Angela K. Wittmer |
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I just did my first wedding (outside) and I used Kodak Portra 400 VC. It worked very well and I was pleased with the results. I think the VC gives the photos a little more "snap" color-wise with great skin tones too. I took pictures inside for the reception with just my fill flash on my Canon EOS 700 and in my situation it was fine. Only problem I had was they set the cake up near a window and a lot of light was coming in. I tried to shoot away from the window with pretty good results. I have a UV filter on my lenses all of the time to prevent scratching. Also ... If possible, take some of the shots BEFORE the wedding. I had to do all of the pics after the ceremony and before the reception. I didn't feel I had enough time to do the shots I wanted to and I had a lot of people snapping photos behind me while I was taking shots. Of course, they were anxious to get to the reception too, so if possible, do some of the shots before the wedding ceremony. The next one I do will be that way if at all possible. Any of the Portra line of film is great... I would not be scared of the 160 speed either ... just use VC vs NC ... Good luck & relax & have fun! Angie
June 24, 2004
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John A. Lind |
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Chad, See the section of my Web site that was created for your situation. There's information about film, flash, and more important, the planning you need to do! http://johnlind.tripod.com/wedding/ To be very clear about its purpose, it's a "survival guide" for the non-professional that's pressed into service. All the photos there were done using the type of equipment and films described. It's not intended for starting a business to shoot them professionally. That requires, among a few other specialized things, considerably more lighting equipment. A few tips:
1. If you haven't shot candids much, timing is everything - anticipating so you can be there and ready in a position with good perspective to compose it BEFORE it happens - and exact timing of the shutter when it happens to capture the "decisive moment" that tells the story well. It's a skill that's developed by doing. Reading about it will help, but that alone won't get you there. Your finger has to press the shutter a small fraction of a second just before it happens, and your brain has to tell the finger to move a small fraction of a second before that. If you don't have some experience with candids in general, do some practice. Kids playing and local action sports can help with perfecting shutter timing. 2. With posed portraiture, attention to detail is extremely important. Clothing that's out of place, hand and arm positioning, tips of fingers showing when a person has their arm around someone, prominent poles or candles growing out of the top of someone's head, distracting background objects, etc., while not as glaring when you're looking at it making the photo, can be glaring in the print. The human brain is marvelous at ignoring these things when you're there in person, but completely fails at helping to ignore it when looking at the photograph later. 3. Plan thoroughly! Don't underestimate what you will need in film and batteries (there's stuff on my site about that). Also think about how you will choreograph your movements during the ceremony. Much of that cannot be done in advance, other than asking if they're planning on doing anything unusual or special during the ceremony. It's something to think about and plan at the rehearsal, which I very strongly recommend you attend. 4. If you decide you must buy some new equipment for this event (and hopefully it's something you will use for other things afterward), practice with it first! It's one of my prime rules ... to never, ever use something new at a critical shoot like a wedding without first playing with it to ensure I know how to use it, that I'm familiar with all its controls, and have tested it to ensure it reliably produces the desired results every time. This has saved my bacon more than once (oooh, that doesn't quite fit together right, or ... it doesn't work quite as I expected it to)! 5. Above all, keep it simple with body, lens, flash and film. Experienced professionals often use multiple camera bodies, lenses, lighting and films. Changeover among them is done carefully at specific times. Their experience has taught them when best to do it and allows them to cope with it without making mistakes. In other words, they're not having to think as much about basic things, can pay attention to it more, and have devised little error-proofing techniques in how they go about it (habit at doing it many times correctly is very powerful too). For the inexperienced who must consciously pay attention to more things going on around them, it can become a mental overload that leads to mistakes ... usually forgetting to do something important during a changeover in equipment. You can do it. Thorough planning, preparation and not doing anything unduly complicated with your equipment is the secret.
June 27, 2004
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