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Category: Tips for Taking Wedding Photos

Photography Question 

Brenda D.
 

Photographing a Wedding - Camouflage


I will be shooting a wedding in November. I have done indoor and outdoor weddings before. But the bride has informed me that she will be wearing ALL camouflage! Anyway, the backdrop will be a wooded area. I am so afraid that with all the blending of colors, the couple will not stand out. Would a filter help? Thanks!


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June 21, 2007

 

Christopher A. Vedros
  I don't think a filter will help camo stand out from a wooded background.
- Your best bet is to keep a good bit of distance between subject and background, and use wide apertures to get shallow depth of field.
- Zoom in on faces as much and as often as you can.
- Ask them if they're really serious about this. ;-)

Good luck,
Chris A. Vedros
www.cavphotos.com


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June 21, 2007

 

Brenda D.
  Chris, hello, yes they are serious, her dress is being custom made as we speak, I will deffantly use wide apertures. maybe I could call CMT ask about the redneck weddings. (just kidding)hopefully alll the leaves will have turned brown and the camo will be the green kind, wonder if the bridesmaids will wear blaze orange???gotta love the hunters. thanks for your help


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June 21, 2007

 

Linda Buchanan
  Hi Brenda, I live in Arkansas, a big hunting state and I know of a bride and groom that did something similar. The bride did wear white, the groom wore a camo vest with his tux and the bridesmaids wore the hunter's orange. My husband is a minister and did a funeral earlier this year, and the casket spray was all leaves, pine cones, etc., created around a huge set of deer antlers.
I agree with pulling them away from the backdrop and shallow depth of field. I would also tell them in advance that this is going to be an issue. Good luck!


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June 21, 2007

 
- Carlton Ward

BetterPhoto Member
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  Neutral Density & Polarizeing filters will allow more color & contrast which will show more distinction between the camo & background but you will sacrifice a couple of f stops which would also mean slower shutter speeds and this would be a problem getting sharp images unless you push the ISO to 1600/3200 which is not preferable either. I use a circular polarizer quite a bit for forest/waterfall landscapes and it also works very well with controlling shadows & reflective incoming light through trees and off of water. But I too agree with Chris/Brenda with using space between them and the background and use fill flash. Do they have a portable generator ? If so you could bring lights to illuminate the background and the subjects to add contrast and detail. Good Luck Brenda.


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June 21, 2007

 

Brenda D.
  thanks to all of you for your help and advice. I am going to use every bit of it an I am also going to do a practice run with camo clothes against the woods to see what kind of distance and light I will need, and I will be writing everything down to be ready when the day gets here thanks again, when I need advice everyone steps up and offers thier experience and I for one really appreciate it :)


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June 22, 2007

 

Fritz Geil
  Hi Brenda,
You may want to try having an additional TTL flash unit. Have an assistant hold this to one side to create separation. This is the same technique as used when shooting a groom against a black background or a bride against white.


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June 26, 2007

 

Brenda D.
  Fritz, thank you for the advice :) i've kept a note book on my computer desk, taking notes of advice from eveyone here for this wedding. I've never had the oppertunity to do black on black or white on white shots yet, but when I do I will be back on here, LOL thanks again for everyones help. Brenda


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June 26, 2007

 
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