I’m constantly taking notes here of suggestions as to what I could write about and should explain further. I also add to this list any other ideas I have come up for future posts.
Here are some upcoming posts or scribbles of ideas that will be expanded on:
- cleaning your camera’s sensor
- setting new RAW defaults
- macro lens’ change in maximum aperture
- neutral density filter for shallower DoF while using flash
- post-production workflow
- more articles on bokeh
- fluorescent light and flash
- using a speedlight (or two) as a studio lighting set-up
- extreme WB problems with bounce flash
- why flash range changes with a change in flash exp compensation
- examples of manual exposure mode vs program mode
- how to meter in manual
- how to use your camera’s built-in meter
- coping with hard sun overhead
- sun behind your subject
- more equipment reviews
- software reviews
- a very basic series of articles on flash aimed at the complete novice
So I’d like to hear more suggestions from readers of this blog as to what they’d like to read about. Drop me a note here.
These would be FANTASTIC:
how to meter in manual
how to use your camera’s built-in meter
coping with hard sun overhead
sun behind your subject
And I’d also like to see more about using SPOT METERING. Perhaps some additional information on your metering choices during weddings (ceremony, formals, etc).
Comment by Tony R — July 12, 2009 @ 11:39 pm
A couple of ideas:
Since you are a wedding photographer, many aspiring to that, may read your blog and may be interested in techniques such as different ways to shoot the formals, or location shots etc. and why or how you chose your equipment for that specific situation. Additionally, expanding how to adapt situations when you have limited equipment on location or unexpected situations.
Although, I think a lot of photographers may be hesitant to do this, and maybe a better idea as a book instead of on the blog, would be using the same idea as many of the how to shoot a wedding book. I believe anyone that has read any of those out there, even if they have learned something from them has ended up a bit disappointed by nearly every wedding photography book, not to mention most of the other books for different styles of photography. I suggest this because I usually get more enjoyment from a single blog entry of yours than I have from most any photography book I have purchased as your information is to the point, clear, and interesting to read. Nah, what publisher would want to put out a book that was actually good.
You have mentioned some of the photoshop plugins and actions you have used, perhaps a walkthrough of a few and your end results decribing their benefit and why you use them the way you have.
Maybe lastly, for light reading some articles on yourself.
Your first real or paid photoshoot or about how you learned something long ago, how you care for your equipment or your process of managing a client from first contact to final delivery and follow up, etc.
Keep up the great work!
Comment by Jeff — July 12, 2009 @ 11:41 pm
Living in Southern Spain, sun is a major issue. Many weddings take place early afternoon when the sun is high and strong. Often outside on the beach or in gazebos with partial shade obstructions etc.
It would be of value to know how you tackle such shoots when you don’t have an army of assistents with scrims, reflectors and the like.
Thanks, Peter
Comment by Peter — July 13, 2009 @ 3:52 am
Neil
Thanks again. The weddings I fear most are generally those in the midday with Sydney Harbour and the opera house in the background. Very harsh light, a large reflective body of water in the background and a blown out sky. I love to read some posts on how you work in that type of scenario.
As a wedding photographer I find all of your posts incredibly valuable.
Comment by Jason Smith — July 13, 2009 @ 5:41 am
I’d love to read about how you work with subjects when photographing with a telephoto lens. Shooting full-length portraits with a 70–200 requires quite a bit of stand-off distance, which makes communication challenging.
Cheers,
Andreas
Comment by Andreas Yankopolus — July 13, 2009 @ 9:46 am
Hi Neil,
I myself am beginning to get an idea of what works but perhaps others can use the information………….. and well maybe I need to confirm or stand corrected :) on the shutter speeds fast enough to ‘freeze’ a bride and groom walking down the aisle, particularly with flash. I know common logic would say at least 1/500th without flash but it does seem that flash can assist in ‘freezing’ action as well which is especially important considering most flash max sync speeds of our cameras top out at 1/200 or 1/250th and more importantly we may not want to use an unneccessarily fast shutter so that we may register some of the ambient light. I’ve noticed recently that 1/125th with flash was enough to freeze the action of my 3 year old son jumping up and down on the couch…but of course that wasn’t action where the subject was moving towards or away from the frame.
would love to get your thoughts/tips/advise of your approach when indoors and using flash to capture these moments?
