Print and Computer Photography Viewing.

With the advent of digital photography the way we view art has been forever changed. Wedding photography was all about the print before digital photography. People ordered proof books and elaborate wedding albums. Sometimes more than one volume. But the reality of digital photography is this. Viewing a photograph on a computer screen (or any art) really takes away from the emotion, the artistry and the true nature of the craftsmanship. I really feel that people should understand photography before they make a decision about buying photography. So I am going to get slightly technical on this blog post.




There are two reasons why I don't like to show all of my art on a computer screen or why you should not decide about buying art (or wedding photography) online.

1. A digital image is made up of 300 pixel per inch. When you view an image on a computer screen, the monitor is only able to show 72 pixels per inch. All monitors can only show 72 pixels per inch. So for my digital photograph to look good on a computer screen I have to downsize or make my photo less detailed. I have to eliminate 228 pixels per inch of information.

Furthermore, my photograph is captured in a color space called Adobe RGB 1998. In other words my camera has a range of colors that it can interpret from a scene and then represent. Colors that cannot be represented from nature are changed to the closest color. A computer monitor (there are a few that can represent Adobe RGB 1998) can only represent an RGB color space. An RGB color space is a smaller color box or has less colors that it can interpret from nature. When I create a photo for the world wide web, my colors get changed. The conversion process has to interpret the colors and if a color in Adobe RGB 1998 is not available in RGB then it gets changed.
Creating a photo for web consumption is essentially a process of simplifying that file into a smaller and less detailed image.



2. Imaging has an international standard. When I start to process photography on my computer the 1st thing I do is calibrate my monitor. I have a device that measured the colors and luminance (how bright and contrasty) of my monitor. An uncalibrated monitor is like looking at the world with colored glasses on.

When you buy a monitor the default setting is not calibrated or equal to any ICC standard. Most often the monitor is set too bright. How bright? Well I can tell you numbers but how would that help if you didn't have a scale to compare it to. I will say that if the scale was from 1 to 5, I set my monitor to about three and a quarter, while the monitors from the factory are set to four and a half. I don't know if that helped.

Another important point is that when you turn on a monitor it takes that monitor at least 30 minutes to an hour to warm up, to stabilize the settings. Before I calibrate my monitor it has to be running for an hour or the levels will shift and the calibration will be useless. Look at a photo right when you turn your monitor on and then an hour later. See if you notice any difference. Are the colors different? How about the amount of detail that you see? As the monitor warms up these two things will change. The photo hasn't changed, just the eyeglasses that you are looking at the photo with.

Even the viewing environment has an effect on how an image looks on a computer screen. If you are in a room that gets direct sunlight the colors and brightness will change depending on whether the sun is shining or if it is cloudy outside. A real professional photographer will have a controlled lighting environment to post process images in. No direct sunshine, daylight balanced light bulbs and neutral colored walls. All of this has an effect on what colors a computer screen shows or what glasses you are looking at the image with.



I can't control whether you see the true colors of the photograph. Or if your monitor is set up to show all the detail of a photograph. All of these issues are solved by looking at a photographers print. Holding all 300 pixels per inch and Adobe RGB 1998 color space in your hands.

Natural Light Photography

I really love natural light photography. When you are using a prime lens without a flash the added challenge of seeing a composition by using the existing lighting can be very rewarding. When a wedding photographer uses flash it is usually on his/her camera. You either bounce it off off a wall, have an assitant hold a flash off to the side, have an umbrella with flash off to the side or you are using the flash pointed at the subject. All these scenarios have their advantages and disadvantages. Usually one of the disadvantages is the extra time it takes to setup an external lighting setup.

With natural light photography a photographer is able to capture "the moment" when it happens without breaking up the spontaneity. There are certain advantages of using flash. One of them being stopping motion as it happens. So I always carry two cameras on the wedding day. One with flash and one without flash.

By seeing the natural light you get photos like this. A little more contrasty but much more natural.

You have to see and predict your tones while you are looking through the camera lens. Not only do you have to be aware of what your subject is doing but also how that subject will interact in the whole scene.




The above image works because of walls lighter tones compared to the brides face. The background frames the bride and the natural light shines nicely on her face.


Flash would have comletely ruined the below moment. A flash that is not bounced or off to the side tends to flatten out an image. On an outdoor moment like this there is nowhere to bounce a flash. Instead, by using the existing light, moving to a correct position to use the light as if it were an off camera flash. The moment is preserved by allowing the natural light to shape the scene.




A great example of when flash is needed is to stop action and give the photo a little pop. One great advantage to flash is how it gives a photo the catchlight in the eyes. A photographer should not use direct flash pointing at a subject but should turn the flash head so the light bounces off of a wall or ceiling. This will diffuse the light and softly caress the photo with light around the subject.





