Advice for outdoor portraits
ET & RL
My pal is getting married and he wants me to shoot portraits of him and
his finacee in wedding dress outdoor next week. I couldn't (and i
didn't) refuse him. Now I'm very worried.
Here are their conditions:
a weekday, no crowd expected
Seaside resort, gardens, golf course, perhaps grand old houses
background
Warm bright or possibly overcast calm sky (who knows?)
Late morning, mid or late afternoon (can't be too early for she needs to
make up)
White wedding gown, black suit
Pretty oriental woman, not so handsome oriental guy (lucky he!), both
are slim
She will bring along a make-up artist
They reassured me that they know how to pose for portraiture, they can
be fun
We have an off-roader with roof rack, can carry a ladder and one
assistant
The garden has a horse, a ceremonial carriage and a dressed up chauffeur
10 rolls of colour negative films,... they don't want B&W or
transparencies.
And they say they will display the photos on their website and at the
wedding reception!
They have confidence in me... ('cause they've seen my travel photo
collection)
Here are my conditions:
Not professional but enjoy travel and natiral photography ( I usually
get insights from National Geographic magazines)
Never shoot portraits / models before
Not knowing what negative films to buy (usually I use Kodachrome)
Available cameras: Nikon F2, F301, FE2 (all manual focus)
Available Nikkor lens: 24mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 105mm 2.8 micro, 180mm 2.8,
80-200mm f4, 300mm f4.5, all with hoods
Available special lens: Sigma 15mm 2.8 fisheye, Sigma 600mm f8 reflex
Flash: Nikon SB-27
Filters: 1 Nikon skylight, 1 Nikon PL, others are mostly Hoya special
effect filters... mainly for fun
My questions:
1) What film should I buy? Should I get a variety (since I have 3
cameras available) or should I stick to the most suitable one? What
should that be?
2) What other equipment do I need? I know I need a reflector, but which
size and colour or tone... there are so many varieties on the market
(silver, white, gold, beige, black, etc.) and I've never used one
before.
3) What filters should I use? Friends told me Nikon Soft-2 is a must.
3) Which lens should I use? mainly and occasionally? Should I bring
them all?
4) What can my flash do for me? How?
5) How to use the reflector if I managed to get one?
6) How should I prepare the couple? Prepare myself? I mean
psychologically? What should i say to them to help them relax, and to
help myself relax? (gee, I shouldn't have agreed to this!)
n) I've numerous other questions but if you can direct me to some
websites for answers, I really appreciate your help.
Thanks for reading and laughing
Ephraem
in Hong Kong
zeitgeist
hands down, the best time to take portraits outside is just before
sundown, earlier you can use open shade from trees (golf courses tend to
have a row of trees along the service/golfcart road that makes great
leading lines and lighting) and porch like overhangs (old homes etc)
you want the light at the edge of the shadow, the penumbra. Latet
afternoon you can use a valley where the sun is blocked behind a hill or
row of trees or building. With proper light you don't need the flash
but it will be useful cause they will just have to have a shot somewhere
where the sun is bright and puts harsh shadows across their faces.
I would use the 105 primarily, though would have fun with the longer
ones, and I love fish eyes for fun shots.
I would use portra 160 earlier, 400 later, and even some 800 right at or
just after sundown. do you have tripod? OR fuji's equivelents NPS
etc.
bring some white plastic bags for the bride to sit on.
reflector is useful when shooting at the edge of open shade to push is
bit back into the shadow side, avoid the mistake of using one as a key
light. soft filters are OK for close ups or so, but use sparingly till
you have some experience. I find the best image enhancement is a
vignette.
have them do something besides just pose, have a picnic, let the horse
roam in the background (great balance with her white dress if the horse
is white)
read the achives at the z-prophoto mailing list at egroups.com
ET & RL
> > get insights from National Geographic magazines)
> > Never shoot portraits / models before
> > Not knowing what negative films to buy (usually I use Kodachrome)
> > Available cameras: Nikon F2, F301, FE2 (all manual focus)
> > Available Nikkor lens: 24mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 105mm 2.8 micro, 180mm 2.8,
> > 80-200mm f4, 300mm f4.5, all with hood
> > Flash: Nikon SB-27
> > Filters: 1 Nikon skylight, 1 Nikon PL, others are mostly Hoya special
> > effect filters... mainly for fun
> >
> > My questions:
> > 1) What film should I buy? Should I get a variety (since I have 3
> > cameras available) or should I stick to the most suitable one? What
> > should that be?
> > 2) What other equipment do I need? I know I need a reflector, but which
> > size and colour or tone... there are so many varieties on the market
> > (silver, white, gold, beige, black, etc.) and I've never used one
> > before.
> > 3) What filters should I use? Friends told me Nikon Soft-2 is a must.
> > 3) Which lens should I use? mainly and occasionally? Should I bring
> > them all?
> > 4) What can my flash do for me? How?
> > 5) How to use the reflector if I managed to get one?
> > 6) How should I prepare the couple? Prepare myself? I mean
> > psychologically? What should i say to them to help them relax, and to
> > help myself relax? (gee, I shouldn't have agreed to this!)
> > n) I've numerous other questions but if you can direct me to some
> > websites for answers, I really appreciate your help.
> >
>
> sundown, earlier you can use open shade from trees (golf courses tend to
> have a row of trees along the service/golfcart road that makes great
> leading lines and lighting) and porch like overhangs (old homes etc)
> you want the light at the edge of the shadow, the penumbra. Latet
> afternoon you can use a valley where the sun is blocked behind a hill or
> row of trees or building. With proper light you don't need the flash
> but it will be useful cause they will just have to have a shot somewhere
> where the sun is bright and puts harsh shadows across their faces.
