What to Expect from Your Wedding Photographer - Series 2

This is the second in the series about what you can expect my your wedding photographer.



4: TIMING OF FORMAL PORTRAITS: You and your spouse will need to decide when to shoot the formal portraits of both of you, as well as the wedding party, family and friends. Some brides prefer to do this before the actual ceremony, others only want this to occur after the ceremony. It is completely up to you and your spouse. Just be sure to let me know well before your wedding day so I can plan accordingly, and be sure to let the members of your family and wedding know as well so there are no unhappy surprises or delays on your wedding day.


5: FLOWER SHOTS: I’ll need access to a wedding invitation, your flowers, and the rings for those special photographs before the wedding. Usually I do these shots either in a dressing room or other out-of-the-way place shortly before the ceremony.


WEDDING DAY:

1: Bill and I will arrive at least an hour before the time of the wedding, depending on the size of your wedding and the wedding package you’ve chosen. If the wedding party is getting ready at a place other than the wedding site (sometimes call the “preparation site”), we’ll meet you there instead. Often, the male members of the wedding party are at one site, and the women at another. This will be fine, as Bill will be shooting with the guys, and I’ll be with you and your bridesmaids. If the wedding party is getting ready at a “preparation site”, we’ll leave it early enough to arrive at the wedding site in time for shooting the arrival of guests, as well as the family members and, of course, the wedding party.

2: Once the pre-ceremony begins, Bill will be in the church or wedding site to photograph the music and other parts of the pre-ceremony events. He’ll also get the wedding party coming down the aisle.

3: I’ll be with you to get the father/daughter shots, etc.. Then, I’ll be in the center aisle to shoot when you come down the aisle.

4: For most of the ceremony, Bill and I will be in the outer aisles or at the back of the church, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, but also trying to get great shots. Let me know if there will be a mass or communion taking place during the ceremony, as we do not want to intrude during this with flashes going off.

5: Once the pastor, priest or other officiant pronounces you husband and wife, I’ll be back in the center aisle to capture “the kiss”, and get shots of you leaving.

This article will continue next week.

Macro Photography - Second in Series

This the second in the series on Macro Photography:

1. WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL YOU NEED?

“Hard” Ware versus “Not-So-Hard” Ware Equipment: In the “Hard” Ware Equipment Section, I'll talk about what is needed for professional-quality macro photographs. As you progress in your macro photography skills, you'll begin to understand what equipment is necessary for the types of pictures you want to take. If you simply want better, everyday pictures of close-up subjects, the section, “Not-So-Hard” Ware Equipment, will give you great ideas you can use right away.

v "HARD" WARE EQUIPMENT: If your intention is to get perfect macro photographs, be forewarned that this can be the most expensive part of macro photography – the “must-have” equipment that will make your experience more enjoyable and less frustrating. Fortunately, this equipment is ideal for a number of photographic situations.

Macro Lenses: These are special types of lenses made for getting close to subjects, and are invaluable for this kind of work. When photographing tiny objects, your lens' focusing distance determines how close you can get to the subject as well as how close you must get for it to be in sharp focus. There's only one drawback to macro lenses -- they are prohibitively expensive. The reason I use a 50mm macro instead of, say a 150mm or even a 200mm is strictly the cost. Larger lenses can set you back thousands of dollars depending on the quality. I prefer a smaller lens with higher quality, rather than a larger one with dubious caliber. As with most things related to photography, buy the best you can afford. However, the 50mm lens does a very credible job; I just have to move in very close to my macro subject. This can be a major problem with honey bees B they just don't like that lens in their furry little faces! An additional benefit of macro lenses is that since they usually have a higher quality lens in them, the degree of sharpness and clarity is remarkably good and are ideal for using to shoot landscapes.

This article will continue with more equipment ideas next week.

