Balancing the Light for Dramatic Effect

The basis for my style of photography is light, especially off camera lighting sometimes referred to in photography circles as one-light.  I add auxiliary or additional light to 90% of my images.  There are the occasional photos that are “natural” or ambient light only, but using additional light allows me to bring a sense of drama and atmosphere to the photos.  I came across several photos today that give a good depiction of the lighting scenario that I might encounter in an indoor setting.  These photos represent the various approaches that could be taken given the location, lighting, and composition of the scene.

The photos show a composition of an indoor table centerpiece that is heavily backlit by a nearby window.  The first image is composed and created using settings that would yield a decent exposure for the centerpiece, but the background is “blown out”.  In fact the brightness of the background is so great that it makes capturing the centerpiece somewhat difficult without losing a lot of detail and contrast in the subject.

The second image below is created using settings that capture the background in a more pleasing and interesting manner.  The image reveals much better color and detail in the background, but you can see the main subject goes almost completely dark in shadow, with very little detail.  This approach can produce an interesting silhouette of the subject, but in this case I would rather see the detail that went into the centerpiece.

The final image below, is created using directional off camera lighting that is balanced with the bright natural window light.  Overall the image is better balanced in terms of the exposure, revealing beautiful detail in the background and stunning detail in the subject. The other aspect that brings a pleasing look to the subject is the directional lighting as opposed to “on-camera” flash.  With the additional light coming in from the upper left of the subject, we have more dimensional lighting giving the subject a more interesting appearance.  On-camera flash would have given the image a very flat and lifeless look.  Overall the image has a nice dramatic atmosphere that enhances the beauty and appearance of the centerpiece.

From the archive – Zita and Mike San Antonio Engagement

Does anyone remember seeing clouds in the sky last summer? You know, during the longest drought in history. Well, I don’t recall if it was THE longest drought, but it was long and hot enough. Wile scrolling through my wedding photography archive I came across Zita and Mike’s engagement photos, and the the first set I shot had some very cool looking cloud cover. Totally forgot about the fact that there may have been clouds hanging around last year.

The first image I came across didn’t even make it into the final image selections. I had selected other better looking images instead, but this one stood out due to the candid appearance. I love their expressions and the total lack of attention to me. I am almost positive I was just shooting a handful of test shots to get the overall exposure and composition dialed in to my liking. Their lack of attention is what really makes the image work. Natural, relaxed, unsuspecting, it is just Zita and Mike enjoying a moment before I start the “real” shoot. If you want to see the original images I posted from their session follow this link and have a look.

Behind the Scenes of Beatrice’s Bridal Session

Back in September 2011 I had a fantastic time of working with Beatrice on her bridal photos.  Given the blistering summer we had here in San Antonio, we opted for a morning shoot at the McNay Art Museum.  An added bonus was the opportunity to shoot unencumbered by the throngs of other photographers who would show up later, it pays to not sleep in.  Of course I posted some of the images on the blog after the wedding, but I wanted to throw a couple more up for fun.

The first image is a behind the scenes shot.  Unfortunately I did not get my lighting set-up in this shot, but it was rather simple.  I was using two speedlights, one to camera left at a 45′ angle to Beatrice with an umbrella to soften the light.  I had the second bare speedlight set up camera right and just behind her to throw some highlight on her dress.  Of course I balanced everything with the sunlight to get a dramatic looking image.  The behind the scenes image was a quick shot to get an idea of the exposure for the sky.  The second image is the result of the setup.

San Antonio Notheast Side Brush Fire

After hearing reports of a wildfire within 5 miles of our house this past weekend, Sarah and I verified the location, and I set out with my photojournalist spider senses to create some dramatic photographs of the action.  Based on the reports I determined that the best vantage point to photograph the fire would be along Wurzbach Parkway on top of a nearby overpass.  With all the traffic shut down along Wurzbach, the best I could do was park at a nearby business and walk to the best location.  I was a bit concerned over crossing the police manned street closure, more so that I would not get the photos I was looking for, but some quick walking and keen maneuvering got me on my way.

Some 1.5 miles later I was finally at the top of an overpass with a good view, and enough distance between me and the fire that I had a solid cushion of safety.  The only vehicles coming by were police cruisers and SAFD trucks, and I had barely reached the top of the overpass as a truck approached.  My first thought was to get off a series of images documenting the area since I knew I was going to be asked to retreat.  I fired away as the truck sped by without any acknowledgement toward me; maybe I looked official.

From the overpass I could quickly see that SAFD had the fire well contained to the greenbelt area of Salado Creek.  What was once huge plumes of thick smoke was now hazy cover with small swirling smoke trails.  The intensity of the fire had dwindled, but the huge area it covered still presented a dangerous situation.  The fire crews were working to prevent the fire from spreading across Wetmore, to the San Antonio International Airport, and Wurzbach Parkway.  They had a barrier, but as we have seen in many other instances the wildfires can easily jump wide roadways and continue out of control.

