Turn your disadvantage into your advantage
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Photographers have a lot to think about when they're shooting weddings. Simultaneously managing relationships, compact flash cards, logistics, picture requests, assistants and gear can become overwhelming. When confronted with challenges, like video lights, dark venues and unfriendly churches, it can be easy for a photographer to shoot "safe" pictures — photographs that guarantee a predictable result — and miss opportunities for creativity.
When the videographer used his video light to illuminate the bride dancing with her father, it was tempting to stand next to the videographer to use his light as the main light source. Or, I could have increased my shutter speed so the video light was underexposed, and then bounced flash off the ceiling or wall. The trouble with either scenario is that this type of lighting becomes predictable and boring, and is not indicative of the scene as I saw it.
When shooting this situation, the lighting on the bride and her father was intense, so I decided to not fight it, but to allow it to become an opportunity for creativity. I moved into a position where the videographer was behind the bride, and shot this picture with my Canon 50/1.4 at f/1.4.
The resulting image communicates not only the intensely illuminated scene as I saw it, but also communicates figuratively, as the bride and her father were the focus of attention in the room — literally in the spotlight.
Click here to view the slideshow from this wedding.
posted by LaCour at 1:48 AM
3 Comments:
wow. i need to work with you guys. are you hiring?
Well done, I like shooting into light sources like this video light or the Sun. I know it is "against the rules" but you can really capture some truly special moments by thinking outside of the box like this. I also tend to get the "traditional" shot just in case my artisty stuff doesn't come out like I wanted. Do you still capture the "traditional" shot in these cases or do you live and die by the creative experiment?
Do you still capture the "traditional" shot in these cases or do you live and die by the creative experiment
We always have two photographers at our weddings, so while one of us is shooting the "safe pictures" the other is trying to think creatively.
If I were shooting solo, I would get my "safe shots" first, and move on to more risky shots like these.
--Andrew
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