Luminaire Images Blog • by Molly Ann

Q: Which is more important in creating a photograph? Great light, great setting, or great subject?

A: Obviously if you’ve got all three it’s like you’ve struck gold.  But if you photograph weddings, or portraits in an uncontrolled setting (i.e., outdoors), then often it’s sadly unusual to get all three in one shoot.

Personally if I had to choose only one, I would choose great light.  I can use my knowledge of lenses to minimize (or even creatively use) a sub-par background, and use appropriate direction to encourage the subject and produce good shots of him or her, but as a natural light photographer, there’s not much I can do to adjust the sun!  This is why many natural-light photographers try to shoot around morning or late afternoon, when the light is gentler, and the shadows are softer.

Photo•graphy
From the Greek word “phos” (light”) and “graphê“ (drawing). A photograph is still a photograph without subject or setting. Without light it is nothing!

Q: Do you shoot RAW or JPG?

A: We shoot everything in RAW for the greatest amount of control in post processing later on.  If you totally botch a photo’s exposure or white balance, it is far more salvageable if it was photographed in RAW than if it was shot as a JPG.  RAW records detail that, if blown out, is recoverable.

However, I will add that I personally shot JPG when I was learning, which helped me become a more accurate photographer instead of someone who wildly clicks away with lesser regard for whether the photo is exposed or not (as RAW is more easily fixed in post).  Obviously if you shoot in RAW you need to have more storage space at your disposal as well.  Right now my “2010″ hard drive has a 2TB capacity, and I may add more before the year is out.

Pros of Shooting JPG
There tends less work in post to ‘finalize’ the picture—it’s done for you in the camera. Many photographers claim that shooting in JPG format makes their images “snappier,” likely due to this reason.
JPG image files take up less space on both capture cards and hard drives

Pros of Shooting RAW
Lost data (image detail) is recoverable from a RAW file
There is more control over basic aspects of exposure, white balance, contrast, and other post-processing effects

We use Adobe Camera RAW for processing, and more frequently Adobe Lightroom for batch RAW processing.

Today’s question is from my high school buddy Trevor!

Q: What would you say is most important factor in taking a great photo (not taking consideration of the photo subject)?

Sure, a lah-vehr-lee photo subject brightens up any picture, but there are two other major factors I consider as very important to taking a great photo.

The first is lighting.  OBVIOUSLY!!  The word “photography” itself means ‘light writing’, and understanding the properties of light itself and how your camera perceives light can improve your work dramatically.  Awareness of light makes the difference between a photo that’s overexposed, underexposed, or what parts of the photo are exposed perfectly, and manipulating the light or adjusting the camera settings to achieve the look you want.

The second is setting. You can seriously have beautiful light but a hideous, difficult background really brings down the quality of a photo.  There are ways around a poor set, sure…but only so many, and in the end it’s very limiting on what you may be able to do and how you may be able to shoot.

This photo of Katelyn is a great example of a lovely subject, lovely light, and a lovely setting.

It’s no secret, you already know the biggest key to having great photos—whether they are of you or of anything else—is to hire a skilled photographer whose work you admire. (I should note, if you hire a photographer whose work excites other people but not you, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. You have to like your photographers’ style in order to like your photographer’s photos of you!)  That said, if you want to ensure that your kids’ jaws and your kids’ kids’ jaws drop every time they look at your wedding photos, here are the top 10 tips a lá Luminaire Images for looking spectacular on your wedding day:

Hire a professional hairstylist and professional makeup artist.
Nobody wants to repeat, “What on earth was up with my HAIR??” every time they look at their wedding photos. Hairstylists and makeup artists are often the first to be removed from the wish-list when planning a wedding on a budget, but from a photographer’s point of view they are essential.  If you’re going to great lengths to look incredible on your wedding day—bought a gorgeous wedding dress, scheduled some time at the spa—why skip the pro stylist?  Don’t forget that your whole dress may not be in every single picture of you, however your face sure will!

Take ‘er for a test drive
A few weeks prior to your wedding, do a test run of your makeup and hair to ensure you like how it looks on you, and that you’re not allergic to any of the products.  A practice run may also allow your makeup artist to move more quickly on your wedding day since she already knows what works for you. If it looks good, you don’t have to wash it off right away, either!  After your test appointment, schedule your engagement photos or a night out on the town!

Don’t forget touch-up
If your makeup artist won’t be there the whole day with her Magic Bag O’ Beauty to constantly refresh your face, put someone else in charge.  Enlist a bridesmaid to keep a “touch-up clutch” handy with lip gloss, pressed powder, and waterproof mascara, and tell her that it’s her job to re-do your face (and maybe your bridesmaids’, too!) after each cry, or in between events, and before each shoot.

Practice, practice, practice!
Make sure you schedule an engagement session with your photographer. This will not only prepare you and your fiancé for the types of poses and directions your photographer may use at your wedding, but also gets you more relaxed in front of your photographer’s lens.  Your photographer can also note and manage your weaknesses—for example, if you have a bad habit of blinking when the picture is taken, it’s good for the photographer to notice ahead of time so he or she is prepared.

