High Profile Wedding Photographer Tips on Equipment
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Tips on lenses
In shooting groups, some people would automatically think to use a wide-angle lens, especially with big groups, but the reality is that people are more flattered by a slightly longer lens. In fact, I use a normal, not a wide angle lens, for about 98 percent of my group photographs. It gives a more appealing look. Wide angle lenses tend to distort members of a group. Those individuals nearer the lens tend to look significantly larger than those a little farther back. A normal lens will equalize this, rendering everyone naturally. Using a normal lens, however, means that you're going to be a little bit farther away from the group. If you're working in a small room with your back up against the wall, you may have no choice but a wide-angle lens. If space isn't an issue, I think a normal lens is ideal for group photography.
When I first started in photography, serious photographers worked only with single-focal-length prime lenses. That's not the case today, however. Thanks to the advances in computer-designed lens formulas, zoom lenses today are a very wise choice. One of my favorites is the Canon 28-70mm f/2.8 L. This is a professional-grade lens and quite sharp. While fast, wide-aperture lenses--say f/2.8 and f/2.0-are relatively expensive, they provide excellent low-light performance. This can be important for natural light shooting, where a flash may be intrusive. But for me a greater consideration is the fact that these lenses are optimized to be used at (or near) their widest apertures. Normal, non-professional zooms are sharpest when used somewhere in the middle of the aperture range, usually f/11 or f/16. As a group portraitist, however, I rarely use these apertures. I need sharpness at f/2.8 or f/4, and these high-speed lenses deliver it.
Another reason for choosing a high-speed lens is the shallow depth of field they can deliver when used at their largest apertures. George Hurrell, the famous Hollywood portraitist from the 1930's and 40's often photographed the stars using very large apertures. It was a very alluring style. The star's eyes would be sharp, but focus fell off quickly, so that already the ears would be far out of focus. It pulled your attention right to the eyes, and the expression. Sometimes it's nice to have this ability to throw a background into a dreamy defocused state, and with fast, wide-aperture lenses, you've got it.
PHOTO: Denis Reggie
Tips on film
As for film, ISO 400-speed color negative films have come such a long way in recent years. That's probably going to be your best choice, given that shooting with a normal lens, you're going to be a little bit further away from your subjects, and going to be losing a little bit of the flash output. So ISO 400 speed films are probably going to be a nice compromise between speed and grain. We recommend professional color films. They don't cost too much more than regular films. Something like Kodak's Portra 400 NC, which is a Normal Contrast film, and one that I think is relatively "face friendly." It renders pleasing skintones and has nice overall contrast characteristics. It's not too telling of crow's feet and other imperfections in the skin, as would be a higher contrast film like most of the films you may get for travel at regular consumer outlets. Kodak has announced a new Portra 800 film that will be available later this year. That promises to be an exciting product. Professional film may cost a dollar or so more per roll, but you will get a more flattering look.
PHOTO: Denis Reggie
Other Considerations:
You'll also probably want a tripod. It's always a nice idea, particularly if you intend to slow down the shutter speed, as we recommend later, which allows the film to pick up some of the existing light. This way, all the illumination isn't coming from your flash.
PIC's Point n' Shoot Tip!
To get the most color, detail and life in your photos, we suggest the fastest film you can find, probably ISO 800. This will give you faster shutter speeds for stopping action, improved flash range, better background detail in low-light situations, and even longer battery life because there's less drain on the flash.
