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Re: [OM] Wedding photos with OMs

Subject: Re: [OM] Wedding photos with OMs
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2001 12:54:05 +0000
At 06:17 3/7/01, John Hudson wrote:
Are there any comments as to what other list members have shot at family
weddings? I am not the official photog but nevertheless I would like to
capture some worthwhile shots. How does one hide a fanny pack under a
tuxedo on a 155 pound frame .......... any special cummerbunds for
photographers?

KISS = Keep It Simple!
I did my cousin's wedding last November. Of 300 frames total I put 60 of them that "tell the story" on my site for them; there are numerous others in their final book:
  http://johnlind.tripod.com/donnaruss/

I did it using three bodies and three lenses, although it could have been done with one or two bodies and two lenses:
  OM-4 with 50/1.2
  OM-1n with 85/2
  Mamiya M645j with 80/2.8

If I hadn't used the M645/80mm I would have used the OM-4/50mm. The only reason for the OM-1n and 85mm was to shoot the available light stuff from the back of the church during the ceremony . . . it eliminated switching lenses and tripoding the OM-4 . . . I just set down the OM-4 and put the OM-1n on the tripod, and then picked up the OM-4 again.

The church was short front-to-back. Depending on the depth an 85mm, 100mm or 135mm might work best, but really any of them would do in almost any church. I used a 135mm in another deeper church.

Lenses:
Be very cautious using anything less than a 50mm when shooting a lot of people, especially as short as 24mm. It's very easy to have perspective problems with walls and other background objects . . . or create a "dog nose" on a person's face getting in too close with one. In groupings it can wreak havoc in the upper corners if someone's head gets too close to the corner . . . the wider the WA, the worse the problem. I'd recommend packing the 50mm and 85mm instead.

Flash power:
The F280 should work, but will be minimalist at filling a church or reception hall at slightly longer distances than most of us would normally use a flash. You will need to use ISO 400 film to get away with it. Don't know how much you intend to shoot . . . take *lots* of film and *lots* of AA's for the flash. The height of the F280 should keep you out of general red-eye trouble. If you turn the camera vertical recognize you will get shadows falling to the right or left depending on which way you do it. Avoid situations with large objects immediately behind people such as walls. Pulling them away by three to eight feet can make a difference in the shadowing.

Just some very quick thoughts on it . . . and glad you're not trying to be the "official" photog as you are also the groom's father. The "official" photog cannot be a major player in the wedding party or have some other major role. Make certain you take time to have fun, get what you can, and let the "official" photog worry about being certain he/she makes all the shots on the "Must Have" list.

-- John


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