A Pentax Wedding

A Pentax Wedding · 01:44 PM

From what I've seen, there aren't too many wedding shooters armed with Pentax cameras. I'm proud to say that I have joined the ranked. I know a few guys guy shoot weddings regularly (Peter Zack, MJB Digital, and a few others). My hat's off for you guys.....this is not easy work by any means.

For everyone else, everything you've heard about wedding photography is true! It's fast paced, pressure packed, and you really have no time to think. Even if you think you're prepared and know what to expect, you just can't imagine what it's like until you've done it.

This was my very first wedding. I have never second shot and have never been a primary photographer at any wedding. I snapped a few shots at a cousin's wedding last year, but that was as a guest and I took those from my seat. As a rule, I never take my camera to weddings.

The Bad: Scheduling was horrid. My bride (bless her cute little heart) was late for everything....hair salon appointment, makeup, you name it, she was late. We were an hour behind schedule. So late that the limo driver threatened to leave right in the middle of formals, which were rushed as it was. The reception was dead.....just nothing going on there. No dancing, no partying, nothing!

The Good: The equipment did everything I needed it to do. I was shocked at how easily the K20D/16-50 combo locked focus in low-light. There were situations where I was fully expecting to have to switch to MF but it never happened. I only used the DA*16-50, DA35, and FA50/1.4. My wife assisted/second shot and used the DA*50-135 at the church and DA35 at the reception. I also used the 10-17 at the hair salon. Things were moving quickly so I didn't get to use it at the ceremony like I had planned.

I'm only going to post a few images here. There are more on my website (see sig below).

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22a/22b

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paulsoucy · 08-16-2009, 06:36 PM

Alan,

THese are really excellent ESPECIALLY FOR A FIRST WEDDING.....

In any of the shots posted what was the hightest ISO you went to?

Paul

maxwell1295 · 08-16-2009, 06:40 PM

Thanks for the comments. It was pressure packed but a lot of fun. I walked away feeling that I didn't do as well as I would have liked, but once I started looking at the images on screen, I was pretty pleased with the results. I missed a lot of shots and made quite a few mistakes with lighting, composition, etc. I think all wedding photogs experience this. As long as I capture the key moments well and tell the story of their day, then I think I'll be okay with the throwaways.

The bride and her family were thrilled with what they've seen on the website and on Facebook. I ended up with a total of 550 keepers. They've only seen about 50-60 images. The good thing (for me) is that I have more than enough quality images for a sample wedding album. I've been booking weddings with ZERO material. All they had to go on until now, is the non-wedding stuff on my website and my sparkling personality.

MJB DIGITAL · 08-16-2009, 07:33 PM

Hey man I loved what you wrote in your original post, but I just got done with an engagement session and I'm grabbing a drink at the bar. i'm on my phone so i cant see the images. can't wait to see em...

glad you had a good time!

another 'million dollar question': how was dinner?

8)

**Marc Langille** · 08-16-2009, 08:26 PM

Alan, I loved the images, great start good sir!

Disclaimer: I've done receptions, never the wedding. Just a choice I have made for now.

Regards,
Marc

maxwell1295 · 08-16-2009, 08:30 PM

Someone asked about ISO. The shot of her in the limo was shot at 1600. I think I have a few at 1100, the first kiss being one of them. High ISO is pretty noisy, hence the BW conversions on a lot of the high noise images.

Mitch - The food was the best part of the day. A combination os Salvadorian and Jamaican foods, served buffet style,

rjburgos · 08-16-2009, 09:43 PM

great job with documenting wedding...true i have done also weddings before and its all hard work..it all goes down if ur enjoying the thing that you do. salute on your first gig...more power in the future and keep them posting

Venturi · 08-16-2009, 10:32 PM

Fabulous work, Alan.

cupic · 08-17-2009, 12:21 AM

A real blockbuster of an event captured by Alan(and the missus) the bar's been set let the others flow just as well

cheers

Peter Zack · 08-17-2009, 02:12 AM

Alan, Excellent work. Very well done for a first wedding. You've got the eye and talent to do this for sure. Sorry for the late response.

Love the shot of her in the car.

Rushing and time deadlines? At a wedding? Never!!!

axl · 08-17-2009, 04:03 AM

Alan,
considering it was your first wedding I think you've done marvelous job.
Listen what are you doing 22/08 ?? Me and my wife have our "church ceremony" after our civil wedding last year. Could you make it to Krakow, Poland?

Don't worry,
Great job,
congrats

BR
Peter

Peter Zack · 08-17-2009, 04:27 AM

Originally posted by axl

Listen what are you doing 22/08 ?? Me and my wife have our "church ceremony" after our civil wedding last year. Could you make it to Krakow, Poland?
Peter

Peter, If you're footing the bill, you can have 3 shooters that day. Alan, MJB and I would be more than happy to fly over. Just make sure we have seperate hotel rooms in a better than average hotel. You wouldn't want your wedding photgraphers to be over tired or cranky on the big day.

You cover the travel, hotel and food, we'll keep the fees reasonable

Peter

maxwell1295 · 08-17-2009, 04:40 AM

^^What Peter said!^^

dazman · 08-17-2009, 05:08 AM

Outstanding images, Alan. Well done. The bride & groom + their families will be overjoyed with your results.

Taff · 08-17-2009, 05:13 AM

SUPERB Mate

maxwell1295 · 08-17-2009, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by Andi Lo

Wow, that's amazing Alan...