>
> I would use the 105 primarily, though would have fun with the longer
> ones, and I love fish eyes for fun shots.
>
> I would use portra 160 earlier, 400 later, and even some 800 right at or
> just after sundown. do you have tripod? OR fuji's equivelents NPS
> etc.
>
> bring some white plastic bags for the bride to sit on.
>
Gee, that's an excellent reminder!
> reflector is useful when shooting at the edge of open shade to push is
> bit back into the shadow side, avoid the mistake of using one as a key
> light. soft filters are OK for close ups or so, but use sparingly till
> you have some experience. I find the best image enhancement is a
> vignette.
>
> have them do something besides just pose, have a picnic, let the horse
> roam in the background (great balance with her white dress if the horse
> is white)
>
> read the achives at the z-prophoto mailing list at egroups.com
What's z-prophoto? How can i get there?
Many thanks for taking the time to respond... you're great!
ET
Eric Hocking
news:3A0A79...@netvigator.com...
> zeitgeist wrote:
> > ET & RL wrote:
> > >
> > > My pal is getting married and he wants me to shoot portraits of him
and
> > > his finacee in wedding dress outdoor next week. I couldn't (and i
> > > didn't) refuse him. Now I'm very worried.
Ephraem,
In addition to the excellent advice already given. If you have time, try
getting bride and groom to the site you want to shoot at and do a "dry run",
shooting at least a roll. This way on the day you have a good idea of where
to site them, what poses you might like, backgrounds and general lighting
conditions. Just develop at a ihr place and go through the shots with the
couple. That way you also get a feel for what works and what doesn't at the
site you're using, and importantly, what the couple expect from the shots.
Having done this once, I found it to be a challenge, but with a dry run at
the sites (church, garden, reception) and a talk through with the couple
(partner's niece), I ended up enjoying the day - and so did the couple.
Being as prepared as *you* can, makes their day so much more enjoyable.
My attempts are under Kylie's Wedding, on my site.
--
Eric Hocking
"A closed mouth gathers no feet"
"Ignorance is a renewable resource" - P.J. O'Rourke.
=== London, England (ex Melbourne, Australia) ===
http://www.twofromoz.freeserve.co.uk
zeitgeist
> >
> > read the achives at the z-prophoto mailing list at egroups.com
>
> What's z-prophoto? How can i get there?
>
It is a mailing list hosted at egroups.com go there and register as a
user, search for z-prophoto and subscribe, regular email, daily digest
etc.
You can go to the archives and read or search almost a years worth of
posts, very little off topic stuff, it's all photo related. You can
post some of the results in the files section...
Mountain Man
terribl...@hotmail.com.
Mountain Man
don't want unflattering overhead lighting. You may get a green cast from the
leaves so warm it up with as mild red filter. retired pro.
Bushy
you say 10 rolls of film, better allow a full day. I shoot more Fuji 200
than anything else and am happy with it for everything, but I'm sure you
will have as many different opinions as photographers you will talk to.
Don't hang around any one setting for too long unless you keep finding
new angles that work at that location.
Do some shots that are serious, some that are fun, some that show their
love by having the heads leaned together a bit..........
Some gents look better serious than smiling, some women look better from
certain angles than others, with some angles showing bulges in places
that women don't like to be reminded about. The best advice is to look
through the viewfinder and to use a longer lens in preference to a
shorter one. This will help to avoid the "big bum/little tits look". By
all means take them all in the 4x4, but you would probably spent more
time with the 80-200. Try not to have power poles growing out of their
heads etc.
If your friend is a golfer, maybe you could have him teeing up off his
fiancee's shoe........
If you wish to take shots of them in the water, allow for time to let
them change and reapply makeup after. If they want shots of the wedding
dress in the water, it might be better to take them on the day or after
so the dress will not be damaged before the big day.
Overcast days give a softer light that will take years off your lady
friend, and your camera will allow you to have the right exposure. In
the heat of the day, use the shady or interior settings. Use either a
reflector or fill flash to fill harsh shadows like those under the brim
of a hat so that you can see the face in the shadow area that although
your eyes will cope with the film can't. Don't spend lots of money on a
reflector, a cardboard box side covered with aluminium foil on one side
and white (maybe paint) on the other. Some photographers like a gold
reflector to add a little extra colour to afternoon shots. Make one
about 1 metre square (or larger) and use your assistant to hold it so
the light reflects into the shadows if required.
When shooting with the horse, if the horse turns toward the camera your
friend should be inside the bend of the horses neck rather than outside
the neck to convey more "friendship". If your friends spend a bit of
time with horses, they would notice that most pro horse photographers do
something to attract the horses attention just before taking the shot so
the horse pricks it ears. This makes the horse look more alert in the
shot, but don't worry excessively about it. I use my hat and throw it in
the air beside me just before shooting, others use anything from a bit
of hay to a rag doll, an umbrella or a mirror carried by their
assistant. (I have over 30,000 horse shots) One of the trainers I work
with uses a filly in heat to attract the attention of a stallion for
photo's, and the difference in his posture is immediate. However I would
not advise this unless you have a good knowledge of animal behaviour at
mating time, a good handler, and an ability to run fast! Have a peek at
the newsagents next time at a couple of horse magazines, and you will
find that most shots with people and horses crop to the horses head and
shoulder and the person from about waist up.
The pol filter can help a little with the woman's skin tones and will
also have a slight softening effect, but only use it around the water or
full sunlight. Don't overuse the filters, as the effect can quickly
become boring when looking through a series of the same filter. If your
lady is as attractive as you say, there won't be much need to hide a lot
of blemishes by making the shots "out of focus" soft and you will get
better results by applying makeup than by using PhotoShop.
Good luck,
Peter