Lighting Fundamentals for Small Flash

Today's post is an excerpt from the book Small Flash Photography, by Bill Hurter. It is available from Amazon.com and other fine retailers.


The Color of Light
The color of light affects the way colors are recorded in a scene and is, therefore, of concern to all professional photographers. The color of light is measured in degrees Kelvin, based on a system devised in the 1800s by British physicist William Kelvin. Kelvin heated a dense block of carbon and noted that, at different temperatures, it emitted a repeatable and measurable color of light. The particular color of light seen at a specific temperature is now called the color temperature. When the carbon, also known as a “black body radiator,” is hot enough and just begins to emit light, it is dull red. As more heat is applied, it glows yellow, and then white, and finally blue.


Electronic flashes also have specific color temperatures. For example, the color of the light emitted by a flash may be rated at 5500K when it is designed to imitate noon daylight. If the flash produces light that is 6000K, it will be on the cool (bluish) side. If it is rated at 4800K degrees, it is slightly warmer (more yellowish) than white light.




Jeff Kolodny combined at least three different light sources in the scene to make a beautiful bridal formal. The doorway was lit by dim daylight with a blue tinge, while the room light was a combination of much warmer light from the chandeliers and other room lights. Jeff also popped a camera-mounted flash at less intensity than the daylight to help warm up the color balance and add a sparkle to the bride’s eyes.

Custom White Balance
When combining ambient light sources with flash, a custom white-balance reading should be taken. You may have room-lamp brightnesses to contend with, as well. Your best bet in these situations is to shoot a few test frames with flash and ambient combined to see where your white balance is. Then perform a custom white balance procedure to balance all of the light sources harmoniously. Alternatively, shoot in RAW capture mode, which will allow you to fine-tune the color balance after capture. The following is a resource for determining color temperatures in Kelvin degrees in the most popular lighting situations. These readings correspond to your menu settings for white balance and are provided in order to give you an insight into the Kelvin settings of most DSLRs.



The natural shade of late afternoon is very soft but lacks sparkle. To give the light a little extra snap, the photographer, JB Sallee, fired an on-camera flash that was set to output at two stops less than the daylight. The effect is exactly what the photographer intended.

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Indoor Ambient Lighting

Today's post is an excerpt from the book Flash and Ambient Lighting for Digital Wedding Photography, by Mark Chen. It is available from Amazon.com and other fine retailers.

More often than not, a nice photo opportunity presents itself in an indoor environment—only to be spoiled when the photographer shines a bright flash on it. The shot looks nothing like what was there because the burst of flash altered the reality of that brief moment. Using bounce flash (rather than direct flash) can drastically reduce these disappointments—but not entirely.


TURN OFF THAT FLASH!
Sometimes, the best strategy is simply turning off the flash. Image 8-1 is an excellent example of this technique. When the bride and her bridesmaids were busy straightening out the gown, the light was mesmerizing. I quickly switched off the flash and made sure my shutter speed was not dangerously low. In this case, the reading was 1/60 second with an aperture of f/3.2 at ISO 500. Making these shots is very liberating—there’s no waiting for the flash to recharge, so you can just shoot away!

IMAGE 8-1. Ambient light only.

For the sake of comparison, look at image 8-2. This was shot in the same surroundings but with bounce flash. It’s not bad, but it’s not nearly as aesthetically pleasing as image 8-1.

IMAGE 8-2. Ambient light with the addition of bounce flash.

WHITE BALANCE ISSUES
Some might argue that image 8-1 has an “incorrect” white balance. I oppose this notion of a “correct” white balance. I do not believe that the white balance should be viewed as an absolute setting. In my opinion, it’s a matter of personal taste.


In the case of image 8-1, preserving the yellow hue from the incandescent lights gave the shot a mysterious look, which I like. (Of course, I cannot dismiss those who think otherwise; for them, I have a remedy: a Camera Raw adjustment technique, which is outlined in the next chapter.)


