Here is the first of what will be several posts about the tools I typically use at a wedding and many of my film projects. I figured I would start off with my favorite lenses, my Canon L primes.

Shown from left to right are the 24mm 1.4L, 50mm 1.2L, 85mm 1.2L II, and 135mm 2.0L.

Fixed focal length lenses, or prime lenses, offer many advantages over zoom lenses. I think sharpness and a larger aperture are the biggest ones. Prime lenses are typically the sharpest lenses you can get. I shoot with my prime lenses so much that when I use one of my Canon L zoom lenses (post coming soon) the images almost look soft in comparison. The larger aperture allows me to shoot in lower light than I could with a zoom lens, it also allows me to get a shallower depth of field than I could get with a zoom.

Keep reading below for a few notes about each lens and a few favorite images I took with it.

Canon EF 24mm 1.4L Even though there are wider lenses, I think the 24L does pretty well. It gives you a nice wide view without as much distortion that you would get from a wider angle. I love using my 24L for many parts of the day. I most frequently use it while the bride is getting ready, but also for select portraits and details.

Canon EF 50mm 1.2L I most frequently use my 50L when the bride is getting ready, for select portraits, and details. The 50L focuses much fast than the 85L but I still think I prefer the compression and angle of view of the 85L compared to the 50L.

Canon EF 85mm 1.2L II The 85L is an amazing lens that requires much practice to master. The lens focuses really slow, due to the build and design used in this heavy lens yet allowing it to still stay relatively small. I tend to use my 85L most during portraits and the first dance, and details. If the room is big enough I also like to use it while the bride is getting ready. It also comes in handy in low light churches.

Canon 135mm 2.0L Honestly my 135L is one of my least used lenses in my bag. I had even considered selling it at one point. Most of the times I need to a lens longer than 85mm I am usually using my Canon 70-200 2.8L. I do love how fast the 135L focuses though, and it is nice to have the 135L in my bag as back-up for my 70-200. It was hard finding images I shot with the 135L. Here is one

I could nearly shoot a whole wedding just using the 24mm 1.4L, 50mm 1.2L, and 85mm 1.2L II. If fact if you ever see me working at a wedding or engagement shoot I probably am using one of those 3 lenses, since they are on my camera most of the day.

Stay tuned for a post about my Canon L zoom lenses.

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Here is the cover along with some pages from the magazine featuring my photos.

This is my last post for Hope in the City 2010. You can find the previous posts using the links below.
Fashion Shoot 2010 preview
Fashion Shoot 2010 full post
Fashion Show 2010

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The runway at Vibiana just before the start of the show. I would love to shoot a wedding at Vibiana, it is such a beautiful venue. Hopefully that opportunity will come sooner than later.

Our hosts for the evening Hank Fortener & Jeannie Mia

The show started off with outfits made out of 85% paper. It is incredible what the designers could do with something so ordinary as newspaper. The designer is lsted above each image.

Katrina Andrews

Amara Ononiwu

Rey Aquino

Adolfo Sanchez

Jalyse Hanna

Katie Chan

Kristen Bluhm

Mariah McManus

Rexford Dosamantes and Marisa Castro

Crenshaw High School

Sherise L. Shields

Some amazing headpieces from Salvatore Salamone

A few from Rey Aquino

A few from Adolfo Sanchez

A few from Shpetim Zero

A few from Shekhar Rahate

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On Saturday March 13th I joined an incredible team of artists to shoot this year’s designers for Hope in the City. This year the outfits had to be made out of 85% paper. To accomplish that task the designers used LA Weekly newspapers. There were so many amazing people that made this shoot possible. First I need to thank my friends at Mosaic for providing us a place to shoot. Franson Hall up at the Pasadena campus provided a great location and plenty of space for us to set up a background.

Just like last year I was the photography coordinator for the Hope in the City shoot and show. I had a great team of photographers join me on the 13th, without them none of this would be possible. Make sure you check out their sites using the links below. Many of them were capturing some incredible natural light shots of the models while I was shooting others on the background.

Jessica Conroy
John D. Beaty
Jason Sorge
Jess Koehler
Lance Kuhns
Xhantai Pablo
Angie Steen

On to the photos! Below are some of my favorites from the shoot. The designer is listed before each photo with a link to their site if possible.

Katrina Andrews

Jessica Lewis

Rebekka Lien

Sherise L. Shields

Rey Aquino

Shannon Russell

Katie Chan

Kristen Bluhm

The shoot and show also featured some traditional fabric designs. Here are 2 that I loved by Rey Aquino

Salvatore Salamone created some amazing designs for head pieces.

The shot that we used for the cover of the magazine that was handed out at the show last night. Stay tuned for another post about the show including tear-sheets from the program. Stacey Meineke put together the most amazing program for the show last night.

One final shot. Jason Sorge shot by my side during the shoot backing me up and getting some amazing images himself. This was a shot I grabbed of him while we were setting up the lights. We used a total of 5 Alien Bee Lights for the shoot.

One last shout out to the models from the shoot.

Nadya Bay
Tatiana Christoffersen
Ashley Moss
Johan Khalilian
Anthony Badami

Stay tuned for another post with images from the runway and some layout from the handout last night!