I am a huge advocate of a Bride and Groom understanding at least the fundamentals regarding photography. This way they can make an informed decision about the style of photography they want during the wedding day. Some photographers use only natural light. Other photographers only use flash. Some, like me use both, showing a scene in both a flash and natural light situation at the same time.

Creativity and Weddings

I received a phone call today from a bride looking for a wedding photographer. That is always good news. The best part was they were both musicians. Classical musicians to be more exact. A dissecting thought is an email I received from a former client...

"Dear Dave,

Thank you so very much for your outstanding photographs. Your photos have so
very poignantly captured the day in the most perfect of ways.

We are so very grateful that you were able to be our photographer for the
day. We haven't stopped raving about you since the day we met you! The
corridor image is one of my favorite images. I have walked down that
specific hallway of floor 5 so many times to visit my dad and the way you
captured it creates so many emotions for me. Thank you.

The one of me and my dad holding hands and just our hands are showing in the
photo is beautiful. And, the one of me and my dad when my back is to the
camera is so wonderful and touching.

The ones of me and Dave together are all fantastic (even some of the less
flattering shots of us!). I love the image of Dave with a great laugh and
smile as we're standing in front of the city skyline (this is our wedding
frame photo!).

We have very proudly shared so many of the images with our family, friends
and even business colleagues. Dave and I getting married in the hospital
chapel and being with my dad in his ICU room were moments that moved so many
people (aside from us). For them to feel so connected by viewing the images
the way you've been able to capture these very precious moments is
indescribable, although so many people sent us some wonderful and
heartfelt comments I'd like to share:

"I am speechless. These are absolutely beautiful and very moving. Thank
you SO much for sharing these!"

"... of all the pictures that grabbed my heart and my emotions was the one
of you walking down the corridor alone."

"The photo of you walking down the hallway is a photo of 1000 words."

"Absolutely amazing! I am touched to see inside. I have streaming tears for
you both happy and sad but no words."

"These are VERY special photographs for so many reasons.

1. I love the one of Dave smiling -- he's so happy and it comes through in
the photography 2. I really love the one of you walking down the hall with
the windows on the right 3. And...I absolutely love the one of you and your
father holding hands

They brought tears to my eyes -- tears of happiness and joy for you both."

"I feel as if I were there with you, if only in spirit. I hope you felt my
support and love, because I send them to you, always.... Seeing you hold
your Dad's hand is more than I can bare without sobbing, and I cannot even
come close to imagining how difficult it must have been for you."

"It isn't very often that I get an email that moves me the way this one did.
I totally admire you as you have managed to keep life in perspective and
what is truly important."

"Wow, Kath! These photos could win awards! Joyous, poignant, moving! Wow!
Thanks for sharing!"

"I just went through all your pictures and bawled my eyes out as if I were
there. They are truly lovely and capture all the emotions involved."

"What a beautiful, loving wedding -- thank you so much for sharing. 2009
has been very challenging for me also, but your story has put it into
perspective. The warmth and love between you and your husband and family is
very much in evidence in the photos."

"Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful and touching pictures with me!
...When I looked at the pictures, especially those with your dad, I was so
touched. As I have lost my dad in January 2007, my father-in-law in ... and
my mom in ..."

"So glad I didn't bother to put make up on...especially mascara!!! I loved
the pictures."

"The pictures are ALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL and each one captures this
Very Heartfelt Family Celebration!!!"

If there is anything we can do to help you or your business in the future
with references etc then please get in contact any time...Thank you again.


Very Truly,

Katharine and Dave "

I really appreciated this email because I could tell how much the photos meant to her and she took the time to write. The above email was a very challenging wedding. It was at an ICU because the bride wanted to get married with her father. The father was suppose to be brought down to the chapel where we had one ceremony but his condition took a turn for the worse the previous night. So we had a second ceremony in his hospital room. It was a very touching and emotional moment.

It is these creative, loving, out of the box situations that make my job as a wedding photographer mean something. The wedding couple that doesn't always want the boxed edition of "weddings are us" are what I live for as a wedding photographer.

I love the couples who are truly in love and can let go during their beautiful day. I love the wedding couple that has interesting and original ideas. I love other creatives that want their special day documented as the beautiful and emotional day it should be.

Wedding Photography Styles

These days Brides and Grooms have many different types of styles to choose from for their wedding photography. You can go traditional, photojournalistic or graphic (to name a few). There is a myriad of choices out there. But one thing that all photographers have in common is "Light". We all have to use light in one way or another. How does your photographer use light?

I like 2 styles... natural light photojournalistic with a mix of fashion. I could sit here and dissect all of the styles and how they are performed but that would just be boring for both of us. My style is to see the light, use it in creative ways and finally find the emotion in the image. When I have the bride and groom one on one I like to add a flair of fashion (lighting/pose/post processing) to the photograph. But, the bottom line is still finding what light is there and getting a natural/candid pose out of the photo. I liken my fashion style to a candid, work with what you have, be creative and flexible.



