Here's my take on weddings: My take on Wedding Photography - Kenneth William Caleno Essential Equipment Two camera bodies that share the lenses Two flashes (strobes) plus cables, etc., 18mm-55mm zoom-for groups 50mm standard lens F1.8 [Ler mais...] enviada em Wedding Photography Tutorials

Here's my take on weddings: My take on Wedding Photography - Kenneth William Caleno Essential Equipment Two camera bodies that share the lenses Two flashes (strobes) plus cables, etc., 18mm-55mm zoom-for groups 50mm standard lens F1.8 or even better F1.4-for low-light situations Not essential, but handy for candids and from back of church images- 70mm-300mm zoom lens large capacity digital storage cards At least triple batteries as you think you will need Two white reflectors Diffusion (soft-focus) filter 85c warming filter for grey days Tripod for formal photos Lens hoods to control flare Planning the wedding shoot You must have a timetable to work from, or you will fail miserably. You must always remember: The Bride is never on time Cars are sometimes late arriving Ministers will often talk for longer than expected Traffic may be chaotic Something may have been forgotten somewhere Murphy, being the Patron Saint of Wedding Photographers, will no doubt ensure that if anything can go wrong-it will, and usually at the most inopportune moment. Allow for plenty of time for each section of the shooting script. Planning Session Planning is crucial, so make sure that time has been allowed for photography, and travelling to each location. A: Who is Paying? Find out who is paying for the photography, because the person footing the bill is the client, and needs to be consulted-If the bride’s parents are paying, and want nice, classic portrait shots of Bride & Groom, and the Bride wants cross-processed, arty, or black & white images-you had better get nice safe photos for Mum and Dad as well! It is very important to find out and determine EXACTLY what the client wants, and is expecting to get. Quite often people do not know what they want-until you have shot it. What you don’t want to hear is: “ We didn’t want half of this stuff, we want a refund!!!” Whoever is paying, make sure you get paid up front. I usually ask for my daily rate photography fee on signing the contract, and the balance seven days before the wedding date. (This saves you wondering if and when you are going to be paid, and saves you chasing clients for payment.) I also only charge for the day’s photography up front-prints are priced separately - I take around 2000 shots per wedding, and shave these down to around 500 and put as proofs on CD’s made to show to my clients-then they can choose what they want for their albums. B. Working with schedules and timetables Once you have found out what is wanted and who is paying, start working out your shooting schedule. I usually type these out and give to attendants in the bridal party, to organise everybody for their photo to save time. I also type my schedule on small cards for my pocket while I am shooting, so I know when the next sequence is due. Let your clients know that formal photos of the bridal party should take between one to one-and-a-half hours.-Any longer will drag the proceedings, and any less time will limit the number of set-ups wanted. Subtly point out that the guests should be advised of what is going on. It is important to let the client know that if they cut your time, you will need to cut the amount of photography to shoot. Protocol and family Politics You need to tread very carefully where family politics are concerned, as you set up groups- ex-wives versus new wives, step-children, recently divorced couples. Better to let people sort themselves where they want to be, then just arrange set-ups accordingly. If everyone, guests included, know exactly what happens, and when, and with whom, it will alleviate, the Bride’s and groom’s stress, your stress, and you will get results that please your clients. Once PLAN “A” ( Beautiful sunny day, no wind,) is in place, work out alternatives- “B”; “C”; “D”; etc., You need somewhere to photograph if it’s raining, snowing, gale-force winds etc., And a choice of idyllic locations. A Typical Schedule Plan a). Groom’s House Photos at the Groom’s house happen rarely, but if they are wanted, then you must make sure things run on time, in order to get to the Bride’s house on time b). Bride’s House Get to the house early, showing you are organised and professional. The Bride may be very nearly ready, and being the early bird may give you a chance to get things in order without rushing. Confidence is the keyword, so compliment the Bride, say she looks nice, and has nothing to worry about (Do not, under any circumstances tell her she is beautiful, because, if she isn’t, she will know, and this could turn her against you.) If you can help the bride and her family to be calm at the house, the tone of the whole wedding will reflect on this. Let the family know what you are going to photograph outside the church, or wedding venue. c). Church or Wedding Venue Get to church, or wedding venue as soon as you can to