 Tracey Burroughs |
Wedding Photography and Developing I'm an amateur trying to learn the ropes by reading and lots of trial and error. A friend is on a tight budget and has asked me to shoot her wedding (this will be my first - yikes!) She would like a lot of the pictures to be B&W photojournalistic style. I haven't done much of that. Any words of wisdom or tips I should know?? Also are there any professional developing labs that you recommend? Is there a big difference between developing through one of them as opposed to my local photo shop? I'm sure there is, I just want to hear your comments. Thank you!
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
Give us more info. What kind of equipment (specifically lenses) do you have? Is the wedding indoors or out? What part of the coutry are you in (someone may know a good lab close to you)? Feel free to email me privately if you like @ imagesbyjk@aol.com and check out my website at www.imagesbyjeffkennedy.com .
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Tracey Burroughs |
Sorry, I should have given more detail (remember, I'm an amateur!). I currently have a Canon EOS 2000. I have a 50mm lense, 80-200mm and the 35-80mm that came with the camera. The wedding will be indoors and I just found out I won't be the only one taking their pictures - whew. But I do want to do the best job I can. Any tips would be greatly appreciated or any recommendations for lenses or filters I should get would be great. I live in NJ so if anyone can recommend a good lab, please let me know. Thank you for your time!
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Andy |
http://www.zuga.net/freelessons/portrait.shtml Look under Monte Zucker, one of the famous portrait and wedding photographers, and you will find lots of articles about lighting, posing and other techniques about general portrait and weddings. Try to use some profession films like Kodak Portra 400 NC or Portra 400 VC and develop using Kodak's Premium Processing (stores advertised they use Kodak paper do not necessarily use Kodak processing). I live in NJ too and I go to ShopRite to drop off my film because I have a choice for Kodak processing or ShopRite processing. I always choose Kodak Processing (they actually send the film to Kodak for processing) and it's about double the price. But it's worth it. I still haven't found any 'lab' close to where I live yet. Hope this helps.
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
If they're looking for photojournalistic style shots you should probably be thinking black & white. If you have a flash get a bounce attachment for it and practice with it so you know what you're doing. If you want (and can) to shoot with natural light I suggest high speed films like Kodak P3200 or Ilford Delta 3200. Ideally I like to rate them at ISO1600. If you are going for the natural light approach I would stick with the 50mm lens as it is probably your fastest (not to mention sharpest). I wouldn't worry about filters. Keep it as simple as possible. Zuga.net may or may not be valuable to you. Monte is more of a traditional shooter as opposed to photojournalistic. Check out websites of photographers for ideas. Check out mine and feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you want suggestions for other sites. As far as labs there must be an A&I lab somewhere back there. The only thing to consider with a pro lab is they may require that you set up an account or do a certain amount of business with them a year. Of course if this is the only time you use them they don't need to know that. A good way to find a lab is to contact studios in your area and ask who they use.
