Chad & Erin

[cwphoto]

Just finished this one a couple of hours ago.

Our Bridegroom. EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/100s @ f/2, ISO 200:

[cwphoto]

EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/200s @ f/1.2, ISO 500:

[cwphoto]

EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/125s @ f/1.8, ISO 400:

[cwphoto]

EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/160s @ f/1.6, ISO 500:

[cwphoto]

EF 135mm f/2 L USM. 1/500s @ f/2.8, ISO 100:

[cwphoto]

The power of IS.

EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM @ 200mm. 1/50s @ f/2.8 , ISO 800:

[cwphoto]

EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM @ 125mm. 1/15s @ f/2.8, ISO 800:

[cwphoto]

EF 135mm f/2 L USM. 1/200s @ f/2, ISO 100:

[cwphoto]

EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/200s @ f/2, ISO 100:

[cwphoto]

EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/80s @ f/2.8, ISO 100:

[cwphoto]

EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/160s @ f/2.8, ISO 100:

[adam75south]

very nice! your pictures are always great. were your shots with the 70-200 handheld?...edit...i'm guessing so since you said power of IS...i'm slow sometimes.

but 1/50 at 200 is just amazing.

[timmciglobal]

All nice, love the first 135L one.

Only shot I don't like is the 70-200 bride in viel one, too yellow. I think it goes past the "Charm" phase of yellow and into "blah" yellow.

Tim

[24Peter]

Christian - I know you've been at this for years, but I think these are some of your best shots yet (at least that I've seen you post). Could be you're getting even better in your old age? :eek: Good job! :D

[Merlin]

Great shots!

[Honest Gaza]

Beautiful CW :)
....and the bedroom shot of the Bride holding the flowers....sensational.

[aparmley]

What! No Monotones? wasting my time with this amateur hour crap! :D

Seriously Christian, you're like a machine - sweet results again and again. Nicely done, worthy of a cold frosty reward! Cheers!;)

[cwphoto]

Thanks guys for all the feed-back.

Another one here:

EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. 1/100s @ f/3.2, ISO 800:

[cwphoto]

What! No Monotones? wasting my time with this amateur hour crap! :D

Seriously Christian, you're like a machine - sweet results again and again. Nicely done, worthy of a cold frosty reward! Cheers!;)

Thanks Andy, will try and pop some monos on later just for you.

BTW, had a few frostys at the reception - don't you worry.;)

[cwphoto]

Christian - I know you've been at this for years, but I think these are some of your best shots yet (at least that I've seen you post). Could be you're getting even better in your old age? :eek: Good job! :D

Pleasantly surprised Pete, thanks all the same - one would hope we keep getting better, we're our own hardest critics - no?

[forno]

Good work again mate, I too would like to see soem B & W

I like the compsition of the one below the bridge:)

[noyjimi]

Nice work Christian. I like 'em all. Did you mislabel the last 2 on the first page, btw? The EXIF says 85mm. Also, I'd love to see those 2 a bit warmer. Too bad we can't do much about the groom's odd smile expression -- he looks more like he's just realized what he's gotten himself into... :D

[cwphoto]

Nice work Christian. I like 'em all. Did you mislabel the last 2 on the first page, btw? The EXIF says 85mm. Also, I'd love to see those 2 a bit warmer. Too bad we can't do much about the groom's odd smile expression -- he looks more like he's just realized what he's gotten himself into... :D

Yeah, mistake corrected - thanks Noy.

I'll take a look at the colour tone tonight. I threw these up straight after the event so I was pretty/rushed tired and they may have still been set to AWB. I'll start doing the more thorough edits tonight.

[Bluedog]

I admire you guys who can do this type work with these results. Very good talent Christian.

[toriaj]

Awesome shots! Did you consider cloning out the tan line from her watch in #11? Speaking as a former bride, :D I wouldn't want to buy that shot because the tan line is all I would see.

Anyway, these are great. Keep 'em coming!

[cwphoto]

Awesome shots! Did you consider cloning out the tan line from her watch in #11? Speaking as a former bride, :D I wouldn't want to buy that shot because the tan line is all I would see.

Anyway, these are great. Keep 'em coming!

You have very sharp eyes Toriaj! I'll fix them for the album, but to do so on all the 'proofs' would be a huge job!

