History of Wedding Photography - Part 2

Boy, stories like this really get my "dander up" - mainly because it's only half the story. The story presented at WEDPIX Magazine correctly states that wedding photography started with the bride and groom and sometimes the wedding party heading over to a photographer's studio for a series of formal bridal portraits. The article also correctly states that after WWII the discharged army trained photographers were looking for work and began showing up on church door steps looking for weekend weddings taking place. I discussed it last week right here.

Now the article fast forwards to today, albeit some short references to Marilyn Monroe's wedding and Grace Kelly's weddings in the fifties, and concludes that this photo-journalistic style of the fifties is the reason for the similar style in today's wedding photography. So, what's missing here - how about 40 more years of wedding photography history completely overlooked by the article and certainly more pertinent to the history of wedding photography than pics of Marilyn Monroe. Let me fill in the gap for you.

In the 50's most wedding images were made with 4x5 cameras and some roll film Rollies. As the equipment became smaller and lighter, nearly all the photographers switched to the Rollies, Koni-Omegas, Hasselblads, and Mamiya medium format cameras. My first wedding was shot on a Yashica A in 1966. Around that time, a photographer by the name of Bill Stockwell was introducing double exposures, misty's, buttercups.... Bill had a slew of names for his soft, vignetted, multi exposed images. He conyinued doing this style of photography into the 60's and 70's. And, it started catching fire becoming the "hot" new trend among the new shooters.

Bill hit the lecture trail and that added even more to the changing face of wedding photography. Bill was one of the first lecturers at WPPI early conventions in 1981. He was the legend, the man to emulate at the time and had influenced many photogs with his books and seminars. I had the chance to see one of Bill's last programs. He was energetic, enthusiastic, passionate about photography and still able to fire up the crowd.

Try as I might, I could find none of his images available on-line. I own one of his early books, but lack of a good Dewey Decimal system on my collection did not make it readily available to share with the readers of this blog - I'm still looking. When it resurfaces, I'll make a few images from it's pages and show you the man who had the first major influence on our profession, at least for the wedding photographer. Next week, Bill's students become the next masters. See you then.

Hey gang, that's it for today - we are heading back for one last tour of the trade show and a little R&R for the rest of the day. See everybody tomorrow. Have a great one! -David

Thanks to Nadine OHara for double exposure.

"Fantasy In Lights"

"Fantasy In Lights"
© David A. Ziser

Here is another image from this past weekend. The country club had these "twinkle lights" throughout the trees and they looked really beautiful in our pre-Spring setting in Cincy. I used my "Zoom Flash" described later in today's post to isolate the bride and groom within the "twinkle lights" without over powering or compromising the surrounds. My assistant was behind the couple with the Quantum flash at 1/4 power. I thought the image turned out really well. Camera specs; Canon 40D fitted with 10-22mm lens at 10mm, F5.6 @ 1/8 second hand held at ISO 800. Enjoy! -David

Technique Tuesday - 03.16.08

Good Afternoon Everybody,
Well, things are hopping out here at WPPI. My program went off smoothly this morning with the audience liking all the new lighting tips and techniques I showed. I'll give you a preview in the following Technique Tuesday section. It was fun giving a new program, of course LaDawn took pages of notes for future revisions - she's always trying to make me look good - and boy, do I need it sometimes. We had a super early "wake up call" this morning and we just dropped the bags back at the room and are heading back to the trade show right away, so let's get right to our short and sweet Technique Tuesday.

I'm "Jellin" with My Zoom Flash

In this non video, but immensely satisfying post - I'm just really hyping it so you don't miss the video this week - we will cover one of the coolest, most eye catching, dramatic, lighting techniques in the history of wedding photography. Here we go. This past weekend, I borrowed one of Matt Adcock's (of FlashFlavor fame) filtered flash techniques and added my little twist to it. Check out the image and read on.

Here is the deal. On my remote quantum strobe, I added a red gel over the light. I just used a Rosco gel I picked up from my local supplier. I asked my assistant to discreetly head into the crowd and out of camera view. Next I asked him to point the flash at the floor, but far enough away to allow the light to spread. With the red gel, the Quantum needed to be at 1/2 power. A few test firing showed we were right on with the light. Now I needed the action to place in my new "red" lighting environment. The party was rocking and one of the couples saw the camera and starting working it.