Nature Photography - Article 2 (continuation)

This is the second installment of the Nature Photography - Photographing Wildlife in Your Backyard Series:


Equipment: I seem to have an extremely difficult time in acquiring sharp pictures if I don=t utilize a tripod. However, trying to set up a standard tripod while sitting at a table was next to impossible. It was either too far away to reach comfortably, or too close to the table for ease of use. Then, a miracle happened. I received a table top tripod from my wonderful husband for my birthday. Oh, what a difference a down-sized tripod can make! Now, I can relax while having a drink or reading a book, and simply take the shots as they happen. However, there are tradeoffs. These particular tripods are designed for small, point-and-shoot cameras. Due to the size of my high-resolution digital camera and long range lenses, the weight on the diminutive head is phenomenal. I keep a soft towel close at hand to raise the miniature leg a fraction of an inch or so to keep the camera at eye level with the subject of my shot, rather than extending the leg and risk straining the relatively soft metal. I also love to use a remote switch in these situations. The remote takes over for the on-camera shutter button, pressing it halfway to bring the image into focus and take through-the-lens exposure readings, and then fully to take the shot. It= s an enormous help in keeping the camera from shaking or vibrating which would occur if I used the on-camera shutter release, and an absolute must-have for long, zoom shots. You wouldn=t think that the simple act of squeezing the shutter button on the camera would vibrate it just enough to throw off the shots, but you=d be surprised how little it takes to blur photographs. The remote helps eliminate some of that vibration.

Camera Positioning: I love to work outdoors, and am very thankful that my business as a nature photographer enables me to appreciate first hand the marvelous things that the God has created. I have probably the best working office in the world B a wooded backyard, large deck, and a sturdy table to do my detailed work on. I have recently discovered a wonderful way to keep working on the computer and be able to take pictures at the same time. On the table rests a portable computer to pound out my writing, the little tripod, camera, flash, and various lenses and filters. I secure the camera gently to the mini tripod just to the right of my computer, with the remote switch nestled in my lap. Once I have set the camera in the exact position to take a specific shot (such as zoomed in on a particular feeding station), I attach the remote to my camera in its special terminal slot. Now, I can work and still get some great pictures. The remote switch works two ways: not only does it reduce camera shake as I said earlier, but it also allows me to work the camera without moving my head, and thus, disturbing the wildlife. No longer do I have to post myself behind the camera to capture a particular scene, unless I need to reposition the setup to get the squirrels and chipmunks scampering and chasing each other around the tree. By the way, I never try to attempt any kind of digital darkroom work outdoors. There=s simply too much ambient light affecting the monitor on my computer to accurately correct any changes I need to make to my photographs. I leave that kind of work to my indoor office specifically prepared for that purpose.

What to Expect From Your Wedding Photographer

This is Part One in a series of articles highlighting what you can expect from a typical professional wedding photographer. I give this form to each of my wedding clients so they know ahead of time what will happen, and in what sequence.

Of course, weddings are "uncontrolled" events, and as such, can be unpredictable. However, I found by giving this guide to them, they are more prepared for what I'm doing, where I'll be shooting at, where my assistant will be, etc. It helps them to relax a little more and know that I'm taking care of the photography details so they can enjoy their wedding day.

TIPS FROM YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY PHOTOGRAPHS


First, congratulations and best wishes to you and your future spouse! Planning your wedding can be stressful; however, remember that this will be a happy day for both of you. Good planning and organization will help relieve some of the worries of how to get everything done.

This guide will help you know and prepare what your wedding photographer will do for you on your wedding day. I’ve outlined some of the things we’ll go over as we plan out how to get the most beautiful photographs of your day.

PRE-WEDDING PLANNING:

1: YOUR WEDDING PACKAGE: You and I will sit down and go over the wedding photography services contract so you know exactly what’s expected from me. Then, we’ll visit about the different services and products that I offer. We’ll pick the right wedding package for you that will fit within your budget and give you the most flexibility.

2: SHOOT LIST: Once we’ve settled on the services and products for your wedding photography, then we’ll go over your wedding day from start to finish, outlining what you want shot, and the people you want most in your wedding images. I’ll also give you a Shooting List so you can think about and write down the wedding shots you want. I’ll need you to give me this list no later than 30 days prior to your wedding day. You can return this list with the remaining deposit check. Additionally, you and your spouse should make a list of your favorite and special songs, writings, poems, etc. and give this to me along with the Shooting List. I’ll incorporate these into your Wedding Slideshow (Packages B and C) as well as your wedding album. REMEMBER TO DESIGNATE A PERSON WHO KNOWS EVERYONE, TO HELP ME MAKE SURE I GET EVERYONE’S FORMAL PORTRAIT. I won’t know the physical appearance of the people you want shot in the formals – having a helper is critical so we don’t forget anyone.

