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What Lenses to Use When Shooting a Wedding
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| Yesterday Edgar wrote the following on my Facebook page and while I answered his question, I felt like it deserved a fully thought-out response: |
| Today I'll be sharing what lenses I use during distinct portions of a wedding day (preparation, reception, ceremony, etc). I'll be walking through the process in which my mind works (minus the thoughts of glitter, temptations to dance, and the constant desire for dessert) in relation to what I'm carrying with me. As I've mentioned before, JD and I transport all our gear in a large backpack. We also use smaller bags to carry the lenses we'll need just in a specific time of day. |
| PREPARATION
JD documents the groom getting ready and I document the bride getting ready. In light of not shooting together, we open our backpack and load our smaller lens bags with the gear we'll need to document this portion of the day. We need to make sure we have a wide array of lenses, and we opt for prime/fixed lenses so we can shoot with wide apertures in low light situations (most hotel rooms have limited light) without the need of flash. Lenses I carry with me: 35mm f/1.4 - this wide angle lens is great for capturing the entirety of the room while the bride is getting ready as well as lounging prep photos of the bridesmaids in small groups. 85mm f/1.2 - this lens is traditionally used to capture portraits of the bride as she prepares and her bridesmaids as they look on from a distance. The 85mm has a lovely photojournalistic appeal, so I love standing at the farther point in the prep room and shoot with a wide aperture so the bride is in focus and items/people in the foreground are blurred. 50mm f/1.2 - this lens is the most versatile in my opinion. It's not as wide as the 35mm (which sometimes can include things like cluttered hotel corners or messy wardrobe explosions), but offers more latitude than the 85mm (and focuses faster too!). I use the 50mm to photograph everything from prep, candids, the bride getting dressed, and details. 100mm macro f/2.8 -this lens is great for capturing small (but important) details like the wedding rings, beading on a dress, or small sparkling details (like a crystal on a wedding invitation). |
| CEREMONY
I arrive to the ceremony location about 30 minutes before it starts so I can document the location unobstructed by guests, clothing, or purses that can sometimes weaken the photograph. During this time, I load my small bag with the lenses I'll need to document this portion of the day. Lenses I carry with me: 70-200mm IS f/2.8 - this lens is my ceremony go-to lens for weddings with more than 75 guests. The goal is always to go unnoticed by wedding guests, so I try to remain at a safe distance from the bride and groom for most the ceremony. This zoom lens is great for close up photos as well as quick focusing abilities as the bridal party and bride walk up the aisle. 35mm f/1.4 - this lens is great for an overview photo of the ceremony location and guests seated during the vows. It really helps set the scene of the ceremony and helps tell the story. 50mm f/1.2 - I keep this lens on me in case I'm in a pinch and someone asks for a portrait. It's common for guests to want to be photographed or a family member requests a quick family photo, so in these cases, I'm prepared with a lens that is great for this request. |
| PORTRAITS (family, bridal party, and bride+groom)
The goal for me during this portion of the day is to stay on my toes and have a myriad of lenses that give me the latitude to quickly change given the size of the group I'm photographing. For instance, family photos can range from 35 people in one shot and 4 people in the next. I don't want to use the same lens in this situation, so I carry lenses that will quickly offer variety. When it comes to photographing the bride and groom, I use the 50mm, 35mm, and 85mm extensively as they reflect my style and vision. More details and explanations here... Lenses I carry with me: 35mm f/1.4 - this has been my go-to lens lately. I love the width of this lens (it closely captures what the natural eye sees) and it works well for groups ranging from 2-9 people. 24mm f/1.4 - this lens is awesome for large groups. Any group with more than 10 people is mostly documented with the 24mm, although I must caution to allow space at the edges of the photo because this lens distorts at the edge. You don't want Auntie Mae complaining that her booty looks twice as big as normal on account of your photography, right?! 50mm f/1.2 - I occasionally use this lens for portraits ranging from 1-2 people. It's great for bride and parent combinations, as well as groom and each groomsmen combinations, and it's a solid lens for bride and groom portraits. 85mm f/1.2 - JD uses this lens quite a bit during portraits because he stands at a distance and captures candid moments that occur during my placement of pairings/groups for formal photos. This lens is great for capturing that stolen look a bride gives her groom, a flower girl adjusting her flower basket, or the ring bearer crying in the arms of grandma. As a second shooter, JD is great at anticipating (and capturing) these moments. |