I had a 10-22mm lens set to 10mm on my Canon 40D - I was pretty darn wide on the couple. Here is the cool part - I didn't want my flash to wash out the red floor, so I manually "zoomed" it to it's 80mm setting. This in effect gave me a much smaller cone of light which only fell on the couple and not the surroundings keeping my bright red background. The result was exactly what I was going for. Give it a try - kind of fun and different image.

Kate and Ben - A Great Wedding

As part of Technique Tuesday, I'm presenting an overview of the wedding from this past weekend. Of course these 80 images represent only a small portion of what was actually shot, but I think it gives a good overview of the event. Take a peek - I think it captures the love, fun, excitement, joy, and spontaneity of the wonderful wedding celebration.

A Real Quick WPPI Trade Show Recap

Hey only two things today since we were in and out pretty quick yesterday. In yesterday's post, I talked about NIK's Viveza software. We visited out friend Janice who was demo-ing it and the program blew me away when I saw the functionality. Man, this software could make every wedding image stunning, not that you would use it on every image - but pick a few and make them sing. Very briefly, the software let's you make corrections anywhere on the image with NIK's U-Point technology. As I sit here typing the blog, I pause just thinking about the possibilities. I'm picking up a copy, so look for more information and results on this real soon. Here is the Viveza link right here for the on-line demo. Download the 15 day free trial - let me know how it strikes you.

We stopped by to see my buddy Eric at ExpoImaging, the source of the Expo-Disk. I love the portrait warm version best. He was showing a brand new "Ray Flash Ring Light". Here is the cool part with this nifty little item - it fits right over your 580EX 0r SB800 flashes which supplies the flash to the ring light. You only loose about 1 stop of light - pretty clever. He promised me a "sneak peak" so stay tuned on that one too.

Hey gang, LaDawn's giving me the high sign to head back over to the show, so check in tomorrow to see what's cooking. The plan is still for another "Ziser Wayback Machine" episode assuming I'm not at the tables too long this evening ;~) See you tomorrow, everybody. --David

"A Magical Evening"

"A Magical Evening"
© David A. Ziser

I made this image this past Saturday at the wedding I was covering. The bride and groom had just come in to see their reception room before the guests entered - and it was a beautiful room. In the few minutes we had I took a few shoots with the room surrounding them. This was my favorite. As we were wrapping, I asked them to just give each other a kiss which they did very playfully. I held the camera over my head and shot away. I'm pretty good at targeting my subject and their position was perfect in the composition. My assistant was behind them with my flash at 1/2 power. I selected a shutter speed that picked up some of the room detail and captured a great image for my clients. Camera specs; Canon 40D fitted with 10-22mm at 10mm, F 5.6 @ 1/40 second, ISO 1600. Enjoy! -David

Quick Hit Monday

Good Morning Everybody,

This week I'll be posting from Las Vegas. LaDawn and I are out here for the WPPI Convention. After about 3 hours sleep Saturday night, we were up and packing bright and early for the trip. We got in late yesterday and, I have to admit , I was a bit "fried" - but the batteries are pretty well recharged this morning.

I have to tell you we had a GREAT wedding over the weekend. Great couple, great families and fun guests!! The band played for 4 1/2 hours straight, and I don't think anyone took a minute break from the dance floor . It was truly a kick to shoot it the entire celebration. I tried a few new and pretty cool techniques which I hope to share this week. Stay tuned, I'm pretty stoked with the results we got.

Anyway, this is the biggest convention in the world for portrait and wedding photographers. It's a great show - about 10,000 photographers are expected to attend! I'm hoping to follow the same post schedule as usual this week, but things may change because we are so busy out here with the show, and I'm giving a program myself at 8:15 a.m. tomorrow. But don't fret none now (that's "Kentucky" for don't worry about it) - we will get the whole week in, it just might be jumbled up a bit. I'm also planning to give you some reports from the show too, so it should be a good week. Anyway, let's get to it - with Quick Hit Monday...

NIK-Viveza Is Magical

One of the first booth locations I want to visit today is the NIK software booth. They just recently announced their new Viveza software. Master Color and Light, Effortlessly - that's their claim. I took a peek at their demo online and was "blown away". I think NIK's new software could be workflow "rocket fuel". Check out the demo here - see what you think - I'm heading over to see it up close and personal. I'll give you the low down this week.

Out of Focus - No Problem

New focus technology saves the day. I came across this new technology from Refocus Imaging a few weeks back - it is quite fascinating. Here is a quick quote from their web page:

Refocus Imaging's approach has produced revolutionary results. A Refocus camera can do things that have been considered impossible since the invention of photography. The ability to focus a picture after you take the shot is one striking example, and only the tip of the iceberg. Computational cameras will make photography dramatically simpler, higher performance, and much more fun.

