Hello John, David and other great fellow photographers
I'm writing to you because I'm really enjoying these posts about shooting
weddings. I deeply agree with the whole of your message, both John Wall
[v04.n269/3] and David Johnson [v04.n270/1]. I think we cannot simply tell
the guy "hey, don't do it!". We have at least to help him with tips about
films and techniques because he will make it anyway (hey, it's his sister!).
I have also done many weddings as a friend, not as the main photographer,
and I can tell you it's a great opportunity to try and test your photo
skills.
But I'm also writing you to ask if you could share with us your experience
about what do you find the best equipment and techniques for this situation.
I'm always asked to photograph my friend's weddings but I'm just an advanced
amateur, I don't know the tricks to make the images * that * stunning.
I think we could write more about our experience in this field, though this
is not Nikon-specific, so that's why maybe we should keep this discussion by
e-mail and just post the conclusions later.
I myself felt that a good fast and quality zoom lense is a must have. I have
once tried to photograph just with a AF 24 2.8D and the AF 105 2.8D micro
and It was a pain to get all the photos I wanted. Since my other lenses are
the (1) AF 35-70 3.3-4.5, the (2) AF 75-300 4.5-5.6 and the (3) AF 80-200
2.8D, I think next time I will use my primes, (1) and (3). I use my old F601
and a SB26 with SC17.
I imagine that most of the weddings are made indoors so I think we must take
a very special care for fill flash, but also finding a way for the flash not
to become too harsh or intrusive. I remember Henry Posner writing that it
was good to bounce the flash, thougth others warned that most churchs have
tall ceilings. How can we solve this problem?
And about films? Is a low-contrast film better to get details both in the
white bride and the dark clotes? But I need fine grain, so I think I must
keep the choice between ISO 100 films, or should I try Fuji NPS 160(?) /
Kodak Ektacolor Pro 160 instead of NPH 400? How moch should I compensate to
avoid underexposure due to the whites?
Filters (softening, other?), special effects?
Well, I think I have asked too much, so sorry for the bandwich.
Of course, if you don't want to talk about it, just forget it and, please
apologise me for the intrusion, but I think most people would be benefited
by it.
Thank you for reading
nelson kao