| RECEPTION
I adore prime lenses at the reception because they offer so much latitude in low-light situations. I usually shoot a mix of photos leveraging flash filled and ambient light photos, but I personally lean toward ambient lit photographs. It has a more natural appeal and an authentic vibe to the reception, but I also use flash in case the creative team (florist, venue, coordinator) prefer traditionally illuminated photos. I also have an off-camera light set up (you can read more about it HERE) in the corner of the room and it offers just enough light to create the dimension I love in usually dark photos, especially during the first dance. Lenses I carry with me... 35mm f/1.4 - this lens is great for a reception overview photo (where I clear the room to get an unobstructed view and no one in the background), as well as using it for the grand entrance. When the bridal party is announced, I love focusing on the subjects, but also love the story told around their entrance, which is usually happy guests cheering them on. I also use this lens for a portion of the first dance for a wide angle of guests watching the couple and story surrounding their beginning moments has husband and wife. 50mm f/1.2 - I use this lens quite a bit for detail photos (head table, individual tables, centerpieces, the wedding cake, toasting glasses, dessert bar, seating cards, etc) as well capturing candid photos during cocktail hour when time permits. The 50mm is also great for the first dance when I want the focus to be on the bride and groom 85mm f/1.2 - I adore this lens for its ability to allow me to stand at a distance in low light and still capture what I want. The 85mm is golden during the father/daughter dance, speeches, and the first dance. There's just something magical about the light it captures and the bokeh it produces. However, because of its weight, I put this lens away in the backpack as soon as formal dances have concluded...that sucker is heavy! 24mm f/1.4 - this is my all time favorite lens for capturing party/dancing photos. Yes, photos of individuals dancing are important (and JD captures those brilliantly), but when gets are boogying on the dance floor, the story surrounding the dancing guests are just as important as the dancer himself. Reactions tell a much different photo and the 24mm is so wide that it captures this really well. |
| I hope this offers insight into my lens choice and work and I wish you all the best as you find the best fit for you along the way as well. To see a list of all the photography gear I use, feel free to check out this POST.
Stay Fabulous, j* **Edited to Add** For those who asked, I shoot with one camera body (although we have backups as well) because I find it easier to cull my images after the wedding from a single camera, as well as working with a bad back (and, boom, now I sound like I'm 65). Carrying another camera would mean more weight on my back, so I've learned how to quickly swap out lenses...it takes no more the three seconds. Promise. And we keep the large backpack hidden during the portion of the day we're not accessing it. During the ceremony, it's hidden under the gift table. During the reception, we make friends with the DJ and hide it under his table along with his gear. The key is to carry only what you need and hide the rest. |
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Tips for How to Shoot in Manual Mode
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C ontrol Freaks of the world, UNITE! If you're anything like me, you like order, consistency, and understanding how things work. As a kid, you probably acted like the manager when you played Office with your friends, too. Welcome to the club. If you're a photographer, you might also be looking for ways to control your camera so today I'm writing my Tips for How to Shoot Manually.
The first step is to say goodbye to your old friends Auto, Tv, Av and others (it's time to shake things up!) and appreciate the difference between "correct" exposure and exposing the photo for personal preferences. Exposure is determined by three key settings-aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity to light, or ISO. For any given scene, there are dozens of combinations of these settings that will produce a correct exposure-but each alters the style of the photograph. In other words, there are thousands of routes to a cross-country road trip, now it's up to you how you want to get there. |
| The "exposure triangle" (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) is key to understanding how to shoot manually, so let's dive in...
