At 00:00 1/1/02, Joe Gwinn wrote:
Absolutely. I quite agree. Between the choice of a consumer snapshot
film (versus pro film) and the choice of a 35mm camera (versus
medium-format), this wedding photographer was no bargin.
[plus quite a number of other things inbetween other quotes; after trying
to quote them I threw in the towel and snipped them out]
Usage of medium format is debatable, but not doing so can be "opportunity
lost." The big ticket for many wedding photographers is reprints including
wedding books for the bride's and groom's parents and up to several large
ones for the wall. By using medium format for at least a selected set of
the photographs (notably the posed ones) it allows opportunity to sell very
large prints of them. Processing 120/220 and having 4x5 (from a 645) or
5x5 (from a 6x6) proofs printed isn't much more expensive than processing
and proof printing 35mm film. [I'm presuming a pro lab is being used for
all this.]
With all the remarks about mirror and a couple about the lens, I would bet
the film was developed and prints made by the least expensive consumer lab
available (where she bought the film??). It would be consistent with the
film selection. That alone could account for color balancing issues, some
of the saturation, and loss of sharpness in the the prints. Print paper
selection also affects outcome! There are different brands/types in
varying grades of contrast, with some variation in saturation
too. Consumer color print paper is not intended for portraiture, it's
intended for the general photography consumers shoot and what the
manufacturers of it think consumer expectations are for their general
photography.
Also not mentioned yet. There's much, much more to photographing weddings
than using a good film for it and having the proper bodies and
lenses. Next on the technical list is lighting; understanding it and being
able to use it well. This means having specialized equipment (and knowing
how to use it) that few non-pros have. It can help create photographs
equally few non-pros can create. Then there's knowing how to do formal
portraiture "on location," how to do editorial style photography at the
reception (two completely different types of photography), and most
important knowing how to work with people, many of whom have never been met
before.
-- John
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