3: REHEARSAL: I’ll attend the rehearsal (if no rehearsal is planned, we’ll meet at the wedding site) so that I know how the wedding will take place, and I can make notes on the various places to get the best shots. I’ll also need a secure location at the wedding site for storing the photographic equipment (lighting, cords, etc.) We’ll also pick a place for the formal portraits of the wedding party, friends and family who’ll be included, as well as you and your spouse’s intimate formal portraits.

Part Two of Wedding Photographer Tips will continue next week.

Nature Photography

This is the first in a series of articles with tips on how to photograph wildlife in your backyard.


WHERE THE BIRDS ARE . . .

Tried and True Tips to Outfox the Shy Creatures at Your Backyard Feeder
For Outstanding Pictures!


That's it! I've had it!

Highly frustrated, I jammed my equipment back in the bag and went inside the house for a well-deserved break. As I finally began to relax with a steaming cup of coffee, I suddenly realized that my defiant howl had not only reached the recently vacated branches, but probably every house in the neighborhood. I never had seen such reluctant photographic subjects. You'd think that I was trying to shoot them with a high-powered gun, rather than a harmless little camera. It seemed a mockery to my professional skills as a photographer to be rewarded over and again with pictures of disembodied birds, receding squirrel tails, and dozens of out-of-focus shots. I vowed to simply fill the feeders with seed for the winged brats and stop trying to get those spectacular pictures other photographers seem to net with ease.

That particular episode occurred just over a year ago. Now I have an arsenal of tactics at my disposal, which, though not foolproof, are useful allies in defeating my backyard nemesis: the bird feeder.

Through trial and error (I'm ashamed to say “mostly error”) I have worked out a system for photographing the little critters who pay a call to our humble feeders (I can=t even call them freeloaders since I'm the one who provides the food). Here in the North Georgia mountains, we have a wonderful mixture of opportunistic species who act as though they would literally starve if I neglect to fill the feeders twice a week, or more often if the squirrels conveniently forget which feeder is their own. Overlooking this wildlife wonderland is a large, elevated deck cantilevered over a wooded ravine, which, in turn, bottoms out into a wet weather creek a perfect environment for our woodland friends. With four feeders two for the birds with squirrel baffles, a separate feeding station for the squirrels (I learned early on either fight 'em or join 'em), and a hummingbird feeder the stage it set for wildlife viewing and, with a little luck and practice, photography. I've tried many different methods to capture these illusive creatures, and those brainstorms eventually resulted in the following changes: equipment, position of the camera, and wildlife conditioning.

ARTICLES: Macro Photography Introduction

This is the first in a series of articles of tips on macro photography. Keep checking back for the continuation of this series.


FLOWERS ARE PEOPLE TOO!


How to make your macros come alive with vibrancy and originality.

Have you ever looked at a photograph of a flower and thought Awhat was the point? Or wonder why it seems so difficult to capture the true essence of a rose? When photographers work with still subjects, there can be a tendency to think of them just as inanimate objects, rather than working the entire scene as a whole. However, give this same photographer a human subject, and they'll give it their all to make that person absolutely glow in their portraits. Without some type of advance preparation, it's remarkably easy to end up with a bland macro subject, and as a result produce images without much feeling and artistry. The same techniques employed in studio photography with people can be applied to nonhuman subjects. With just a little imagination and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can produce studio quality portraits with macro objects which you'll be proud to display.

Macro photography is truly an art form, and it takes a lot of practice to get it right. A word of warning, however: Once you embark into the amazing world of macro, unlike Dorothy, you'll never want to go home again. Depending upon the type of equipment you use, the pictures that you can obtain with macro lenses are incredible. You'll see a world that you never knew existed. It can be very addicting peering into this miniature universe, and even more challenging to capture it on film or digital media. However, with the right techniques, equipment and a lot of patience, you’ll be richly rewarded with a new outlet for your photographic creative endeavors.

Welcome to MW Johnson Photography's Blog

Welcome to our new blog! Here we'll share photography and equipment tips, give you the latest news on our studio, and give suggestions on how to prepare for a photo session with a photographer.

Feel free to share your thoughts and comments, and let us know how we're doing.

Thanks -- Michele