To juice things up a little bit, I’ll be adding the occasional guest blog spot from other photographers - more variety; different voices; a wider range of topics; and perhaps a unique take on things.
The first guest spot is taken up by Stephanie Zettl, a wedding photographer in St Louis, MO.
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Lens, Aperture, Angles
by Stephanie Zettl
Ever get stuck in a situation where the location is less than ideal? Whether it is poor lighting, distracting backgrounds, or clutter, as professionals photographers we are still required to take beautiful images. The images below show how using the proper lens choice, aperture, and angles can save you in a difficult situation.
Last week I had a bride who waited for the ceremony in the church nursery. For a brief moment I panicked over how to photograph in such a difficult location. As you can see, I had to deal with some bright colors, toys, overhead fluorescent lights and Noah’s ark on the walls.
Thank goodness we had a fun bridal party that was willing to play …
… but I really didn’t want Noah in all my photos.
For the photo of the very unhappy flower girl I used my 70 –200mm lens at f2.8 to compress the background and isolate my subject.
Lens compression is the perceived phenomenon where using a telephoto lens decreases the depth perception between two subjects. Subjects seem a lot closer together than they actually are. By decreasing the perceived depth between subjects you can be more selective about your subject’s background and isolate your subject better from the clutter.
The f2.8 aperture creates a shallow depth of field making sure that my subject is sharp but the background is out of focus – once again isolating my subject from the clutter. Using a wider lens or smaller aperture would have made my background of toys and bridesmaids more recognizable. A quick conversion to black and white also helps reduce the distraction of the blue wall.
Use what you have to your advantage – in this case a really cool blue wall. I had the adorable ring bearer sit on a stool so that his head was below the animal print chair rail. By looking for a different angle, I was able to find a suitable background for a quick portrait.
This last image of the bride touching up her lipstick was possible by tipping the mirror back so that the only thing reflecting in it was the bride and the blank ceiling. I used my 70-200 lens at 2.8 again to compress the background and isolate my subject better.
Hopefully these images will help next time you walk into a dressing room and are faced with Noah’s Ark on the wall. Don’t panic, just remember that your lens choice, aperture choice and the angles that you shoot from can make a huge difference in the images you create.
Very informative and makes on think how to compose a good photo in a bad situation.
Comment by cappy — August 15, 2009 @ 4:06 pm
We sometimes think that the professionals always have the perfect setting. The fact is, they just know how to make it look that way! Thanks for explaining your thought process and teaching us to think next time!
Comment by Kathy Marciante — August 15, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
Love what you did with that nursery. Good job under those conditions!!! Love the group shot how you used the toys.
Comment by Robin — August 15, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
Stephanie love your work this piece reminds me that the most important tools in your bag are flexibility and attitude great job!
Comment by Jamie — August 16, 2009 @ 6:25 am
Stephanie, what a fantastic group shot! Probably unique in all the world. Noah & Lion have a spot of their own, all the ladies are holding their favourite stuffed toy and one is placed in the feeding chair, the pink puppy at the brides feet and the triangular freestanding composition make this shot a masterpiece. I’ll bet this is one happy bride.
Neil, I have been following your blog for the past 2 years. I am also waiting for my copy of your book from Amazon. Great Work and best wishes.
Gene
Comment by Gene Lobb — August 16, 2009 @ 10:33 am
Love the way you used the f2.8 with the little girl.
Comment by Jeanette — August 16, 2009 @ 10:51 am
Stephanie, thank you for the very informative post – great shots, despite the less than ideal conditions. You mentioned that the room had overhead fluorescent lights. Did you use any additional lighting to help balance the light in the shots? Thanks, Chris.
Comment by Chris Ramsey — August 16, 2009 @ 10:00 pm
Chris – The group photo has a little flash bounced over my right shoulder added to it to make sure the ladies’ eyes are bright. The rest of the photos are simply existing light with a great deal of attention paid to the quality and direction of the light.
With the amazing high ISO capabilities of current cameras, we now have the luxury of spending less time and attention looking at the quantity of light and more on the quality of light in a given situation.
Hope this helps. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Comment by Stephanie — August 16, 2009 @ 10:17 pm
Now that is a challenging background! I love your creative choices here — you definitely turned a difficult setting into something unique and fun. Bravo!
Comment by Susan Ashe — August 16, 2009 @ 10:41 pm
I think the nursery actually turned the photo into something really fun and unique
However on the mirror one i probably would of moved the mirror (if possible) so that the overhead light wasn’t in the corner of the mirror.
Props to Stephanie for being creative in a crunched situation.
Comment by Ryan O. Hicks — August 17, 2009 @ 2:33 am
Thanks for the quick reply Stephanie. The group photo is the exact photo that I was wondering about. Chris.
Comment by Chris Ramsey — August 17, 2009 @ 10:08 am
Great article! I’ve been in more than one of those nurseries. Thanks for showing us the difference between what your eyes saw, and what you let your lens see.
Comment by Allana Taranto — August 18, 2009 @ 9:48 am
Very informative! I love how you got the girls to pick up the stuffed animals and play with them as a prop. These are excellent!
Comment by Joseph William Photography — August 19, 2009 @ 12:15 am