ALTAR SHOTS
Eighty percent of churches forbid the use of flash during the ceremony. In my career, I have also encountered churches that either limit the photographer to three shots or forbid professional photography altogether. The churches that forbid flash often ask the photographer to stay far away, so flash would not work too well anyway. In these cases, using the ambient lighting becomes essential.

IMAGE 8-3. At many churches, flash is not permitted during the ceremony.

Image 8-3 was shot in a rather bright church, where the shutter speed was maintained at 1/125 second. Don’t get cocky now and hand-hold the camera, though! Making a shot like this will require a telephoto lens, which means slight camera movements will be accentuated. A tripod is necessary for an image like this. On top of that, if the lighting is predominately incandescent, it is not a bad idea to set the white balance as such.


TRACKING
Since the shutter is slow, why not do some tracking as the subjects move? Tracking involves setting the shutter slow, say, between 1/30 and 1/4 second, then panning along with the subject’s movement while you are shooting. Image 8-4 is a successful case. Tracking with your camera on a tripod requires the smoothest of tripod heads; any tripod head that produces jerking motions will not do. After shelving three tripod heads, I finally discovered Manfrotto’s Hydrostatic Ball Head. The Teflon-coated heads and hydraulic locking mechanism give a deep “gray area” between lock and release, so panning can be done with adequate and smooth resistance. A common mistake is to start the panning motion after the shutter is pressed. Instead, start panning then shoot consecutive shots (consider shooting in “rapid” mode).


TECHNICAL SUMMARY

• Watch your shutter speed. Some of us may brag about how we can hold the camera steady at 1/15 second—but remember that brides move!
• To boost the shutter speed to a comfortable level, first use a larger aperture.
• When a large aperture will not suffice, increase the ISO setting—but don’t go beyond the bare necessity. High ISO settings are becoming more usable on state-of-the-art camera models, but they are still quality busters.
• For this technique, shooting RAW is not just the default, it is an absolute must.
• Tripods are essential for altar shots with telephoto lenses. To avoid motion blur from subject movement, keep the shutter speed above 1/30 second.
• Smooth tripod heads are essential for tracking.

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Know Your Audience

Today's post is an excerpt from the book Wedding Photojournalism: The Business of Aesthetics, by Paul D. Van Hoy II. It is available from Amazon.com and other fine retailers.


Even if you’re an established professional wedding photographer with a couple seasons to your credit, client consultations can still be hit and miss—which means you could be leaving a lot of money on the table. The best way to ensure your business’s continued growth is by upping your consultation IQ and becoming a strong closer!


CONSULTING WITH CLIENTS
Consulting with prospective clients often proves to be a precarious game of cat and mouse. For beginning professionals, consultations are as nerve-racking as tightrope walking over a pit of angry alligators. No kidding—some of my first sessions were so awkward and uncomfortable that I seriously reconsidered whether wedding photography was the right profession for me.


Fourteen seasons later, I’ve concluded that the key to becoming an effective closer is control; you must know how to establish and maintain it at all times. When I say take control, I mean lead the pacing and progression of the consultation from start to finish. This doesn’t mean that you should bully or browbeat your clients. Rather, you must be personable and charismatic—and above all, a good communicator.


Whether you’re a wallflower or a social butterfly, I believe that everyone possesses the ability to be charming and engaging. The real challenge is being able to win over the many types of clients who might come through your door. This means that, beyond being personable and persuasive, you must also be able to accurately read your clients so that you can quickly “change up” your approach to suit a variety of interactive scenarios.



What's your primary style? Posed and formal, relaxed, photojournalistic, creative, artistic, candid, or traditional?


One way to build confidence and overall preparedness is to be preemptive; know what questions your clients are likely to ask you—and, more importantly, know which ones they’re unlikely to ask. Be prepared for those curveballs. Having a well-practiced repertoire of rebuttals and redirections is essential to becoming an effective closer.


It’s common for brides to come prepared with their bulging three-ring binders (I jokingly refer to them as “matrimony manifestos”), complete with a copy of “Questions To Ask Your Photographer.” Here’s a sample of some of the stock questions you may be asked:



• What’s your primary style? Formal, relaxed, photojournalistic, creative, artistic, candid, traditional?