I just shot my first wedding as well but the results are nothing compared to yours...

Love the makeup portrait shot, the gown, and the rings on the rose. I shall post mine soon pending permission from the family.

Question... how did you light 23? I can see there are lights at the back so that's probably where the light at the back comes from. Is the couple just naturally lit or is it diffused flash?

Thanks Andi.

To answer your question......23 was lit with a hotshoe flash mounted on a flash bracket. Both the flash on the bracket and the flash on the lightstand in the background were remotely triggered with the transmitter on the camera's hotshoe. I use the Alien Bees Cybersync wireless transmitters and receivers. I'll see if I can dig up a photo of the setup.

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08-16-2009, 06:36 PM	#16
paulsoucy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 126	Alan, THese are really excellent ESPECIALLY FOR A FIRST WEDDING..... In any of the shots posted what was the hightest ISO you went to? Paul

08-16-2009, 06:40 PM	#17
maxwell1295 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,703 Original Poster	Thanks for the comments. It was pressure packed but a lot of fun. I walked away feeling that I didn't do as well as I would have liked, but once I started looking at the images on screen, I was pretty pleased with the results. I missed a lot of shots and made quite a few mistakes with lighting, composition, etc. I think all wedding photogs experience this. As long as I capture the key moments well and tell the story of their day, then I think I'll be okay with the throwaways. The bride and her family were thrilled with what they've seen on the website and on Facebook. I ended up with a total of 550 keepers. They've only seen about 50-60 images. The good thing (for me) is that I have more than enough quality images for a sample wedding album. I've been booking weddings with ZERO material. All they had to go on until now, is the non-wedding stuff on my website and my sparkling personality.

08-16-2009, 07:33 PM	#18
MJB DIGITAL Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: st. louis Posts: 1,170	Hey man I loved what you wrote in your original post, but I just got done with an engagement session and I'm grabbing a drink at the bar. i'm on my phone so i cant see the images. can't wait to see em... glad you had a good time! another 'million dollar question': how was dinner? 8)

08-16-2009, 08:26 PM	#19
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710	Alan, I loved the images, great start good sir! Disclaimer: I've done receptions, never the wedding. Just a choice I have made for now. Regards, Marc

08-16-2009, 08:30 PM	#20
maxwell1295 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,703 Original Poster	Someone asked about ISO. The shot of her in the limo was shot at 1600. I think I have a few at 1100, the first kiss being one of them. High ISO is pretty noisy, hence the BW conversions on a lot of the high noise images. Mitch - The food was the best part of the day. A combination os Salvadorian and Jamaican foods, served buffet style,

08-16-2009, 09:43 PM	#21
rjburgos Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: manila, philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 280	great job with documenting wedding...true i have done also weddings before and its all hard work..it all goes down if ur enjoying the thing that you do. salute on your first gig...more power in the future and keep them posting

08-16-2009, 10:32 PM	#22
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	Fabulous work, Alan.

08-17-2009, 12:21 AM	#23
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	A real blockbuster of an event captured by Alan(and the missus) the bar's been set let the others flow just as well cheers

08-17-2009, 02:12 AM	#24
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Alan, Excellent work. Very well done for a first wedding. You've got the eye and talent to do this for sure. Sorry for the late response. Love the shot of her in the car. Rushing and time deadlines? At a wedding? Never!!!

08-17-2009, 04:03 AM	#25
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Alan, considering it was your first wedding I think you've done marvelous job. Listen what are you doing 22/08 ?? Me and my wife have our "church ceremony" after our civil wedding last year. Could you make it to Krakow, Poland? Don't worry, Great job, congrats BR Peter

08-17-2009, 04:27 AM	#26
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Originally posted by axl Listen what are you doing 22/08 ?? Me and my wife have our "church ceremony" after our civil wedding last year. Could you make it to Krakow, Poland? Peter Peter, If you're footing the bill, you can have 3 shooters that day. Alan, MJB and I would be more than happy to fly over. Just make sure we have seperate hotel rooms in a better than average hotel. You wouldn't want your wedding photgraphers to be over tired or cranky on the big day. You cover the travel, hotel and food, we'll keep the fees reasonable Peter

08-17-2009, 04:40 AM	#27
maxwell1295 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,703 Original Poster	^^What Peter said!^^

08-17-2009, 05:08 AM	#28
dazman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,949	Outstanding images, Alan. Well done. The bride & groom + their families will be overjoyed with your results.

08-17-2009, 05:13 AM	#29
Taff Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,612	SUPERB Mate

08-17-2009, 08:28 AM	#30
maxwell1295 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,703 Original Poster	Originally posted by Andi Lo Wow, that's amazing Alan... I just shot my first wedding as well but the results are nothing compared to yours... Love the makeup portrait shot, the gown, and the rings on the rose. I shall post mine soon pending permission from the family. Question... how did you light 23? I can see there are lights at the back so that's probably where the light at the back comes from. Is the couple just naturally lit or is it diffused flash? Thanks Andi. To answer your question......23 was lit with a hotshoe flash mounted on a flash bracket. Both the flash on the bracket and the flash on the lightstand in the background were remotely triggered with the transmitter on the camera's hotshoe. I use the Alien Bees Cybersync wireless transmitters and receivers. I'll see if I can dig up a photo of the setup.