100 TECHNIQUES for PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS BILL HURTER Amherst Media® PUBLISHER OF PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS About The Author Bill Hurter has been involved in the photographic industry for the past thirty years. He is the former editor of Petersen’s PhotoGraphic magazine and currently the editor of both AfterCapture and Rangefinder magazines. He has authored over thirty books on photography and hundreds of articles on photography and photographic technique. He is a graduate of American University and Brooks Institute of Photography, from which he holds a BFA and Honorary Masters of Science and Masters of Fine Art degrees. He is currently a member of the Brooks Board of Governors. Early in his career, he cov- ered Capital Hill during the Watergate Hearings and worked for three seasons as a stringer for the L.A. Dodgers. He is mar- ried and lives in West Covina, CA. Copyright © 2009 by Bill Hurter. All rights reserved. Front cover photograph by Tom Muñoz. Back cover photograph by Bruce Dorn. Published by: Amherst Media, Inc. P.O. Box 586 Buffalo, N.Y. 14226 Fax: 716-874-4508 www.AmherstMedia.com Publisher: Craig Alesse Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt Editorial Assistance from: John S. Loder, Carey A. Maines, Charles Schweizer ISBN-13: 978-1-58428-245-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2007926665 Printed in Korea. 10987654321 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechani- cal, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher. Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the author’s experience and opinions. The au- thor and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book. Table of Contents Introduction Meters . .31 What Makes a Meter Calibration . .31 Great Wedding Photographer? .................7 Quick Exposure Evaluation . .32 Consistency . .7 11. Choose the Right Shutter Speed .........32 Likability ........................................8 12. Choose the Right Aperture ..............35 Cool Under Pressure . .8 13. Select the Optimal Color Space .........36 UptoDate.......................................8 14. White Balance Saves Time ................37 A Great Observer . .9 The Ability to Idealize . .10 Creative Vision . .11 Immersion ......................................12 1. Develop Your People Skills ...............14 2. Recognize What’s Special .................16 3. Shoot Peak Action ........................19 Be Prepared . .19 Observe and React Quickly . .19 4. Work Unobtrusively ......................21 5. Sync Your Cameras .......................23 6. Pack Three Camera Bags: A Tip From Marcus Bell ...................23 7. Have Backup and Emergency Equipment .....................24 8. Clean Your Image Sensor .................25 9. Make Calculated Lens Choices ...........26 PrimeorZoom?..............................26 WideAngles ................................28 Telephotos..................................28 TheNormalLens.............................29 Perspective and Distortion . .29 10. Get the Exposure Right ...................31 Accuracy is Critical . .31 Photograph by Michael O’Neill. table of contents 3 15. Watch Your ISO Settings .................38 21. Refine the 16. File Format: Speed vs. Versatility .........40 Head-and-Shoulders Axis .................47 RAWFiles .................................40 22. Consider the Facial Views ................47 JPEG .....................................40 The Seven-Eights View . .47 Other Useful Formats . .41 The Three-Quarter View . .48 17. Watch the File Compression ..............42 Profile ....................................48 LZW .....................................43 23. Watch the Eyes and Smile ................48 JPEG .....................................43 TheEyes ..................................48 ZIP ......................................43 TheSmile..................................48 18. Chimping: Evaluating an Image ............43 24. Evaluate the Arms and Hands ............49 19. Understand Posing Essentials ...........44 Arms .....................................49 Giving Directions . .44 Hands ....................................50 Subject Comfort . .44 25. Put the Weight on the Back Foot .........51 20. Choose a Portrait Length ................45 26. Control the Camera Height ..............52 Head and Shoulders . .45 27. Posing Couples ..........................53 Three-Quarter and Full-Length Poses . .45 28. Adding a Third Person ...................55 29. Adding a Fourth and Fifth Person . .55 30. Photographing Larger Groups ...........56 31. Speeding Up Your Group Portraits . .57 32. Control the Focus Field .................58 Adjust the Camera Angle . .58 Adjust the Subject Distance . .59 33. Refine the Main and Fill Lights ...........59 34. Control the Hair Light ...................60 35. Use a Background Light ..................61 36. Add Kicker Lights ........................62 37. Choose Broad or Short Lighting .........63 38. Lighting Tips From Mauricio Donelli ...................63 39. Look for the Classic Lighting Patterns ........................65 Paramount Lighting . .66 LoopLighting ..............................67 Rembrandt Lighting . .67 SplitLighting ...............................68 Profile or Rim Lighting . .68 40. Avoid Double Shadows and Double Catchlights .....................69 41. Understand Lighting Ratios ..............69 42. Avoid Overlighting .......................69 43. Evaluate Your Options ...................70 44. Find and Use Open Shade .................70 Photograph by Bruce Dorn. Photograph by Gordon Nash. 45. Working with Direct Sunlight ............71 57. Studio Flash Systems on Location . .82 46. Watch the Room Light ....................74 58. Use Umbrellas ...........................83 47. Take Advantage of Window Light .........74 59. Try Handheld Video Lights ...............84 48. Reflectors for Fill ......................75 60. Befriend the Couple .....................85 49. Getting the Most From 61. Get to Know the Event ...................85 On-Camera Flash ........................76 62. Engagement Portraits 50. Know Your Flash-Sync Speed .............77 Smooth the Path .........................86 51. Flash Options ...........................77 63. Make a Bridal Portrait, Too ..............87 Barebulb ..................................77 64. Have a Master Schedule .................89 Diffused Flash . .77 65. Learn Everybody’s Names ................89 52. Flawless Fill-Flash Exposure ............78 66. Work with an Assistant ..................90 53. FLash for the Main Light .................78 67. Dress for Success .......................92 AtTwilight.................................78 68. At the Bride’s House/Hotel Room . .93 On Overcast Days . .79 69. Photographing the Bride’s Attire .........94 54. Adding Bounce Flash ....................79 The Wedding Dress . .94 Bounce Flash Off Walls and Ceilings . .79 TheBouquet ...............................95 Bounce-Flash Devices . .80 TheVeil ...................................95 55. Using Remote triggering Devices .........80 70. Working with Late Brides ................97 56. Try the Nikon 71. Working with the Guys ...................98 Speedlight Commander ..................82 72. Covering the Ceremony ..................99 table of contents 5 Photograph by Jerry Ghionis. 73. Leaving the Church .....................101 89. Manage Color .........................112 74. Tackle the Monitor Profiles . .112 Formal Portraits Quickly ...............101 Printer Profiles . .113 75. Have Fun with the Wedding Party ........102 Camera Profiles . .113 76. Posing the Bridal Portraits .............102 90. Learn Photoshop, 77. Photographing But Don’t Rely On It ...................114 the Bride and Groom ....................103 91. Retouch with Layers ...................115 78. Display the Rings .......................103 92. Learn to Use Masks ....................116 79. Capture a Kiss ..........................104 93. Remove Blemishes .....................116 80. Taking Venue Shots .....................104 94. Reduce Shininess and Wrinkles ........117 81. Document the Reception ................105 95. Add Softening Effects .................118 82. The First Dance .........................107 96. Maximize the Eyes ......................118 83. The Bouquet Toss .......................107 97. Apply the Liquify Filter ................119 84. Traveling to 98. Apply Toning and Soft Color ...........119 Destination Weddings ...................108 99. Be Smart About Sharpening ............120 85. Back Up and Reformat ..................109 100. Use Color Sampling ...................121 86. Dan Doke’s Wedding Workflow .........110 87. Mike Colón’s WiFi Workflow ............111 Conclusion ..................................122 88. Use Metadata ...........................112 The Photographers ..........................123 Index ........................................126 6 100 techniques for professional wedding photographers introduction What Makes a Great Wedding Photographer? he rewards of being a successful professional wedding photographer Tare great—not only financially, but also in terms of community status. The wedding photographer of the new millennium is not regarded merely A sense of fashion and style is all-impor- tant to the wedding captures. Nick Adams as a craftsman, but as an artist and an important member of the community. created