My first wedding as 2nd shooter recap

[CCericola]

Instead of Gary Fong's lightsphere I recommend this instead. Westcott Micro Apollo Softbox - 5 x 8" (13 x 20cm) 2200 B&H
Unless the venue has low, light colored cilings the "fong dong" wastes a lot of light and will kill your batteries. I like the westcott much better



In this case I used a 580ex2 (canon) and the westcott. I normally put more flash units around the venue but we were unable to.

 

[cgipson1]

Bracketing exposure is not the answer. It needs to be right. Period. Either know enough to do it right or don't do it at all. Choosing a crutch like bracketing in the hopes that at least one is right is ridiculous.

Learn it...that way you won't have to worry about things like bracketing and when you see that special 'moment' develop in front of you, you won't have to worry about where you are at in your bracketing sequence.

Are you talking to me, or Ernicus? I was talking a flash BRACKET.. as in hardware! Not Flash Bracketing.... (Although Ernicus did mention that above I think!) and I do agree with you there.. flash bracketing doesn't work well at a wedding or other events...

I thought you meant bracketing, my bad. Whats a flash bracket? well, I guess I can google it.

I use this one currently... DIGITAL PRO "T" BRACKET

used this one back in the film days.. with a custom built trigger mounted on the handle... RL 2000 FLASH BRACKET

 

[cgipson1]

Instead of Gary Fong's lightsphere I recommend this instead. Westcott Micro Apollo Softbox - 5 x 8" (13 x 20cm) 2200 B&H
Unless the venue has low, light colored cilings the "fong dong" wastes a lot of light and will kill your batteries. I like the westcott much better



In this case I used a 580ex2 (canon) and the westcott. I normally put more flash units around the venue but we were unable to.

That is a good call! The Apollo does well, and is not overly large. I have even shot some events with my 9x9 lastolite, but it is a little bulky...

 

[jamesbjenkins]

While I appreciate your input, did you read the other thread that led up to this one? We all know I went in blind on the gear level, as I just received it the day of. lol. Sure I could have used my 3100 with the flash, but I don't think I would have come out any better under the circumstances. The true issue was not so much my gear, but the inexperience with this type of shooting. Yes, knowing my gear would have helped, don't get me wrong. That mixed with zero useful direction and my inexperience just spelled disaster. lol. While my posts show frustration, I am not that upset about it, as I walked away with many valuable lessons.


It's no ones fault that I was not prepared but my own. I knew that going into it. However I opted to accept and do it for the experience of what it is like. Sure the other photog could have helped me, had he not been a tool, but really that was not his job, and he was not interested in the least bit about having a second there. I was only there because the photog company had a contractual obligation to fill and my photog buddy recommended me.

So there is no arguing I was not ready. Well, not ready to shoot alone...I think I am ready enough to experience it as a second...with guidance. That is what led to fail on this one, not counting my own inexperience...was the lack of guidance.

But really I am not looking for blame or fault. I was looking for learning. I got it. Even if it was learning what not to do, which is just as valuable at times.

Yes, I read your ENTIRE previous thread. I spend way too much time on this forum. I wasn't trying to be smart at all. From where I'm sitting your dumba$$ lead shooter left you hanging big time. I've never talked down too, or been jerky sarcastic to a photog I'm working with. And "pulling out the big boy" referring to a 80-200 is LAUGHABLE, and about the most amateur thing I've heard from a supposed professional. A 300mm f/2.8 VRII or a 200mm f/2.0 yeah......but a 80-200??

I'm really glad you feel like you learned valuable lessons from this experience. Stress and embarrassment are a great motivator and teacher.

And, I think with a true professional offering guidance and constructive criticism on location, I think you'd have had a vastly different experience.

 

[Ernicus]

I wish I had as much light as in that picture. lol they turned off all the lights and the place was lit up with christmas light type of string lights, like on my wine glass shot.

 

[Ernicus]

on another note, what's best way to get rid of red eye in post? I never had to before as I never got red eye before.

 

[cgipson1]

And, I think with a true professional offering guidance and constructive criticism on location, I think you'd have had a vastly different experience.

Definitely!

 

[Ernicus]

And, I think with a true professional offering guidance and constructive criticism on location, I think you'd have had a vastly different experience.

Definitely!

My next trip will be with Noel, the fellow photog who teaches at my work, so I'll have a much different experience to report about when that happens next month.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Bracketing exposure is not the answer. It needs to be right. Period. Either know enough to do it right or don't do it at all. Choosing a crutch like bracketing in the hopes that at least one is right is ridiculous.

Learn it...that way you won't have to worry about things like bracketing and when you see that special 'moment' develop in front of you, you won't have to worry about where you are at in your bracketing sequence.