APERTURE Aperture is the hole in the lens that controls the rate at which light passes through the sensor. The size of the aperture is called the f-stop and shows up as a number displayed on the top of the camera or the rear screen. Full auto mode favors middle-of-the-road apertures like f/5.6, but I prefer pushing the each lens and shooting as wide as it'll let me (y'all know I'm a huge fan of f/1.2). Of course if I was shooting, say, a landscape, I'd select a small aperture, like f/22. This maximizes depth of field so that everything (trees in the foreground and the small log cabin on the cliff in the distance) is in focus. When shooting a single person, I prefer shooting wide open (anything wider than f/1.8 is great for me), but when I first started, someone suggested a simple rule of thumb: if you're shooting more than one person, make sure your aperture is at least the same numbers there are people in the photo. For instance, shooting a couple at f/2.8 was the aperture I concentrated on using because it made my subjects sharp and the background blurry. Since then I've experimented with apertures and can now shoot couples with wider apertures than f/2.8, but this'll be a good place to start. **Remember: The wider the aperture --> more light and a blurrier background.** |
| SHUTTER SPEED
Shutter speed determines how long the camera's shutter stays open to admit light to the digital sensor, and full auto likes to take the middle-of-the-road approach on this front too. It generally opts for middling speeds from 1/125 to 1/500 of a second, which reliably produce blur-free images. But where's the fun in reliable?! I wrote this post about shooting in dark churches and sometimes I shoot as slow as 1/40 of a second. People asked if I was worried about 'camera shake' or blurred portions of the picture (say, like a moving hand), but I only shoot this slow when I know my subjects aren't moving (I don't worry the bride and groom are going to run away from the priest during the ceremony!). A general rule of thumb is to keep shutter speed faster than 1/125 (in bright light, choose a very fast shutter speed, 1/1000 or higher, to freeze action). **Remember: Slower shutter speed --> more light but your subject may be blurry if he/she moves quickly.** |
| ISO
The correct pronunciation of this word is I-S-O, but that's three syllables, Internet. I talk fast, so I prefer to say it eye-so because it saves time. Obviously. This setting determines how responsive the digital sensor is to light. At ISO 200, the sensor is twice as responsive to light as it is at ISO 100; ISO 400 is twice as light-sensitive as ISO 200, and so on. I prefer to shoot with the lowest possible ISO because the higher the ISO setting, the more grainy the picture can become. When I first started photography, I used the Canon 20D and the grain was visible past ISO 800, but now that I use the Canon 5DMIII, the grain isn't really visible past ISO 1600...which I love. When I first started, I read somewhere that ISO can be best described as lightning bugs. If you have it set to 100, it's like there's 100 lightening bugs that'll bring back light for you. If you have it set at 1600, there'll be 1600 lightening bugs that are bringing light for you. The higher the number, the more light you'll get. A general rule of thumb can be if you're shooting outdoors, use ISO 100 or 200. If you're in a heavily shaded area or a room with partial window light, use ISO 400. If you are shooting indoors with very little light, you use ISO 800 or higher. **Remember: Lower ISO --> less light.** |
| Is There an Order When Adjusting the Exposure Triangle to Shoot in Manual Mode?
It's a personal preference, but here's how I do it... 1. Set my aperture - I take into consideration how many people I want in focus (example: if the bride's mom is helping her get into the wedding dress, I might set my aperture to f/2.5 or f/2.8, so they'll be in sharp focus and the bridesmaids in the background will be slightly blurred) and adjust from there. 2. Set my ISO - I keep the lowest possible ISO so I don't get a grainy photo (using the example above, if the bride is dressing in a hotel room with one or two windows, I'd likely set my ISO to 400). 3. Adjust my shutter speed - I do this last because this is what I use to adjust ambient, or available, light. I love the look my photos achieve with a wide aperture, low ISO, and slow shutter speeds. However, using the example of the bride getting into her wedding dress, I likely wouldn't use a shutter speed slower than 1/125 because there are plenty of moving hands, so I wouldn't want that portion of the photo to be blurry (which may result in the bride appearing to be an amputee). |
| Lastly, if you're trying to shoot in manual mode, I'd heavily suggest starting with a fixed lens (also known as a prime lens), because you don't have to worry about how a zoom lens will affect your settings. When I first started photography with my zoom kit lens (18-55mm, baby!), learning to shoot manually proved difficult because the light changed according to my focal length, so avoid my mistakes and start with a fixed lens. You'll thank me for it later.
