The art of Digital wedding photography-part 3-before the event (part deux)

 Okay, so I'm going to pick up where I left off with my last hub and go into shutter speeds, lighting, and camera awesomness--ENJOY!!!

Slow Shutter Speeds:

Slow shutter speeds allow you to add motion to your images. This is especially effective on the dance floor and in other locations where you want to add a sense of movement. Motion, romance, fantasy-they bubble right to the surface when you drag the shutter.

Depth of Field:

Depth of field, the zone of sharpness between the nearest and farthest parts of your scene is a great tool1 Depth of field is determined by the distance you stand from your subject, its well as by the lens settings and focal lengths you use. The lower the f-stop (that is, the larger the aperture), the shallower the depth of field. A narrow depth of field is the ideal tool to help you isolate special details of the wedding day.

Camera Tilt:

Simply by tilting the camera you can add interest to your images. Camera tilt can depict motion and excitement, and it lends an element of illustration to an album. However, using camera tilt is like cooking with garlic: Don't overdue it.

Lighting:

In making the transition to digital, photographers often wrongly assume that the technology reacts to light the same way film does. In reality, digital photography is more sensitive to light, giving you the ability to work more eaily in a variety of lighting situations. On the other hand, your flash equipment needs to be more precise when you're using digital equipment. With film, you can overexpose and the lab will fix the image, with digital, if your image is overexposed, that's it-you're done and there's nothing you can to fix it.  Do a est of your lights up front. Decide on he best shutter speed and how much of the background you want to be visible. Choose the aperture you want to work with, determine how much of the scene is in focus, and set your lights accordingly.

Digital imaging is especially effective when working with available light. Indeed, you can easily capture images that might otherwise have posed a challenge with many of the more commonly used films.

 Be Prepared:

In addition to making sure you have the adequate equipment, consider all the other factors that will contribute to the success of your coverage.

The site: Visit the wedding locale well in advance of the event and scout out places to shoot. What are the best places to shoot formals? Where can you get a good overall shot to set the scene? Where can you set up a camera so you can photograph the ceremony close up? The more you know about the site in advance, the better you'll be able to take the best advantage of locations.

The time of day: Obviously, the way you shoot an afternoon wedding will differ greatly from the way you shoot an evening wedding. You may want to take advantage of afternoon light and shoot outdoors as much as possible. On the other hand, an evening wedding will pose some challenges, and opportunities, for creative lighting.

The weather: Everyone is going to be worrying about the one thing that no one can control. Check the weather report. If rain is in the forecast, plan accordingly: Abandon plans for outdoor shots, find alternative, indoor locations, protect your camera gear, and be preepared to cope with a little more stress all around.

Manpower: A good assistant is a godsend: He or she can keep track of equipment, move lights, store flash cards as you use them, even download images onto a laptop while you continue shooting. The trick is to find and train an assistant with whom you are completely comfortable and who will know exactly what you need when you need it.

The bride's shoes: As in, what it's like to be in them. Think like the bride and how she must be feeling. What is she worrying most about? Her dress? Seating arrangements at the reception? The more you think like the bride, the better prepared you'll be to focus on what seems to be the most important to her. Also, you'll be sensitive to her needs--you'll know when to stay out of her way, when to follow her to capture a moment you might otherwise have missed, how you can help at certain moments of the day.