Photography Lesson 1

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Photographs That Express Feelings
by Rick Ferro
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Expression! Feelings! That's what I feel is missing in so many wedding photographs today. We need to have a goal each time we go on an assignment of what story we are trying to tell and how we can capture the relationship & emotions of the client. This is especially true when we are doing an engagement session. This is a perfect opportunity, since we are new to the client, to develop a bond and rapport that will give them confidence and ease for the wedding. It is a great time to encourage them to show their feelings without a lot of people around watching them.
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	We tell the couple to walk down the beach, to kiss, to laugh, to interact with each other almost as if we were not there. Capture the relationship as they walk almost as if your were a videographer. Using the Fuji S2 allows us to be creative and spontaneous, which was not as easy with the Hasselblad.

Here I placed the couple next to a white wall which acts as a reflector. The sand and the couple's white shirts will also act as a reflector. Make sure that you meter the shadow area of the face. Don't be afraid to come in close and crop tight. With out seeing the full face of the man, the image still captures the relationship!

Learn to stay loose, especially at the beach.. There is going to be a shadow cast. The trick is to know where that shadow is going to fall and do something about it before it happens. Bare bulb and a reflector are my favorite sources of balancing the light. Some images however, are strictly the "God Given" late afternoon sun, and you are capturing the story and not expecting a perfect lighting pattern.

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