E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Continued from part 4


MULTIPLE ROOM LIGHTING EXAMPLES.

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dnathan

I've shot more than 1000 weddings. A wrap around balcony makes us all look like Monte Zucker!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

H1, dnathan!

1000, WOW, Congratulations! They should award Purple Hearts, it's kind of an "above and beyond" recognition to guys like us. Mortal combat! I stopped counting a 3600 sine years ago! It's not that I am all that popular.

I started my career on New York City back in the late 1950s. The studio I started with, specialized in Ultra Orthodox Jewish Weddings. Thing is, they take place 5 days a week; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Our only days off were Friday and Saturday, because of the Sabbath observation and there are a few weeks, because of certain festivals, when other celebrations are prohibited. There was no such thing as a "wedding season" this was ongoing all year-round! We had clients in all 5 boroughs, out on Long Island, New Jersey. Connecticut and Philadelphia. We did one in Los Angeles.

Theses gigs started with formals at about 2 in the afternoon and the festivities usually went on 'till 3 in the morning. Theses wedding were complicated in that there were many sup-ceremonies within the day. There is a prayer session attended by the groom, his family friends and rabbi, the there is the writing of the engagement and marriage documents, the groom is the attired in a special white coat and ceremonial belt, the veiling of the bride, the procession and ceremony + 7 special blessings and a tumultuous grand finale with ongoing celebrating and dancing. During the reception there are more ongoing prayers, blessings and extremely ruckus and intense festive dancing. There are dense crowds of guests at all of theses events. I would spend half of the job atop stepladders, perched in balconies or shooting with the camera held high over my head in order to deal with the crowed. All of this happens in rapid sequence and there are dozens of MUST HAVE SHOTS which can not be missed. Oh- there is no social dancing between men and woman. The dance floor is separated by a screen. I had to kinda straddle the screen to cover both sides- back and forth. My boss didn't want to hire two shooters until I insisted! We had to train our own guys because the average weekend freelance shooter could not handle theses events, nor did many of them want to. So...we each worked with a light man and sometimes we had an additional "pusher"- a guy to "gently" got folks out of the way so we could get certain shots. At the end of the night, I would limp home, get some sleep and a super hot shower and "gird my lions" for the next day's job! There were some great fringe benefits- we got a great full course chicken dinner at every wedding! I can write a book, but I don't think anyone would buy it.

I still handle theses kinds of affairs and many other types of weddings. My specialty is still rather big ethnic community weddings: Greek, Italian, Asian, Arabic, Lebanese, Ukrainian, Eastern Orthodox and more.

Thanks for mentioning Monte- I really miss him- he was a very unique gentlemen! I met him many moons ago at a Zeltsman seminar and since, he became my favorite teacher. He ran his seminars like a drill instructor. Most importantly, Monte taught me how to promote my business and MAKE MONEY! Rest his soul!

Regards, Ed

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

x2 on Monte. I met Monte, and I can't say that I "personally knew" him, but I met him and did take a seminar years ago. All I can say is he was one of a kind, a great teacher, and when he spoke to you he was knowledgeable, and also very humble at the same time. I wish I had more chances to learn from him, most of the portrait lighting I do today, is still based on things I learned from him.