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Last Saturday I had the chance to participate in the fashion shoot for my church’s,  Mosaic, fashion ministry.  The shoot was for Hope in the City: Wear Your Story.  Just like last year I was in charge of coordinating the photographers for the shoot and show. The fashion show is this coming Wednesday March 24th. Check out the flyer below or the official site for more info.

I had such a blast on Saturday! I wish I could post more images from the shoot but you will have to wait until after the show. The fashion show will feature designs made entirely out of paper and a few traditional outfits. The first image is a preview of one of the outfits made out of paper. The second image is from one of the traditional outfits. Please come out and check out the show on Wednesday night, you will find me in the photo pit.

You can see images from previous Hope in the City shoots and shows at the links below.
2008 Shoot
2008 getting ready 1
2008 getting ready 2
2008 Show
2009 Shoot

Stay tuned next week for a full post from the shoot with links to the designers, photographers, and others involved.

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Each year WPPI has amazing speakers talking about the latest in the wedding and portrait photography industry.  The also have a huge tradeshow each year offering the latest in albums, print mediums, gear, and new technologies.  I always find I run out of time each year trying to see each vendor.  Also each night there are a number of parties hosted buy speakers and/or vendors.  There is so much to see, learn, and do, I am amazed if I get more than 4 hours of sleep each night.  

Click here to find my rough schedule for next week while I am in Vegas at WPPI.

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Mindy gave us some great insight about wedding industry with her many years of experience. During the interview I spent most of the time tip-toeing around her office shooting stills. I was so nervous everytime I pressed the shutter, scared that the sound would be picked up by the microphone. While I was taking photos I also got to listen in on the interview.  One thing she said really resonated with me.  She said one of the things she likes best about weddings the feelings of romance and intimacy that are evident in the couple, which in turn renews her romance to her husband.  I feel the same way: each time I come home from a wedding I can’t wait to kiss my wife.   

Here are a couple stills from the interview.

If you are a bride reading this blog, make sure you go pick up a copy of her book “The Wedding Book” on Amazon or your local bookstore.

Also go check out Mindy’s video podcast “Dress The Table with Mindy Weiss – Valentine’s Day”  about using some items picked at a local flea market for decoration.   Watching her podcast made me miss my weekly Sunday trips to the flea market we did when I was growing up.

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“The new documentary film “American Marriage” is looking for couples who want to have their nuptials featured in the movie. One of our main fundraising avenues has been filming weddings. Couples have taken the money they would have paid videographer and donated it to the film’s budget through the International Documentary Association (making their donations tax-deductible), and in exchange we’ve filmed their entire ceremonies and receptions and delivered the wedding video on DVD, just like a normal wedding videographer.

The shoot itself is exactly comparable to a normal wedding videographer shoot. We film the ceremony preparation, the ceremony, and reception on a single 3CCD HD Camera (the JVC 110u, a professional theatrical quality HD camera as opposed to the Prosumer HDV cameras standardly used in the wedding industry). The groom wears a microphone to ensure the highest quality audio of the ceremony. The footage is edited, and assembled with graphics, music, and minimal effects (dissolves, etc). We provide the couple 3 DVDs, authored with chapters and animated menus.

Because we’ll use some of the footage in the finished film, we ask the couple to sign an image release waiver allowing us to do so. We also ask that they make a donation through the I.D.A. and forward us a copy of the Paypal receipt before we arrive to film the event. We also ask couples if they would like to have a short “When Harry Met Sally” style interview that will be included in the movie.

You can view the trailer, which features footage from several weddings who took advantage of this model, below.”

There is no set donation amount. We ask that couples donate what they can afford. If you have a budget for a videographer we hope that, if you choose this opportunity, you would still be willing to use that budget to help the film.  If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity please click on contact in the menu above.

If you chose to make a donation and be in the film I am offering 20% off any of my photography packages. You can view my portfolio on my website.

Here are some links for the film
Official Website
Facebook Fan Page
International Documentary Association Listing
IMDB Listing – I got my first cinematographer credit on this film
Mike Flanagan – the man behind the film

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The following images are from when I was interning at The Aegis in Bel Air, MD.

My lifelong friend Trent Gladstone and the annual Harford County Young Life Golf Tournament.

Falling Branch in northern Harford County.

The last image is very special to me. Just yesterday I found out my friend Josh Komarnicki passed away over the weekend. Josh is standing there with the umbrella towards the center of the frame. I took this image while we were on a trip to New York City October 19th 1996. It was record rainfall day for New York City, the subways and roads were flooded. Even with an umbrella, we were soaked. It is a day I will never forget.

I was just getting into photography at this time, and so was Josh. We had so many great times together shooting for The Aegis, making prints in the darkroom, and just hanging out. Even though Josh and I lost touch when he moved to Virginia, I know if we were ever to get back together it would of been like old times. Josh was a free spirit and incredibly talented, I am sad he is gone. I will always remember him especially since he was there during my early years of discovering my passion of photography. Please lift his family up in prayer.

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KISS doesn’t offer a ton options like other album companies. They offer hard or soft books in 4 sizes 4×4, 8×8, 10×10, and 12×12 and 7 colors. I love how their books are simple, classic, and elegant. These are just a couple of the reasons why KISS is my preferred album company. Here are a few images of my 12×12 hard sample album I made from Ryan & Lisa’s October Stone Manor wedding.

The albums are delivered with this sweet looking dust cover.

I love the lay flat binding with no gap across the spread.

The color swatches

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