# Key on a UK Mac Keyboard
Ok, so this has been driving me crazy for well over 11 months now, since switching from Windows to my lovely Macbook Pro and 27″ iMac duo. There is no # key on the UK Mac keyboard.
Not only has this annoyed me whilst tweeting, but it’s made Web Design much harder, having to resort to the Character Viewer to copy and paste the # symbol.
So 12 Months on, and I’ve found the solution
Alt + 3
This key combination gives me a lovely # symbol! Today is now a happy day!
P.S A few other shortcuts that I’ve discovered and found immensely useful.
Cmd-Shift-3: Take a screenshot of the screen, and save it as a file on the desktop
Cmd-Shift-4, then select an area: Take a screenshot of an area and save it as a file on the desktop
Cmd-Control-Shift-3: Take a screenshot of the screen, and save it to the clipboard
Cmd-Control-Shift-4, then select an area: Take a screenshot of an area and save it to the clipboard
If anyone wants to know all of Apples shortcuts, check this link out here
Photobooth Setup Shots
Following another successful photobooth at Beckie & Chris’s Wedding last weekend I thought I’d share a few more setup shots.
You’ll find information of a previous photobooth setup here.
Again we used the Lastolite HighLite powered by a Elinchrom D-Lite 4 at full power, we placed a few LED Par Can’s (run cold, no heat produced) into the bottom of the HighLite to illuminate the background during idle periods, the lights were set to change colour in time with the music. We also used a number of other par can’s around the photobooth area to illuminate it.
I used another D-Lite4 with a white reflective umbrella as the main light source, set to about 3/4 power. After the modelling light overheating issues last time around we used another white par can to shoot through a shoot-through umbrella to illuminate the photobooth area (allow me to focus!)
We again shot with the Canon 1D IV tethered to the macbook pro, but this time displayed the images on the larger 47″ plasma. For the photographers out there, if I remember rightly I shot at 100ISO, 1/200s, f 8.0. The lights were triggered using PW Plus II’s.
As usual we provided an array of props and fun stuff.
You can see all the images taken using this setup here in Beckie & Chris’s Wedding Story gallery.
One of the issues I always run into is the width limitations of the Highlite, despite using it in the 7x6ft orientation, any more that a couple of guests and I’ve reached the limit! I have a plan to extend the width for next year’s wedding season, so check back for an update!
The Importance of Backup Equipment
Firstly, I’d like to apologise as I am slightly behind on my blogging. I’ll be posting Emily & Simon’s wedding from a couple of weeks ago soon (photos already available in the gallery), and then Beckie & Chris from yesterday.
I would however like to again highlight the importance of backup equipment, and yesterday’s wedding at Northcote house was no exception to this. I’m always asked why I bring so much equipment to weddings, and this is the exact reason. We provided a photobooth last night too, and again had equipment failures.
So here’s my run down of what broke or failed on me yesterday!
16 AA Rechargeable batteries although charged, dead when trying to use >>>>>> Used alternative batteries (I bring at least 48 AA batteries)
2 x Pocket Wizard Flex TT’s, 1 x Pocket Wizard Mini TT would not trigger Canon 580 EX II’s >>>>>> Resulted to using Pocket Wizard Plus II’s (with no ETTL)
2 x Canon 1D Mk II – Wouldn’t download photos when tethered (for display on plasma) >>>>>> Switched to Canon 1D MK IV (after trying both Mark II’s)
1 x Elinchrom D-Lite 4 – Sync Port broke >>>>>> Resulted to using Photocell sensor
1 x Elinchrom D-Lite 4 – Stand mount snapped >>>>>> Temporarily fixed with lots of Duct Tape! (preventing use of Octobox, resulting in using umbrella
1 x Manfrotto Light Stand – Jammed >>>>>> Switched Light Stand
I think my equipment is looking forward to the end of year as much as I am now!
I’ll catch up with my blog posts shortly, promise!
Photobooth Setup
I thought I’d share a few setup shots from last nights photobooth gig.
Working with Sukey from Spacebar Productions, we first setup the Lastolite Hi-Lite and a single strobe (shooting into a large white umbrella), we then added some LED lighting and decorated the light stands. We shot tethered to a Macbook Pro, displaying live images to a 32″ screen (with a custom frame – check out the photo below).
We then finished the setup off with a whole bunch of hats, props, masks and white/blackboards.
For the techie’s out there, I shot at F6.3/8, ISO 100, 1/160-1/200. The Hi Lite was lit using a Elinchrom D-Lite 400 set at just under full power (5.5), and the main light was again a D-Lite 400 at full power (6.0)
Check out the images produced in this setup here
Corporate Headshots with the Lastolite Hi-Lite
I’ve found myself using the Lastolite Highlite more and more for corporate headshots as of late. Its ideal for the standard headshot, or groups of upto 5 people.
I’ve also used it as one huge softbox, miming a large window. Combined with a Elinchrom Octobox the light is incredibly soft and ideal for portrait work.