[Honest Gaza]

You have very sharp eyes Toriaj! I'll fix them for the album, but to do so on all the 'proofs' would be a huge job!

So CW...now that you have raised it. Is this something you would normally do as part of your professional photograpy service ? (cloning). Not as if it is the photographers fault.....and it certainly isn't a skin imperfection.

Just wondering.

[cwphoto]

So CW...now that you have raised it. Is this something you would normally do as part of your professional photograpy service ? (cloning). Not as if it is the photographers fault.....and it certainly isn't a skin imperfection.

Just wondering.

Normally only on request and then it's POA. Dust marks and the odd obvious blemish (like a fat pimple on forehead) here and there I may do as routine but major volume work no.

[michaelb]

Love the second shot especially....very nice work.

[JMWallace]

CW, great work again. Everytime you post shots, all I can think about is "I wanna do that, I wanna do that!!" There are too many pick out a fav. I am however really drawn to the way you do the bride/groom & party in Park part II.

Coming from the DJ world, a little bit of video and been part of good number of weddings, I have a few questions:

1.) How is the wedding day that you shoot downunder structured?

2.) Is there usually a lot of time between ceremony and reception?

3.) Do you capture much during the reception itself? Meaning, between the start of dinner and first dance/cake cutting?

Thanks-

Jeff

[cwphoto]

Thanks all.

Jeff, this particular wedding strted out at 1:00 PM for me at the Bridegroom's home. I stayed there for about 30mins getting various shoot of Groomsmen etc and then went to Bride's place (five minutes around corner).

Stayed a little over an hour with her (usual shots with her and bridesmaids/family etc).

Then we had about an hours drive to the church (which lasted around 30mins).

Short drive to the 'Park' where we had about an hour to do everything.

Then I could relax for the reception, which is usually less hectic. A quick blow around the tables and a shot of the cake and I can pour myself a wine/beer and sit down to download onto the computer.

If guests are not seated I usually do a whole bunch of candids of them just shots of small groups talking you know.

Then the formalities start usually after/around dessert and that's speeches/cake/waltz.

I then usually do the ring shots and any family/friends groups we haven't done through the day.

All up I think I have around 700-800 shots from this wedding, but to answer your last question there's stuff-all I do at the start of the reception - in fact I usually encourage couples to not have me at the reception because (to be quite frank) I could care less about them and unless they are friends I'd rather be at home with the fam for a change. I don't get the creative juices flowing for receptions as much as the rest of the wedding and after fifteen years and 1,000 of these gigs I don't care much for them anymore.:o

[forno]

You pics dont say that!

Me thinks you need a break froom them for a little while:confused:

[cwphoto]

You pics dont say that!

Me thinks you need a break froom them for a little while:confused:

Should have been more specific: I don't care much for receptions any more, the rest of the wedding still gives me a lot of personal satisfaction - and I do care for my clients. The above post didn't read well.

I find the reception offers the least opportunity for artistic/memorable/etc images than the main stuff, and by then the couple just usually want to relax and not be bothered by the camera much.

YMMV of course.

[forno]

Should have been more specific: I don't care much for receptions any more, the rest of the wedding still gives me a lot of personal satisfaction - and I do care for my clients. The above post didn't read well.

I find the reception offers the least opportunity for artistic/memorable/etc images than the main stuff, and by then the couple just usually want to relax and not be bothered by the camera much.

YMMV of course.

Your finger is probably over it by then too

[JMWallace]

Interesting insight. Maybe it's a difference in culture/country. Maybe it's just where you have positioned yourself as a photographer, maybe it's only this way in my little mid-western Michigan area. I have DJ'ed as far as 2-3 hours away from my home turf, maybe that diameter isn't good enough to judge within.

