I never got serious about photography before the digital revolution. Sure, I developed prints in smelly chemicals at school and enjoyed the unpredictability of the prints but being at school I didn't have the personal resources to get truly involved. From what I understand part of the beauty of film was the quality of the resulting image. More recently people with a greater technical knowledge than I are saying that we are coming close in the digital world to what we had with film.

Walking through Bristol yesterday I saw a local photo company advertising their work in the local Sainsburys. There were some beautiful pieces of art, all printed at A3 and mounted on the wall. They truly were eye catching and I stopped for a look.

One of my favourites was an 18 year old girl walking her dog in a studio scene. It really stood out to me, the colours were great, she looked at the camera like a model and her clothes were classically fashionable. It was an all round great image and almost any photographer would rightly put it in their portfolio.

However, it doesn't take much to spot the lack of detail in her face. I'm sure this was taken a few years ago and was probably taken with a camera with a lower pixel count than today's models. This was a real shame as the detail in her face will never be there and in my mind this REALLY let the photograph down. Sadly the grain/lack of detail was most evident in her face as her skin had been softened and someone had gone to work in photoshop to reduce the shadows under her eyes. This got me thinking about how important resolution is. I used to think the number of megapixels in the camera didn't really matter as long as it was over 8MP. In my mind many people were being duped by the manufacturers in to thinking they needed more in order to sell more cameras. After all, everyone knows you can make a good print out of a 8MP camera, right?

Well I'm certainly a believer in being able to make a good sized print out of an 8MP sensor (with a good lens), but since buying the Canon 5DMKII (for the ISO performance) my view has changed rapidly. The main reason I bought it was down the ISO performance. When photographing weddings, shooting in low light is always a problem. After shooting my first wedding I was not prepared to see the amount of detail in the resulting images. Details which weren't there before leapt out at me and the location shoots suddenly took on an extra beauty of their own.

Of course, resolution helps when you need to make a crop too, but it does have its down side. Certainly with the increase in the amount of smaller, compact pixels less light reaches them. This means you have to know the limits of your camera's ISO performance. Through some wizardry from Canon I feel happy shooting at ISO3200, although if I can shoot lower I will! Certainly with the crop sensor cameras the limits are a little lower but still pretty good these days.

This got me thinking about how important our art is to us. How much are we willing to spend to create 'quality' art and is it worth it? I have trouble justifying those £1K lenses and the £2K body but the personal satisfaction of getting the best possible image always excites me and wins over. I think this means a lot in the business of photography and the pride you put in your own work. Having said that the biggest most of the wedding prints are printed at is 8x10 and so a lot of detail goes unseen. That said, who knows what you will do with it in the future.

This isn't a suggestion that we all need to rush out and buy the camera body with the biggest megapixel count. But don't think that megapixels don't count.

Labels: Equipment, Gear, Thoughts, Wedding Photography

As part of my continuous self improvement as a wedding photographer I am trying to visit different locations in and around Bristol to get to know them. This is not only good to build on my photography skills but also to improve my local knowledge, meet new people from Bristol and find exciting locations for wedding and engagement sessions. I thought I would start posting some links to locations in Bristol that I have liked and recommend. Last weekend I visited Burwalls for a location shoot as part of the flickr Bristol strobist event. It's a fantastic location with beautiful grounds just over the Clifton suspension bridge, fortunately not far from where I live.

Inside there are some lovely rooms, including the dining room and some great spots for strobist photography, but also large windows for ambient light. Luckily the weather was pretty good, overcast for most of the day although with intervals of sun so I spent most of the day photographing outside. It's a traditional old style English country house with plenty of character and a beautiful view down to the Avon river and over the city.

I'll be posting some shots soon of a great shoot I had with a few models - some can be find on my flickr page and others from photographers on the Bristol Strobist Group.


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Labels: Wedding Photography Locations

Everyone starting out in the business always wants to know 'What is the best lens for wedding photography.' I was the same, and it's an important question to ask. For me the ultimate wedding lens is the 24-70 f/2.8. Whether it is the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L lens or the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 G ED it's the one you need to have in your bag.

Satisfied?

Let me explain my reasoning.