Consider wearing a veil.
Veils don’t have to be ten feet long to add some extra “wow” to a wedding ensemble.  A birdcage veil made of netting affixed to a hairpiece looks chic and glamorous.  Longer, more traditional veils can be used for romantic, breathtaking creative imagery, especially if it’s a breezy day!

Find a dress that flatters your figure!
This seems like a no-brainer, but amazingly some brides rely solely on the advice of whoever comes dress-shopping with them, instead of boutique assistants who may be more qualified to make suggestions on the type of dress you should be looking for.  If you have a big waist, avoid full, fluffy skirts, and if you’re more top-heavy, avoid strapless dresses.  Don’t forget that quality plus-size dresses are all styled to make curvy girls wearing them look slimmer! Everyone is built differently, and it’s silly to think that one style fits all.

Select a visually interesting location
If you are getting married in a boring, small, or overly-busy location then your photographer may be forced to find something more picturesque nearby for certain shots in order to avoid power lines and passers-by in the background.  If possible, try to scope a ceremony or reception location with dramatic scenery, wide open spaces, or at least one that has a variety of places that are visually appealing.  Chances are, if a location impresses you before you’ve even seen it with flowers and decorations, then your photographer will like it, too!

Take formal photos BEFORE the ceremony
You’ll be your photographer’s best friend! Before the ceremony is when everyone’s makeup is the freshest, everyone’s hair is still perfectly in place, and no one has red eyes from crying or shiny faces from sweating.  It’s the perfect time.  If possible, it is highly recommended seeing your fiancé before the ceremony for some photos as well—your photographer can arrange a “First Look” meeting so there is still a moment of “revealing” yourselves in all your finery to each other, if you prefer.  Not only will you both look your best during these pictures, but you and your guests won’t have to take as much time for photos following the ceremony, which is when everyone really just wants to just get down and party!

Take your photographer’s suggestions seriously!
Your photographer will rarely ask you to do something—whether it’s leaving in the middle of dinner for some sunset pictures or riding piggyback on your fiancé—unless he or she thinks that it will make for an unbeatable photo.  Let them know if you’re uncomfortable or unable to do what they ask, but if you’re ready and willing, then go for it!

And last but not least…RELAX
As talented as your photographer is, if you feel stiff and forced, then you’re going to look stiff and forced.  Have a couple drinks, shake it off, reflect on how happy you are to have made it to the big day, and try to enjoy yourself.  Not only will you look more relaxed in the photos, your attitude will have an amazing relaxing effect on everyone around you and ALL your vendors produce better work when they sense that you’re not stressing too much.  You, your fianceé, and all your guests are there to enjoy yourselves…so why not enjoy?

I can’t truly say who originally asked this question, because it seems like I get it all the time.

What kind of equipment do you use?
So what’s in the bag, eh? To start, I shoot using Nikon equipment: a D700, a 24-70mm f/2.8, an 80-200mm f/2.8, and a 50 f/1.4, which I most frequently use for portrait close-ups (like headshots). I also have an 105mm macro that I sometimes whip out for close-ups of rings. The next lens I intend to get is an 85mm f/1.4, for similar-but-less wide imagery as the 50.

I once bought a Tokina wide zoom lens but found the focus was not as sharp or reliable as Nikkors, and there was more chromatic aberration when I used it, so I no longer shoot with third-party equipment. Third party (Tokina, Sigma, Tamron) is recommendable if you need the gear to get your business off the ground and some shoots under your belt, but not if you’re aiming for the highest image quality possible.

I also use a Nikon SB-900 flash unit, and occasionally an off-camera SB-600 flash on a light stand, triggered by PocketWizards.

Additionally, I consider Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop CS4 to be as vital tools as the camera and lenses. Every photo that you will ever see of mine has been in some way touched by an Adobe program. They help my work become better, faster, and easier. I heart my little digital darkroom. If you already own a camera and a lens and are trying to decide between an image editing program and another piece of hardware equipment, I’d personally recommend Photoshop over anything else!

TIP: Can’t afford Photoshop? GIMP is a similar image editing program (albeit fewer advanced features) that you can download for free. I can’t say I’ve ever used it, but I hear about it often enough.

Today’s Q was sent from my friend Trevor:

Q: What are some tips for telling a story without words?

A: Man, way to go jumping right into the difficult questions right off the bat, Trevor!
To be honest, there’s no fast-n-easy answer to this (such as, “oh, first you have to go buy the special Storytelling Lens”) because I think the best way to capture and portray a story without using words is experience and anticipation.  Since most of the time at a wedding you’re relying on your subject’s expressions to primarily tell the story of how they feel and what they’re doing, it’s key to be able to anticipate reactions and shoot while they’re happening.  For example, which photo do you think tells more of a story: A father-of-a-bride giving his daughter a hug, or a close-up of his face when he sees her in her wedding dress? The former is a depiction of a supportive father, but the latter is a depiction of their whole relationship.

The other point I can mention about “telling stories” using images instead of words is: layers. Use composition to create layers within the photo so viewers can see the entire scene and more fully understand what’s happening:

This photo depicts relevant information in both the foreground AND the background and is a good example of using layers within a composition to tell a story.

Hopefully this was helpful!  Try looking at my images as well as other photographers’ work and see if you can find some of the elements of what I discussed today