The "usual" around here is:
-Photog arrives at church and takes some staged/candids and preping shots of B & G & Bridal Party
-Ceremony - B&G/bridal party/parents/grandparents coming up isle. During ceremony shots, leaving as husband and wife, pix of the exiting, couple hugs, staged leaving church.
-After Ceremony - in most circumstances all that is done here is Andy's favorite cookie cutter, drab, boring, no fun group shots. Around here, although they don't allow for much artistic expression, they are the money makers. The ones people buy the most of.
-I N T E R M I S S I O N - Many times the ceremony is at around 3-4pm then off to reception which gennerally start at 5-6pm. So there is "usually" very little time in-between for anymore than a couple different group poses at a sceanic location. Many times, after the ceremony, all the bridal party is interested in is seeing how much they can drink before they get to the reception.
-Reception - B&G arriving, speech, dinner is served, maybe grab some table shots, etc. Many times, since the B&G eat first and are done first, the WP takes the B&G aside for some posed shots. Many WP's bring a backdrop and lights to take some portrait shots of B&G, family members and others. Then comes cake cutting, dances, garter & bouqet toss, couple of group dancing shots....THEN WP out the door "usually" by 9:30pm.

I guess this would be more "traditional", however, I would really like to carve out a space to do your "photo journelistic" style. IMO, it offers a much more memorable vision of the day and is a better capture of the event.

Again...excellent work.

Jeff

[cwphoto]

Thanks for the insight into your local experiences Jeff. Although to be honest, I'm not sure I would have lasted fifteen years if I had so little room for personal artistic expression as you paint.:confused:

Some observations:
1) I haven't sold a single print from weddings for three years - maybe longer. I make the profit out of the album (average spend is $3-5k). If I'm doing CD only, then the price includes a margin for the 'missing' print orders. It seems to be the way the market is going here - make the money up-front and move on to the next job rather than rely on prints that few people want to buy anyway.

2) Studio lights at a wedding? That is so eighties! The demand in this market is very much a PJ style - hence you see very little flash in my work (which I appreciate may appear 'unpolished' to some with moody lighting and some blown-highlights etc). The amount of WPs in this market who take studio flash to a wedding would be almost zero.

3) Park sessions. It's not uncommon for the European-style Aussie weddings to spend up to three hours for the 'in-between' photo sessions - often with multiple locations. Furthermore, often these weddings will also include a night-photography shoot after the reception. I did a tonne of these through the mid to late nineties which would often end up back in the hotel room at 1:00 AM doing the suggestive honeymoon night shots - I kid you not! I've tried to distance myself from the European scene, as you really earn your money on these gigs (long days - I'm getting tired).

I should try and dig up some old stuff just for a laugh. Some typical honeymoon suite shots (if I can remember correctly) were like the bride un-buttoning the groom's shirt etc. Seemed tasteful enough at the time if done right (again moody lighting, no flash etc), but just seems a bit wrong these days...

[JMWallace]

:eek: - back in the hotel room with the photog eh...sounds like maybe some extra bills could have been slipped to you to capture some REAL memories!!!

So, on top of your cost to just "be" there and capture the moments, add another $3-$5K for the orders???? So you end up with a $5-$10K (aus $ of course) work day on average?? Do I have that correct??

- How many weddings do you do a year?
- Is this your only job?

Where is Jamie for input on this??? It would be interesting to get some east coast perspective. I am dead in the middle of industrial/manufacturing Detroit, MI & Toledo, OH. I am sure things are much different on the east side.

Andy, was your experience similiar to what I discribed?

.....just realized I am staging a hijack here. Sorry CW, I should move this somewhere.

[cwphoto]

So, on top of your cost to just "be" there and capture the moments, add another $3-$5K for the orders???? So you end up with a $5-$10K (aus $ of course) work day on average?? Do I have that correct??

- How many weddings do you do a year?
- Is this your only job?

Where is Jamie for input on this??? It would be interesting to get some east coast perspective. I am dead in the middle of industrial/manufacturing Detroit, MI & Toledo, OH. I am sure things are much different on the east side.

Andy, was your experience similiar to what I discribed?

.....just realized I am staging a hijack here. Sorry CW, I should move this somewhere.

Sorry - $3-5k would be the average for the total job. I have a few clients who only spend $1,500 for a CD - balanced by a few who spend $5k+ for the works (main album, maybe a couple of parent albums).

I used to do 70 weddings per year (mostly working for wages for larger studios) through most of the nineties - down to less than half that now (but all direct, no more studio crap wages).

I have my fingers in a few different pies, so to speak. ;) Pro photography would be around 40% of my gross income.

[jamison55]

First off, Christian, you continue to display a consistency that only 15 years in the trenches can give you. Bravo!