get set up for what follows. Talk to, and photograph the Groom. Talk to minister/celebrant, checking all is ok, use/non-use of flash, etc., Wait outside for cars to arrive While the ceremony is taking place, look around for photo opportunities-is the Bride’s Mother crying? her Father, crying or smiling? Once the vows have been made, register signed, etc., Bride and Groom will walk down the aisle, or things will just finish. This can be an awkward moment-one of two things usually happen: a) The Bride & Groom will be surrounded by guests, and if there are lots of guests the crowd may take a time to clear. b) (Usually at churches) when Bride & Groom come out there is no-one at first, then all guests file out slowly and stand around the couple looking at them. Some guests will want to take photographs at this point, so set up the shot and let them fire away, after you. Work with these people throughout the day, and some of these people could be your next client. Start the family photos, beginning with the Bride’s side, then the Groom’s, then all the friends and hanger’s-on. d). The Formal Photos After all the ceremony kerfuffle, the bridal party will want to relax a bit, maybe have a drink and a smoke for 10 minutes or so, while you are getting ready. But when you are ready, you need to get them back on track to get all required images done on time Bride and Groom, at this point, aren’t usually the problem, it’s generally the best man wants another beer, or the maid of honour who wants another smoke, or someone gets loud. You need to gain control of this. If there are children in the party, use them first, as they have a very short attention span. No matter what happens here,-stay calm, even when things go wrong, keep calm you won’t get good photos if you are stressed. When you think you have finished, better check with Bride and Groom that you have all they wanted, or if you were pressed for time, that you have the set-ups they wanted the most. Now you have to get back to the reception before the wedding party do. e). Mock Cake Cutting This is done when budgets are tight, and you aren’t required to attend the reception, due to funds being tight. f ). The Reception Before the bride and Groom arrive at the reception venue, Be ready to catch them arriving. Things that usually happen at reception are: (in any order): speeches, toasts, food, then the first dance. While there is potential photography, don’t eat, or drink, just in case you miss something worthwhile. Before leaving be sure that the Bride, Groom and whoever is paying for the photography, have all the shots they need with nothing missed. g ). After it all Get the finished prints to the Bride & Groom as soon as possible, that’s good business, You will want them to see the prints while the day will still be fresh in their memory. Do not get caught in the middle of any disputes-CD’s are always to be delivered to the Married couple, and not to anyone else. (unless arranged otherwise). If someone other than the Bride & Groom is paying for the photography, it should be explained to them beforehand that the Bride & Groom get the CD’s When sorting out the finished images, take out the blinkers, and the ones that aren’t up to par. The Photography A blow by blow account of a typical wedding - Ceremony at 4pm You have your little schedule cards on a loop of string  You have your flash/strobe set to ¼ Iso (for fill-in, or all outdoor photos if you want to play safe, use at full Iso for indoor shots) You 18-55 zoom lens on camera 1. At Groom’s house 10:00 am - 11:30am ( All times can only be approximated) Groom, getting ready, Groomsmen, playing around Groom, in mirror Groom dressed, GQ pose, jacket over shoulder Groom Full length Groom with mother Close-up Groom with Father Close-up Groom with both parents full length Groom with both parents close-up Groom with Grandparents Full length Groom with Grandparents close-up With sisters With brothers With immediate family Groom and Best man full length Groom and Best man Close-up Groom and best man shaking hands Groom and all groomsmen 2.At Bride’s house 12:30am - 3:00pm Bride dressing Mother helping with veil Mother/maid of honour adjusting veil Bride looking in mirror  Bride with mother looking in mirror Bride putting on garter Bride putting on garter with bridesmaids looking on Bride full length Bride half length Bride close-up Bride with Mother close-up Bride with Mother full length Corsage being pinned on Mother Bride with Father full length Bride with Father close-up Bride pinning-on Father’s button-hole Bride with both parents, full length Bride with both parents, close-up With Grandparents close-up With Grandparents full length With sisters With brothers with immediate family Bride and maid of honour full length Bride and maid of honour. Close-up Bride with attendants Bride with flower girl/ring bearer Bride leaving house with parents and Bridesmaids Father helping Bride into limo 3. At the Ceremony 3:30pm - 4:45 Groups of guests and everybody Flower girl walking down aisle Ring-bearer walking down aisle Maid of honour walking down aisle Bridesmaids walking down aisle Father walking down aisle with Bride Father “Giving Bride away” Bride & groom exchanging vows Bride and Groom exchanging rings The Kiss Bride signing register Groom signing register Bride and Groom walking back down aisle Bride and groom outside church  Bride and Groom getting into limo 3 4. Formal Photos 5:00 - 6:30 Bride alone Full length  Bride alone ¾ Bride alone close-up Bride alone head shot Bride alone peeping over flowers  Bride & groom Kissing Bride & Groom full length Bride & Groom close-up Groom full length Groom ¾ Groom close-up Close-up of rings Group shot of bride & bridesmaids posted in Wedding Photography Tutorials