This whole concept is brand new and will appeal to the "geek" in anybody. Check out the whole story right here. Very Interesting, as Maxwell Smart would say.

Great New Site - Great Amount of Info

You have to check out the "This week In Photography" site right here. This site is only a few months old but "chocked full" of good info from ink-jet printing to HDR to speeding up workflow and tons more. Just hit their archives link and check out all the good stuff over there - a great find.

Hey gang, that's it for today. I'm fine tuning my program I'm giving tomorrow and then hitting the convention. Have a good one - see you tomorrow for WPPI Convention updates and good ole' Technique Tuesday. --David

"Quiet Reflections"
© David A. Ziser

This image "happened" as I was setting up lighting and getting the exposure for the next shot. I took my best guess at the exposure and shot away. I really like how the image turned out. The bride is almost anonymously presented in the composition with her face out of view. Her position on the spiral staircase and flanked by the two windows gave me a wonderful composition. Camera specs; Canon 40D fitted with a 10-22mm lens zoomed to 17mm, F5.6 @ 1/60 second, ISO 1250. Enjoy! -David

Welcome to Another "Inspiration Friday"

Good Morning Everybody,
Wow! This week has flown by!! It's been a busy one around here catching up from being out of the studio last week, WPPI happening next week and my wedding this weekend. I've been working on a new program for my Master Class on Monday morning - "32 Ways to Get The Best Out Of Your Flash" - it's brand new, so I hope to see some of you at the program.


If I miss you there, I'll be wandering the trade show, so come up and say HI. Also, We have a big wedding tomorrow and I can't wait to try the Nikon D3 in some really low light situations - I'll give you the low down next week. Anyway, how about we move on to "Inspiration Friday"...

From Analogue To Digital - Still A Master

Hey gang, if you have not been checking in with my buddy Jonathan Penny's blog periodically, you are missing the boat. He has this great series going entitled, "Creative Vision and The Print-maker." Jonathon has been a master print maker for years and is turning his artistry to the digital medium and Photoshop. Always a good read - check out Part 2 of his series right here.

Some Pretty Cool Wedding Photography

I just saw over at WPPI Online that they are featuring the work of Roberto Flack - AMAZING imagery here. Mr. Flack grew up in Ecuador, got his degree in Finance in Pennsylvania, eventually found his way to New York and set up shop as a web designer.

That lasted till 2005, the year he lost his job. By hanging out with the right people and inspired by a few more, he gradually developed a style that is truly beautiful and unusual. Check out Roberto's whole story right here - a total inspiration.

On The Road With Ben

So he sells his house, buys a 40 foot bus and sets across the country writing and taking photographs. I've featured Ben in my blog posts before. He is an interesting guy, great photographer, and Photoshop guru. Check out what he been up to lately - he is featured over at DoubleExposure right here - a very good read.

Wait, there's more - check out this inspirational gallery of Ben's latest work right here - worth the peek.

How About 200 Opportunities To Be Inspired

200 Ansel Adams prints to be auctioned by Christie's in New York City on April 11! I just caught the notice over at JMG-Galleries. I actually talked to Ansel Adams over the phone many years ago. He was having an exhibit at the Indianapolis Art Museum and I was such a fan I wanted to take pictures of his pictures. I put a call into the museum to ask for permission but they said not unless Mr. Adams says it's OK.

Heck, what did I know, I got his phone number from directory assistance - yes, it was published and I gave him a call. He answered, I was in "Shock", but made my request - he say no problem. Now I was "floored". I thanked him graciously and headed to the Indianapolis Museum with camera in hand. I was stopped by the guard when I raised my camera to take the photograph, but mention my conversation with Mr. Adams and he let me continue.

Christie’s is scheduled to sell about 200 silver-gelatin Ansel Adams prints from a corporate collection in California. It is among the largest Adams collections in private hands. Man, I'm such a big fan, I'd love to bid, but considering the larger pieces are going for anywhere from $150,000 and up, I might forgo this opportunity. I sure would like to see the bidding though. You can read the entire New York Times article here.

