Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]If yours were the better photos, Peter, they were better for one of two resons, neither of which have a thing to do with the camera you used: either you're simly a better photographer than the wedding "pro," the vast majority of whom wouldn't know an interesting image from a Hallmark card; or you took better photos because, knowing the couple intimately, you knew who to photograph. ___ Sent with SnapperMail www.snappermail.com ...... Original Message ....... On Sat, 04 Feb 2006 14:27:01 -0800 Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net> wrote: "Frank: I don't know if I'd want to photograph my own kid's wedding (hard "to tell as I don't have any kids). Probably not though, as I know how "involved I get in photography. I might very well take candids at the "reception, but I wouldn't do the ceremony. And "before," I would want to "be with my family as a participant, not a spectator. It's hard to be an "actor and an audience member at the same time. " "That said, I have photographed two weddings of my cousins lately. My "cousins are the closest thing to brothers and sisters that I have. But "it's not the same as one's own child. " "There was a professional at both these weddings. He did the formal stuff "and setup shots. I concentrated on using my Leica as a reportage tool, "shooting whatever spontaneous moments and candids I could. I shot the "ceremonies mostly as a spectator, though I did try to get the best view I "could. " "Each time, my cousins were very happy I had taken pictures. My shots were "compared very favorably to the professional's. For the wedding two summers "ago, people said they were equally good, just a different perspective. The "one last summer was an outdoor ceremony and an indoor reception in a "converted barn with dark walls, a skylight and a high, dark ceiling. "Contrast city! I just found out that the bride and groom were very "disappointed with the indoor shots from the pro. " "He'd just transitioned to digital, and most of his indoor shots were either "blurry or too dark. I don't know why--he certainly knew what he was doing "with film the previous year. I did fine at the same wedding with fast "lenses and ISO 400 film. Perhaps he didn't shoot RAW and/or protected his "highlights too much. Anyway, he used a Nikon D70 with a couple of zooms "and a hefty flash. I used an M6TTL with 35/1.4, 50/1.5 and 90/3.5. I shot "some available light indoors, but for anything moving, I needed flash. So I "used it, sometimes combined with a 1/30 shutter speed to pick up some "ambient light. " "At any rate, my pictures turned out to be the only acceptable pictures of "much of the reception. So my cousin and her husband were *very* glad I'd "taken them. She told me that several people commented that "the pro you "hired was really good." She would tell them, "he's not a pro, he's my "cousin, but he really knows how to take pictures." (That felt good :-) " "Anyway, perhaps your potential role as "alternate who saves the day" might "sway your wife. As might the idea that a loved one will take different "pictures than a hired hand, and they might turn out to be more "meaningful. Another thought is to give the matter a few days' rest, then "talk to your wife. Inquire as to her reasons for such an adamant "refusal. It might be that you can compromise--only candids at the "reception, and no running around like a fool during the pre- and "ceremony. But if she *really* feels strongly about this, I'd back "off. Weddings generate some pretty primal emotions, and your wife may not "want some damned camera interfering with your role as Father and Husband on "this Sacred Occasion. " "Maybe invite a competent fellow Leica enthusiast to the wedding to take the "kind of pictures you would if you were able. " "Hope this is useful, "--Peter " "At 07:30 AM 2/4/2006 -0800, "Frank Filippone" <red735i@earthlink.net> wrote: " ">About a year ago I asked the LUG about taking pictures at the wedding or ">your own kid. These would be candids in addition to the official ( digital) ">wedding photographer. . . " ">I do not even have permission to ask the bride or my son!....My wife, who is ">usually very laid back, does not want me to take the pictures. She wants me ">to sit there and enjoy the day..... She did not ask me if I were going to ">use a flash, take B+W or color shots, or anything else. I got the cold, ">flat, shut down. "> ">Help! or supporting words for my wife's position?