The material in this book is the result of asking each of the 10 photographers a series of 14 questions carefully designed to get to the heart of the matters of creativity and profitibility. As each profiled photographer has a distinctive style, background, and personality, the resulting answers will engage, inspire, and educate readers on all aspects of the task of creating stand-out imagery in a field in which only the best survive and thrive.
A comprehensive text that covers photography essentials, information specific to weddings and images and strategies of leading wedding photographers worldwide.
IMAGINE THE ADVANTAGE YOU’D HAVE IF ONE OF THE WORLD’S TOP WEDDING SHOOTERS SHARED HIS SECRETS WITH YOU World-renowned wedding photographer, and one of the most widely acclaimed instructors in the industry today, David Ziser brings his no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point teaching style to a book that totally rewrites the rules for how wedding photography is taught. This groundbreaking new book is the first of its kind to focus on the exact areas that wedding photographers have been begging a top pro like David to cover, including how to create professional quality light and beautiful images in every situation, how to compose wedding images that sell, and how to create amazing images in the limited time and at the fast pace of a wedding. But David doesn’t just stop there. He covers every aspect of what today’s brides and wedding couples want from a wedding photographer, including poses that work every time and can’t-miss lighting setups you can use again and again, and everything is laid out in a brilliant step-by-step method that makes learning these techniques so easy, you’ll be able to pull off these same looks yourself (without spending thousands on expensive equipment). Plus, the book is packed with David’s tricks of the trade that he’s picked up in a career shooting all over the world. LEARN HOW THE PROS REALLY DO IT Each year David trains thousands of photographers on how to shoot weddings like a pro. He knows the problems and challenges today’s wedding photographers face, and that’s exactly what he covers in this book. You’ll learn everything on the list here and much more: Professional posing and composition tips Simple on-location lighting setups that are specially designed for the wedding photographer How to get gorgeous images using a minimal amount of time and equipment Creative lighting techniques that anyone can use to create dramatic wedding portraits that will set you apart David’s own camera settings and lens selections (which lenses to use when, and why), and how to get the best results with your existing gear How pros use on- and off-camera f lash, and a host of tricks of the trade that will make you more profitable and have you delivering the type of wedding shots you’ve always dreamed of! Plus, the book includes the complete cover-to-cover layout from one of David’s wedding album designs to help spark your creative juices and give you ideas to take your own layouts to the next level. The wedding photography industry has been waiting for a landmark book that would become “the book” that finally changes everything, and that’s exactly what you’ll be getting with the purchase of this book.
Wedding Photography Unveiled reveals the art, philosophies, strategies, business practices, and techniques of twenty top wedding photographers from across the United States and showcases their favorite images. The focus is on the freshest styles–especially the blend of photojournalism with more relaxed lifestyle and high-fashion looks, including environmental portraits. These are the styles that today’s brides expect, inspired by the images they see in bridal, celebrity, and fashion magazines. With practical, priceless, straight-from-the-front-lines advice on equipment, setting rates, getting published, websites, albums, and more, this book will give you the inspiration, insight, and instruction you need to navigate the lucrative field of wedding photography.
American Photo magazine named David Beckstead one of the Top Ten Wedding Photographers in the World. He’s an industry leader with a reputation for quality work and giving back to the industry. In this book, readers will get a behind-the-scenes look at Beckstead's unique, stylized wedding images, learning the tips, tricks and insights that have thrust him into the wedding industry's spotlight. From straight talk about camera work (exposure settings, lens selection, camera angle, and more) to lighting (indoors and outdoors, working in an array of conditions), to composition (using color, visual shapes, leading lines, contrast, and more), Beckstead shows readers how to maximize their skills while learning to see and create more stylized photographs, avoid pitfalls, cultivate a distinctive look, and create high-impact photographs that will send waves of excitement to prospective clients who know what they want and are willing to go the distance (financially and geographically) to get it.
