Anatomy of an Engagement Shoot

Specializing in stock photography, I don't do a lot of portrait work. But when I do shoot it, I quite enjoy it.

Last week I did an engagement session with a couple whose wedding I am shooting this spring. After three rain snow-outs, the weather finally cooperated with us last Friday. The couple wanted a distressed-urban setting for their photos, so we headed downtown.

The above image is a somewhat unconventional pose for an engagement photo, but it is one of my favorites from the shoot. In addition to the natural afternoon light, the scene was enhanced with the use of two handheld tungsten lights. A diffused light was aimed at the young womans head/shoulders with a stronger light providing hair highlight from the back.

The image the couple ultimately selected for their announcement is a more conventional engagement shot. While being taken in the same area as the other image, this one has a warmer/softer feel to it.

The lighting was provided by the cloud diffused sunlight being reflected into the faces from below.

While reviewing the images with the clients after the shoot, I heard the words a photographer loves to hear: "We love them. We'll just have to buy them all!"

It Had to Happen: A Corrupt Memory Card

Michelle and I spent Monday evening in downtown Salt Lake City photographing recent bride Militia. The evening was beautiful and we were able to capture some nice images of Milita using tungsten lighting.

The first step when I return from a shoot is to download the contents of the memory card to my Mac. On Monday night, this was when I realized I had a problem. When I went to open the card in the Mac Finder (similar to File Explorer for you Windows users), the Finder would immediately close. After having this happen a couple of times I quickly became worried. I ejected the card and placed it back into my camera. When I attempted to view the images on the camera, I received an error. Uh oh!

Thankfully, at this point I recalled a blog post last month by photographer Thomas Hawk recounting an eerily similar experience. I took a quick trip to Google and found the post (read it here). In the post Thomas details his use of DATARESCUE's PhotoRescue program to recover the contents of his card. I followed the link he provided and downloaded the program.

I like stories with happy endings and this one is no exception. The program worked flawlessly and was able to recover the complete contents of my memory card. It even showed me the recovered images before requiring me to purchase it, so I knew it would work before handing over the $29 purchase price. This is definitely a program that any serious photographer should have in their kit.

In recap, here are the steps Thomas gives when encountering a corrupt memory card:

1. Don't panic. Like I said. You will probably be able to get the shots back. Don't let it ruin whatever you are doing or shooting.
2. Once you know that you need to recover photos from a card stop using that card immediately. Don't try to reformat it. Don't reuse it. Put it away and wait until you get home where you can try recovery. If you do keep shooting with the card you might overwrite some of the data and be unable to recover some of your photos.
3. When you get home run DataRescue's PhotoRescue. You can download and run this software for free on your memory card.
4. If PhotoRescue can recover your images they will show you the thumbnails of the images. At this point you will need to buy the software if you want to use it to actually recover your images. The software cost's $29 but usually this is a small price to pay to have all of your images back.
   

Today's featured image is a capture from the Monday night shoot. Militia was lit using two handheld tungsten lights. By setting the camera's manual white balance control to the temperature of the tungsten light, a natural (read: un-photoshopped) purple hue fell over the rest of the scene.

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/200 second, f/4, ISO 250

Bride against Green

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/320 second, f/4, ISO 400

The Kiss

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/50 second, f/4, ISO 200

The Wedding School with Kenneth Linge

I spent the past three days attending The Wedding School taught by renowned international wedding photographer Kenneth Linge. My wife enrolled me in the class as a gift for our recent wedding anniversary.

The one word that I kept hearing repeated from the students (myself included) was "AMAZING". Kenneth freely shared with his students the techniques he developed over 30+ years as a fashion and wedding photographer in both Europe and the United States. During the class Kenneth co-taught with his wife Marylyn, and together they made a fantastic team. In an industry where so many people are reluctant to show their secrets, it was refreshing to see a photographer willing to share his photographic "recipes" to improve other's work. Even though the class was primarily aimed at wedding photography, the techniques learned can be applied to any portrait work.

I would definitely recommend the class for any working pro or advanced amateur looking to step up their photography. For more information, check out the Linge's seminars on the web:

www.kennethlinge.com/seminars

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/60 second, f/4, ISO 800

The Rock Climbing Bride

Like nearly every other photographer in the free world (or at least it seemed that way), I spent last Saturday photographing a wedding. July 7th (07/07/07) was one of the single biggest days for weddings in recent memory.