Hi, I shoot Jpegs, So I have full control over exposure and white balance-I get it right in the camera-But if there are imperfections, here's what I would use to fix them: 2. Digital darkroom Basics IMPORTANT: Always view images at 100% a [Ler mais...] enviada em What Photoshop Techniques/Tools are Used Before Resubmitting Images

Hi, I shoot Jpegs, So I have full control over exposure and white balance-I get it right in the camera-But if there are imperfections, here's what I would use to fix them: 2. Digital darkroom Basics IMPORTANT: Always view images at 100% a) Check Levels -(Histogram) b) At 100% (Actual Pixels) check for: - Noise Reduction - Noise (Chroma-colour noise) - Image> Mode> LAB Colour> Channels Channel “a” Gaussian blur 5 pixels Channel “b” Gaussian blur 5 pixels Channel “lightness” Filter> noise> despeckle Image> Mode> RGB colour -Noise (Luma -Grainy noise) -lasso area and apply smart blur at default setting (For small areas) -Or Ctrl+J -Smart blur-Then eraser tool to expose background features - Lateral chromatic aberration (fringing) Removal Ctrl+J select brush tool and click on the quick mask tool. Choose a brush size to match the width of the fringe. Draw all the areas that have fringing. When done, click icon next to quick mask Select> Inverse. Image> Adjustments> Hue/Saturation and pick the color closest to your fringe color Click eyedropper on the fringe color on your image. drag Saturation slider to the left until the fringing goes. Select> deselect Save Quick method for fringe elimination Using lasso tool select area with fringing Image> adjustments> Hue/Saturation De saturate fringe color Select> Deselect save - Transverse chromatic aberration (Moire banding) Elimination - Filters/blur/Gaussian Blur at 1.5 pixels radius - Local Contrast Enhancement Ctrl+J Filter> sharpen> Unsharp Mask Amount 10 Radius 50 pixels Threshold 0 Flatten and save “Pop” Ctrl+J Filter> Sharpen> Unsharp mask Amount 30 Radius 60 pixels Threshold 10 Blend mode> Luminosity- Flatten - To sharpen - Smart sharpen Ctrl+J Unsharp mask amount 18% Radius 40 pxls Threshold 0 Unsharp mask amount 150% Radius 0.3 pxls Threshold 0 Edit> fade Unsharp mask 100% Darken Unsharp mask amount 150% Radius 0.3 pxls Threshold 0 Edit> fade Unsharp mask 50% Lighten - Smart sharpen ( Alternative) - To sharpen - Smart sharpen Ctrl+J Select> All> Edit> Copy Channels> New channel (alpha 1)> Edit> paste Filter> Stylize> Find edges Ctrl+L move sliders for clean edges Filters> Blur Gaussian blur1.5 pixels Select> Load selection-Check “invert” click “ok” Select RGB channel View> Show> “selection edges” uncheck Filter> Sharpen> Unsharp mask- Amount 500 Radius 0.2 Threshold 0 Select> deselect> dump alpha channel Blend mode “luminosity” Ctrl+shift+E - To lighten under-exposed images Ctrl+J Blend mode Screen Adjust opacity to suit before flattening/save - To darken over-exposed images Ctrl+J Blend mode Multiply Adjust opacity to suit before flattening/save - To Vignette portrait images Create an ellipse around subject, using elliptical Marquee tool Select> Inverse Feather radius 250 pixels Edit> Cut - To reduce skin redness in portraits Add new adjustment layer> selective color Set to Reds Click, hold drag magenta slider to left -To smooth skin in portraits Ctrl+J Click on quick mask Brush tool 35 soft Press ”D” Paint face except for eyes, eyebrows and nostrils, and lips (If you go over the edges, press X and erase, then x again to continue…) Press “Q Select “inverse” Select> feather 10 pixels Filters> Blur> Gaussian Blur 3 pixels Filter> Noise> Add noise 2.5% “uniformed” and “monochrome” checked Flatten/save Polarizer 1.Ctrl+J 2. Window> Channels 3. Red Channel 4. Ctrl+A; Ctrl+C 5. Lab Colour (Don’t Flatten) 6. Channel> Lightness 7. Ctrl+V 8. Image> Mode> RGB (Don’t Flatten) 9. Select top layer- Layer> Layer mask Reveal All 10. Click on layer mask thumbnail 11. Image> Apply Image 12. Layer-background; channel red; “Invert” Ticked Blending-Multiply-opacity 100% Flatten and save. Polarizer (Alternative) 1. Ctrl+J 2. Mode> soft light-click “OK” 3. Press ”D” 4. Press ”G” for gradient tool - Select Black to transparent Linear gradient 5. Mouse cursor at top of image, click-hold-drag down to horizon-release 6. Click on background layer; Click, hold on b/w circle 7. Choose selective colour Cyan/magenta 100/100 (Cyans) Cyan/magenta 100/100 (Blues) 8.Flatten and save Graduated Neutral Density Filter effect Add adjustment layer> levels