• Do you shoot in color or black & white? Or both? Do you shoot in a digital format that can create both color and black & white versions of the same picture?

• What kind of input can we have on the direction of the shots? Can we give you a shot list?

• Are you the wedding photographer who will actually take our pictures? If not, can we meet the person who will be?

• Can we meet any assistants who will also be taking our pictures?

• How many times have you worked as a wedding photographer? How many events were similar to the size and formality of our wedding?

• How many other events will you also photograph that weekend?

• What kind of equipment will you bring with you? How intrusive will lighting, tripods, other equipment or assistants be?


You should familiarize yourself with these questions so that you will be able to provide full, detailed answers upon request—but never let your client lead the session with their list of questions. An invaluable tip here is to be informative while remaining conversational; satisfy these questions before they’re asked. This is a hallmark of a seasoned professional.


By providing a thorough and comprehensive breakdown of your services you will demonstrate to clients that you have a sincere interest in allaying their questions and concerns—and, more importantly, that you identify with them. I strive to go above and beyond just answering the cursory questions like, “Do you bring backup equipment to every wedding?” I make it a point to introduce new questions for my clients to ask of other photographers they might interview after their session with me. I inform them on a range of topics from the importance of shooting in RAW to why a legitimate professional wedding photographer should carry liability insurance.


As much as I would like to secure a signed contract and be the last photographer my couples meet with, I will actually urge them to consult with other professionals before making their final decision.


You might be scratching your head and thinking that this tactic completely undermines the desired outcome, but I’ve found it to be a highly effective psychological strategy. Attempting to close clients on the day of the consultation can be off-putting; it may seem pushy or desperate. Even if I feel that I’ve won the couple’s favor, I grant them time to weigh their options. I tell them that I understand that selecting the right wedding photographer is a significant decision not to be made in haste, and that they should meet with others and give themselves ample time to determine which photographer is right for them. Last but not least, I alleviate assumed pressures and deadlines for issuing a decision by letting brides know that, as a courtesy, I will tentatively hold their date until I receive a definite yes or no from them.


Playing it cool is a definite winning strategy for closing prospective clients; it conveys that you have a great deal of confidence and trust in your own work and professionalism, which inspires reciprocal confidence and trust from your clients.


Never regard clients as customers. Some photographers feel most comfortable getting down to business the very moment a couple passes through their door. For me, it’s common to spend the first fifteen to thirty minutes engaging the clients on a personal level. I’m genuinely interested in learning about the lives of those who may potentially commission me to document their special day. Be sure to inquire about their careers, educational backgrounds, personal interests, passions, avocations, etc.—and don’t forget to ask about how they met! The answers you receive to these questions will break the ice and open the door to discourse.



Do you know what the average bride in your regional market expects to pay for her wedding photography? Do you know what inclusions and amenities she expects in a basic or premium wedding package?



The more you know about your clients, the easier it will be to develop a personal connection. While professionalism, quality, and price are all determining factors, clients are far more likely to book with a photographer they like and feel a strong rapport with.


My best advice is to abandon premeditated sales pitches—and to stop relying on an encyclopedic set of albums to distract your clients and spare you from the awkwardness of making small-talk. Trust me, if a bride schedules a consultation session, she is already familiar with your photographs; she’s interested in familiarizing herself with you, the photographer. Yes, she’s interested in learning more about your packages and philosophies, but ultimately she wants to find out more about your personality. Will you contribute to the stress and chaos of the wedding day, or are you the calming type who has a knack for diffusing stressful situations? Are you likely to have positive interactions with her wedding party, family, and guests, or will you be the aloof type that avoids eye contact and incites awkwardness in others?


So, when it comes time for your next consultation, proceed as you would if you were casually meeting with old acquaintances to help them choose the best wedding photographer and demonstrate how you fit that profile. Be genuine and forthcoming; satisfy all their questions and concerns in a conversational context. Your goal should not be slam-dunking a pair of prospects, it should be to make new friends and share your profession—and your passion for it—with a captive audience.


DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT BRIDES WANT?
Do you know what the average bride, in your regional market, expects to pay for her wedding photographer? Do you know what inclusions and amenities she expects in a basic or premium wedding package? Do you know how your business model (i.e., the services and products you offer as well as your pricing/packaging structure) is perceived by prospective clients?


Knowing your audience is one of the most critical, yet often overlooked, aspects of building a successful enterprise. Gaining awareness of what appeals to prospective clients can help you align your business model so that you can increase your yearly bookings and ramp up your yearly revenue. It can also help you get a leg up on your competition and take over that number-one spot within your local market.


I workshop with a lot of wedding photographers who understand technical aspects of image-making and the logistics of business. When it comes to relating to clients and their concerns, though, they often return a blank, confused look—much like your clients would if you tried to engage them on the topic of color space.


Simply stated, most wedding photographers understand the business relationship from the photographer to the client, but not the reverse—from the client to the photographer.


So, how does one gain access to the client’s perspective and all the valuable insights they have to offer by way of critical and candid discourse? You simply ask.


During my consultation sessions, I always make it a point to ask, “Have you had an opportunity to speak with or meet any other local wedding photographers?” If they have, I follow up with, “What was your experience/interaction with that individual like?” Quite honestly, if they were head-over-heels for another photographer, they know your audience wouldn’t be sitting on my couch looking for something they had already found elsewhere.


If you’re hesitant to ask these questions, fearing they might come across as prying or offensive, don’t be. In my fourteen years of experience, I can’t recall a single occasion when I offended a client by asking these questions. Some might feel more comfortable withholding the names of those they’ve met with, but generally clients will talk freely and openly about their interactions and experiences with other professionals.


The answers you receive will provide you with a more precise idea of the couple’s decision-making criteria. Are they most concerned with price, product, or personality—the personal connection they feel toward their wedding photographer? The feedback you receive will help you focus on the topics most relevant to your client’s list of concerns.


UNDERSTANDING THE COMPETITION
Equally important to gaining awareness of your audience is having understanding of your competition and how you rank among it (in your own eyes). If you haven’t already, you should acquaint yourself with the other professionals—their portfolios and business models—within two hundred miles of your studio/area of coverage.


If you can find out who you’re up against and learn their strengths and weaknesses, you can even the playing field, so to speak, by emphasizing aspects of your business (shooting style, product quality, packaging, pricing structure, etc.) that might rank favorably over your competition and help persuade the client to select you.


CONCLUSION
The bottom line is this: although you may know the ins and outs of what you’re selling, unless you know whom you’re selling to, you may be fighting a frustrating and futile battle. (As my grandfather used to say, you might be trying to sell snow cones to Eskimos.) It’s very easy to sell people what they want—and finding out what they want is as easy as paying attention to your audience and asking a few simple questions.

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Profitable Wedding Photography in Any Market

Today's post is an excerpt from the book How to Create a High-Profit Photography Business in Any Market (2nd ed.). It is available from Amazon.com and other fine retailers.


Like many other photographers, one of my first paid assignments was photographing a wedding. For those getting into the photography business, weddings are generally the first step, as all you need is a camera, a flash unit, and hopefully a backup system.


On the other hand, it’s not unusual for a photographer to stop doing weddings once they have enough other work to keep the studio busy. I find it rather strange that weddings are the first thing many photographers start with, but it is also the first thing many of them stop doing. For some photographers, it’s almost like a badge of honor to be able to say, “I no longer photograph weddings.”


Weddings are not for everyone, that’s for sure. Why do some photographers love doing weddings, while others quit the moment they have enough other work? Having excellent photography skills is only a small part of being a successful wedding photographer. In this section, I will explain what works for us.



Wedding photography is a common entry point for those looking to dive into photography as a career.