Firstly let me say that this lens is a safe choice because it is so flexible. There is no perfect lens for every wedding but if you are shooting with a kit lens and you're starting to do paid work consider upgrading to one of the above. If that's too much money then I have read good reviews about Sigma or other third party alternatives in the same range. But make sure it is a f/2.8 lens. I would also add that it is the best choice if you are shooting on full frame OR a crop sensor. This lens is a good all rounder and whilst it certainly can't do it all - it does enough. Being long enough for some nice portraits at a reasonable distance but also wide enough for group shots. Lastly the quality of the images in terms of sharpness, contrast and colour saturation is excellent.

Problems:
This lens will cap your creativity however and I obviously don't suggest you use it alone. You will need something longer to capture good portraits from the sidelines and also something wider for those extreme wide shots.

Plus points:
It will allow you to photograph all of the formals and plenty of other group shots and candids and if you are the main photographer then you will be sticking close to the bride and groom. This is where the 24-70 focal range comes in to play. I know we would all like to use primes but the flexibility of this zoom lens is very useful and as wedding photographers we need to be practical.

This wide aperture will also help for low light situations especially when hand held not to mention create an artistic depth of field. I have used this lens at Ashton Court in Bristol for a few weddings, it's an old hall and quite dark inside so the wide aperture is needed to let more light in but it also creates a really pleasing depth of field.

One point I would make is to scout out the location before hand. If it rains and you have to be inside then consider whether 24mm will be wide enough for large group shots? Maybe it will with full frame - but you may have to switch to a 16, 17 or 18mm lens for a crop sensor.

I would say that if you are more of a candid shooter then the 70-200 range will be a lot more useful, but there is no way you can do group shots with this. If you are the main photographer the 24-70mm range is probably the most useful for getting the 'must have' formal shots.

This lens is a multipurpose lens that will cover 90% of your needs. Obviously a good wide angle and telephoto are essential to spice things up with perspectives, angles and lens distortions. But for the safe shots the 24-70 holds its own.

I know this is a zoom lens, and if you wanted to know the best prime I would personally choose the 50mm on full frame.

Labels: Equipment, Gear, Wedding Photography

Living in Bristol, or the UK for that matter, unpredictable weather or just 'bad' weather is always to be considered. I suspect this is why most people schedule their wedding for the summer months, but all photographers must have a plan when it comes to poor weather. We all know that bright sunlight can be quite hard to work with, but what happens when you can't even step outside?

When you first meet for a couple for a wedding consultation always discuss their contingency plan regarding bad weather. It's not as if it doesn't rain here on earth from time to time. In most cases the contingency will be in the church or the reception under cover. However weddings can be outdoor events - or you may even want to embrace the weather for the feeling it can give to a photograph and the memory of the day.

Contingency
Check the weather forecast up to a week, every day until the day. This will help you plan in advance, including waterproofing to carry your gear in from your car to the wedding venue. Hopefully the venue will be nice enough for indoor photographs by using features such as the church alter, or if you are at the reception then use the buildings best features. This might be an old wooden staircase or a fireplace. If it doesn't have any good features then resort to your two best friends - window light and a plain wall with fresh flowers on either side of the group.

Protection
What happens if it is an outdoor event? The wedding venue is probably the best bet for finding shelter immediately after the ceremony. In honesty I think good local knowledge is essential here and one of the key reasons you should scout the location before the big day. If you have good knowledge of the local area you can find shelter in places such as picnic areas, underneath a porch or building overhang such as the church's entrance.

Gear
Again, this is perhaps another reason why a professional photographer needs professional gear. Basic weather sealing for your body and lenses means you don't have to be too concerned with some light rain or a few drops. Personally I'd be more worried about the bride's dress getting wet or people's hair do's than my gear because I know I am covered. I have seen other photographers use plastic bags with elastic bands around their camera. Whilst this is a legitimate way of protecting your gear I'm not 100% sure what it says for your image as a professional. Individual choice comes in to this but if you're shooting a wedding for £5,000 I'm not sure you can always get away with it. Even if you use a bag from John Lewis! When bad weather strikes I have my assistant hold the umbrella - that's all I'm saying...

If there is light rain and your clients are up for it then suggest shooting outside. I have managed this on one occasion and it worked well. Other times the weather was SO bad it couldn't have been an option but if I thought we could have got away with it I would have suggested it. One technical consideration is using flash in the rain. It can create specular highlights on raindrops in between you and the subject. You might want to do this for a few creative shots - but you probably won't want all of them to look like this.

Use it to your advantage
Now I don't want my clients to get absolutely soaked - unless they are up for it! But shooting in the rain can mean some really memorable, creative, fun photographs.