Here are a few setup shots of this setup in action, The hi-lite is 7ft wide, by 6ft high, I’ve raised it up on a background stand to allow me to use it in its wider orientation to fit more people into the group shots (gives me 1ft more width wise, over height). I find this setup works great too for a photo booth setup.
Lighting Config :: Background f11, Octobox f8 – Canon 1D MK IV – Canon 70-200mm L @ 1/200, f8
And what do the results look like?
Your Wedding Photobooth
I thought it was about time I shared a little more information about our Wedding Photobooth, well I say Wedding, but our photobooth is available for any occasion, just ask for a quote.
A Photo Booth can be a great addition to your wedding day photography. Rather than an small automated booth, our setup is more like a mini studio with a real photographer. Thats right, not an uninspiring automated machine, but a real personable and fun photographer.
Our photobooth can be set up just feet from the bar, so that for a few hours your guests will have the opportunity to have some fun with some props and create some great memories. We bring the backdrop and a treasure trove of fun props, all you need to do is bring the guests.
The backdrop is 7ft wide, so plenty of room for a large group of guests, we use a Lastolite HiLite which is lit from the inside, therefore requiring a very small footprint, fitting into even the smallest of spots. I have a variety of backgrounds in a number of colours, get in touch if you want to try something different to white.
We shoot tethered and also provide a large screen so that your guests can view the photos straight away!
All images will be professional retouched and posted along side your days images for all to see and share, or why not turn them into a unique coffee table book, or magazine style album.
We can also print on site in a variety of sizes if required for an additional charge.
So a few photos of the setup, please excuse the garish wallpaper in the background, I’ll get some new photos next time, but in the meantime here are a few images from Michelle & Rob’s Wedding last week.
In addition to a wealth of props and dressing up accessories, there are whiteboards so that your guests can leave you a special message in their photo.
And what do the finished results look like?
Want to see more? Check out the photobooth gallery from Michelle & Rob’s wedding last week.
Available at your wedding from only an additional £295
(will be discounted if included as part of a package, get in touch for information)
Memory Card Management
Carrying over 168GB of memory cards, the last thing I want to be thinking about during a wedding is which cards are used/empty, which cards are paired with which, and are they securely stored!
So here’s how I look manage my memory on the day…
Firstly I shoot exclusively with Canon 1D’s which are setup to shoot to both a Compact Flash & Secure Digital card simultaneously (this gives me a little resiliency incase one card should fail) , therefore each Compact Flash card is paired up with a Secure Digital card.
I use exclusively SanDisk Compact Flash cards and a variety of SD cards. I use 8GB cards in the 1D IV and 4GB cards in the 1D II’s, these sizes work for me and I get around 300-400 images per pair. I prefer these sizes over larger capacity cards as I’m not “putting all my eggs in the same basket”. Although sometimes when I’m downloading all the cards I wish I could just get a 12 card CF card reader, loads all the cards in and press go!
Each card is labelled with both my contact details (incase I drop/lose a card) and also a unique number which identifies the pair. The first two characters denote the type of card, the first digit the capacity and the remaining digits the pair number.
They are then safely stowed in pairs in a LowePro sliplock memory card case which has 12 little compartments allowing me to hold 12 pairs (24 cards). All cards are stored front facing (dark label showing – denoting empty cards)
When a card pair is used, it goes back into the case with the rear label showing (reversed), this allows me to quickly identify which cards are empty and which have already been used.
On the day this case remains clipped to my LowePro S&F utility belt and doesnt leave my sight, until all cards have been fully downloaded and backed up. My first backup of the day is during the wedding breakfast (whilst im preparing the evening slideshow), and involves downloading all cards to both my macbook and 2 external WD 750GB hard drives (one of these then stays on me during the evening) (see custom case post for more info).
All in all I think I have a pretty robust workflow here, its been tried and tested during many weddings and works pretty well.
Peli Laptop Case – MacBook Mobile Workstation
To try and speed up my downloading and processing primarily at Weddings when i have a very tight timeframe to put together enough images for the evening slideshow, but also just when im working on a mobile shoot I decided to modify a Peli 1495 case to provide me with a mobile workstation setup.
Also keeps my nice new macbook (which is amazingly quick….but more on that later) nice and safe.
I started with a Peli 1495 case with foam insert, and cut out the correct sizes to fit:
Macbook Pro 15″
2x WD 2.5″ 750GB USB Drives
SanDisk Card Reader
Mini USB Hub
Apple Magic Mouse
Macbook Power Cables
Wacom Tablet (in the case roof)
So this had its first outing this weekend at Zoe & Pauls Wedding, within seconds of opening it, not only was the MacBook powered up and ready to go, but I had two external drives, a Card Reader, mouse and power connected. The combination of moving to a Macbook and this setup must have saved me at least 10 minutes to get everything setup and ready to start downloading the images.
Talking about downloading images, by the time I do my first download of the day during the wedding breakfast to allow me to process images for inclusion in the evening slideshow I normally have between 45-50GB to download. At my last wedding in February when i was solely Windows based this download took 1hr 15m using a combination of DownloaderPro & Lightroom to just download and import the images, cutting heavily into the 1.5hr timeslot I have to download approx 1700 images and process 200. This time using Aperture on the mac this whole download took just 25 minutes, and this included re-downloading the first 8GB card because I noticed my naming convention was set wrong.
