Fill flash wedding roughies

[padey]

Hi all.

Like anyone photographer, I have the ingrain desire to only show my most favourable or signature work. Shots like these images from Saturday (http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/pade/1.jpg change the url and go from 1 through to 7 ) But in this case I’d rather show you the stuff that I’m working on, shots that are technically and/or composure and/or environmentally challenging.

In PP I’ve only tweaked WB in RAW->jpg conversion, resized and sharpened.

The idea with these shots is to try and get an even exposure with the shadowed foreground and sun lit background. Well that’s the idea anyway. Composure wise, I was trying to let the natural lines of the autumn trees take you into the background, along with the bank of the lake and have the B&G fill the foreground. This was taken with the S3, which gives a pleasing Velvia look to the natural colours. ISO100, 12mm @ f5.7, flash was pulled back 2/3 stops in an attempt to get some form of even light.


Same idea behind this second one, but I face some significant challenges with light hitting the face without blowing out the dress. Easy to fix in PP. ISO800, 12mm @ f4, flash was pulled back at least 1 stop, but looks to be more. Environmentally, I was lying in the dirt near the feet of the couple and I didn’t have much room to move back.



This was defiantly a first, taking a long exposure on a floating wharf. Sun was virtually gone, 2sec, f6.7 12mm ISO800 and rear sync long exposure flash with SB800. Meaning the flash fires twice, once at the beginning of the exposure and once just before the shutter closes.


In the time it took me to drop my tripod, the light was goooooone.. Similar setup at the one above, just different composition although I had to wait for a boat to pass for the wharf to stop rocking.


So if you've got a critique, that would be great. Especially if any of you have used the SB800 in fading light/non studio environment. Ultimately, I will be able to post process the shots, pull up the shadows, punch the garden colours, vignette and soft blur the exterior parameters of the image to draw the image that I’m looking for.

cheers

[dooda]

I'm really impressed. Great exposure on the dress, even throughout the frame. Perhaps the last one needs to be zoomed in a touch, but this is terrific, it looks like you're coming right along with the SB 800.

[Alpha_7]

Some nice shots in the 'gallery' and posted here, I appreciate you showing not just your prefered or best shots but the ones that need work or are a bit more experimental.

[shutterbug]

Great images and the use of fill flash. No complains

[BBJ]

All looks good to me Andrew, and wel i take my hat off to you who dod this type of work and to be creative is something i am not.
Well done.
Cheers
John

[Wocka]

Hi Andrew,

Love the shots and all your work from your website.
Keep on posting.

Cheers

[losfp]

Andrew, that first photo is a cracker, love it!

Wedding work is tough... High pressure? You bet!

[padey]

This was a real fun wedding. They tend to hummmm along quite fast.

I'll post some shots later of the 105mm DC that birdy lent me. Amazing lens..

[marcotrov]

All gorgeous images Andrew. The exposure is spot on and you have really highlighted the capacity of the SB800. I assume the AF-S 12-24 F/4 Nikon was used?
Thanks for sharing some of the technique. Interested to know a little more about the rear sync long exposure flash with the SB800. Any tips you could share?> And when in your opinion do you find it useful apart from the shot you took using the technique? I'm trying to get the best out of mine at the moment.
cheers
marco

[wmaburnett]

I like these a lot, the last one is my favorite by far, well done!
~William

[padey]

All gorgeous images Andrew. The exposure is spot on and you have really highlighted the capacity of the SB800. I assume the AF-S 12-24 F/4 Nikon was used?
Thanks for sharing some of the technique. Interested to know a little more about the rear sync long exposure flash with the SB800. Any tips you could share?> And when in your opinion do you find it useful apart from the shot you took using the technique? I'm trying to get the best out of mine at the moment.
cheers
marco

Marco,

Yes the 12-24mm f4. I love the WA but not the distortion.

Regarding the rear sync long exposure. It’s almost like taking two exposures at once. The length of the exposure is long enough to capture the ambient light (2sec), sky and the boats, while the two flashes light up the bride and groom. I meter the flash for the close subjects and allow the shutter speed to meter for the wider scene. Sometimes it works better then others.

The hard part is getting the bride and groom to stand still as it will soften the image. But the advantage is that there is some flexibility during the non flash periods as there generally isn’t enough light to show the bride and grooms slight movements.

Well that’s the idea anyway. Try it tonight on your car, or something that doesn’t move just after dusk. As long as the subject isn’t to far away, ie the flash will reach it, you can get some nice results. Moving subjects are harder. This is the basic premise behind this shot;