I had set out from my car at 2:44pm, and by 3:20 two fire control planes arrived on the scene to drop retardant chemical to help buffer the fire from the nearby commercial buildings.  In the linked KSAT video one can be seen laying a line to help ease the pressure on the firefighters.  After making a preliminary review pass each plane charted its course and layed down a thick cloud of retardant.  Apparently their work was done and they did not return for an additional pass.

Ten minutes later a yellow Croman SH-3H fire firefighting helicopter was on the scene.  This would prove to be very entertaining and intriguing for the next hour.  After each water drop the copter would fly across Wurzbach Parkway to a nearby lake and refill.  The team was hitting hot spots and any locations that appeared to be flaring up with the potential to jump the boundary line.  The Croman was later joined by another bucket helicopter who then overtook rounds between the lake and hotspots.

By 4:30 I was dehydrated, hot, and tired, a very slight indication of how the firefighters must have felt after working so hard to contain the fire.  I must have been passed by at least 20 police cruisers, and 15 fire vehicles while on the overpass, and no one asked me to leave.  It was a very worthwhile adventure and provided some interesting insight into firefighting.

Pano of the wildfire area, looking from Wurzbach Parkway back towards Wetmore Rd and the SA International airpoort

Photo looking down Wurzbach Parkway towards Wetmore. There is a fire crew in the lower gith corner of the image, working to prevent the spread to the area buildings.

The fire crew from the previous photo. While the wind kept the fire from spreading rapidly towards the buildings it was still important to protect the area.

The control tower for SA International can be seen in the background. The containment lines and wind direction kept the fire from being a threat to the airport.

Looking back down Wurzbach parkway at the scorched landscape.

Water truck wetting down the other side of Wurzbach Parkway to prevent the fire jumping the highway.

Dropping fire retardant along the gap between the fire and the area buildings.

Dropping fire retardant with the San Antonio International control tower in the background.

Second round of fire retardant by the pair of planes.

Flights into and out of SA International were not effected by the fire.

Flights into and out of SA International were not effected by the fire.

Croman SH-3H arriving on the scene to dowse some hot spots.

Croman unloading a plume of water over the wildfire.

Croman heading back to the lake for another load of water.

Croman dowsing a hot spot near the local business buildings with the SA International control tower in the background.

This was the tightest shot I could get of the pilot. They made substantial progress along many of the fire containment lines.

Second helicopter on the scene to take over for the Croman. These guys were much quicker back and forth to the lake for water.

Picking up where the Croman squad left off. Hitting the fire hot spots, and stopping the spread to the area buildings.

Jessica and Carl – Downtown San Antonio Engagement Session

Downtown San Antonio is quickly becoming my favorite spot for engagement photography.  The unlimited supply of locations and scenes makes for a photography wonderland.  It is so much fun to come away with fun and beautiful images of amazing couples.

Jessica and Carl’s engagement session was no exception, and as you will see these two are amazing.  The unfortunate reality of shooting outdoors this time of year is that it is hot.  Even scheduling the session closer to sunset was of little help.  When it is still 98 degrees at 10pm, no amount of delay will make the heat bearable.  Big props to both Jessica and Carl for enduring the downtown oven and never slowing down.

With their wedding scheduled here in San Antonio for November, and them living in Fort Worth, we needed to take advantage of every opportunity to shoot.  Their trip down this past weekend was a chance we could not pass up.  We weaved our way through downtown, along the Riverwalk and city streets, taking advantage of some gorgeous locations.  A couple of locations I had used before in engagement photos, while several more were completely new.

Congrats guys, you both look amazing.

Captuirng an amazing couple in San Marcos

I mentioned Christina and Blake earlier this week and posted a photo from their engagement session.  I wanted to post some additional images that are my favorites.  These will be a surprise for them since I just mailed the image disk off last night; they have not even seen all the photos yet.  The trip to San Marcos was fun and it was such a joy to capture these lovely images of them.

The Texas State campus is gorgeous and was the perfect location for the engagement photos.

I had to post at least one with a duck in it.  Once their curiosity was settled the ducks went on.

This is the image I posted before.  I love their expressions.

Completely unexpected they showed up with balloons.  I loved it…and all coordinated as well.

Another touching photo.  They are the sweetest couple.

Be sure to check back Monday as we “change gears” a little bit…

How to know what you want, 3 tips for finding it.

One of the toughest aspects of hiring a wedding photographer for a bride and groom is knowing what you want.  Most likely this is the first big event of your life that you are responsible for, and let’s face it, you haven’t been trained to know what to expect.  For most couples, and especially the bride, it is a crash course in catering, flowers, venues, decorations, photography, planning, coordinating, dresses, and the list goes on.  It is no wonder most couples do not know what they want, or need, in terms of wedding photography.

