April 24, 2008

sunset wedding coupole

Dropping this tip a little late today but happy W.T.W. everybody! With it being Earth Day yesterday, I thought I’d involve the object that swings us around once a year into this weeks tip. That’s right the Sun. Which, as the They Might Be Giants song goes, is “a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furness,” and obviously very important to us “light writers.” More specifically, when it sets.

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April 22, 2008

how to be a wedidng photographerSo, you’re going shoot your first wedding. Maybe you’ve been hired, or maybe your doing it for a friend on a budget. Either way you want to get great results, have good referrals for the future, and make the clients super happy!

So what do you look for? What about wedding photography is so intimidating, and how should you take on this challenging but rewarding type of photography?

1. Don’t Oversell Yourself.
If your just getting started with weddings don’t pretend to be something your not. Chances are the reason your shooting their day, is because it’s not in the budget to hire someone who’s experienced with weddings! That’s OK, and an opportunity for you. If you feel it’s too much, then let them know and maybe get someone else to help. Chances are however that your thinking “I can handle it fine” That’s cool, but be realistic, and remember you can’t do a retake of a wedding.

2. Do your Homework
If you lack experience with weddings do some research. Take the time to read a few books and get a feel for what is expected of you at the wedding. A couple books you might check out are Digital Wedding Photography, The Complete Guide to Professional Wedding Photography, and The Wedding Photographers Handbook. There’s many more, just search around on Amazon.

If it makes you more comfortable, have the bride give you a list of shots she really wants, but don’t expect the couple to know everything you need to shoot. Once you know your way around you’ll probably outgrow lists for the most part, since you’ll already know what to shoot and when. Also take the time to look at great wedding pictures from other photographers and note what you like and dislike about their images.

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April 21, 2008

This is a shot I took at sunrise overlooking Coulee City, WA.  I like shooting photography that blends the awesome power of nature with man’s technological strides.

High tension power lines always fascinate me.  Think of the sheer size and how many of these steel monsters stretch across the land bringing us energy.  Yet for all the power we can produce, this steel beast still looks small against the amazing power of God’s creation!

Gav

Aswome Power by Gavin Seim

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April 18, 2008

Personally as a photographer I get pretty into creative post processing. I make lightroom presets, actions etc to super speed that workflow a lot, and I still find myself in front of the computer even though I don’t really need to be. Do you deal with this?

What’s on my mind today is how much playing with post can take away from our creative photography if we allow it to. I literally have so many images that I could spend months behind the computer trying to make art out of them.

I can get to a point where I’m in the studio just playing with the web, emails, photo’s etc. I can browse endlessly thru tech and photo blogs, and get all the great tips in the world but if I don’t go out and shoot I become only an observer.

This sounds crazy since I love photography, but sometimes I get in a mode where I tend not to pick up the camera unless it’s a paid job! I have to force myself to go out shooting somewhere. It can be a country drive, or just a walk down the street. Great images are everywhere , so if I am not finding a shot, I figure I need to spend more time learning to see the see the beauty in the things around me.

We don’t have to be on a roadtrip, or a brand new place to find great stuff to shoot. I know I get in this rut at times and maybe you do to. Though all this online content is great, there’s nothing like picking up a camera and getting out hands dirty. Getting a speedy workflow is always something I’m looking for, and it works great. I just need to remember to use that extra time to get creative behind the lens.

NOW STOP READING THIS AND GO SHOOTING!

Gavin Seim

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April 16, 2008

rehearsal

Looking for a way to be absolutely prepared to photograph a wedding? One simple thing you can do is attend the wedding rehearsal. This event typically (although not always) takes place the night before the wedding. Here are some advantages to going to the wedding rehearsal.

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