Are you talking to me, or Ernicus? I was talking a flash BRACKET.. as in hardware! Not Flash Bracketing.... (Although Ernicus did mention that above I think!) and I do agree with you there.. flash bracketing doesn't work well at a wedding or other events...

One of the people I shoot with does use a flash bracket. I do not and don't personally care to. I can see where the confusion occured.

In any case, the only time a shadow would change is if the flash is being used directly, which it should never be. That type of bracket is also a crutch.

 

[MK3Brent]

I admire that you actually are humble to the experience.
Too many times, I see people post about a wedding they "shot" and they're so awful... yet so proud of their work.

You can usually tell after 5 mins of talking to another photographer about their gear whether or not they have a clue. From the sounds of it, the 1st shooter was either trolling you or actually doesn't know anything. I agree with another poster here, you should avoid working with that person again in the future.

 

[Ernicus]

While I appreciate your input, did you read the other thread that led up to this one? We all know I went in blind on the gear level, as I just received it the day of. lol. Sure I could have used my 3100 with the flash, but I don't think I would have come out any better under the circumstances. The true issue was not so much my gear, but the inexperience with this type of shooting. Yes, knowing my gear would have helped, don't get me wrong. That mixed with zero useful direction and my inexperience just spelled disaster. lol. While my posts show frustration, I am not that upset about it, as I walked away with many valuable lessons.


It's no ones fault that I was not prepared but my own. I knew that going into it. However I opted to accept and do it for the experience of what it is like. Sure the other photog could have helped me, had he not been a tool, but really that was not his job, and he was not interested in the least bit about having a second there. I was only there because the photog company had a contractual obligation to fill and my photog buddy recommended me.

So there is no arguing I was not ready. Well, not ready to shoot alone...I think I am ready enough to experience it as a second...with guidance. That is what led to fail on this one, not counting my own inexperience...was the lack of guidance.

But really I am not looking for blame or fault. I was looking for learning. I got it. Even if it was learning what not to do, which is just as valuable at times.

Yes, I read your ENTIRE previous thread. I spend way too much time on this forum. I wasn't trying to be smart at all. From where I'm sitting your dumba$$ lead shooter left you hanging big time. I've never talked down too, or been jerky sarcastic to a photog I'm working with. And "pulling out the big boy" referring to a 80-200 is LAUGHABLE, and about the most amateur thing I've heard from a supposed professional. A 300mm f/2.8 VRII or a 200mm f/2.0 yeah......but a 80-200??

I'm really glad you feel like you learned valuable lessons from this experience. Stress and embarrassment are a great motivator and teacher.

And, I think with a true professional offering guidance and constructive criticism on location, I think you'd have had a vastly different experience.

Lol, you read too much on here too? no way...lol. I know you weren't being a smartazz, me neither..I was givin ya chit, I'm glad you picked up on the "big boy" comment, I too thought that was laughable. It's an old good lens...but yeah... lol.

 

[Ernicus]

I admire that you actually are humble to the experience.
Too many times, I see people post about a wedding they "shot" and they're so awful... yet so proud of their work.

You can usually tell after 5 mins of talking to another photographer about their gear whether or not they have a clue. From the sounds of it, the 1st shooter was either trolling you or actually doesn't know anything. I agree with another poster here, you should avoid working with that person again in the future.

While a lot of people like a lot of my work, there are very few that I have done thus far that I say I am proud of.

I know the type you speak of, I see them in person at work, and here online. They annoy the piss out of me, lol. There is a difference between creative opinions and that sort, and just plain bad photography. Glad I learned at least that part early. lolol

 

[Heitz]

Thanks for the detailed, candid, entertaining, and thoughtful review of this experience. Did the main really use a 5100 with a kit lens? that's pretty ballsy. (course, he's SO GOOD he could shoot with a disposable...)

 

[Ernicus]

Thanks for the detailed, candid, entertaining, and thoughtful review of this experience. Did the main really use a 5100 with a kit lens? that's pretty ballsy. (course, he's SO GOOD he could shoot with a disposable...)

Lol. Yeah, he did. I did not want to make a "lets bash the fauxtographer" sort of thing, instead I have an honest accurate review of my experience.

It could have been a mid range fast zoom, but I really doubt it. Given how he shot, I am guessing he kept it at a wide angle for later cropping by the person making up the album. This is all speculation.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

That type of bracket is also a crutch.

George, do you realize that when you make statements like that, you're presenting your opinion as fact, and you come off as a judgmental a$$?

That's the main reason so many people hate Ken Rockwell, aside from the fact that he's an amateur hack.

Thousands of full-time pros use that type of bracket. I don't think they would consider it a crutch. It's a tool, just like everything else we all use.