Using off-camera flash seems like something difficult to do. It isn’t. Once you get over the mental hurdles involved, it is really quite simple. To illustrate, I have an image that I really like that I took this last fall.
This image was really simple to create. I took the couple out of the reception at sunset. Then I set camera to the setting I wanted to expose the background. When doing this, I usually underexpose the background by about 1 stop to create the deeper, richer colors. So the ambient exposure that I set was 1/250, f8 at ISO 400 on my 30D. Next, I decided I wanted the light to hit the couple from the left. Then, I set up flash, which was an Nikon SB-25 on a small lightstand fired directly at them. The flash was set to about 1/4 (might have been 1/8) to properly expose the couple to “normal” density of the skin tones. Finally, I put the groom where I wanted them and told the bride to go get him. Pretty simple! You can see more of my most recent work on my blog.
Here is a series that Tommy shot last summer.
This is difficult to choose a single image. Out of all of the images that I shot last year, there is a “sequence” of images that I feel truly captivates the very essence of what we do as wedding photographers. Although important, wedding photography isn’t always about perfect lighting and artistic processing. To me, capturing a true moment is the most rewarding thing a wedding photographer can ever accomplish.
The following sequence was one of the most touching moments that I’ve ever captured. The brides mom was putting a bracelet on her that used to belong to grandma, grandma passed away, and mom was telling her how proud grandma was of her. I had to wipe away my own tears after taking the shots. To me, this is exactly what wedding photography is all about.
Friday, February 1 is the deadline for the contest! Get your entries in now!
Also, thank you to Big Folio for sending copies of “Rank Higher: Flash website optimization for professional photographers” DVD’s for our second and third place photographers! These DVD’s walk you through getting your website ranked higher on all the major search engines.
One of my favorite photographers, The Image is Found, is having a workshop!
My favorite lab, ProDPI, is currently offering 1/2 off prints 11×14 and larger printed on Fuji Pearl (Fuji’s answer to Kodak Metallic). It’s only good Thursday and Friday this week (1/10 & 1/11). How cool is that?
Maurice is a fantastic photographer in Seattle. He photographs weddings and fashion in addition to being a Seahawk team photographer. He has also agreed to help judge our contest! Here is an image that he liked from this last year and his reasons for it. We will be doing a series of these with an image from each of the judges.
“This is one of my favorite pictures from this past year. I love it because of the great foreground, subject, and background. Whenever I shoot something or someone, I always look for great elements to put in front of, as well as behind the subject to help tell the story and add interest. Standing in front of the car, would have been a great shot of the bride and groom, but would have missed the 19 people in the background that all have such great expressions on their faces. In order to get this angle, I had to go out in the middle of the street (carefully) and shoot back at everyone else. I was also sure to include at least the door handle of the car, which many people will recognize is a Mini-Cooper, adding an extra little bit of pizazz to the scene.”
Here are two more to add to our list of Judges. Jim Garner and Tommy Tompkins.
I have lined up a really cool prize for this contest. We will be giving away a RedCart system. This is a brand new flash-based, full-featured cart system valued at around $1000! The even cooler thing is that it is not even out yet! It will be on display at the Digital Wedding Forum convention this coming week and will be released in February.
Now on to the contest. It will be simple to enter. Email me up to two images from weddings or engagement sessions before January 31, 2008. Each image must be 1000 pixels on the long side and without watermarking. There are no limits on how the image was taken or processed. Please name your images with your initials and the number 1 or 2 (CP-1.jpg, and CP-2.jpg would be my entries). Each entry must also have a short paragraph about how you created it. Each of the top 10 images will be posted with links to your site, your explanation of how it was created and a great deal of applause in your general direction.
The illustrious judges: me (Cory Parris), Maurice Lebreque, Sean Flanigan, and Joe Hein.
I’ve edited this to add that the RedCart is only available in the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain and Dominican Republic. Therefore, you can only win the cart if you live in one of those countries.