Comment by brett — July 13, 2009 @ 12:36 pm
oh geez………..please ignore my post above…
i just noticed your latest blog that answered pretty much my exact question. wow, that’s actually kinda creepy! are you reading my mind Neil?! :)
Comment by brett — July 13, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
Neil,
I would love to see some expansion on your “Photoshop fairy dust” and what/how you apply it.
Comment by Derrick — July 13, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
Please, more on your post-production workflow…
Comment by Brian Daly — July 13, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
I second that. I would be interested in more of the post-production, and maybe a discussion on how to get nice skin tones, and the relative importance of the initial exposure vs. post-production in getting those great skin tones I see in most of your pictures.
I’m currently using DxO, which is great for landscapes and general scenery, but with which I find a challenge in getting pleasing skin tones. I typically have to turn down the contrast and saturation my pictures with people in them and still the results are note as good as I’d like.
Thanks, Bertrand
Comment by Bertrand — July 13, 2009 @ 11:03 pm
Hi Neil,
Wow! I’m so excited to hear of more articles. Your blog is my favorite spot for clear, easy to understand information. I’ve learned so much. I like the pages/catagories, it’s so easy to find what I need. (Books get outdated so fast, your blog always has something new for me.)
Lens filters- When and were, why or why not…
Simple lighting for great studio portraits…
Church and Reception- How to tackle the big challenges and get the shot anyway…
The above are just some of my thoughts. Thanks again!!!
Laura
Comment by Laura Kamler — July 13, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
Oh….and getting white balance right indoors and out to get nice skin tones that dont need any real work in post production.
cheers
Comment by Jason Smith — July 14, 2009 @ 9:12 am
These would be interesting to look at, in order of importance to me.
1) how to meter in manual
Is this camera manual mode or manual flash?
2) fluorescent light and flash
Many places use fluorescent lighting. In past blog posts, you generally overpower the fluorescent with your own flash, because of the wide fluorescent spectrum. There was one entry where you did something different (used a gel?), but I can’t find it on your blog.
3) how to use your camera’s built-in meter
You generally use matrix metering, but is there a use for spot and center metering? Also, what does it really mean when the exposure needle is on 0?
4) extreme WB problems with bounce flash
5) post-production workflow
Since you starting using some “Photoshop fairy dust,” more people want to know some of these techniques to add more punch to an already decent photo.
6) using a speedlight (or two) as a studio lighting set-up
7) why flash range changes with a change in flash exp compensation
8) coping with hard sun overhead
9) sun behind your subject
Comment by Stephen — July 14, 2009 @ 11:12 am
1. Post production. We notice you avoid this (smile)
2. Posing men, women and couples, and how to communicate posing to your subjects.
3. Metering though light meter, and camara to get the effect you want.
Comment by Ron — July 14, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
Comment by Neil — July 14, 2009 @ 2:06 pm
I’d really like a round up of DIY light modifiers that are 1. Useful, 2. possible for the everyman, and 3. genius.
Kind of a cream of the DIY crop for bounce cards, diffusers, softboxes, ringlights, beauty dishes, reflectors, stands, swivels, etc.
That would rock.
Thx.
Comment by Christian — July 14, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
I put it on the other blog, but worth posting here b/c it seems fit.
Very much looking forward to a blog on wireless manual Speedlite without TTL, using a PC Sync cord and a Pocketwizard (or Elinchrome Skyport).
Thanks!
Comment by Amanda Tang — July 14, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Neil,
I’ll ditto what Derrick mentioned. I am fascinated by your “Fairy Dust” post processing, however I understand each photographer has their own style which shouldn’t be copied. I guess you could equate it to a five star chef not wanting to give away their recipies….
Perhaps you could touch on basic post processing techniques and possible websites and/or seminars that might help us better our images through software..