Part of my job as a wedding photographer is to help couples along with options and what they can expect in terms of photography.  They are having to wade through large amounts of information along with details for numerous wedding vendors.  I feel it is important to keep everything very simple and offer a good deal of flexibility in terms of packages and options.  Really it boils down to the bride and groom wanting amazing photos that capture the memorable moments and emotions of their day.

Here are 3 tips that will help you make a great choice.

1. What style is appealing to you?  As you browse through portfolios and photographer’s work, make note of the style that catches your attention.  Do posed formal images appeal, or is it the more candid shots that are full of emotion and atmosphere?  Are you stopped in your tracks by beautiful black and white images?  If detail shots are important look for photographers that display that in their portfolios.  Remember that the photographer’s portfolio will tell you exactly what to expect.  It is unreasonable for a photographer to promise a style that is not reflected in their published work.
2. Don’t feel obligated to ask questions that are not important to you.  Use websites and posts that list all the questions you should be asking potential photographers as a starting point.  The sites may be good for giving you some ideas of what to ask, but running through the list verbatim can leave you wandering what to do with the information.  When you meet with a photographer it is your opportunity to ask questions that are important to you.  Don’t ask something just because a blogpost told you to ask it.  If the camera that the photographer uses is important to you, then by all means ask.  If it is more important how the photographer is going to treat your guests who are also trying to take photos at the same time, then ask.  Any legit professional will field every question respectfully knowing that it is important to you.
3. What are you going to do with the photos?  Think about the final images and what you are going to do with them.  Do you want a way to present them to the entire family?  Will some of them go up on facebook, and the best ones go into an album?  Will one be chosen as a gallery wrap or to frame for the living area?  Having an idea of your final needs can help shape and define a wedding photography package that is right for you.  It also gives you some ideas of the coverage you will want and what to ask for.

If you found this post helpful and would like for me to expand on any of these topics leave a comment below.  Feel free to visit my website to see my work and view the collections I have to offer.

A Sure Fire way to Spice up the Reception

I am sure many of you have heard of Photo Booths for wedding receptions.  There are a number of different styles and setups, but the premise is the same.  Provide a location for guests to take fun photos of themselves.

There are companies out there that provide photo booths styled in the traditional manner, but many photographers also provide the same type of service, usually with a backdrop and lighting setup.  The “booth” may or may not be attended by an assistant.  In some cases it might be a digital camera set up to take shots at routine intervals that runs throughout the reception.

In either case the resulting images can be lots of fun and a great way to provide an activity for your guests.  One way to spice up the photo booth is to include props and accessories to add to the atmosphere of the event.  Groups shots tend to be full of laughter and excitement, and often are the most cherished reception images from the wedding.

Make Mother’s Day Special

You can touch her heart with a special mother’s day gift.  Bring the kids by for a custom photo session on white seamless in the studio.  One headshot from each kiddo will be selected and arranged on an 8×10 print ready for framing.  Shoots will be scheduled the weekend of Saturday April 30th, Sunday May 1st, with final prints ready Thursday May 5th.

Pricing will be:

• $15 per child.
• Children will be photographer individually only on white seamless paper. Allow 5-10 minutes per child for sitting.
• One 8×10 print will be provided for each group (family).
• Additional 8×10 prints are available for $30/each
• Contact me today to schedule your time slot.

Royce Walston
Phone: 210-827-0784
Email: royce@walstonphoto.com

What is the finishing touch to your wedding photography?

I have written before on the value of tangible prints.  Currently there is a great deal of popularity in digital photography and the ability to quickly share it through social media.  The movement has many photographers refocusing on delivery and presentation, and the popularity drives my process as well.  It is important to deliver a few images quickly (same day) through facebook and tag the bride and groom.

Still we have a widening gap between tradition and current trends.  Prints and albums were a main focus in the days of film, but not so much today.  Print and album sales seem to have declined and some of that may be due to the overwhelming number of images delivered as compared to weddings from the pre-digital age.  My focus is on tangible items that will hold and increase in value over time.  This is mostly about the “wow” factor of holding a quality album in your hands.

After picking up a leather bound Artesia album for a client, I admired the quality and beauty.  I pondered why someone would not opt for such a gorgeous addition to their wedding and home.  Cost of course would be the main factor, but an investment has already been made in quality photography.  The album, would be the finishing touch and a centerpiece to showcase the excitement and  joy of the wedding.  The album is truly gorgeous with heavy bound photographic print pages in a luxurious leather cover.

The value of such an album would become priceless in the years to come, and especially as it is passed down from one generation to the next.  The excitement of holding the tangible images from the wedding make all the emotions real.