Drag right slider to left Drag middle slider to left (These moves enable you to get the ground or sea how you want it) Press “D” Press “G” Choose linear gradient Drag cursor from horizon up to mid-sky flatten/save - Black & White conversion from colour Ctrl+J Image> Calculations Background layer Red Background Layer Red Multiply New channel Image> Mode> Greyscale flatten/save - To black & White Quadtone Ctrl+J Image> Mode> Duotone Choose type: Quadtone Load> quadtones> pantones Select last option Bl 541 513 5773. Hit LOAD. Hit OK. Image> Mode> RGB Color Flatten/save - To convert to Black & White then selectively colourize New adjustment layer> Hue/Saturation De-saturate F7 (or click on layer mask) Press ”D” Click on brush tool Brush over parts to colourize Flatten/Save -To Isolate Objects against a white background: Photograph your object using any background, Then: a) Zoom in 200-300%. b) Use the pen selection tool to chart an exact path around the object. Get it perfect. c) Click on working path Icon in paths palette d) Select> Modify> Contract by 2 pixels. Smooth by 3-5 pixels. e) Select> Inverse-. f) Select> Feather by 0.2 - 0.5 pixels. g) Make sure foreground black/background white - Press Delete. You now have isolated object on white background. -To Correct Converging verticals "Select > All" "View > Fit on Screen" "View > Show > Grid" . "Edit > Transform > Perspective" Eight small squares will appear around the image edges. Using the Left mouse button select the small square at the top left or right corner and drag in the opposite direction to the way the verticals are tilting. Sepia/color 1 duplicate layer, 2. then select background copy layer and select background layer invisible 3. select layer and go image -> adjustments -> Match color... 4. then set luminance to 200 and color intensity to 1 5. then select background layer to visible and take the eraser tool 6 on "background copy" layer start delete the all what you want in real colors For landscapes Step one- To bring out detail 1. Ctrl+J 2. filter> other> high pass 1.7 pixels 3. Change blend mode to "hard light" 4. Ctrl+Shift+N 5. Edit> Fill - black 100% 6. Click on eraser tool-set brush size 300 7. Click once in centre of blacked-out image 8. change blend mode to "soft light" Adjust opacity to suit 9. Flatten and save Step two- To enhance colors: 1. Ctrl+J 2. Image> adjustments> Match Color Luminance 119 Color intensity 126 3. Flatten/save - Soft light portrait Press ctrl+j to duplicate the layer and press shift +control +u to de-saturate the new layer. Click on Add layer mask button Click on layer mask thumbnail to active it and go to Image> Apply image :- Layer- merged RGB Multiply 100% Now, click on image thumbnail to active it. ( It is located just before the layer mask thumbnail ). Now do two things :- 1. Go to filter> Blur> Gaussian blur and give 2.5 radius. 2. Change the blending mode of the layer to Multiply. Duplicate this layer again and change its blending mode to Linear dodge. You now have soft light effect on your image. If you want more light than change the blending mode to Color Dodge. Infra-red 1. Ctrl+j 2. New adjustment layer-Channel mixer Check "monochrome" 3. Set Red to +100 Green to +200 Blue to -200 Set constant to between 27 and 32 Click “ok” Flatten and save. Faux F1.8 D.O.F. 1. Ctrl+J ; Add a layer mask-Using Pen tool, draw a path around subject, Edit> fill Black 100% 2. Selection> save selection, save to new channel 3. Select gradient tool, black to white, linear 4. From the area you want in focus, draw a line vertically downwards (1/3 in front; 5. Using gradient tool again, layer mode Screen, drawing a line upwards 2/3ds behind) 6. Channels-click on saved mask Ctrl+ click-select gradient mask, mask only 7. Set background color to black. Ctrl+ backspace 8. Click on original duplicated layer with its mask-name it “Gaussian Blur” 9. Now select image-not mask.-Lock Transparency. click little chequerboard, at top of layer palette 10. Filter> Blur> Gaussian blur 40-50 pixels 11. Repeat step 8,but name layer “Lens Blur”-Filter> blur> lens blur, and in the dialogue box: 12. “faster”, depth map source “layer mask” Blur focal distance-adjust to suit 13. Set iris shape to number of diaphragm blades of your lens. Radius 100% 14. Don’t play with “blade curvature or rotation” Brightness 2;Threshold 180 15. Click Ok-Flatten and save Red eye Reduction Double click Quick mask icon Change masking color to green-opacity 60% Paint mask over eyes Click icon next to Quick mask Select> Inverse Image> adjustments> Desaturate Add new adjustment layer-Levels Move both input sliders towards the centre of the range until you are satisfied. Layers> Flatten image To Whiten Teeth Ctrl+j Select quick mask icon Select brush tool 13 pixels soft Brush over teeth Click icon next to quick mask Select> Inverse Image> adjustments> Hue/Saturation -60 Add new adjustment layer-Levels Click and drag right slider to left until whiteness looks good Flatten and save Copyright: © Kenneth William Caleno (Dip Phot) 2008 posted in What Photoshop Techniques/Tools are Used Before Resubmitting Images