So Aperture, I took the hit when moving to the Mac to give Aperture a try, and wow….not sure if its the mac or the software, or a combination of both, but soooo unbelievably quick, in just 45 minutes I viewed 1700 images, and processed 311 of them. No lag, no “Loading…..” screens, just the images in all their high resolution glory (16MP). I love the ability to download to an 2nd external drive at import as a backup, I love the customisable keyboard commands (still learning them!!) and just the speed to navigate between the images. The biggest hit I took was losing all my Lightroom presets, (I have the loaded into Lightroom on the mac, but I’m seriously liking Aperture atm), so its back to basics to re-create them. Maybe not a bad thing, maybe its time for a slightly new processing style.
So I’m totally sold on the Macbook Pro, I think the 8GB RAM upgrade was an extremely good move, now I just need to get used to using it! Having been a Windows kid for as long as I can remember its taking a little getting used to, but saying that it is so intuitive to use, its just the advanced features that are bugging me right now.
Why are pre-wedding/engagement shoots so important?
A pre-wedding or engagement shoot has become very popular over the last few years. But often people don’t realise just how beneficial these shoots are for the couples about to get married and how much they improve the photography on their wedding day.
Good wedding photography requires a rapport between the couple and the photographer, and there is no better way of building this than a pre-wedding shoot. It is at this shoot that you will get to see me in action, it also helps out a lot on your wedding day as you will already know my style and how I interact with you both.
Not only is your special day unique, so are both of you. It is at this pre-wedding shoot that we can try some styles out, figure out what works, and what doesn’t work for you.
So many people dont like their photos being taken, and I honestly believe this is due to the constant barrage of seeing badly taken photos of yourselves, the more times you sees these bad pictures of yourself the more you start to think it is you and that you are just not photogenic. It is at this point you start to hate having your photo taken. You only have to go onto Facebook to see millions of examples of this type of photography.
What you’ll get from an pre-wedding shoot is the chance to see how good you look in some professionally taken images, this will help you relax come your big day. A good analogy that I came across recently is which I think sums this idea up is “You may not like your partners cooking but this would not put you off going to a restaurant because you know the person doing the cooking is a qualified Chef and they will use the right ingredients and recipes to make their food delicious.”
What to Wear
The idea is for this photo session to be a nice relaxed way of us to get to know each other before your big day, and I often get asked for suggestions on what to wear, I’ve therefore put together a few ideas.
Wear something you are comfortable in. If you’re not comfortable, it will show in the pictures.
·
Wear clothes that are complementary in style and colour. Don’t be too matchy.
·
Wear clothes that are the same level of dressiness. Don’t dress up and have your fiance wear their everyday street clothes.
·
Think about layering clothing, this gives us a few different possibilities.
·
It’s best not to wear tight jeans or other clothes that are overly tight and restrict movement. Or show curves you don’t want shown.
·
Wear something you love, and make sure it’s ‘you’. It’s best not to wear something you are going to wish you didn’t wear when you look back at the images
·
Darker colours are slimming and they are also easier to photograph. But if you have something in white or off white, don’t be afraid to wear it.
·
Patterns go out of style quickly, and the background usually has enough texture that patterns can sometimes make the photos too busy. Classic clothing styles will look good in photos for years – but also try to bring clothes that are uniquely you for “fun” poses.
·
Have the clothes match the location and season for the shoot. Shorts and flip flops probably are not the best on a cold day (this goes back to being comfortable, if you are not warm it’s harder to look warm and happy)
·
Neutral Earth tones are best for outdoor portraits.
·
Wear shoes you can comfortably walk in.
·
Leave your bag behind, unless you want it in the photos. (You can be more free and fun without it) I can carry your keys and a few necessities in my camera bag.
Where?
So the next big questions is where to have your shoot?
For a pre-wedding shoot I would normally recommend an outdoor location, somewhere special to both of you.
A park, a river, somewhere a little rural. Based in the city, how about somewhere a little more urban? The key is to find somewhere that you are comfortable, and means something to you both.
Short of time or cant think of a special place? How about we grab a quick 30-60 mins when we visit your wedding venue? Firstly this helps us scout out the surrounding area for locations for your wedding photos, we can see where works and where doesn’t, and secondly, it helps us get to know how you both react in front of the camera. If we use the same venue as your wedding, then it is important that we change the style, viewpoint to ensure the photos are different to your wedding day.
Take the time of year and time of day into consideration. If your photos are outside, the best time of day for the session is early in the morning or the last few daylight hours. Photos during this time will produce a warm glow. Autumn photos can be gorgeous; just be sure to dress in layers. Winter photos can be fun, but this is an especially unpredictable time of year for the weather, however this could lead to some fun photos
I totally recommend a pre-wedding shoot, and cannot emphasise just how beneficial this would be
View some recent examples HERE
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss a pre-wedding shoot, or any ideas you have.