Happy Shooting! |
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Using a Reflector in Photography
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I 'm a huge fan of finding natural reflectors. In fact, I find myself noting them as I walk down the street even if I'm not shooting. I suppose you never stop thinking like a photographer. Anyway, 99% of the time I use natural reflectors (I've talked about this in detail here, here, and here, but I pack a 5-in-1 reflector on wedding days...just to be prepared. A few weeks ago, I captured wedding photos along the beach in La Jolla and a few questions were asked about how I illuminated the bride and groom.
The sun was behind the subjects so the sand in front of them was reflecting a bit of light back onto them. In this case, the sand was my natural reflector, but since they were standing under a pier, lessened it's effect. Here's a photo without using a reflector... |
| Nothing is wrong with the photo, but it is strongly backlit and I prefer a little more pop to the skin when possible. My assistant Kendra immediately opened the reflector (I use the Westcott 5-in-1) and pushed light back onto their faces using the white side of the reflector. These are a few results... |
| The reflector remains packed in our gear backpack during a wedding, but JD will attach it to his sidebag during portraits in case we need to pull it out in a pinch. This is the only time we may use a reflector during a wedding and I prefer to use it only when necessary. Why?
1. I don't want to be noticed. The more attention I bring to myself as a professional shooting in a public location, the higher likelihood I could be asked to leave. Unless I have a permit to shoot in public spaces (like the beach or a state park), I want to be as discreet as possible. 2. I like photos that look like the moment. Don't get me wrong, lighting tricks are cool and I appreciate the time photographers spend detailing their craft, but it's just not my aesthetic preference. I want to document the world the way my eyes naturally see it...and I don't see the world in flash when I'm walking down the beach. 3. If I mixed various lighting techniques at different times, I'd worry my clients wouldn't know what, specifically, they'd get when their day came around (natural light, fill flash, off-camera flash, reflected light, diffused light, etc). The rule for me is to leverage natural light 99% of the time...and if I use reflected light, it's juuuuuust noticeable. I want my clients to know that what they see on a regular basis is what they'll get. In case you're wondering, no, I do not take a reflector with me on engagement sessions. I shoot alone during these shoots, so I leverage natural reflectors and have the latitude and time to carefully choose my location. On a wedding day, I'm pressed for time and sometimes in an unforgiving location, so I must take what I have and make it work. I hope this offers a bit of insight into my lighting philosophy, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the blog comment box and I'll respond later today. Happy Wednesday! |
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The Best Things I've Done for My Business
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| Not too long ago, I blogged about the Top 5 Mistakes I Made When I Started My Business, but I thought I should probably highlight some of the Best Things I've Done for My Business. I'm sure loving capital letters, right? Today I'm taking a moment to share things that've helped my photography business in hopes of shedding light into my mangled path to becoming a full time photographer. |
| 7. Having hobbies outside of photography.
