Tuesday this week I photographed 22 Wedding dresses for a 13 page editorial in a magazine. I only had about 15 min pr. dress so I had to think how can I light well and change it fast without adjusting to much power etc. I came up with this 5 light set up (see overview) after lot's of thinking the night before. From left lamp #1 a 74inch Elinchrom Octa Bank working as an even backlight for the whole body. Lamp #2 a square pan reflector with grid in the middle above the thunder grey Superior seamless paper background. Then lamp #3 a 2nd octa (this one medium) on the right side of the bride, is in this overview pulled more forward then in the sample shots (more back like the large octa on the left). The next light #4 is essential for this shots, it's a spot with a grid pointed to the brides face, trying to avoid the dress. Last lamp #5 is a fill about 2 f stops under the spot and octa's sent into my neutral grey wall and ceiling for a large fill in a high angle. The whole thinking is to light the dresses best possible which leave the face dark in the middle (see image underneath), then punch the face with the spot in a flattering way for the model (image number 2 underneath text). I almost always, inside and outside light the dress and face separately, simply because they look their best in different light :-) Last image shows a variation with profile, we can work so fast when assistant here quickly follow the models face with the spot. All lamps Elinchrom , camera Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, lens Canon 70-200mm. f2.8 

PS. I am generally against many images in a blog, but felt this one needed it to illustrate the light well.

The Photographing People Part 2 class last Saturday was a blast. We went through so many different light sources and ways to use them. The craziest moment was photographing a wedding couple a few feet from a train passing by full speed ( Image 1). You can also see in image 2 the same technique under more normal circumstances. This lamp is a Lowel 650 watts Fresnel spot, one of many great things about fresnel spots is that they can be focused. It's so excellent to use in cloudy weather to replace a nice evening sun. The color temperature on the lamp is 3200 Kelvin. Sometimes we clip on different blue foils if we want colder light, but real sunsets are very warm. The lamp gives a VERY even light and being powered from the car it last almost forever. We hook it up to a car battery with the car running using a power inverter( image 3) this you get for under $100 from a car parts store like Checkers. Sadly enough Lowel discontinued this lamp due to high production cost, but Arri have one just as good.I used Arri for years in Europe. Have fun playing with the huge amount of different light sources out there. The International School of Photography site is now up www.intsop.com not all the way done, but worth a visit.

Are You Ready for The Wedding School                                        The International School of Photography presents the Wedding School, November 16-18th @ InStudio in Orem, Utah. If maximizing your potential as a wedding photographer is your goal then this course is the answer you've been looking for. Three days of intense instruction from internationally renowned photographer Kenneth Linge M.Photog. Cr. CPP. PFP.XXV. is just the thing to take you to the next level. This course includes both classroom theory and actual application demonstrations on location. The number of students is limited to ten per class providing an intimate learning environment. The Wedding School also includes a must-have workbook packed with lighting diagrams, ideas and information as well as room for notes so that you will leave with an invaluable reference guide. Take a look at the mini syllabus below and see what we mean. The Wedding School is a must for anyone serious about the field of wedding photography. Photographers completing the course will even receive a diploma.

• Outdoor Lighting-learn reflective, subtractive, diffused, tungsten and other location lighting techniques to wow your customers. Midday sun? No problem!
• Indoor Lighting-effective and powerful set ups.
• Perspective-choosing lenses and f-stops to set you apart from the crowd.
• Posing-how to use it, avoid it, and everything in between.
• Backgrounds and location-learn to see solutions, anytime, anyplace.
• Digital workflow-learn to be efficient so you still have a life! We will demonstrate and have for sale the Photoshop actions that cut our computer time in half without compromising quality.
• Color vs. black and white-how and when to best use both. Plus, effective and modern use of color.
• Proofing-how to deliver digital proofs your customers can't copy.
• Post Wedding Services-a source of extra income or a time consuming trap?
• Effects-some easy yet powerful, some complicated; how to really stand out.
• Pricing and Contracts-what you really need to know.
• Marketing-the heart muscle of your business, learn our tried and true techniques.
• Image, Image, Image-tips for defining and creating yours.
• Photo Demonstrations with Models- Learn to thoroughly understand each technique taught both in theory and application. Demonstrations will be both indoors and outdoors on location. You will even get to follow the workflow through to the final print.

Discounted Tuition with Early Enrollment!

Full tuition for The Wedding School is $1200. This includes a light meal each day. 
If you enroll by midnight PST on Saturday October 31st, 2009 you will receive our $250 "Fired-up Photographer" discount—lowering your tuition to $950!
(Remember, the course is offered on a first come, first serve basis with room for only 10 photographers so don't delay, enroll today!) You can also call 1.801.221.1100 for more info, or if you want to set up a Wedding School in your state or country.

Midday sun solutions. This image is from a wedding I did in The Canary Islands. The sun is high and it's hard to light them without interfering with what's between them and me. Too bright for my spots etc. A mirror would have  been the best "try". My personal rule photographing people outside is: If you can't get good light on them, don't have them look in the camera! Dark eyes looking at you is like an autofocus hitting a white wall, you just keep searching and searching without getting contact.

If I had wanted an image with eye contact, I would have kept the camera frame, but moved them close to me on the right and added some nice light on them, maybe also a diffusion screen over their heads (a California Sunbounce Sun Swatter would been the ideal one, since you can keep it so high and out of your shot). If you know me, you know I love photographing in midday sun, and it is one of the main things I teach.

A second thing about this image: I got low to get more lines, but mostly to get their heads clear of the ocean line to keep it peaceful between them. 

Just thought this image would be a good follow up from my last blog. I used to pay a fortune for portable tungsten lights back in the 80's and 90's most of them made for video and TV production. In this image we used one $44 Vector 3 mill candle lights spot from Target. Often we use different blue foils to adjust and little home made diffusion screens, but in this shot it is as it comes and auto color setting on camera. Timing, YES. 400 ISO, 1/60 f4.6 Canon 20-35mm 2.8L at 23mm.

PS.We have added an Extra Extra Photographing People Part 1 class, here in Orem, Utah on March 28th, 2009.