Wedding
Here are articles and features related to wedding photography.
January 30th, 2010 05:22pm
damien
Five pictures that charted my career. By Damien Lovegrove 2010
Mirage in the Western Desert in Egypt. Taken by me in 1996 using a Nikon F90 with a 300mm Tamron lens and an unbranded 2x converter on Kodachrome 64. This picture was shot for stock and continues to sell well today. Sales from this shot alone total over £20,000. Every GCSE student of Physics will recognise this shot from their text books. Dorling Kindersley love it too and it often appears in their publications.
Have you ever sat down and written a title for an essay with absolutely no idea how to complete the task? I perhaps stupidly suggested to Terry Hope, the editor of PhotoPro magazine that it would be fun to write a piece about just a few pictures that became stepping stones in my life. Then perhaps he could invite other photographers to write the same essay. He wrote back and said okay get the job done. So here is the start of what might be an interesting chain of personal stories loosely strung around photographs. (more…)
January 20th, 2010 12:21am
damien
It was right at the beginning of my career as a photographer that I realised I needed to be able to capture the emotion between people in my pictures rather than just shots of the people themselves.
In this grid you can see how I’ve often used very tight shots to eliminate distracting elements and to add impact to the shots. The collection shows shots from, Cherish the Dress workshops, Passion on the Streets workshops and a wedding. Notice how in some of the shots I’ve directed the girl to place her hands on or around the guys head.
The easy option was to adopt a reportage style of shooting and capture what was there in front of me but I was put off this idea after having spent three years shooting news for the BBC. I was more interested in (more…)
December 8th, 2009 10:36pm
damien
It was the last weddings workshop of 2009 and the weather didn’t disappoint. It rained almost constantly, it was dark and a perfect day for a ‘how to make a bright and sunny wedding album from a dull winter day’ workshop. The sun did come out for 10 minutes as it ducked under a storm cloud just before sundown. Here is one shot from the day (click the picture for the full res version). The rest of the pictures and their exif is in a Lightroom web gallery follow the link after the jump.
Taken hand held with a Canon 5D Mk2, ISO 400, 1/100th second at f/5 on a 21mm Zeiss f/2.8 lens.
(more…)
November 29th, 2009 02:47am
damien
I recently decided to replace my Canon wide angle zoom lens with a fixed prime lens. I shoot mainly portraits and it’s worth bearing this in mind as you read this out of the box review. My decision to go prime for my super wide shots was an easy one to make.
The Zeiss Distagon 21mm f/2.8 ZE attached to my Canon 5Dmk2
(more…)
November 21st, 2009 01:36pm
damien
Coping with changeable light, dark gloomy conditions or even low angle winter sunlight is what this workshop was all about. I lit this shot with a single Speedlight.
After last years launch of our Lighting Winter Weddings and Big Day DVDs we’ve been inundated with requests for more wedding shooting training. So Julie and I decided to put on some dates at the start of this winter season. Here are a selection of the pictures from the first two workshops that happened earlier in the week.
(more…)
September 27th, 2009 09:32pm
damien
I love red dresses! Lisa Marie and Sean pictured here will be with me in Tuscany for my 'passion on the streets' workshops in Sienna in a few weeks time. They are absolute stars and the shoots promise to be remarkable.
Here are 21 more of my pictures from the Cherish The Dress shoot and then 22 of Chris’s pictures for equal measure. (more…)
September 9th, 2009 01:48pm
damien
Here is a list of my most treasured set of photographic accessories. I have dozens of bits and bobs that come in and out of favour with me but these items are my current favourites. (more…)
August 31st, 2009 01:04am
damien
As the nights are drawing in it's once again time to get used to having fun with long exposures. I lit the groom in this shot with a Luxman battery light. ISO 800, 1/8th second at f/8. I bought the battery light online from B&H in New York.
When the weather is bad, or it’s dark outside don’t let your creativity evaporate. Rise to the challenge and embrace a whole new set of opportunities. There really is no escape from the fact that if you are going to shoot weddings you need to have total command of your artificial light sources. Super sensitive cameras can help as the next 2 pictures show.
Click on the dancing picture to see the full size Canon 5Dmk11 picture taken at ISO6400 (19Mb) (more…)
July 25th, 2009 11:32am
damien
A black polished granite table provided the reflection in this shot of Lisa-Marie and Shawn and natural light did the rest. The difference that a few millimeters make in camera position is staggering when using reflections.
This week has been a tough one for me, It started on Sunday afternoon with… (more…)
June 17th, 2009 04:56pm
damien
Our second shooting workshop under Chris Hanley’s ‘Cherish’ banner went without a hitch. When putting together a ‘Cherish The Dress’ style album it is wise to shoot detail and passion pictures alongside the full length dress pictures. Here is a very small selection of the pictures Chris and I shot on the day. The first 9 or so are mine and the last 9 or so are Chris’s.
