Watched a wedding get ruined today

05/05/2012 09:21:23 PM · #1

A wedding was held in a scenic little courtyard at my workplace today...a courtyard which also backs onto the restaurant kitchen, where I work. We all peeped through the blinds as the party arrived and the ceremony began, and of course I took notice when flashes began going off.

So I look and there's a local photog whom I've seen shoot before, but this time I paid more attention to how she was using her gear. She shoots Nikon, and looked like she was using an 18-70mm and a mounted up flash. However, the flash head was angled straight upwards...and the reflector wasn't angled out. So whatever she was lighting up, it wasn't the couple getting married. Wish I could have said or done something but of course I couldn't, it wasn't my place to do so.

*sigh*....

Message edited by author 2012-05-05 21:26:38.

sfalice

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

05/05/2012 09:24:13 PM · #2

P h o t o s h o p ! To the rescue. Or maybe not.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

05/05/2012 09:29:36 PM · #3

Originally posted by sfalice:

P h o t o s h o p ! To the rescue. Or maybe not.

Or PikNik with all its pretty borders and kewl filters! Every ~~photographer's~~ sorry, every fauxtographer's dream come true.

AllenP

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

05/05/2012 09:37:28 PM · #4

Originally posted by snaffles:

That's perfectly fine. Some of the light will always travel forward, with or without the reflector. With the reflector, of course more. Some even point their flash 45 degrees backwards in an open area and they still get some of that light to fall on their subject without bouncing it off of a wall or anything. The light that will hit the couple will be more feathered. Try that and you will be surprised to see how much of the light will travel forward. Of course your distance to the subject is also important. If too far, you will perhaps need the reflector card to bounce even more light forward.

Message edited by author 2012-05-06 00:09:52.

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

05/05/2012 09:42:40 PM · #5

Couple of other reasons. 1-Forgot the flash head up after an indoor shoot 2-she was using just outside light, did not want anything with flash, so put the head up instead of turning it off.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

05/06/2012 08:29:02 AM · #6

AllenP - Thanks for the tip and info, will give it a go. For the shots when she was about 6ft away, that technique could've worked. But for the farther shots when she was 30+ ft away (courtyard approx 35x30ft)...well...and the ambient light was sunny with shade falling on the couple, who were dressed respectively in white and black.

@

FocusPoint - I dunno...those attending the ceremony were waiting a good 1/2 hr on the couple, and she was already there. And flashes are distracting, why on earth would you want it firing if you didn't mean to use it? I'm the kind who checks their gear a million times before the event so I won't be caught on the hop when things start to happen. And I'd've saved my batteries for the reception indoors, as the restaurant has very high ceilings and lots of dark furnishings. That's where she could maybe get away with a direct upwards flash...if she remembered to dial it up.

Ah well. I'll find out who she is and check out her portfolio.

Message edited by author 2012-05-06 08:40:44.

MattO

Nikon D4

05/07/2012 12:01:25 AM · #7

Let me get this straight, you saw a wedding get ruined because you "thought" the photographer didn't know what she was doing?

Maybe it's just me, but I highly doubt there will be any ruining of the wedding by the photographer maybe not knowing her equipment, maybe weeks down the road there will be disappointment if the shots aren't all they hoped they would be.

I DO know my equipment and will at times just flip the head of my flash straight up to avoid light falling on my subjects rather then turn it off and forget to turn it back on when needed should lighting change and have to wait for it to initial charge and power up. Sometimes a shot happens so quick you can reach up and flip it down and get the shot, rather then have the moment pass while you turn it on and let it power up and charge.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

05/07/2012 12:30:46 AM · #8

In the Nikon flash units, there is a little white card that you can pull up to reflect the flash when the head is pointed up. This helps if you want to twist the head and bounce the main part of the light from the ceiling, but get some bounce from a wall at one side or the other. It also puts some of the flash forward if you use it straight up. The extra distance above the lens can make a difference in red eye. Maybe she was using the little reflector and you didn't see it.
On the other hand, maybe she just didn't need the flash, but wanted photographers in the crowd to see what a cool flash unit she has.

Devinder

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/09/2012 12:49:41 PM · #9

I use a lot of bounce technique in different combinations. Perhaps that was the goal?

nvm: everyone heres mentioned this stuff already. rawr. Also at 30 feet 0.o thats starting to sound difficult to justify. so 0.o

Message edited by author 2012-05-09 12:51:36.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

05/09/2012 01:06:49 PM · #10

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

On the other hand, maybe she just didn't need the flash, but wanted photographers in the crowd to see what a cool flash unit she has.

Or didn't want to worry about turning it on and off -- as long as you have enough power, there's no reason to not set off the flash unless you will cause an obvious over-exposure situation (I have no good macros using the flash).

Originally posted by snaffles:

...and the ambient light was sunny with shade falling on the couple, who were dressed respectively in white and black.

It would take some time to set up, but a graduated ND filter turned "sideways" might help capture a shot like this.

Message edited by author 2012-05-09 13:07:06.