Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Snapped a wedding over the weekend in Yosemite. The night prior I took the B&G to the ceremony location and had them stand where they would get married the following day. The best lens I had for Astrophotography was my trusty 50mm f/1.4. I shot at f/2.8 as I needed a bit more DOF, 10 seconds, 3200. Was a bit hot on the off camera flash which lost me some detail but I did what I could in LR to make it presentable ........

No need to tell me to get a 20 - 24mm lens or to comment on the lack of detail on the B&G, already know that. Would love to hear your comments if it's good enough to give to the B&G

Thanks ahead of time :)

(Download)

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Do you have another shot of the bride and groom you could drop into this background? Or maybe do a multiply layer to tone the B&G down a bit.

I think this is a great shot, well composed, just too hot on the B&G. If you don't have those options, this would still be a good shot...

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Hi Jerry,

This is a beautiful image of Yosemite at night. You are right that the flash is hot and I am trying to look into my artistic side and determine if that might even have some appeal to your clients. I think it may as it could be interpreted as such. They are glowing like one of the stars in the background. They may love it.

Totally agree with Jdubu that a composite would be nice. I would think about taking the B&B again on wedding day in a similar pose and composite them into this shot. I think that could be an outstanding image.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Hey man, long time, no see (read?)
As with any posts anyone wants to share, thank you... in art, we all have different thoughts, and none are any more correct than any others.

At first glance, the couple did jump out at me, but it kind of grew on me. They ARE the focal point. Remember when each of us discovered spot color? I remember just how over saturated the color looked, in comparison to the black and white. I always ended up bumping the saturation down on my color layer. I wonder how much of them jumping out at me, is the same phenomenon, except with dark and light.
Personally, I don’t use the large "negative space " in my images, although I have to admit that the background here is tempting me to change my mind, and look for grandiose "negative space"

Could you do a composite? Of course, but ultimately, if it fits your vision, only you can make that decision. The couple isn't tack sharp, but it is still artsy to me when I look at it.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

I don't do composites ....... not that it isn't OK for others, it's just a ME thing. The tree on the right is where the groom proposed thus the composition of all the 'void' space though I love combining night time star shots with a couple. What I was shooting for was to highlight them but at the same time communicate the message that we are so small in comparison to the universe.

Yes the couple is soft, already admitted that but they know it is them in the picture ...

Thanks every one :)

BTW, remember when I was sharing the speed light setup that I was going to use, a setup that wedding photographer David Ziser uses ... pretty much what Ed just shared. I read through Ed's stuff, good read, and supported the same concept.

As long as you shoot from where the arrows are you will always have a key light at 30 - 45 degrees, a kicker at 125 - 145 degrees and of course your on-camera fill. A three speed light setup that works very well.

I set my fill light a -1 ETTL. the key/kicker lights need to skim across the top and I set them to '0' ETTL. I used to set to manual on the key and kicker but if the couple was to close to one of the lights it would be a tad hot so David shared how he was now using ETTL on all 3 lights to even out the lighting acroos the dance floor.

This setup works well when your a single photographer with no help to run around with a key light on a mono-pod.

Second picture is the results of this type of setup ...

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Jerry, I don't want to hijack your post, so I'm going to start a new one with questions you may be best qualified to answer. It will be about using TTL lights, vs. manual. I'm still struggling with trusting/using TTL. (and have dumb questions)