I would suggest buying some big umbrellas in preparation. Neutral colours work best as they don't distract but really it does come down to your style. Avoid logos at all costs and also be aware of any colour casts that might come from light shining through a coloured umbrella. Plastic see-through umbrellas may be another consideration for your funky brides... Again this is another opportunity to impress your clients with great service and creative thinking. When things don't go to plan I know you can really help make their day special in what might be quite a stressful situation. In some circumstances all you can do is embrace the rain and have fun.

You might be surprised at what you can create in such circumstances as thick clouds can be very atmospheric. Wet or poor weather isn't all that bad from a photographic perspective. Clouds add a lot of drama to a photo and I would prefer to have them in the picture than a plain boring blue sky. Recent rain can sparkle and make colours seem a bit more vibrant and certainly gives a very fresh feel. Bright sunlight just makes things looks washed out and flat.

One last tip is to try and calm the nerves of bride and groom. Having your one special day spoilt by gale force winds and torrential rain is awful, but a smile, joke and a laugh will ease the mood and the knowledge that you can produce good images inside or out should hopefully take some stress away - at least for them! Again, their feelings will probably come across in your photographs so it is very much your concern that they are looked after and treated as they should be!

Labels: Equipment, Gear, Guide, Techniques, Wedding Photography

A good wedding photographer must capture the natural beauty in people, details and the venue. A great way of improving your chances is to use props. A bouquet of flowers is one of the most obvious but you can also try a single flower, the mother of the brides' hat, a pair of elegant shoes, the wedding rings or a Champagne bottle... the list can go on.

One piece of advice is to make sure that any prop you use does not overpower the beauty of the bride. Remember it is your job to make sure she is the shining star in each and every shot.

Be sure to at east TRY a variety of poses that include full length, ¾ portraits and head and shoulders shots. Head and shoulders are my personal favourite. Shooting with a 21 megapixel camera, the detail in the images is simply beautiful and the quality of the prints always takes my breath away.

During any posing make sure the dress falls to form natural curves. This adds to the elegance and style you are trying to create. In the full shots make sure you don't cut off any part of the bride or dress. I would recommend you use space well in these shots and don't get in too close. This obviously comes down to personal style but experiment and you will see what I mean. Also ensure she places her weight on one foot. This tends to come across as being more flattering. Any props you want to include should be held in a natural way. I often find that if you can give people something to do with their hands they tend to look less awkward and more natural.

Look for flowing lines in your composition and make sure there are no hard angles. Again this really comes down to your style but for a more traditional look certainly think about this.

I know you will have heard or read this elsewhere but make sure you do not blow the highlights in the dress. The camera is easily fooled so make sure you chimp! Soft lighting is always best, so if you need to take her in to the shadows and use some fill flash bouncing off a reflector do. Window light is also another classic which nearly always works well. In any case make sure the light is soft and subtle.

As with anything practise is essential and the more practise you have of taking portraits of people the better you get. This means you worry less about the technical and concentrate more on your people skills and the composition. This is arguably what helps makes a great portrait.

Incidentally I found this website for people in Bristol. It has some great reviews of different venues in the South west. If you want to advertise your services you have to pay which is not so good - but there are other free websites to advertise your services. They just don't look as good!

Some say a wedding is like a big party and for others it is a spiritual occasion. Whatever view the view, the relatives, friends, bride and groom will be showing emotion and pictures showing this will be the best of the day. Pictures of people looking bored at a wedding won't go down well and you won't (I hope) of captured the spirit of the day. Emotion isn't always easy to capture but there are predictable points throughout the day when if you are in the right place it will help your chances of capturing the mother of the bride weeping a bit easier. Other opportunities arise when you get involved at a wedding because don't forget you are as much a part of the event as everyone else so remember this and try and get involved without imposing. Talking to people, telling jokes and generally being fun will help your subjects feel at ease and help make photo opportunities.

There are times when you need to stand at the side and wait for people to do something interesting. However if the 'energy' isn't there then make sure you move on and keep circulating. People always tell me how much effort I put in to my work and I think it energy and happiness catches. If you show people a good time you usually get it back in return. Being at a joyous occasion such as a wedding, people want to have fun and celebrate. This does make your life slightly easier but giving people a gentle nudge in the right direction will improve your chances. What I mean by this is sometimes you need a long lens so you can stand back and capture an event as it unfolds. On other occasions you need to get in close with the wide angle and 'help' the guests have fun.

Labels: Guide, Wedding Photography