THE TYPE OF CLIENT
As I have mentioned throughout this text, you need to determine the type of client you want to attract. Whether you are doing fire hall/VFW-hall weddings or country club and high-end hotel weddings will be determined by many factors. Price, photography skills, studio décor, phone skills, and service will all play a big part in the type of clients you attract. Don’t forget: you must have a very pleasant, likeable personality to convince the bride you are just the person she is looking for. If she doesn’t like you, she’ll never book the wedding with you, regardless of how beautiful the photography is.


TELEPHONE SKILLS
Almost all wedding bookings start with the telephone. Of course, we already know that good telephone skills are essential—not only for weddings but across the board. You simply must have a person with excellent skills on the telephone.


When a bridal client calls, the first question they usually ask is how much you charge to photograph a wedding. I believe they don’t know what else to ask, so they start out with the price question. Many times they will ask for a price before they even know if you are available!


We’ll assume that you are not a low-end wedding photographer and that the prices you are charging are for the average to higher-end client. The best way to deal with a wedding call is to engage the caller with questions about their upcoming wedding. Our end of the conversation with our prospective wedding clients goes something like this: “Congratulations, Lisa, on your upcoming wedding. What is the date? Where are you getting married? Where will the reception be held?”


By engaging the caller with questions, you can determine if they are going to be interested in your services. If they are calling in response to your Yellow Pages ad, chances are they will select a wedding photographer based on price and nothing else. They are looking for what I call the “BBD” (bigger, better deal). Quality and service are not important—they just want the cheapest photographer they can find.


On the other hand, when a bride calls and does not ask about pricing but wants to come into your studio to view your work and meet with you, chances are she is serious about professional wedding photography. Her main concern is not price but quality—and your reputation. These are the clients you want.


CONSULTATION
When the client comes into the studio, show them two or three completed albums. We use flush-mounted albums from Capri Albums from New York for our studio samples. They are very upscale and beautiful. While the client is viewing the albums, point out what makes your photography worth your higher prices. Photo examples of excellent posing and natural lighting should be present in your studio sample albums. After all, if the client can’t see what makes your pictures different from a lower-cost studio’s images, then there is no reason for them to pay the difference. Since all brides are different, find out what type of photography the client likes best and focus on the work that suits her tastes.




Showing prospective clients samples of your work from past weddings is important for helping them to determine whether or not your style suits their tastes.



If the bride decides she wants to book you, be certain that she fully understands all of your payment procedures and policies. Try to keep it all very simple. Clients get uneasy about any transaction they don’t fully understand. On a related note, be sure to take notes on anything that you will need to know on the wedding day. Issues such as divorced or deceased parents are things that you should be aware of ahead of time.


We require approximately 15 to 20 percent of the total price as a deposit or retainer to hold the date. Any refunds are handled on an individual basis depending upon the circumstances, and I can honestly say that, at our studio, cancellations are rare.


About a week prior to the wedding we call the bride to confirm everything. We remind her of the times that have been agreed upon and emphasize to her that being on time will make everything less stressful. The key to a good day with a bride is giving her as much information as you can. You know from experience about how long everything will take and how to make things run smoothly.




Often, my assistant takes a shot like this from the balcony. Shooting with an assistant during the ceremony is important, since you can't be in two places at once.



THE WEDDING DAY
I photograph weddings with an assistant. You certainly can do it on your own, but why knock yourself out? My assistant works on the candid photos while I concentrate on the posed ones. It’s a good combination and a good way to offer a better product.


Before the Ceremony. On the day of the wedding, my assistant and I arrive approximately fifteen minutes before the agreed-upon time, dressed in black tuxedos. The vehicle that we arrive in has been cleaned, and we look totally professional. Image is everything!

When we arrive at our first destination of the day, I look for areas where I can photograph the bride with window light. Use your flash as little as possible: this will separate your work from the competition.


The Ceremony. During the ceremony, having an assistant gives you the opportunity to photograph the wedding from different areas of the couple’s venue. We have some beautiful photographs where the bride and groom are coming down the aisle after the ceremony—I shoot images from their level, and my assistant takes the same shots from up in the balcony. I just don’t think it’s possible to cover a wedding as well with one person as you can with two.