Hey gang, That's about it for today. I'm packing my bags, loading my cameras with a few million pixels, shooting my wedding over the weekend, and heading to Las Vegas early Sunday morning. Hope to see you at the WPPI Convention. Have a great weekend! --David

"Friend Of The Symphony"
© David A. Ziser

I made this image as part of a series entitled, "The Cincinnati Arts Inspiring Volunteers." This image was made in about 15 minutes as we had each volunteer scheduled every 60 minutes and the various locations were all around the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area. The image was made at Music Hall, the home of the Cincinnati Symphony. I like the composition of the curved seating leading directly to the subject. I also used a higher ISO and slow shutter speed to pick up the ambient light of the interior. I needed to work quickly as I search the best placement of the subject in the frame - that meant Higher ISO and no tripod. Camera specs; Canon 5D fitted with 24-105mm IS lens set at 24mm, F 4.5 @ 1/25 second, ISO 800. Enjoy! -David

Thoroughly Business Day Thursday - Thought For The Day

Good Afternoon Everybody,

Did everyone enjoy the vintage images from yesterday's post? I think it is kind of a cool look back into time for me too. But today is B(Business) Day Thursday, so let's get down to business. I want to kind of pick up where I left off yesterday. That includes some 1980's business advice I picked up at a Charles Lewis seminar years ago. I had the honor of taking Mr. Lewis to the airport after he finished his program at our state convention. We still had plenty of time before his plane left so I invited him to my studio. I was just a youngin' of a photographer back then. The year was around 1982.

Chuck, as he liked to be called, surveyed my condo studio, looked at an album and proclaimed it was a $2000 album. I figured maybe he was "on something" since I had recently sold the album for about $700. He said it again to me urging me to raise my prices because of the quality of the work I was showing. After that visit, I made it a personal goal to have a $2000 wedding average within 5 years. I hit my goal 3 years later with a $2,100 average on about 75 weddings at the end of 1985! The point here is in "Goal Setting." If you never plant the $2000 seed, you will never reap the $2000 harvest - and that's the truth. Having your eye on a target will more assuredly help you get there as opposed to having your eye on no target at all.

Chuck also alluded to the line in the story, "Alice In Wonderland" that has always stuck with me over the years. At the time I was a struggling new photographer in the metro Cincinnati, Ohio area. I was trying to do it all - weddings, portraits, commercial work - I would take all jobs coming to my door, and I was going crazy never having time for my true passion of wedding and portrait photography. The story revolves around Alice getting lost in the woods and coming to the fork in the road while the Cheshire Cat was hanging out in the tree next to the road. She said she was lost and asked which way she should go. The Cheshire Cat asked her where she was heading. She said she didn't know to which he responded, "So how can I tell you how to get there when you don't even know where you are going?"

That was the "lightning bolt" for me!! I had no idea where I was going with my business. I was floundering aimlessly with no direction in particular. Every time I was enjoying concentration and working on the wedding side of my business, the phone would ring, I would stop everything and I'd be chasing a dollar here or two dollars there again. It was after the Chuck Lewis seminar that I returned home and decided to cut loose all the other types of photography I was doing or trying to do and concentrate solely on my weddings and portraits. Guess what, I now had more time to do what it took to pursue the bigger jobs in town. I could fully concentrate on my goal of offering my clients the best wedding photography in the greater Cincinnati area, and pretty soon we were.

Take a look at what you are doing, cut loose the fat and concentrate on the meat of your business. Decide what real direction you want your business to take and go for it. Start tilling your garden now so you can reap the benefits later. Keep your eye on the target, make the mid course corrections as needed, and you will eventually get there.

You've Got To Show It To Sell It In Your Studio!

I learned this valuable lesson a long time ago - you have to show "big" to sell "big." Too many photographers have way too many albums sitting around their studios. The reason is to show the client all the different styles and colors of album they have available to sell. Sometimes, I want to say to photographers out there - "Read My Lips, it's not the color or the style of the book that is going to make you successful, it's the number of images in the book that will bring about the higher sale."

You have to build that expectation with the client. 28 years ago, I decided to show a triple volume album in my studio. I had never sold a three volume multi-album in my life. Of course I had never showed one either. I remember the day when the box arrived from the album company with my three volume set in it. I had a consultation later that day.

I remember my potential clients sitting down on the sofa and upon seeing the giant 3 volume album set sitting there exclaimed, "Do people really buy 3 volumes of wedding albums!?" I remember thinking, "Not yet, but you could be the first." Here is the rest of the story - within my first year of showing the 3 volume set, I sold three of them! Not bad for building the expectation.

Last year we delivered three six volume sets to one customer!! That was our biggie wedding sale for the year. We routinely deliver multi volume sets about 30% of the time these days. You've got to show it to sell it!!

Image Courtesy Zookbinders