Monthly Archives: September 2011

Wedding photography is 1/3 art, 1/3 science, 1/3 equipment

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Without all three you may not be getting the most out of your wedding photographer. This is my philosophy on wedding photography.

1/3 Art
The artistic part of wedding photography is the fun part. Many engaged couples choose their wedding photographer based on their artistic style. Having the intuition to know what looks good and what doesn’t is important; it’s called being creative. It can’t be taught, (very well at least) but can be learned. Learning to be creative means taking risks and failing most of the time (cliché, I know). You learn when and which way to tilt the camera, what to put in focus and what to make blurry, and what to include in the frame and what to crop out.

An artistic photographer understands composition and knows not always placing your subject in the middle of the frame is important. It is something all photographers know, but when it actually comes time to start shooting frames many photographers take the safe route and plop the subject, in focus, in the middle of their viewfinder and snap away. That’s a safe way to take photos, but it isn’t artistic.

An artistic photographer knows how to incorporate props into photo shoots and how to look at things from a different perspective. Again, you have to take risks if you want artistic shots. You may have to climb a ladder or lie on the ground to get that perfect sunset silhouette picture. I have a vision for many of photographs before the wedding even happens, but many shots I discover along the way.

1/3 Science
Being artistic can be difficult if you don’t know how to use your tools. The “scientific” part of this equation consists of knowing your equipment really, really, well. A good photographer understands f-stops, shutter speeds, ISO numbers, RAW file formats, exposure compensation, continuous frame shooting, and many other terms and techniques. You can take artistic photos without knowing your camera equipment, but can you replicate them a week later? Probably not if you are using your camera in Auto mode.

1/3 Equipment
You can have the artistic vision and understand you camera really well but if it is a point-and-shoot you’re not going to reach your full potential. Good equipment is expensive, but sometimes it is the only way to achieve the necessary results. Dark churches that ban flash photography during the ceremony present a serious problem if you don’t have equipment that can handle the situation. Fast lenses, noise-reducing camera bodies, and image stabilization technology help you get the sharp, clear photos in tough situations. They also give the photographer flexibility in how a shot is taken. With a point-and-shoot camera you can only shoot the scene one way; you point and shoot. With DSLR cameras, an assortment of lenses, and wireless flashes you have countless options.

Cameras, lenses, and flashes are the obvious equipment for this part of the equation, but I’m also sticking computer and software into the mix. I use a iMac computer along with the Adobe Creative Suite 5 to edit photos. I have developed a workflow that pushes my computer equipment to its limits. The faster I can retouch photos equals less time I am sitting in front of my computer and that lowers my costs to my customers. Why spend 80 hours retouching photos if you can get the same job done in half the time using a faster computer?

Owning Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom doesn’t necessarily make you any good at using them. Not only do you have to have own the software and equipment, you have to spend the time to master them.


I’ve fallen and barely got up

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I like silhouettes. I like the simplicity, the drama, the emotion. I’m a silhouette guy. My clients like silhouettes also and I usually do whatever I can to make them happy.

In 2010 I was shooting a wedding on an old farm in rural Minnesota. I showed up pretty early and we were right on schedule when the bride asked me to shoot a silhouette of her and her future husband. I jumped at the opportunity and started scouring the landscape to find the best location. It was 1:00 pm so there wasn’t any shade to be found – a necessary ingredient for a silhouette. We discovered one of the old barns and pulled the heavly rusted doors open and began setting up the shot.

I would stand in the dark barn and have the couple stand at the bright, sunlit entrance and a silhouette would magically be created. With several thousands of dollars of equipment I walked through the barn on crap covered floor. “No big deal,” I thought, “it’s just my shoes.” I positioned the couple in the door entrance and took a couple test shots. They were good, but not perfect. I needed to be up higher. I looked around for a step stool, or a ladder but couldn’t find anything. The only thing that I could find was stack of broken cinder blocks. I dragged one through the crusty dung on the floor and carefully positioned it. More shots, still not high enough. I started dragging a second cinder block over with the intention of stacking them but quickly realized that this was going to get dangerous in a hurry.

Wedding barn silhouette

Instead of two cinder blocks, I went back to my single, broken cinder block and proceeded to stand on my tippytoes trying to get the perfect shot. Still not high enough. I stretched on my tippytoes just as high as I could go then, bam, ouch, wow, I fell to the filth covered floor with two cameras, two lenses, and two flashes crashing to the ground. It felt like I was pushed out of a three story building, In fact, I fell about 8 inches, dislocated my shoulder, and my legs were covered in blood.

The plus side to this was no one saw me fall. I had positioned the couple to face AWAY from me for the photograph and my wife was outside of the barn with the bridal party.

I stood up, thinking I must have been kicked by horse, and told the couple I got the perfect shot on the way down, a little crooked, but “I can fix that in Photoshop.” I popped my shoulder back into the socket, took some Tylenol, checked out my equipment and continued shooting for the next 8 hours hoping none of the guests noticed the cow sh*t on my back.

Today I travel with a step stool.

Top 5 Engagement photo mistakes

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1. Not wearing appropriate clothing
Your engagement photos should be classic. They will be around for a lifetime and the clothing you choose should stand the test of time also. Couples shouldn’t be overly matchy-matchy because it will be perceived that you are trying to hard to match each other. Choose solid colors that harmonize with your partners outfit. White tops are typically a bad idea because they add visual weight to your body. Remember the eye is drawn to the area of greatest contrast, so a white shirt or blouse with slacks or blue jeans will draw the eye to your waistline rather than your face. Sleeveless shirts will make your arms appear larger than they really are so plan accordingly. Solids are generally a better choice than stripes, prints, or plaids.

2. Choosing too many locations
Wanting to have your engagement pictures taken all over town is natural, but unless you are planning a multiple day photo shoot, try to keep it to 2-3 locations. A perfect location will have multiple “looks” within walking distance. Driving from location to location wastes valuable time especially if you are chasing the sun during the magical hour. Most of my engagement sessions last two hours and run until sunset.

3. Choosing a location that is impersonal or generic
A nearby park is convenient and offers many different looks within walking distance, but it is also very generic. Does that particular park has a special place in your heart? If it does, then great, you’ve got your location, but if you choose it because it is convenient you may want to rethink your strategy. Engagement photos are about you. You wear clothes and bring props that reflect your style and personality, the location you choose shouldn’t be any different. Try to choose at least one location that has special meaning to you as a couple. What do the two of you like to do together? What are your interests? What drew you together in the first place? How do you spend your downtime together? These are questions that will help you choose the perfect location. Public locations with lots of people can be quite uncomfortable for many couples. It’s hard to let your guard down and be all kissy/huggy when people are driving by honking their car horns at you. Somewhere off the beaten path makes for more relaxed and natural-looking photos.

4. Using too many or too few props
Props are important. They help break the ice with your photographer and they help define your personality in the photographs. Generic props are fine to use but should be not be used a crutch for every photograph. I often use chalkboard speech bubbles, paper parasols, and bubble gum to help liven things up just a bit. I encourage you to discuss props with your photographer and find something that is unique to you and your partner.

5. Not allowing enough time
I like to shoot a lot of photos. If I shoot six shots within 60 seconds I can guarantee you that in five of those photos you will be blinking, hair will have blown across you face, your partner will be sneezing, you will be scratching your eye or using your tongue to clean the lipstick off your teeth, but one of them will be perfect. Shooting a lot of photos takes time, so I like to get started 2 hours before sunset and shoot until the sun is out of the sky. Can you do an engagement session in one hour, or half an hour? Sure, but why would you? You’d spend more time getting dressed and putting on makeup then actually standing in front of the camera.