Re: [Leica] Weddings/bracketing/35mmvs6X6

[nfrnkish@dux4.tcd.ie (Neil Frankish)]

25 years ago when I was only a callow youth, the instructer at the
photography evening classes I was attending took me aside and offered me
part time work with a wedding photographer of his aqaintance. Of course I
was flattered and jumped at the chance (being paid to indulge my new hobby?
!!!). Of course, my first time out (with the professional) I shot with my
Minolta SLR (50 1.4). The next week, we compared shots and I was shocked;
even at only 10 X 8 the difference in quality compared to his 6X6 was a
quantum leap. So I had to buy a 6X6 TLR and for the next two years, almost
every Sat, I would be given *3* rolls of 120 Vericolour II and if I hadn't
come back with 30+ sellable exposures every time, that would have been my
last wedding!

With only 36 exposures to work with, bracketing was only a theoretical
concept! Every shoot was done according to the same standard formula.
(although once, I inadvertently double exposed a bridesmade over the
portrait of the bride. When I saw it, I was mortified, but in fact the
costomer loved it, and we sold more reprints of that than any other!)

On the one hand, it taught me discipline early; to get the exposure and
focussing right, quickly, every time. On the other hand, in terms of film
use, I still, even now, tend to use my M6 in the same deliberate way, and I
lose spontaneity as a result. I sometimes think that being so constrained
in my photographically formative years has stifled my artistic development.
At least it's always a good excuse when you get a roll with no keepers on
it! :)

Neil Frankish

>I worked as an assistant to many wedding photographers for many years,
>early in my career. I consider a good wedding shooter, by definition, to be
>a top photographer, period. It's a tough job: I've done it a little myself
>with decent (but not great) results.
>I've shot mine with F5 or other Nikons, and M-cameras, and have always
>considered this a very amateurish way to do it. I wouldn't have 35mm for my
>own wedding. Nothing to do with the size of enlargements to come. Every top
>studio shooter I know uses Hasselblad, RB/RZ67, or even Graflex XL
>(remember?) for one main reason: the ease of retouching 6x6 or 6x7
>negatives. I realize in the 90s this is becoming a dying art but, for me,
>it's the mark of a serious studio. You'd have to be nuts to try retouching
>35mm.
>Finally, IMHO, the true art of traditional wedding photography lies in the
>realm of "human relations", plus the availability of plenty of portable
>flash equipment for main and fill lighting! Nowadays, it's true, some
>prefer a more photojournalistic style (even in b&w), but this is a recent
>development.