The setting is the fabulous Hilton bar on floor 23. The lighting is all Speedlight mastery using infrared remote TTL control.
(more…)
May 18th, 2009 09:13am
damien
Update: Over 100 of these brackets have been sold already and the feedback from users is fantastic.
It has been 6 months in the planning and testing but finally I can confirm the long awaited ‘Lovegrove Flash Bracket’ used to mount any Speedlight firmly in any position on a lighting stand is now available here
Take control of your Speedlight and mount it on a stand in any orientation with this nifty stand to flash bracket. Ideal for weding and portrait photographers alike. Click on the picture for more details.
(more…)
May 8th, 2009 01:08pm
damien
In order to correctly assess exposure when shooting on location, you need to start with a calibrated screen. This is a simple process but can often be overlooked. Here is my quick guide. (more…)
April 29th, 2009 12:48pm
damien
Several months in the planning stages have finally come to fruition. We were originally offered the ‘Graphi Studio’ castle in northern Italy but delays in it’s refurbishment meant we had to look elsewhere. Luckily Julie and I have shot several weddings at Italian castles and villas in recent years so we decided to revisit one of the most enchanting of them all in the heart of Tuscany.
(more…)
April 8th, 2009 03:23pm
damien
I gave my pictures to Marko for his input and here are a few of his transformations. I’ve chosen fresh pictures to give you some idea of the range of pictures taken on the day.
Marko gave this picture a touch of virtual HDR using Lightroom before bringing it to life in Photoshop.
(more…)
April 7th, 2009 04:22pm
damien
Simple lighting with a Speedlight and a high viewpoint makes this picture stand out. I held the camera over my head and shot using my 16-35mm lens at a 20mm setting. The Speedlight was connected to the lighting stand using my flash bracket. ISO 200, 1/200th second at f/11. Click on the picture if you would like to download the full size image from my Canon 5D mk2.
I was invited to lead a special shooting weddings event at Fota house near Cork in Ireland. I decided to concentrate on shooting challenging light and creating ‘the big picture’. Shots like this, with the WOW factor really lift a website or portfolio. take a look at the rest of my shortlisted pictures… (more…)
March 20th, 2009 11:38am
damien
I knew this was going to be good, but the day exceeded all our expectations. The Hilton hotel in Manchester looked after us extremely well and the dresses supplied by Michelle were spot on for this event.
A splash of flash from a Speedlight was all that was needed to bring this picture to life. Charlotte's dress looks like a liquid metal under this lighting.
Here is a small selection of the days images shot by Chris and Myself. (more…)
March 11th, 2009 11:42pm
damien
Marketing is one area of a photography business that isn’t easy to grasp. Other tasks like taking pictures, making albums, doing sales, generating invoices and filling in tax returns are all tangible activities that deliver predictable results. Marketing however is (more…)
February 12th, 2009 12:41pm
damien
Here is a new slideshow of the featured pictures plus all you need to know about the equipment we used at the wedding shoot during the making of the Big Day DVD now available from our main site. (more…)
February 12th, 2009 12:26pm
damien
Here is a new slideshow of the featured pictures plus all you need to know about the equipment we used during the making of the Lighting Winter Weddings DVD now available from our main site. (more…)
January 30th, 2009 12:37pm
damien
Follow the links below to see the picture collections of Damien & Julie Lovegrove. (more…)
December 31st, 2008 02:23pm
damien
Planning a wedding – The Devil is in the detail.
Success happens when preparation and opportunity meet. Never under estimate the importance of planning each wedding from the outset. Here’s my complete guide to getting the planning right…
Taken on my Canon 10D IR, Hand held with my 16 - 35mm f/2.8 lens. All the pictures in this feature were taken by Damien or Julie Lovegrove during the making of the excellent new DVD 'The Big Day the Lovegrove Way'.
(more…)
December 11th, 2008 12:22am
damien
This is the time of year that fills some wedding photographers with dread when they throw open the curtains on a Saturday morning to reveal driving rain and dingy light.
When the weather is bad don’t let your creativity evaporate. Rise to the challenge and embrace a whole new set of opportunities.
There really is no escape from the fact that if you are going to shoot weddings in the winter you need to have total command of your artificial light sources… (more…)
December 8th, 2008 11:56pm
damien
Just one of the wow pictures shot at today's workshop. ISO 200, f/16 @ 1/200th second exposure. Program exposure mode on my Canon 5D set at -2 stops with a 580EX2 on a stand, zoomed to 105mm and triggered by an STE2 transmitter.
We had a fabulous dark day of picture making forcing us to use ISO 1250, 1/5th second, f/2.8 at times. Before the rain set in we ventured into the cold to shoot the classic Lovegrove shot above. Take a look at the rest of today’s pictures… (more…)
December 5th, 2008 12:19am
damien
The trailers for our new DVDs are online at last. Thank you for being patient, those of you who have asked for a sneak preview are now rewarded.