The nuptials I shot were in a beautiful rustic setting. The bride and groom are both avid rock climbers, and they had their ceremony at the base of a climbing route in Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside of Salt Lake City. After the ceremony and reception, the couple christened their new life together with a 5.10 climb. It was extremely unique and very cool.

Congrats to Brian & Militia.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/125 second, f/4, ISO 100

Reflections of a Utah Wedding

I assisted a photographer friend with a wedding last week at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Even though I have shot over 100 weddings (mostly in the 80's), this was my first time at Temple Square. I offered to assist so I could get a feel for the differences in shooting a wedding at this popular location.

Aside from the fact that there were no less than 8 other weddings being photographed on the grounds while we were there, it was a very beautiful setting. The grounds provide many, many settings for beautiful bride & groom shots. But with so many couples being photographed at this location, the biggest challenge I see is making a shot unique.

However, working in the real estate industry I see a lot of Utah wedding photos (hanging on the walls of client's homes). Judging by these photos I think a lot of newlyweds don't want a unique photograph - they just want a beautiful capture of themselves in front of the temple.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L IS lens - 1/200 second, f/10, ISO 100

Posing Pumpkin

Michelle and I shot a wedding on Saturday night. It wasn't a traditional ceremony, but instead a renewing of vows celebrating the couple's 10 years of marriage. This means that it included not only the (already married) bride and groom, but their five children as well.

This shot of me was made by Michelle as I was posing the youngest daughter for her portrait. While I was showing how I wanted her to hold the flowers, I asked her name. Her response: "Pumpkin". It was definitely an "awwww..." moment. She gave me a nice smile for the rest of the evening whenever I called her Pumpkin.

Canon 30D, Canon 50 f/1.8 lens - 1/30 second, f/1.8, ISO 200

Love

Love, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Contemplation

Contemplation, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

con‧tem‧pla‧tion [kon-tuh m-pley-shuh n, -tem-]
-noun

1. the act of contemplating; thoughtful observation.
2. full or deep consideration; reflection: religious contemplation.
3. purpose or intention.
4. prospect or expectation.

Bride by Lake

Bride by Lake, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I worked in the late eighties as a professional photographer in Alaska. While looking in my storage shed recently for some old software, I came across an album with several photographs that I had taken nearly 20 years ago. I opted to scan them into digital format to help preserve the images.

Featured here is a capture of a bride standing alongside a lake in Chugiak Alaska. Many of the weddings I photographed in Alaska during the summer were outdoors, due to the beautiful scenery. This brides name is Janice and her wedding took place at her parent's home.

Admiration

Robert and Donna, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Featured today are Robert and Donna Marshall, two people who I greatly admire. They have spent over 25 years as Christian missionaries and have traveled to all 50 states and countless countries. Their ministry, Streams in the Wasteland, is based out of Salt Lake City Utah and is a ”Helps and encouragement ministry to Christian pastors”.

I made this capture recently at their son's wedding which I had the honor of photographing. I especially like the happiness that is exhibited through their eyes.

The Look

The Look, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

This spontaneous capture of Jenna just after her new husband fed her cake at the reception has proven quite popular on my Flickr photostream (#2 all time). I think a large part of its popularity is that it goes completely against "Normal" wedding photographs. Though she was just playing around with the "Look", it does come across deadly serious in the capture.

Classic Bride in Black & White

Classic Bride, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Featured today is an example of why I love black & white photographs.

In making this capture of a young bride black & white, an element of timelessness is added. It can also serve to remove the distraction which can occur from the colors of her flowers and the background and allows us to focus on her faceial expression.

The Bride

The Bride, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Here's one more capture from Jenna & Benjamin's wedding this weekend.

Benjamin & Jenna

Benjamin & Jenna, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Two of my friends got married today. Jenna and Benjamin had an absolutely gorgeous wedding. The ceremony, officiated by Benjamin's father, was sacred and served to remind us of the sanctity of God's plan for marriage. Benjamin and Jenna are a wonderful example of what I desire my children to become.