Wrestling With Light

I just finished reviewing the photos from my Niece's wedding. As wonderful as photography can be, the click of the shutter is only the start of a long, detailed process that includes file uploads, backups, selecting and editing the best images, and trying to weave them into a story that summarizes the main events of the day. If an album is the final product, there are covers to select, pages to format, and photos to crop and adjust.

Small weddings are the most fun, in my opinion. Sometimes big weddings can take on a personality all their own, not at all true to the personalities of the Bride and Groom. But here we're all one, new family, just getting know one another, learning to laugh together, and growing closer one conversation at a time. But aside from that, photographing the small wedding is less about documenting a choreographed spectacle, and more about capturing sincere, candid moments.

As I mentioned in an earlier posting, working with a strong ambient light source can have a disastrous effect on the finished photo. The sunlight coming through the window would overpower all but the most powerful flashes, but it can be managed to a point where a very acceptable photo can be made. This shot was made by using two Nikon SB-800 speed lights mounted in tandem behind a Zumbrella shoot-through umbrella. By doubling the number of speed lights, I could bring the output a little closer to that of the incoming sunlight. And if I can get the speed lights close to the subject, an increase in intensity will automatically follow.

The last thing I learned was to not photograph the scene head on. See the shadows on the table? The direction tells you that the light is glancing off on a diagonal. This will cut down on the the brightness of the white table cloth considerably, and allow you to retain some small hint of detail. Now the "brights" and not quite as hot, and much more manageable. Remember the term "specular highlight", which is a fancy term for glare, and exactly what you're trying to control.

Now check the image as it came from the camera.

You can see the reflection of the Zumbrella in the window panes at camera left. I held the unit high and to the left, hoping to get the reflection away from the glass. Unfortunately, this was the best I could do, but luckily for me, I was able to clone some foliage into the affected pane and hide the reflection very nicely. With some perspective corrections and some slight Levels adjustments, the shot was done. 

I'd love to say that I had all of this planned well before I made the photo, but that would certainly be a "pants on fire" admission. Truth be known, you can't always predict with 100% certainty that a candid shot will properly come together. But if you shoot enough, and study your mistakes long enough, you'll compile your own list of do's and don'ts that will serve you well the next time you encounter a situation that on first glace, appears impossible to beat.

Where Are You Going?

Where are you going my little one, little one,

Where are you going my baby, my own?

Turn around and you're two, Turn around and you're four,

Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door.

My niece is getting married. The little "Squirmy Worm" is marrying the love of her life, and a great sea change ebbs before me. I wish that her Grandparents had lived to see this moment. But I am consoled that Suzi wears the wedding ring my Mother wore every day until my Father passed away. Now, the ring lives again, sparkling with the promise of a love as strong and enduring as my Parent's.

My primary role was that of my sister's brother, Uncle Tom as I prefer not to be called (just Tom will do). It was to be a small wedding, with fewer than 30 guests in attendance. I brought my camera, hoping that I might be able to make some images that would have made my parents proud.

I can't say enough about using bounce flash indoors with the help of the Black Foamie Thing. Using it is simplicity itself, so long as you remember the following:

• Use the narrowest beam angle on your flash,
• Be sure the BFT blocks any direct light from the flash tube, and
• Keep your ISO as high as practical.

Now there are some things that this technique can't do. One big problem is wrestling with intrusive sunlight. There just isn't enough power to equal the direct rays of the sun. Sometimes you can work around it, and other times you can't. However, if you must work with high ambient light sources, see if you can find a way to reduce the apparent brightness. Sometimes you can work the shots from a different vantage point, or in this case, do your planned shots later in the day, or on the shady side of the building. The sun had set behind the mountains, and the ambient light outside became much easier to work with.

The wedding itself was held at the Ahwahnee Chapel in Yosemite, and the reception at the Ahwahnee Lodge. Being in Yosemite is truly a transcendental experience. The word "grandeur" is hopelessly inadequate for describing the mountains that surround the floor of  the valley, and this was what I wanted to capture in a photograph. I was determined to include as much as possible, so the side of the Lodge and the surrounding mountains would be included in a vertically oriented photograph. To accomplish this, I needed two important items: A steady tripod and a suitable off-camera light source. Out came the Zumbrella with two SB-800s mounted in a home-made double bracket. I would trigger the flashes using an SB-900 as a commander, although I should have used some sort of radio trigger, since I was getting several "failures to fire" until I properly oriented the flash head. One more important thing: you have to shoot fast to keep the light consistent from the beginning of the session to the end.

The nice thing about this technique is that I can place the light just about anywhere I wanted. In this case, you can see that it's centered and overhead, throwing the shadow behind the couple. One thing I didn't count on was lens flare. You can see a hot spot on the Groom's right arm, and an overall flaring of the image. If I could do this over, I'd definitely use a EZ Box, but the Zumbrella is so darn portable...

After I made several shots, I cleared the set, and made one final image so I could have a clean background to work with. Exposure was unchanged, that is to say it was determined before the shooting started, and locked in on Manual Mode.

Finally, I made a sandwich using the image of the couple on top, and the clean background below. Then I used the Eraser to eliminate the Zumbrella and the hand, leaving the uncluttered background to show through. Some small adjustments to clean up the effects of the lens flare, and the following image was the result.
 

Without Photoshop, I would have needed a very tall light stand and an enormous umbrella to achieve a similar quality of light. But I was able to use a smaller, easier to  handle umbrella and position it close the subjects, allowing me to use two small speed lights to get the soft lighting I wanted for the photo. The final image will require some careful touch-ups, but this quick mock-up will give you an idea of how this can be accomplished. Also, the high-up position of  the light helped to keep the gown from being over-exposed, so the details and the texture are easily seen.

I am content that I was able to make the photograph I imagined. I only hope that in the years to come, it will remind us all of the magic in their hearts on this most special of days.

Addendum: May 25, 2021

Where are you going my little one, little one,

Little pigtails and petticoats, Where have you gone?

Turn around and you're tiny, Turn around and you're grown,

Turn around and you're a woman with babes of your own.

Samantha Jean, my Grand Niece, born May 24, 2021.