not so much a wedding-wedding

[elsa hoffmann]

I am SO not a wedding photographer - but I do one wedding a year to remind myself why I don't do them.

I manage to get the "not-so wedding" weddings - either casual or gay or weird weddings.

This was a second wedding of friends, (yes I do have friends) more an event than a wedding.

I did manage to do some "formal" photos though - just so everything is not just stock stuff event party pics.

[armando_m]

#1 is awesome
she is a looker !
nice balance of ambient and flash

#2 ... hmm, are all those their kids ?

#3 ... flash light a bit hard ?

[elsa hoffmann]

Isnt she just gorgeous.... thats why I wanted to shoot the wedding - to have a good looking bride - nevermind the jeans

Only one girl is his - the rest belongs to family. Goodness alone knows who the upside down one belongs to.

Flash may very well be too strong. Considering what I know of using flash - its damn good LOL
And one of my flashed went weird on me - no clue what happened to it - weird thing on the back screen. cant even explain it -

[HCS]

Never mind the technicalities, nor the jeans  , these look awesome. They are relaxed and obviously in love.

Well done!!

This reminds me why i shouldn't do any weddings 

[antonoat]

Great job Elsa, I can see why the fella looks so happy

Seriously, they are very flattering images, and they make a great looking couple, the smiles are obviously very real
and the images look very natural.
I'd bet you wouldn't mind doing more like these if you had the opportunity!

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks guys
Oatsie - you are right - if every wedding had such good looking people...
Thing is - if you want to do weddings - you need a portfolio - a wedding portfolio.
And trust me if I say that if you dont have good looking people in your wedding portfolio - you dont sell.
This couple would have been perfect for a white wedding portfolio.
Both are mid 40's

[armando_m]

Isnt she just gorgeous.... thats why I wanted to shoot the wedding - to have a good looking bride - nevermind the jeans

Only one girl is his - the rest belongs to family. Goodness alone knows who the upside down one belongs to.

Flash may very well be too strong. Considering what I know of using flash - its damn good LOL
And one of my flashed went weird on me - no clue what happened to it - weird thing on the back screen. cant even explain it -

nikon or off-brand flash ? doesn't really matter I had both quit on me - it hurts much more when it's a nikon, more expensive and easier to use than the off-brand flashes

Jeans ? what Jeans? I noticed her eyes and smile

did you tell her to really grab him in #3  ?

[elsa hoffmann]

Armando - the flash is still working - but the screen at the back looks fried - even though one can still read the numbers.
I told them nothing -  they were just a couple full of joy, but I do have a picture where she grabbed him like a true woman should grab a real man 
okey - no asking more questions about that subject 

[Gary]

I hate ceremony. It seems that too much of my life has been sucked up by ceremony. Jeans at a wedding ... Good for them! But for you, Ms. Hoffmann ... IMHO, too much flash. The first is ... mmmh ... okay, but the other photos say "Hey, I used a flash."  I know you can do better. But maybe I'm being too critical. Possibly, the cause of the 'too much flash' is simply the reflection off her teeth. The flash/camera won't compensate for a 1EV reflective smile.

[elsa hoffmann]

Gary yes - and since I know f*xkall about flash - it is what it is. I keep thinking I must put the flash on half power or something and then when I try to (of course right when I need to shoot) it doesnt want to change mode or what.

So yes - that is my weak point - a huge weak point I am sure.

Thank you so much for commenting. I do appreciate it.

And to everyone else - I will make a point of learning how to do this - maybe Bjørn can kick my ass and help me get it better when he is here

[Gary]

I hate flash also ... because I don't use it well ... I don't use it well because I hate it ... I hate it because I don't use it well ... et cetera.

When I have to use flash, I try to us it as a fill. In your lighting situation (above), I would thing that fill would be all you needed. For fill just slap the camera into Aperture Priority and meter as usual. Fini

[elsa hoffmann]

Okey - why would Aperture Priority work better and do I still have to put the flash on M half power?

[Gary]

Okey - why would Aperture Priority work better and do I still have to put the flash on M half power?

"A" mode is designed for fill flash. The flash, if set on auto, should output just enough light to fill shadows but not exceed the camera/meter settings. Caveat, I've never shot a Nikon digital camera ... my only real digital flash experience is with Canon ... I suspect that what works with Canon (at this low level), is similar to Nikon. The flash should be set on Auto (or equal). 

[armando_m]

The nikon flash system is quite good IMO

I find it easy to use because it is TTL or manual
in TTL mode dial in FLASH EV compensation and results are great , hard to tell flash was used, also available when the flash is remote , it works in any mode PASM
it can be used in any shooting speed and it still works, although  power gets limited

I usually expose for ambient light in manual mode, and fill in with flash in TTL mode

I can  open a separate thread and provide examples , if that helps

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks Gary

Armando - please do! - or continue here - wherever is good for me