A behind-the-scenes look at master wedding photographer Joe Buissink’s acclaimed style "There’s no such thing as a perfect image–only a perfect moment," says Joe Buissink, one of American Photo’s Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World. In Wedding Photography from the Heart, the premier photographer gives us an inside look at how he captures the feeling of a couple’s wedding, seeing the moments from their perspectives and hearts. Here, for the first time, are more than 150 of his stunning images–including many from celebrity weddings–accompanied by creative techniques, inspiration, and unparalleled advice. Joe brings us into his creative process, emphasizing "learning to see"–training yourself to anticipate the moments that matter–and, most important, developing a relationship of complete trust with your clients. His goal is not necessarily to take technically perfect photos, but to capture the right moments, transforming intimate, emotional memories into timeless images. A must-have for all professional, semipro, and aspiring wedding photographers–as well as brides and grooms looking for inspiration–Wedding Photography from the Heart reveals how to create wedding photographs that will, even decades later, capture the joy of a couple’s wedding day.
If your past attempts at learning flash have all ended in failure (not to mention tears and/or blind rage), then The Off-Camera Flash Handbook is about to change everything for you. For years, photographer Vanessa Joy has been using off-camera flash to create gorgeous portraits that look like they were shot in the most beautiful natural light at the perfect time of day. Well, guess what? That consistent look was not created thanks to the most amazing luck with the weather. No. It was created by a pro photographer who mastered her use of off-camera flash. And with her down-to-earth and practical explanations, that’s exactly what Vanessa teaches you in this book.
Vanessa breaks down off-camera flash into an easy-to-understand approach, and instead of focusing on the gear and the settings (which are also included, of course), she focuses on the kinds of shots you want to make. This book is about learning to use off-camera flash easily and quickly so that you can create beautiful, natural-looking light in any situation, at any time you need it…regardless of the weather or time of day.
The book is divided into three parts. Part One covers the fundamentals of off-camera flash, and it does so without blasting you with a firehose of information. Instead, Vanessa gives you the basics you need so that you can start shooting right away without becoming overwhelmed with technical jargon.
Once you’re set up and ready to go, Vanessa jumps right into Part Two with specific photo scenarios and real-world situations where you’ll learn key techniques for using your flash to create consistent, beautiful photographs. For each scenario, Vanessa provides the goal for the shoot, a gear list, the step-by-step shooting instructions, and images that show both the progress of the shoot and the behind-the-scenes shots or lighting diagrams of the setup. She also discusses problems you may encounter, variations on the shot, and additional practical scenarios for each situation.
Just a few examples include:
• Recreating the golden hour at any time
• Shooting groups
• Making indoors look like outdoors
• Enhancing natural light
• Using flash at events
• Working in harsh sunlight
• Creating silhouettes
• Shooting at sunset
• Fixing an ugly-light room
• And much more
Finally, Part Three tackles the questions you’ll likely have once you’ve got the basics under your belt and you’re already creating great photos with your off-camera flash—things like high-speed sync, sync speed, a practical understanding of the inverse square law, etc. There is also a helpful FAQ section at the end of the book.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1: GETTING STARTED WITH OFF-CAMERA FLASH (OCF)
Many semi-pro and professional wedding photographers are looking to "wake up" their style, stay current, and stimulate business. And today, that means lifestyle photography, also referred to as "fine art wedding photography." Fine art wedding photography isn't just a catchy phrase; it's a modern approach in which design is paramount. Fine art wedding images are more graphic and stylized than traditional wedding photojournalism, as if they were pulled from the pages of a glossy wedding or lifestyle magazine. Acclaimed wedding photographer Jose Villa was a pioneer in fine art wedding photography before it became a trendy buzzword. Here, he shares his secrets for bringing a stylized sense of composition, lighting, posing, and most important, design, to your images, while still keeping them organic and narrative. You’ll learn Jose’s trademark technique of capturing the more natural moment after a pose, and tips for getting images right in-camera to avoid the need for heavy postproduction. Final chapters show you how to integrate design through the delivered product, whether an album or slideshow, and continue nurturing clients after the wedding by expanding to baby and family portraiture. Packed with real-life examples, solid techniques, and stunning images from one of the wedding industry's brightest stars, this book will both educate and inspire photographers seeking to update their work and satisfy a new generation of brides.