I'm an avid reader and yogi. When I have free time, you'll likely find me in Downward Dog...or just laying down. With a bag of Skittles. And a good book. My husband and I are huge movie lovers, so we make it a point to see at least one movie a week. We usually have to rotate our movie choices because JD likes brawny, guy movies, but I prefer foreign films. Reading and cinema rolled into one?! Sign me up! Allowing my brain to fill with elements outside my craft/work really pushes me to think differently and create in new ways. 6. Finding photographers who inspire me. This list is growing and ever-changing, but I can say that the photographer who sits squarely on top right now is Vivian Maier. Sometime last year, I came across her street photography and fell in love...JD even surprised me and took me to her exhibit when it was in Los Angeles. Known her entire life as a nanny, Maier took hundreds and hundreds of photos without showing a single person. The photos are truly amazing and show city life in America in a post-war glow. It wasn't until a local historian purchased a box of negatives from an auction and curated her work that the world has become to know who she was. Maier existed entirely in terms of what she saw and it wasn't until years after her death did her work become her legacy. 5. Working with my husband. I'm sure there are couples who couldn't imagine working/eating/sleeping/dreaming/hoping with their spouse every waking moment, but I love it. I feel incredibly blessed to be supported by one of the most amazing men I've ever met. No, really, JD is mind-blowingly awesome and I have no idea why he married me. I totally married up and increased my business worth having him as part of my team. 4. Working with an amazing graphic designer. I met Promise Tangeman three years ago and it was love at first site (pun intended). Seriously, the first site I saw designed by her left me smitten. Promise is amazing at taking my ideas and making them come to life in unimaginable ways. 3. Creating a schedule. I have strict office hours and this allows me to live the life I want. I crave freedom and living life without boundaries, so by adhering to a schedule outlining my work, I know where I can skimp and splurge on life's special moments. Yes, I take long lunches on occasion and watch midday matinees with my husband, but it's only because I've planned my schedule and know what needs to be done and by when. Here's a peek at what an average work day looks like for me. 2. Hanging out with people smarter than me. I've met brilliant people as I've built my business and they've given me the most amazing gift: friendship. Being able to see success unfold for people around me offers a blueprint how I can emulate it in my life and business. They paint vibrant pictures with the same brushes I have, so I'm challenged to color the horizon the way I imagine. 1. Asking my parents for advice. My parents immigrated to the United States with nothing, so it's easy for an outsider to hear their accents or judge the color of their skin, but they are incredibly insightful and savvy though neither of them went to college. They provide emotional and spiritual insight which has laid the foundation to the core of who I am, as well as my personal brand. Everything I am is because of their sacrifice, love and devotion. Hope this helps shed light into my process, but I'd love to hear about yours...if you'd like to share, feel free to holler back in the comment box! |
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Shooting Star : Making a Same Day Wedding Slideshow
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I n the past I've spoken about producing a same-day slideshow at a wedding. The slideshow is a sneak peek of the wedding day through the ceremony recessional. While guests are eating dinner during the reception, I quickly grab 30-40 of my favorite images of the wedding day and put together a slideshow to be displayed on my laptop (the how, location, and FAQs are discussed in the video). I love putting together a slideshow because it acts as a conversation piece on the wedding day and encourages guests to have a discussion about the bride and groom (as seen through my lens).
The results of these conversations are priceless. When guests see the photos displayed the same day, most often they respond by complimenting the newly married couple on how beautiful their day was and/or how lovely they look together. With technology being as quick as it is, the first wedding photos the bride sees are those she's been tagged in Facebook. And let's be real...dancing photos sometimes aren't the best reflection of a beaming bride. I, instead, offer the opportunity for her to see photos the night of her wedding and know everything came together the way it was supposed to. Even if the bride doesn't see the slideshow directly, her guests have complimented her, assured her of the day's beauty, and (as an awesome byproduct) reassured her decision to hire me to document her day. In this installment of Shooting Star, I demonstrated how I made a same day slideshow at a wedding... CLICK HERE to view the tutorial! Hope you enjoyed the video and if you have questions, feel free to leave them in the comment box! In case you're interested in the stuff I used to make the slideshow, here are a few links: Sandisk CF memory cards Lowepro memory card wallet Sandisk Imagemate Reader (similar) MacBook Pro Notebook (iPhoto slideshow software included) iView Media Pro |
| Oh, don't mind me...just adding a photo to this post...that flute-playing screen capture needs to be balanced out with some flower girl cuteness. |
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| © 2013 Jasmine Star Photography | Blog by infinet design |
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