| 1/80 | f4.5 | ISO 800 | 35mm | RAW |
Weddings can be a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun, too! I had the pleasure of getting this shot of a very personable ring bearer today. The wedding was severely delayed (by an hour and a half) while they were waiting for the bridal group to show up, but he kept a great attitude going.
I got this shot as they were just about to start the ceremony, while they were preparing in a back room. He was concentrating on what he had to do in a few minutes, and when I snapped his photo he didn't look happy. I joked with him about it, and teased that it wasn't against the law to smile at a wedding. He perked right up and let me get a second shot.
I purposefully got down to his level to help make him appear more natural, like a real person instead of a little child. I had a dedicated flash attached to the camera, with the flash head pointing straight up to the ceiling.
This flash technique helps create a brighter and larger source of light directly overhead. Because it is larger (turning the whole ceiling into a source of light), it is also a softer light, meaning it has no harsh shadows. To help bounce a little light straight from the camera to the subject, I attached a little white card to the back of the flash head.
I shot with a wider aperture (f4.5) to help get the maid of honor out of focus in the background. I purposefully wanted to include the maid of honor to help tell the story of the photo, so I put the ring bearer on one side and her on the other.
As for what I wish I could have changed, I don't really like the stand of religious pamphlets in the background, nor do I like the pair of hands sticking into into the left side of the photo. But this was taken at the spur of the moment, and I didn't want to take more than a few seconds to compose the shot because the announcement to line up could have been coming at any time.
The one thing I could've changed (and now wish I had) is to have him turn his pillow around so the tag isn't showing. But some people will argue that the tag adds to the overall photo by reinforcing this is just a little kid and despite his utmost concentration he will still miss some of the fine details (like having the tag sticking out). What do you think?
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5 comments:
For me, I wouldn't change anything much about the photo. But, I am the type of person who hates it when photos look overly contrived or posed. The hands, pamphlets and tag on the pillow are what make the photo seem like the spur of the moment thing it was. That's what makes the photo great-- the fact that you were able to catch such light and expression in his eyes even though there was clearly so much else going on.
This photo is the cutest! I love the smile on the boy's face, ready to please. And I think the pillow's tag showing adds a boyishness to the photograph. The hands do bother me because my eye is drawn and distracted by them a little. I think that could be taken out relatively easily in Photoshop though. But I do like the pamphlets in the background, which I felt added to the story along with the maid of honor and also added a little splash of color. That's my two cents.
Thanks for the comments so far. Pey-Jing, I really like your work. I found myself digging through your portfolio when I saw an engagement photo taken in Sabine Park along Allen Parkway. I have taken many photos there! That was one of my favorite places to shoot the Houston skyline when I was getting hooked on photography back in 2001.
I now live in Atlanta. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Chris
Chris I also agree with Pey-Jing. I think that the hands in the left of the frame are a little distracting. How ever this is a beautiful image. Its so hard to get a genuine smile for the camera and you captured this one well.
Thanks, James. I don't want to crop the photo in any more than it already is, and as a general rule I don't like to photoshop stuff out of photos.
But maybe this would be a good exception.
Chris
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