A few corporate pictures

Late last year, I shot a corporate event for PEBA at the Downtown Club in Philadelphia, so I thought I'd share a few of the photos. I took all of them with my Canon EOS 5D, and I alternated between my Canon 24-70 f2.8L and a Canon 70-200 f2.8L image-stabilized lenses. I learned two things from this shoot - image stabilization is a must in low-light situations where flashes and tripods aren't permitted or practical, and the EOS 5D shoots fantastic high-speed images. I alternated between shooting 1600 and 3200 speeds, and I was very pleased with the images.

This is my favorite shot of the event - I used a drag shutter to get a different look of people applauding, and this is the result. I could not have gotten this image without image stabilization; if memory serves me correctly, this was shot 1/15th of a second.

This was my first shoot using the Gary Fong diffuser on my Speedlite 580 EX II, and it really makes a tremendous difference, especially with up-close shots. I'm eager to see how the amber dome works on the diffuser for indoor lighting, but I haven't yet had an opportunity to use it at length.

Of all the posed shots I took at the event, this one is my favorite; photogenic people always help when taking candids.

A cool wedding pic... many more to come

I shot my first wedding this weekend, not as the official photographer, but as a dry run for when I begin shooting weddings next year. It certainly was a learning experience, but mostly a good one.

I made some mistakes, which I didn't mind, and I learned a great deal of lessons, which is why I hauled along my gear in the first place (in addition to hopefully getting some great shots of my dear friends Meredith and Patrick, who were getting married).

Anyway, the shot above is a picture of my friend Bill, launching himself off the stage pretty late into the reception. He had us all rolling with his dance moves - besides the ceremony, Bill goin' wild on the dance floor is the one thing I'll always remember from Meredith's wedding day. This photo was not staged at all. At one point while we were all dancing, Bill said to me, "Hey, should I go up and take a huge leap off of the stage?" Laughing, I shouted, "Go for it!" Okay, so maybe a little staged, but I didn't tell him what to do or where to jump or even suggest the idea - that was all him.

One of the reasons I love photography is that it freezes a moment in time; one can look at a snap from 20 years ago and remember the exact circumstances when it was taken. I think this one does that.

I'm almost done cropping and touching up the rest of the photos from the wedding - I hope to have some up by tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.

Canon EOS 5D, Canon Speedlite 580 EX II, Gary Fong Clear Diffuser (no dome), Canon 24-70 f2.8L lens, ISO 1600, exposure unrecorded

Coming early next week: some (hopefully) decent wedding shots

Today we're going to my friend Meredith's wedding in Reading, PA. While I'm looking forward to it because I'm so happy for her, I'm also eager from a photography standpoint. I've been hired to shoot a wedding next May, and this will be a dry run of sorts. More importantly, I want to finally put my Gary Fong diffuser through its paces. I've had the thing for over six months now, but I'm yet to really use it.

It turns out I wasn't using the diffuser correctly the first time I had it out shooting. I'll be the first to confess that I'm not always great about reading manuals or watching how-to DVDs that come with my various pieces of equipment. I'm mostly to blame, but digital is to blame, too; since shooting digital, unlike film, doesn't cost anything but time, I like to just start shooting and experimenting whenever I get something new.

But, my results last time sent me looking for the DVD, and once I watched it, I had about five "A-ha!" moments. So, I hope I have a few decent shots to share with you early next week from the wedding and reception. I know Gary Fong makes great diffusers - I just need to refine how I'm using them.

More to come on Monday. (After all, tomorrow is opening day for the NFL - unofficially that's a holiday in our house.)

Mimi birthday photo

The other night I was playing around with my Gary Fong diffuser and Canon Speedlite flash, and I can tell that using these is going to be a labor of love - lots and lots of trial and error. But, at least it will only cost me time, and not money. (Can you tell I don't really miss film at all?)

I took this at my friend Mimi's birthday party - here she sits on her mantle with her boyfriend Steve as they hold a statue of a golden frog (faux gold, of course).

The Fong diffuser does an excellent job of diffusing light, but I'm still working on the intricacies of using it. I can say, however, that it has sparked my interest in flash photography. Gone are the days of direct harsh light and casting unwanted shadows.

Note the slight distortion at the edges of the fireplace. Normally I don't mind these, but I was disappointed in this instance, especially considering it was taken with a Canon L lens. Normally at 24 mm, I don't notice distortion this much. Other than that, I can't explain it. This also isn't an indictment of this lens at all, however - it's my workhorse and I love it.

A quick note on Canon's Speedlite 580 EX II flash, which I seldom use (but that's changing) - this is the sixth flash I've owned (5 of them Canon Speedlites), and this is by far the quietest, quickest one of them all. Canon really took care of the little things when it made this one. However, I have barely scratched the surface as far as what this flash can do; I'll write much more about it in the coming months.

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 24-70mm f2.8L lens, Canon Speedlite 580 EX II flash, Gary Fong clear diffuser, image taken in program mode for camera and flash (settings unrecorded)