Holiday Inn Harbourside Indian Rocks Beach Wedding Portrait - SETUP: f/11 ISO 200 1/250th STROBIST: SB-800 @ 1/2 power to frame right & SB-600 @ 1/2 power to frame left
People often ask me, "how do you get your photography jobs?" Usually I stumble around with various answers, but from now on I will definitively say that first and foremost bookings are from referrals or the result of in-person networking. Through joining NPPF (now FCCP), a Meetup.com photography group, I got to know the organizer Jeff Donald. Marc (pictured above with bride Eileen) is a member of FCCP and was seeking a wedding photographer with short notice. Jeff referred him to me, I was still available, so voila, a wedding booking!
For the above photo we all braved the mid-day Florida heat to make for me what was my favorite shot of the day. It is always worth it to make the extra effort to get a particular shot. While the couple had their wedding lunch I went to scout locations and found this to be the most natural and scenic one on the grounds of the Holiday Inn Harbourside in Indian Rocks Beach. Even though it was around 1pm and the shot had to be done in direct sunlight, my 2-strobe technique managed to produce surprisingly satisfying portrait results.
Eileen and her new wedding ring - SETUP: f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 @ 1/4 power hotshoe mounted using Nikkor 105mm VR f/2.8G macro lensHaving significant wedding photography experience is key in knowing what shots work, and especially for establishing what I think of as "go-to" shots like the one above. I first came up with the idea for this shot at Bianca's wedding in summer 2010 (see similar image).
First Wedding Dance at Holiday Inn Harbourside Indian Rocks Beach - SETUP: f/5.6 ISO 800 1/10th SB-800 @ 1/4 power hotshoe mounted using dragging shutter technique with zoomWhen making the type of "dragging the shutter" type shots like the one above, it is of course good to have lights in the background to enhance the effect of the technique. The more lights the better, but if you can only include one or two it will still make a big difference. Marc & Eileen had two kettle drum (?) players at their reception and they mostly played island themed songs which suited the harbor front location well.
Indian Rocks Beach Wedding Photography - SETUP: f/11 ISO 200 1/250th STROBIST: SB-800 @ 1/2 power to frame right & SB-600 @ 1/2 power to frame leftThe "under the veil" shot is another one of my go-to shots (see last photo here), but of course it is used by many wedding photographers. We were all very hot by this point (me visibly so!), but I wanted to make sure to get this shot before we returned indoors as I hope in twenty years Marc & Eileen will think to themselves, I am really glad we made the effort for that veil shot as they look at a print of it on their wall.