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John A. Lind |
Tracey, See my "wedding survival guide" written with your situation in mind: http://johnlind.tripod.com/wedding/ Even with weddings that include formal portraiture, the photojournalistic aspect is normally the majority of frames shot at a wedding. If formal portraits (also called "altar returns") are not desired I try to shoot more frames during the ceremony. You may or may not be able to use a flash during most of the ceremony. If not, you will need to plan for using very fast film to cover that portion using existing light. I've used Fuji Press 1600 quite successfully. A pro lab can make B&W prints from color negatives. Alternatives for true B&W negatives are TMax P3200 and Ilford Delta 3200. I've also used these at EI 1600. Both of them multi-speed films must be push processed if used at film speeds higher than their nominal ISO 800 rating. This can only be done by a pro lab and there is a nominal surcharge for doing the push processing. For shots with flash, Kodak's ISO 125 Plus-X Pan and ISO 400 Tri-X Pan are both "classic" B&W films which may fit the type of B&W look your friend wants. Both have been used for photojournalism and editorial work for decades. I recommend against using a consumer lab for wedding photographs if you are *the* photographer. Aside from more consistent developing and especially printing, a decent full-service pro lab is also much more reliable at not losing film or screwing up the developing. Wedding photos are not something you can go back and shoot over again if something happens to the film (prints can be reprinted as long as the negatives are OK). The biggest pitfalls for non-professionals roped into shooting a wedding: You *can* have fun doing it if you coordinate with your friend, adequately plan what you will do, and practice some as needed for the types of photographs you will be shooting. -- John
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Tracey Burroughs |
Thanks for all your time and input! Wish me luck! ;-)
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Gregg Vieregge |
Words of advice from someone who has done this 27 years. Get a list from the mothers on must get shots. Usually the bride, groom, together, bridal party, families, etc.. Pose them and shhot in color and take at least 6 shots of each pose to make sure the eyes are open. Once your basis are covered, you can switch to B&W. Get your film at Target. 400 ASA as the Bride want budget quality and she won't know any difference. Photojounalism means take a million shot not having the subject looking the camera. Of 700 frames, she might like 100. Shoot your Color must get shots with Portra 160NC. A good one hour lab that has a image monitor will develop your film well. For the best flesh tones on color use a pro lab. Have the one hour lab develop your BW using c41 film on color paper. It will save alot of $ vs custom BW developing. Be prepare for a nightmare as friends will beat you to death as they don't recognize you as a pro and will give you no respect. A lesson learned but we have all done it this way to get our feet wet. Good Luck!
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Tyrone Walter |
Just for inspiration: check out Bambi Cantrells book called, The Art of wedding photography. It's new and full of black and white photos. She does the weddings of many stars. She even gives the info about how she set her camera for each photo. She also uses Canon as well. Buy it if you want but just skimming through it will give you a great understanding of what type of pictures she is looking for. Check her website also, cantrellportrait.com. Also, one of my favorite sites in the world is profotos.com. These are masters of photograpy. Check out the wedding section of the photo galleries. It is inspiring.
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Debra Weisheit |
I shoot weddings for a living (about 45 per year) with some Bar/bat Mitzvah's and portraits added in too. I suggest that you read Bambi Cantrell's book inside and out. I think she is incredible! Also, check out www.hansonfong.com he's also very incredible and shoots the photojournalistic style too. I try to shoot like they do, but NEVER forget that every bridal couple is different and they are above all unique individuals. My biggest advise to you is to TALK TO THE COUPLE!!! Ask them what they want, ask them what's MOST important to them about their wedding day, ask them to SHOW you pictures from their millions of bridal magazines that really knock their socks off. Those things are what will make 100% difference in your shooting and ability to make the couple happy with your pictures. It will also be what sets you apart from A LOT of other photographers, most of whom couldn't care less what the couple really wants, they just are going to go in "shoot it their way". Technically, I use Kodaks Porta 160VC for both indoor and outdoor situations, and shoot with Portra 400BW for all of the black & white shots. I have a Canon EOS 3, and a Canon 24-70mm, 2.8, L-series lens, which allows me to focus in darker situations without problems. I don't use the 400 speed color film because it does produce grain in low light situations and grain is not acceptable for me. The 160 speed film does an absolutely beautiful job! Please feel free to email me if you have questions, I'd be more than happy to help you out and walk you through anything you're uncomfortable with. My website is www.weisheitphotography.com and if you take the like to "online ordering" at the bottom of the pages, you can go to my storefront and look through hundreds of my wedding photos. Practice, remain confident, and above all, HAVE FUN! Wedding photography can be terrific and extremely rewarding!
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Kathy Harris |
Hi Tracey, I am in New Jersey (northwest) and feel free to contact me. As to the developing and printing of the film you can probably find a good camera shop to work with - and I find that a matte finish is more desirable. For B&W you can use a CN film - black and white photos processed the same as color prints. You will spend an arm and a leg getting black and white processing and printing. The CN film is the same price as color processing. Also for flash - you should get and use a bracket - you will have much better results. You can look at my website - www.kathysgallery.com for ideas and feel free to contact me. Good luck
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