Importance of Meaning in your photos.
1/100s - f/2.8 - iso 320 - 112mm (Sigma 70-200mm 2.8)
Alberto Ganduglia´s stationary Shop
Why would you ever shoot an engagement session on a stationary warehouse?
It is not pretty, nor fancy, there is bad lighting, but why was this couple so excited to shoot at this location when I suggested it at our first meeting before they booked the service?
Why didn't they just say: "Hey, let´s go to a park or somewhere with a lot of green stuff"? (which we did too)
1/200s - f/2.8 - iso 500 - 1119mm (Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8)
There are many parks in my city, many places I have not been yet for a photoshoot that would give variety to my work, but as a photographer I know I want to be a story teller. Usually when I meet a couple I try to get to know them; things they like to do together, places where they go, but most importantly: how they met.
It was like this, that I learned that they met working together in "Alberto Ganduglia" the biggest and one of the few stationary big shops in the city. Non of them longer work there, but it´s clear that it was a placer where they had lots of fun and got to know each other better.
So... why not? Why not go there and shoot the session in a place I had no idea what it looked like?
1/80s - f/4 - iso 2000 - 73mm (Canon 24-105 f/4)
1/80s - f/4 - iso 2000 - 32mm (Canon 24-105 f/4)
Of course you can always find excuses:
-It will be weird, who knows if the couple and the family will like it? Better play safe.
-What can be interesting about a warehouse?
-How will we get in there? They no longer work there, who knows if they have a good relationship with the people there? what about the necessary arrangements? It´s just simpler to go to a park.
But, for every excuse, you can find a good response:
-Weird? Weird can be good. Just ask them to see if they would roll with the idea. You got nothing to lose.
-Lacking interest? People will find interest where fond memories are, and this is where this couple made lots of memories together.
-If the necessary arrangements don´t work, you can go back to the park, but you will know that you tried. There is nothing to lose in being creative, specially if you find a couple willing to think and do things outside of the box (pun intended):
1/100s - f/1.4 - iso 800 - 35mm (Bower 35mm f/1.4 manual focus)
So, I´m just a beginner and got tons of things to learn, technically and artistically speaking. This may not be the best pictures you´ve seen of a couple, but I can assure you that you will stand out to your clients if you find a way to make things unique and personal for every client!
1/80s - f/1.4 - iso 200 - 35mm (Bower 35mm f/1.4 manual focus)
1/80s - f/1.4 - iso 200 - 35mm (Bower 35mm f/1.4 manual focus)
To help with the interest on the photos, I wanted to go with some slightly dramatic lighting to place a strong focus on the couple and darken the rest. To do this, I went with an off camera flash on most of the pictures on an umbrella, except the previous picture in which there was a bare flash hidden behind the couple.
Of course and as you will notice on most of the photos, this effect was emphasized with strong vignettes and some brushes here and there in Lightroom.
1/125s - f/1.4 - iso 160 - 35mm (Bower 35mm f/1.4 manual focus)
1/80s - f/1.4 - iso 100 - 35mm (Bower 35mm f/1.4 manual focus)
Equipment used:
-Canon 6D.
-Lenses mentioned under each photo.
-Cheap Chinese umbrella and stand.
-2 Flashes: One at minimum power on camera used to trigger the main one on the umbrella.
-Had 2 Radio Triggers: YN C-622, but they decided to stop working at the beginning of the shoot so after freaking out for a minute and a half, I went for the optical slave.
Obviously, the other more traditional scenery could not be absent, but as well, I made sure that it had meaning for the couple and it was a place where they spend time together and not a random place where I though photos would look nice...
1/180s - f/4 - iso 100 - 55mm (Canon 24-105mm f/4) Filling flash used.
1/100s - f/4 - iso 200 - 50mm (Canon 24-105 f/4)
This is them, drinking "mate" (Uruguay´s national drink, like green tea with a straw) and having a good time chatting with us before the next planned picture: Always be ready to capture a moment, even if the clients think you are talking a break.
1/100s - f/4 - iso 200 - 47mm (Canon 24-105 f/4)
1/160s - f/2.8 - iso 125 - 70mm (Sigma 70-200 f/2.8) Off Camera flash used.
1/180s - f/3.5 - iso 50 - 70mm (Sigma 70-200 f/2.8) Off Camera flash used.
1/125s - f/4 - iso 100 - 14mm (Bower 14mm f/2.8 manual focus) In camera flash.
1/320s - f/2.8 - iso 1000 - 200mm (Sigma 70-200 f/2.8)