Where is Jamie for input on this??? It would be interesting to get some east coast perspective. I am dead in the middle of industrial/manufacturing Detroit, MI & Toledo, OH. I am sure things are much different on the east side.

As far as pricing goes - East Coast, Gold Coast, now that digital's mainstream the only way to make money is an up-front pricing model (IMHO). Even old school film photographers are feeling the pinch from clients who scan the proofs and make their own reprints. My reprint sales this year have totalled about $500...pretty sad! By pricing my packages so that I feel fairly compensated even if the client doesn't order any reprints, I'm not feeling a pinch here.

Interesting insight. Maybe it's a difference in culture/country. Maybe it's just where you have positioned yourself as a photographer, maybe it's only this way in my little mid-western Michigan area. I have DJ'ed as far as 2-3 hours away from my home turf, maybe that diameter isn't good enough to judge within.

The "usual" around here is:
-Photog arrives at church and takes some staged/candids and preping shots of B & G & Bridal Party
-Ceremony - B&G/bridal party/parents/grandparents coming up isle. During ceremony shots, leaving as husband and wife, pix of the exiting, couple hugs, staged leaving church.
-After Ceremony - in most circumstances all that is done here is Andy's favorite cookie cutter, drab, boring, no fun group shots. Around here, although they don't allow for much artistic expression, they are the money makers. The ones people buy the most of.
-I N T E R M I S S I O N - Many times the ceremony is at around 3-4pm then off to reception which gennerally start at 5-6pm. So there is "usually" very little time in-between for anymore than a couple different group poses at a sceanic location. Many times, after the ceremony, all the bridal party is interested in is seeing how much they can drink before they get to the reception.
-Reception - B&G arriving, speech, dinner is served, maybe grab some table shots, etc. Many times, since the B&G eat first and are done first, the WP takes the B&G aside for some posed shots. Many WP's bring a backdrop and lights to take some portrait shots of B&G, family members and others. Then comes cake cutting, dances, garter & bouqet toss, couple of group dancing shots....THEN WP out the door "usually" by 9:30pm.

I guess this would be more "traditional", however, I would really like to carve out a space to do your "photo journelistic" style. IMO, it offers a much more memorable vision of the day and is a better capture of the event.

Again...excellent work.

Jeff

That's a typical traditional workflow - and if I had to do it that way, I'm not sure I'd still be doing it...it's no fun for anyone!

I NEVER pose a "moment" unless I've completely missed it (e.g. the first kiss when couple's rush it). I never try to get their attention while they're dancing, never get a shot of the groom looking at his watch, and never pose the bride with all of the bridesmaid's flowers on her train....yuck!

In the 50 or so weddings I've photographed I have only had to re-pose a moment 3 or 4 times.

My clients prefer it that way. Once I'm through with the posed shots, I just capture what's happening naturally.

Here's what my typical day looks like:

2:00 - 3:30: Candids of the bride getting ready. I usually steal the bride away for about 15 minutes of posed bridals, and will also get some bridal party/fmaily formals if time allows.

4:00 - arrive at church and snap candids of the church and the groom/groomsmen waiting. When the bride arrives, snap shots of her getting out of the limo (nope I don't even pose those- whoever helps her out is who is in the picture)

4:00 - 5:00 candid coverage of the ceremony.

5:00 - 6:00 formal posed photos during the "cocktail hour"

6:00 - 10:00 candid reception coverage

If we don't have enough time to spend the 20 or so minutes with the bride and groom for posed shots, I'll sometimes take them out of the reception while everyone is dancing... other than that, I just shoot it as I see it.

I have started bringing lights to the reception, but not for formals with a backdrop. The reception halls here tend to be really dark, and a couple of radio slaved strobes strategically placed help me to lift the levels a bit and make it look like I'm in a hall not a cave!

[cwphoto]

What! No Monotones? wasting my time with this amateur hour crap! :D

Seriously Christian, you're like a machine - sweet results again and again. Nicely done, worthy of a cold frosty reward! Cheers!;)

Monos for you Andy:

[cwphoto]

Another mono:

[Nickcanada]

Great work as always!! Are those available light only?

[cwphoto]

Great work as always!! Are those available light only?

Is there any other kind?:D

Just playing around with this one - not sure if it works:

[24Peter]

Christian! You 'da natural light man! :D