A Beginner's Guide to the Making of a Brides Portrait

Hot summer temperatures and humid July Kentucky air awaited us that Saturday afternoon. Heat indexes pushed upwards toward 110 maybe higher. Simply stated, it was hot and my eyes were stinging from the sweat dripping from my forehead. At least we had somewhat of a breeze, not much of one but it helped, and it was shaded for the most part where were going to shoot. We were awaiting for a bride and groom for a quick "First Look" photo shoot before their wedding along with a few others we hoped to work in, so Kris and I arrived about fifteen minutes early so we could survey the location and evaluate the light plus take a few test shots. We were shooting behind Van Meter Hall at the Kissing Bridge on Western Kentucky University campus. These kinds of shoots are something I only do on occasion and consider I am still operating with a learners permit when I do one, but I still enjoy doing them from time to time.

We were only going to have just shy of an hour to do this shoot and that time frame shrunk to barely thirty minutes because the groom arrived about thirty minutes later than expected. We managed to get the first look shot along with a few others before we moved into the tunnel beneath Van Meter Hall.

The tunnel is a rather dark and dank looking location in and of itself. However, at one end there is a wonderful archway that opens onto a kind of plaza with a lot of trees arching across the back side. In the afternoon, the light floods this opening. My vision for this shoot was for it to be the main location because it offered some wonderful backlight against a dark background. Here, I believed I would have the best opportunity to capture a very good photo or two.

It was exactly what I was looking for; dark background, strong back lighting, and a arched entrance way. The only clutter was a handrail and a light pole that might cause an issue, but both could easily be cloned out in post processing.

Normally, I use at least two speed lights when shooting portraits outdoors, sometimes three. With that kind of setup I can apply one light for backlighting for highlights, and one light to open up the eyes. Both are fired remotely and I use just enough power to act like a strong fill light. It's important to use a light to open up the eyes for without it, many times the eyes look dark and empty. The light brings out the natural sparkle the eyes require for a successful photo. For this portrait I used no lights just the natural direct back light and some reflected light from the plaza and walls. 

The exposure was shot on manual...f/6.3 at 1/80 sec ISO 100 using my 50mm - 500mm lens adjusted from 75mm to 85mm.  For the close in shot I was maybe 35 or 40 feet away which with those settings offered a good depth of field with some slight blurring of the background. The exposure was set for her skin tone and I just allowed the rest of the light to fall where it may. Camera was on a tripod for steadiness.

For the full length shot I moved back a bit farther. She was set just outside the arch with the sun angled from her right. The rest was up to her and she did an amazing job just being herself and in spite of the hot weather, looked amazing. All I had to do for the most part was push the shutter release.

This kind of image also lends itself well for a black and white conversion. In hindsight, I probably should have used a reflector to bounce a little more light into her face, but the natural reflecting light filled it in pretty well. it would have been difficult to work in a reflector in those tight corridors. Overall, I was very pleased with the outcome and the young lady was a delight to work with.

Keith

Other Values - The Fine Pleasantries of Being a Photographer

Reposted from August 2, 2018 - Beyond The Campfire

Keith

 It was a typical early summer day on Oklahoma's Tallgrass Prairie, hot and windy, and as the day tumbled toward its last few moments of daylight, I felt a bit relieved when the heat of the day began to dissipate behind the few clouds that hovered above the horizon. The high knoll upon which I stood offered a 360 degree view of the surrounding landscape, magnificent, awe inspiring, simply beautiful. Shadows began to grow longer and filled the gaps between the undulations of the land. Somewhere off to the south a family of coyotes began to howl and their movement caught my eye as they set out in pursuit of dinner. I watched them as best as I could until they were gone. Just knowing they were there added to the natural flavor of the moment.

My camera, attached to my tripod, stood ready to capture the last vestiges of the day anticipating one of those legendary prairie sunsets. For some reason, I sat silent and made no attempt to capture a photograph. The moment lived of itself and presented to me an image in such a way that a single photograph could never capture the essence of what was there. There were other values at play, values which are only experienced emotionally, pleasures for sure of being a photographer.

As a photographer I have been fortunate to have experienced a great many such moments. They were moments captured by the imagination that otherwise would have been lost. As much as I relish capturing amazing moments of light, I relish as much the experiences associated with having been there to do so. There are other values to being a photographer which are difficult to convey and can most easily be appreciated by having experienced them yourself. Being a photographer of light, places you next to moments such as those, if you are willing to be there.

I once had a friend who I took fishing with me. He was a nice enough sort of fellow, but as our fishing trip turned into one of those 'nothing was biting' kind of days, his complaining about the day being a big waste of time began to dominate his conversation. By the time we pulled out, I was certain I would never again take this person fishing. He completely missed what it was all about. He focused on catching fish as the measure of our day. I focused on just being out and enjoying the day. When the fishing portion of our day went bust, his day was ruined, but, other than having to listen to his griping about it, my day was just fine. Photography is the same way. There are days where things simply do not work, but the point is to enjoy just being there to allow the day to present itself to you in whatever mood it happens to be in.

Because of photography I have witnessed amazing sunsets and sunrises. I have felt the wind and rain across my back. I have been caught in violent storms and other amazing moments of nature. I have seen the delicate forms of creation, and followed the life cycle of a nest of Robins. I have known the boldness of fall colors and the intense grip of a winter blizzard. I have been thirsty, cold, tired, wet, and sunburned, yet I have also captured amazing moments of natures light. I have missed sleep, and stayed out until the early hours of the morning to capture a night sky so filled with wonder it defies our sense of what is out there.

I have canoed, hiked, and driven countless miles to hopefully capture that one photograph I knew might be there, and then did it again and again, until the photo I wanted finally appeared. I have captured the subtle beauty of the human form and the aggressive forms of wild nature. The exhilaration of having been there to experience all of these kinds of moments far outpaces the discomfort for having done so. Rewards for being a photographer are not always granted based on outcome. They are more often given for having made the effort. When the moment pays off with a spectacular image...well, the reward is self fulfilling.