Context vs. Details - photography musings

Something I've been pondering lately is the balance in photography between capturing details of a given event, like intricate embroidery on a wedding gown, and seeing more context, like that gown hanging next to a group of bridesmaids primping at the mirror. Each type of photograph has its own strengths. But something I'm learning is that you need to have both, if you want to truly tell a story and help others visualize, or remember, the event.

When I first started on my photography journey, my photos were almost all details. This is because my emphasis was on bringing out the unnoticed and forgotten details of the world. If I could make someone amazed at the texture of a little leaf from their own garden, for example, I'd done my job. My perspective was tiny and focused: to diminish the context so little worlds of beauty could really shine.

Sneak Peek: Chris and Natalie's Outdoor Wedding

I did it! I photographed a wedding [update: see more photos here!], all by myself. It was exhausting and exhilarating and, yes, a little emotional, as the bride and groom are very good friends of mine. I am so thankful that Chris and Natalie entrusted the capture of their entire day to me and my camera...knowing full well that, although I've used my camera at many a wedding, this was my first solo wedding photography experience. The above photo is just a little 'teaser'...I'll have more posted soon for sure.

The wedding was lots of fun, and the photos Chris and Natalie wanted their photos to reflect the activities they enjoy doing.  Fishing, reading, and playing basketball were all covered in their pre-wedding photos (really, I can hardly wait to show you).  The wedding and reception were also very "them." From the prioritization of the gospel during the ceremony to the pinatas at the reception, it was a very good representation of who they are.

Overall, I think the day went very well, despite the weather being very hot and windy. I felt as confident and prepared as I could have been. There were a few small mistakes I made, though, which I will list as a form of self-flogging so other aspiring wedding photographers can learn from my mistakes.

1. Let me get this off my conscience first of all. While shooting outdoors with the whole wedding party, we made the transition from bright sunlight to a shady patch. I had the exposure compensation set a few stops lower due to the bright light, but I forgot to change it after we got to the shade.  Luckily, after firing off maybe 20 posed group shots without bothering to check the LCD (duh) I noticed that a) my shots were embarrassingly underexposed, and b) one guy still had his sunglasses on. (Another duh.) So I did what any good photographer would do, and said, "Hey Jordan...you still have your glasses on...sorry, we gotta do a few more." Groanings commenced all around, directed at the (supposedly) guilty party. No one suspected my technological lapse. Sorry, Jordan! :)

2. I locked the master list of family poses in my car. With my keys.  Thankfully, Natalie and I had gone over the list only hours before, and so we had a good idea of who was supposed to be in the photos. I don't think we missed any, actually. (Justin was set to show up later, and he had a spare key, but we obviously didn't have time to wait.)

3. I got distracted shooting the bridal party lineup at the very beginning of the ceremony, and neglected to realize the groom had already walked one of his grandmothers down the aisle unphotographed. The music did not change and so I had no auditory cue for when the program began. That is just an excuse, so really, it's no excuse.

As far as I know, those are the only real mistakes I made. Would I have done a few things differently? Possibly. I always have with lots of fun posing ideas that I seem to forget as soon as there's a camera on my face.  But there were no horrific disasters. Hooray for first solo weddings!

Here are some things I am glad I did.

1. Had extra batteries along, as well as a car charger for them. My flash fired more often than usual, and drained the battery more quickly than I was used to. I just popped the old one into the charger in my car. Eventually I will get a couple more batteries so I don't have to worry about charging throughout the day. I had 2 batteries and I used each one twice (more or less...I didn't actually DRAIN them but replaced them when it got to 1/3 power.)

2. Drove by all the areas ahead of time AND the day-of. This helped get an idea of lighting issues, where other people might be in the way (at parks and such this is always a problem), ideas of where to put the wedding party, even timing the drive.

3. Probably the biggest thing: although we were on a very specific time schedule, I was very careful not to rush the photo process too much.  This required a bit of a shift in priority for me.  Instead of taking 10 shots of each pose and hoping one would turn out (okay, so I don't normally do it quite that badly), I carefully checked each group of images as I began shooting them (except the one time mentioned above), taking those few extra seconds to really look at the image and see if it needed any changes.  I also tried not to be afraid to rearrange people in the (very large) family setups. At first, I was afraid they'd think I was being a bad photographer. Doesn't she know how to do this? No, thanks for asking. But then...I realized that is more like a good photographer. You want to get it right, more than worrying about what people think. I'm sure some of these things will come more naturally as I gain more experience. But it felt good to be thorough the first time around. The bride and groom seemed to appreciate it, too (as did I when I was the bride).

That's it.  I will definitely have photos coming in a few weeks. I am DYING to show you more, but in all fairness, I guess the bride and groom should be able to see their photos first. Right? :)

Food Photography

Having recently been approached about a chance to do some food photography, I've decided to choose a few of the food photos I have laying around my computer, and put them here for all to see. :)  You may have seen one or two of them before...otherwise, they're all fresh.  I love that colorful, bright, vivid food--the stuff that's easy on the eyes--is almost always the healthiest.

a vintage feel

(For sale in my Etsy shop!)

When I first started taking photos, I thought a black background was the be-all-end-all of good pictures.  I meticulously edited my photos until many of them looked like they were taken with a velvet backdrop.  Whatever.  Now I can hardly stand that look.

My personal art aesthetic (or taste, I guess) is always changing, and it always reflects my current taste in music, clothes, home decor, etc.  Right now, I'm all about old/vintage stuff.  I love antique stores and I want an old home. No black velvet or crystal chandeliers anywhere...just imperfect wood floors and character and history and sunshine.  Those don't come in new homes.   

Everyone's Two Favorite Topics: Cabbage and White Balance

This isn't my typical photography post, but it definitely counts! I'm taking a break from engagements and family portraits to bring you a few photographs of a humble, yet beautiful, purple cabbage.

a gallery and a philosophy

I've never had any of my photos for sale in any sort of "bricks-and-mortar" shop. My workplace is partly a gallery, and a while ago I was told I could hang some things there. But then it was decided that our store will no longer be a gallery and just concentrate on framing. This is a good decision for the store - but a teensy bit disappointing for me! :) It really made me nervous to think about hanging things up for the public to see (and potentially reject) though. I know art is different to everyone, and people are drawn to different things in art. But someone I don't know if I'm up for the possibility of no one liking it enough to buy it.

the dancer

this is an orchid i saw at a flower show this weekend. i didn't get many good pictures, because the setup kind of sucked for photographers...lots of flowers in close quarters, AND bad lighting! it was a learning experience for sure. i do like this one though, as it reminds me of a ballet dancer. for some reason it kind of looks like a painting.