Chopping Limbs | Northern Virginia Photographer

Happy Tuesday, Lovelies!

I was trained the darkroom from my mother, the yearbook sponsor and journalism major.  Pure photojournalists seek to capture their surroundings unchanged.  That’s how I was trained….. but not how I am.

When I first started to think about my own wedding, I was newly engaged, in my early 20s, and again back in the darkroom.  College photography.  I **knew** I wanted my wedding photography “pure” and unscripted.  I wanted a photojournalist photographer.  Well, that relationship didn’t work out—with photojournalism nor the fiancé.

In my early 30s, I like to combine my ability to figure out how to make a shot work in camera on the fly as well as my ability to critically review the scene to “stage” it for a great shot.

Examples of my minor staging:

I tell people when there is a booger hanging out of their nose, move a cigarette butt out of the foreground, and declutter the bride’s dressing table so her deodorant and tampons aren’t in the shot.

Yesterday’s shoot for the Alaska State Society is a perfect example of enjoying shooting on the fly.  The walls are green, so without color correction, everyone’s skin tone is also a little green.  There were strong sources of light from lamps (orange) and skylights (white).  There was no way I could color correct in camera.  Especially, since I bopped from the left, right, middle, front and back of the room.  Color correcting for one area would be drastically off only 5 feet to the left or right.

Finally, chopped limbs.  When shooting in a photojournalistic style, it’s something that you’ll just have to deal with.  Newbee photographers often cut off feet at the ankles or legs at the knees because they are concentrating on the face.  It’s a great start!  When you’re ready, start looking to make sure that everything you want or need is in the frame.

If it doesn’t fit, step back.

In a crowded room and shooting on the fly, you can’t step back.  You can choose to chop at a more pleasing place, just below the hips for instance.  Secondly, you can shoot at a smaller MM.  I was shooting with a 50mm lens, and I don’t like shooting lower (30mm for instance) because of the “fish-eye” effect—images appear stretched.

John expressing concern about his missing feet.

The committee concurs.  There seems to be an increasing number of missing feet. 

Step three, make sure you background doesn’t distract from your subject.  No branches or poles coming out of their head.  I do kind of enjoy these light horns, however.  Sorry, Bill!