In modern wedding photography you are suppose to see a bride look "happy" so the above image may be something you would see in a fashion magazine but for a wedding photographer it may have failed. A smiling bride is much better. Like the image below.

In this image you see a stronger "graphic" quality. A large amount of Photoshop manipulation. A quick analyisis would show a flattening of all the planes and areas. Detail is lost in a trade off for color and simplicity. I like to call it the "Matisse Style". Flat shapes, great lines and heavy color. This is one of the choices brides have in this digital day and age. Less of a photo and more of a photo manipulation. I love it and it is another creative form. Fashion and photojournalism with a heavy photoshop manipulation.




But, I can also be a purist and usually am. I have expensive Nikon equipment. All professional stuff that renders fine detail very well. Sometimes too well but that is another story. As you can see below, a traditional photojournalistic style is all about the emotion and use of available light.







Straight photography. Finally, a nice balance of all these elements makes for exciting and great wedding photography.





These are photojournalistic...with a slight fashion graphic quality. I don't think one is better than another. I am more about giving the Bride and Groom as much information and knowledge as possible so they can make an informed decision. I like to keep the integrity of the photograph with as much detail as possible. The photoshop should enhance the image not take it over in my opinion. But there is a time and place (photo) for every technique.

I came to photography from a Fine Art background so making something a highly stylistic, painterly, graphic art print is exciting, creative and fun. I don't think it should be overly used in every photo. Some images should be straight, photojournalistic, with minimal manipulation leaning on the found light and the emotion. Other images should look like what you see in a fashion magazine, a mix of great photography and post processing. Finally, use of graphic photoshop qualities that perhaps mimic old darkroom techniques but bring an image into the 21st century can enhance any wedding album.

Balance in everything.

Engagement Shoots

I am a big fan of doing engagement shoots with Brides and Grooms. It is about getting great photographs and those engagement photo will be memories that can be printed for your wedding day in a book or as a large photo for people to sign. But I think there is also a more important reason for including an engagement photo session before the wedding with your photographer.

I have noticed a very large difference in the quality of the wedding day photos between the couples who did do an engagement photo session and the couples that did not. In my opinion it is because of familiarity. When I approach the wedding day the couple who spent two hours with me before hand see me as a friend. They are much less self conscious of a photographer pointing a camera at them. They are not as shy. The couple has taken the experience of being photographed by a professional photographer and built upon the ideas we worked with beforehand. They have so much more fun with the photographer the second time around and everything is much more relaxed. The couple knows what to expect.

From my point of view, I also have an idea of how they react in front of a camera and I have learned more about hw to get first class photographs with the Bride and Groom. So it may cost a bit more money. It may take some time out of your life. But, I always hear that it was great fun and the memories of that time in the couples life are priceless.

Wedding Photojournalist Association

I am a member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association or the WPJA.com for short. There is a certain ethos that goes into being a photojournalist and also being in the WPJA. In short, the WPJA only accepts 15% of their applicants. They are not a fee based advertising site. Every three months the members of the site have a contest, and this establishes the order the photographers appear on the site.

Why do I mention this. Because there are rules to being in the WPJA. The rules are -

Images manipulated through the use of toning, increased saturation or desaturation, selective sharpening and/or blurring, dodging and burning, cloning, blemish removal, correcting or reducing distortions, or adding film grain/noise are not eligible for entry. However, cropping and color to black & white conversions are acceptable as well as slight adjustments to levels/curves.

In other words, minor adjusments are acceptable but the photo needs to be "As Is". This really makes a photographer be more of a "Photographer" than just a Photoshop junkie.





Granted, these are the contest rules and knowing an extensive amount of Photoshop techniques is very important for every photographer. I know my fair share of PS tricks. Many times I just want my photograph to be a photo instead of a piece of graphic art.

My first blog post

I have been focused on wedding photography. I really love weddings. To me it is a photographic study of love. One of the apex moments of a person's life. A commitment to love and bond with another person.

The pageantry of a wedding is amazing. Everyone is dressed to the nines. Children are running around. Multiple generations of a family are represented. It is a ceremony that brings out nervous and happy emotions that spill into a celebratory party atmosphere. I can think of no better photographic experience than being a wedding photographer.

But, being a wedding photographer mean you need to have a wide array of skills. It is like shooting a sporting event, a fashion shoot, a portrait session in a photojournalistic environment. The photographer has to think fast, be entertaining, and cordial. Most of all the photographer has to always be present and observing the action in every corner of the event. At any moment a 5 year old may step over to the cake and dip their fingers into the frosting just for a quick taste.