The trailer for ‘The Big Day the Lovegrove Way’ is here
The trailer for ‘Lighting Winter Weddings’ is here
Please feel free to comment and ask questions about the DVDs here.
December 2nd, 2008 12:17am
damien
In my previous post on the Wedding Contract I posted a link to our FAQs. I thought I’d share with you my reason for having them.
This infra red shot was taken on my Canon 10Dir. I took it hand held during the 'Big Day' DVD wedding.
(more…)
December 1st, 2008 11:56pm
damien
Right from the start of my first wedding photography career I’ve had a contract between myself and my clients. At first, I cobbled together a contract from ones I’d seen in a magazine article but it soon became clear that I needed a custom contract for my business.
How to arrange casual groups with a moment both created and captured is a key learning element of the new 'Lovegrove Big Day' DVD. This still from the wedding is just one of 200+ pictures shown being created by Julie & I from our perspective.
(more…)
November 21st, 2008 11:45pm
damien
In response to the thoughts and discussions raised by my previous post on selling pictures on disc I thought I’d have a go at establishing the tipping point for the sell / don’t sell argument.
Bamboo at Westonburt Arboretum in Gloucestershire gave me just the 'film set' needed for this demure portrait of one of my favourite clients. Taken at f/4 on my 70-200mm lens.
(more…)
November 12th, 2008 01:44am
damien
Here is a small selection of the pictures that Julie and I shot at this weeks shooting weddings workshop. I’ve selected this set for their interesting lighting or the shooting techniques we used to make them.
A classic Lovegrove shot taken with a zoomed in Speedlight on a stand. The details of how I took this shot and many others are in the rest of the post.
(more…)
November 9th, 2008 01:23pm
damien
One of the golden rules of retail is ‘Give your customers what they want.’ Let’s face it, there are very few wedding clients that wouldn’t want to have their wedding pictures at high resolution on disc. In this article I explain how to make a lot of money with pictures on disc packages.
I love tunnel light pictures. Julie took this picture while I drove to the reception.
(more…)
November 3rd, 2008 12:57am
damien
A picture is worth a 1000 words but can it be worth £1000. Putting a price on photography has always presented itself as a bit of a challenge. How much should I charge is one of the most frequent questions I am asked. Here is my guide to getting it right.
I shot this into the light in the sweltering Brisbane sun using a Nikon D3 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.
(more…)
October 22nd, 2008 10:00pm
damien
I recently had the good fortune to come across a set of pictures by Chris Hanley that made me go ‘wow’. I want to share a selection of these pictures with you, plus the thoughts and ideas behind the man himself who created them.
"There is a down lighter set into the ceiling creating the top light on the model and I used a zoomed in speedlight bouncing into a Lastolite sunfire reflector back onto her face - This created the tight spot of diffused light." Nikon D300 in manual mode, ISO 800, f/2.8, 1/80th second, and 70mm lens.
Damien Lovegrove Interviews Chris Hanley…
(more…)
September 28th, 2008 11:33pm
damien
I’m often asked questions like “How did you get started?” and “I’ve booked my first wedding – help! What do I do now?” If you have a decent camera and can use it, sooner or later you will be asked to photograph a friends wedding.
The rings in this shot were placed on a bit of white paper on a windowsill in direct sunlight. Simple but effective composition with shadows. Remember to ask the best man for the rings early on before you really get busy. ISO 400 f/5.6 at 1/250th
(more…)
September 27th, 2008 02:29pm
damien
Three seconds at f8 with the camera on a monopod gave just the right combination of long exposure with artistic movement blur. Capturing this image with high ISO, a short exposure, and a splash of flash would have been the safe option. Rarely is 'safe' wonderful.
It’s easy to get sucked in to the quest for absolute sharpness. I’ve been down that road many a time. It is no bad thing to strive for technically perfect images but I believe that often the greatest things in life are flawed… (more…)
September 22nd, 2008 09:05pm
damien
Well Canon have the video technology and probably asked the question – Why not? So that leaves us to come up with answers to the question – Why?
Simple use of verticals and horizontals combined with the human touch.
In the process of finding uses for the extra facilities that we never asked for I am busy developing ideas for the professional application of this new technology integration. Here are my first thoughts… (more…)
September 15th, 2008 11:00pm
damien
This close up view of love is just one of today's photographs from the wedding photography workshop run by Damien & Julie Lovegrove at Maunsel House in Somerset.
Here is a selection of pictures from today’s shoot. (more…)
September 7th, 2008 09:36pm
damien
Sunlit elegance and love cast shadows on Blenheim Palace
This feature length post sets out expert advice for professional wedding photographers.
(more…)
August 26th, 2008 11:52pm
damien
My thanks go to Liam Ramsell of Irish Eyes for hosting today’s shooting weddings seminar in Cork. Here are a few of my pictures straight from Lightroom.
This spectacular signature shot makes the most of an overcast day and caused quite a stir among delegates. Shots like this are very repeatable when you have the know how.
(more…)
More details.