Thanks as always,
Brian
Comment by Brian — July 14, 2009 @ 9:12 pm
Would really like to see more discussion on bright backlite strategies. I really struggle with this situation. Try to read your blog a couple of times a week! Thanks.
Comment by Steven Seelig — July 18, 2009 @ 9:57 am
Another vote for hard sun overhead. Say, midday ceremony out in the open under the blazing sun… I am still having nightmares.
Thanks!
Comment by eve — July 25, 2009 @ 5:30 pm
Neil…I am always amazed at the beautiful colors of your photographs….Do you do any in camera adjustments i.e. color, sharpening etc.?
Comment by cappy — July 26, 2009 @ 9:03 pm
Hi Neil.
Came to your blog by “accident” and now I am stuck here :) Great job and will follow you further on. I like your tutorials and really looking forward to next articles.
I’d like to ask you or suggest you to write a few words about starting a photoshoot. Like, how do you get idea, where to shoot, or how you get idea how to make models to stand, etc.. (hope you know what I mean)
For example, when I get a model or someone for session, I get blank of ideas what kind of photos to make.
Looking forward to your answer.
Sash
Comment by Sash — August 7, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
awaiting some of your good future posts:
1) neutral density filter for shallower DoF while using flash ….but in a comments”straight ahead” you just say high speed sync better than ND filters….but experiments from you could be interesting and open the horizon.
2) how and “where” to meter in manual and how to use your camera’s built-in meter
3) more articles on bokeh
4) fluorescent light and flash
5) why flash range changes with a change in flash exp compensation
6) extreme WB problems with bounce flash
7) any tries with olympus system?*grin*…i think there is no chance on that…if somebody use the D3x and use the “big beast”*g*
8) any chance of workshop in austria?…is not so far from england
9) things on “On location and how do you work”……meaning as main weight….just a bit of post productions, software and all the magic stuff in the computer*g*
but for all you give us a very big THANK YOU very MUCH!!!
[_]> [_]> [_]> [_]>
best regards
peter
Comment by olympus_fotograph — August 8, 2009 @ 9:12 am
Wow! It’s been a while since I visited the site. It was a pretty busy summer so far with not much time to read blogs, but I’m going to try to catch up. Starting today! :p
To comment on this post though. I’d like to ad one more to the pile of really interesting ideas that are gathered thus far…
Would you mind teaching us how you remove clutter from your pictures with photoshop? I saw you remove stuff like people passing by in a shot or lighting-poles and that kinds of things in earlier posts and I really like to be able to do that too. If you’re not going to write about it could you point out some interesting tutorials on that matter? The things that you learned it with?
Oh and by the way, nice make-over for the site I like it!
Keep up the great work!
Greets
Jonas
Comment by Jonas — August 28, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
Comment by Neil — November 30, 2009 @ 6:08 am
Comment by Neil — December 22, 2009 @ 10:11 pm
I would like to see an article on the subject of photographing with the decisive moment in mind.
Topic detail may include hunting for that moment, off line practicing for better timing, how you saw before vs. how you see now.
Comment by Derrick Lafayette Hicks — January 25, 2010 @ 12:59 am
Hi, Neil
I would really like to hear about your use of
AF on Nikon (I have Nikon D300).
I’ve tried for a period of time to use Automatic ,
but frequently miss focus on eyes for portraits.
Also when you start Continuous mode while shooting
wedding ?
Thanks, for your site.
Alex.
Comment by A;ex Kess — January 25, 2010 @ 3:33 am
You might want to add something on color management. As someone who’s fairly well color blind (my red n green cones don’t fire right!) I’ve just ordered an x-rite colorchecker passport to assist and will be looking closely at a spectrophotometer system (Colormunki or Spyder3Elite are the ones I’m looking at).
Comment by Steve Combs — January 25, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
Hi Neil
Maybe you’d suggest an article about the choice of lenses while shooting weddings with a Nikon D300 or other DX camera’s ?
I’m sure there are more DX starters and users around here who can’t afford a couple of D3’s right now ;)
Thanks,
Jan
Comment by Jan — February 2, 2010 @ 10:06 am