After the Ceremony. After the ceremony, we generally do the posed photographs of the family members. I find it best to start with the grandparents, then photograph the parents and family members, and then handle any other special groups the bride and groom may want photographed. We finish this sequence with photographs of the bride and groom. Keeping things moving and being quick is the key. Depending on the size of the wedding party, you should be able to do all of the groups and bride and groom shots in about forty-five minutes.


After the ceremony, many couples want to go to an outdoor location for more photographs. To make your outdoor photographs look their very best, be sure to use a long lens so that the backgrounds will be out of focus. This will make the bride and groom really stand out.


The Reception. Once you get to the reception, most of the hard work is behind you. Most receptions last at least three to four hours, and we usually stay most of the evening, since our pricing is set up to cover a ten- to twelve-hour day. Many studios charge by the amount of time the bride has booked. Although there is certainly nothing wrong with that practice, I have never charged that way; I think it would just cause problems—after all, anyone who has done their fair share of weddings knows that things usually do not go as planned time-wise. I don’t want to have to approach the bride during the reception and remind her that she only booked us for the eight-hour coverage, so we will be leaving shortly.


I know of one photographer who stays for only the first thirty minutes of the reception. Of course, the bride knows all of this beforehand, and the photographer arranges for her to get everything over in the first thirty minutes—the toast, dancing with dad, cutting the cake, you name it—just so he can go home early! If it’s working for him, great. I know one thing for sure: if my daughter went shopping for a wedding photographer and he told her he would be leaving the reception after thirty minutes, he wouldn’t be hired.


LENS SELECTION
I recommend that you have available several different types of lenses to use during the wedding day. Use lenses that the amateurs at the wedding probably don’t own; using a very long lens or a fish-eye lens, for instance, will make your photographs look different than all the rest. You do not want your pictures to look like they were taken by the guests. Creating unique photographs will pay dividends later when the bride orders her final album.


One way that we ensure that our images stand out from the rest is by using double lighting. Double lighting requires two flashes, a radio transmitter, radio receiver, and a light stand (or better still, an assistant). To create this look, simply hook up your on-camera flash to a radio flash transmitter. Your second flash, which can be up to one hundred feet away, should be wired to the radio flash receiver. When you push the button on your camera and your transmitter is turned on, it fires the flash on the camera and sends a signal to the receiver, and the second flash goes off as well. Having an assistant hold the light and move it around is better than putting it on a light stand. You can create some really neat effects using this system. You can backlight a couple at a reception or light a large hall, which can be difficult with just one flash. You control both lights from the camera and can fire just one or both, simultaneously. Most major camera stores carry the equipment needed to double light. Be aware that achieving good results will take practice and a thorough understanding of your flash equipment. One final tip: be sure that both of your flash units have the same output. This will make things much simpler.


AFTER THE WEDDING DAY
Good service is just as important as good photography in the wedding business. Regardless of how you are showing your images, they should have their proofs or CD/DVD within three weeks. Once the order is placed, be sure to deliver it within twelve weeks.


PRICING
Wedding photography can be very lucrative if it’s properly priced. Unfortunately, the wedding industry is filled with photographers who give us all a bad name. If you are going to be a serious player, you need to learn as much as you possibly can about posing, lighting, and customer service. To make serious money, everything must be top notch in your operation. You want people to be proud when they say, almost bragging, “Williams Photography is photographing my wedding!” Building a reputation takes time, but it will be well worth it. Whatever pricing strategy you decide on, it’s a good idea to have a statement on your wedding contracts noting that your current prices are not good forever. I have had wedding clients come in five years after their wedding to order pictures.


In my experience, you’ll have more problems with wedding clients than any other demographic—and most of the time, it’s the parents (who were never in the studio before the wedding to discuss prices, procedures, and delivery times) who cause the problems. If the bride and groom both have divorced parents, you can actually be dealing with four, five, or even six individuals, each with their opinions on what you should be charging! Be sure to have everything in writing.

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