ceiling is very high, in which case you can run your off-camera strobe up high and point it down at the floor (with or without umbrella). It’s a judgement call I would make the day of the event. Using a second strobe in this way is just another tool, not always necessary.

By: RealComet

RealComet — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:38:08 +0000

Thankx booray, i really find your post helpful. i use nikon d80 with 18-70mm lens. im planning to get a fast lens say 50mm f1.8. i shoot mainly events, wedding especially. i use just my sb 800 speedlite alone bounced on the ceiling, and its great. the only problem i have with this technique is when the ceiling is very high and is painted a dull color like black that absorbs all the lightning. will using the extra speedlite as found in your post take care of this problem. thx in advance.

By: Seb

Seb — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:44:51 +0000

Well your picture is crisp and nice but no vibe at all…no mood just looks like two poeple dancing during the day in village hall to me…id f off yer flash and yer lights get a static 50mm lense @ 1.4 and take loads of shots

By: Tony Jenner

Tony Jenner — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:03:27 +0000

Well, nothing changes much among pros. In the middle 1960s we used much the same technique, but with cumbersome strobes and huge batteries, enough to power a small village. Two huge Metz flash guns connected to a Leica, via cables. Working out exposure was a pig. Still, the results were worth the effort – a well-lit room. A sense of depth. Warmth. However, as a newspaper photographer, not suitable for all jobs. Fall-back was the big Metz and bounce – off the forehead, if necessary, for a portrait.

Booray, that’s a nice shot at the wedding. I don’t go along with the idea of being creative with brides, that’s the groom’s job. However, it is incumbent upon the photographer to ask what she likes – how does she see herself? – and then do the job accordingly. After all, it’s her day. The photographer’s job is to record. For posterity. If the bride is pig-ugly – capture it. Warts and all.

I refuse weddings now. Prefer war zones. Good luck.

By: Vencanice

Vencanice — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:11:37 +0000

I think is a great idea…