# NY Nick get's hitched Texas Style!



## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

Well, NY Nick got married....and did the three step at her reception wearing cowboy boots.
She and new Hubby John got married at a huge Catholic Church in Dallas, St. Thomas Aquaintas, and had their reception at a beautiful country club nearby.
It was a big Italian style bash!

Lots of photos to follow:
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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

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## dpolston (Dec 26, 2007)

I like them a lot as usual (although the grooms shiny forehead in 10 bugs me, but that's very nit-picky. And omg, the bride has freakishly white teeth... but, her dentist would be proud.)

I do have a quick technical Q: How do you approach lighting of the dark dance floors? Do you set up a couple of strobes (flashes) around the perimeter or just use the on camera flash? I have adapted the bounce flash techniques (and love the backwards flash thing) but I haven't had much luck (albeit I haven't shot a dance floor situation in a long time)


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

No post on her teeth, so yeah the Dentist loves her!
Ok, I'm really weird about how I do the reception stuff.......

I know a lot of people who bring lights into the reception but I nevernevernevernever would do that. These ladies spend a lot of money getting that ambience. If I brought in lights, not only would it be super annoying to have them going off all the time, but it would wreck that atmosphere that she paid so dearly for.
So I employ the backwards flash thing. I don't bounce. I just get in close. (I shoot all reception stuff with a 35mm 1.4)
You would think that I'd be a totally distraction getting so close, but not really. They never see my flash, and hopefully, they are so into one another that they never see me close in. (I get up to within a few feet and then get back out again quickly).  God knows though that the videographers must hate me!!!!  LOL.
When I shoot group dancing stuff, I go right into the middle of the dance floor and start making little circles.

This way, I am able to maintain the ambience, without being too much of a bother. I'm always blown away when they say that they never really saw me.


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## dpolston (Dec 26, 2007)

elsaspet said:


> I'm always blown away when they say that they never really saw me.



...even though everybody behind you is blind because of the flash!  lol (i love it)


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

dpolston said:


> ...even though everybody behind you is blind because of the flash! lol (i love it)


 
LOL.  Yeah, I hear some choice cuss words from the people behind me sometimes...... hehe.

It also works great to get the videographers and uncle bobs off your shoulders.:lmao:


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## dpolston (Dec 26, 2007)

But hey... it's not about them!   =oP


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

LOL...so true!  I'm pretty sure I'm capable of trampling old ladies if it came down to getting the shot.

Ummm, did I say that out loud?


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## wildmaven (Dec 26, 2007)

Love #15!!! Actually, I love the entire set EXCEPT for #21, but I've never been fond of the grainy look. 

I would remove the shoes from #2, as they are kind of distracting.


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

wildmaven said:


> Love #15!!! Actually, I love the entire set EXCEPT for #21, but I've never been fond of the grainy look.
> 
> I would remove the shoes from #2, as they are kind of distracting.


 

I hear ya. I get bored after about 500 shots and start throwing some different stuff in. 

Number 21 was TOTALLY underexposed, but I thought it was funny. Really funny. Everytime I see it I crack up. So wham, hit it with some MORE noise, and a cross process.........LOL.

You don't like the shoes? I thought they were cool. It wasn't a posed shot. She just happened to look around and I thought "Bonus!"

Hope you had a great Christmas, WM. Was Santa good to you?

I walked around all day in a skimpy t-shirt that said, "Naughty girls get better presents", LOL.  I was channelling my youth. Hehe.


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## KristinaS (Dec 26, 2007)

^^agreed on both points. Other than that, very lovely shots! The bride is gorgeous!


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

Ok, now you guys are ganging up on me! *pout*....I might lose the shoes.  But I still totally dig the grainy one.

Yeah Kristina, she's a beauty.  And not only that, she's like the nicest person on the planet.  I get so lucky with clients sometimes. 
Hope you had a great Holiday!


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## BobEdens (Dec 26, 2007)

The only and I mean ONLY thing I noticed was you cut the bottom of her dress off in #2 but you didn't really have any other way to go. I wish I could get picky and say something constructive but it looks like you nailed the wedding. 

You, girl, are one of the reasons its important for the bride to hire a REAL wedding photographer. (not a birdshooter like me)

you did say something that I would like to comment on.. 


> I walked around all day in a skimpy t-shirt that said, "Naughty girls get better presents", LOL. I was channelling my youth. Hehe.


 
I think all of us spending our valuable time looking over your photos deserves just one photo from Christmas day....[grin]


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

haha.  It's bad enough that I subject my poor husband to my hippie ways. 
Believe me, it's much better left to the imagination....seriously...LOL

Anyhoo, I've seen your work, and I think you make a darn fine wedding photog.


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## D40 (Dec 26, 2007)

Tack sharp, Wish I could get photo's as sharp as these are Great job as always!


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## emogirl (Dec 26, 2007)

beautiful shots....these are some of my favourites of yours lately!  LOVE LOVE #8, also 5, 12, 13, 15....great shots....lvoed the grainy shot,..its something different and it befits the expression

 #2 has shoes or something sticking out of her side...i would clone that out and i dont like that her dress is cut off and the white thing in the background...
love #1...lvoe the slightly chocolately colour to it, charming!


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

Ackkkk!  Another in the camp of losing the shoes.
The shoes will now be gone.   Thank you guys!  That's exactly the type of stuff that helps me.
Thank you Emo!


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## wildmaven (Dec 26, 2007)

What are those lines going across her dress and the wall in #1?? (on the lower left side of the picture) I thought it might be part of the border, but it's not on any other part of the picture...


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

It's a texture overlay WM. I'm getting more and more into that lately. I'm a huge fan of Jesh De Rox:
http://www.jeshderox.com/
This overlay was actually a gift from Sallee Photography on another website though:
http://www.salleephotography.com/

BTW-if you aren't familiar with Jesh, he just won  a record breaking 36 awards at WPPI.  He's amazing.  He's a great person.  And he's so fresh!


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## AprilRamone (Dec 26, 2007)

#17 and #20 are such fun shots!  I love them  Ooh, and #13 too.  These are great!


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## Stacey (Dec 27, 2007)

I always look forward to seeing your photos - I absolutely LOVE your work! To me, in #3, the bride's smile so resembles Faith Hill! But a much prettier Faith Hill!! But that was the only picture that I saw that resembled Faith! haha...but I am a big fan of the "noise" pictures. I LOVED #19 & #21! Very Cool! I like the traditional posed pictures and all but I just adore your candid shots! There's just something about capturing someone in the middle of a moment....I don't know- I love it! The only thing is that in #11 her eyes look a bit OP..could just be me, I don't know but that is the only thing that really stood out to me. But I just love your work!!

Just a quick Q- what is backwards flash?


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## Mesoam (Dec 28, 2007)

they are going to live them


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## elsaspet (Dec 28, 2007)

Stacey said:


> I always look forward to seeing your photos - I absolutely LOVE your work! To me, in #3, the bride's smile so resembles Faith Hill! But a much prettier Faith Hill!! But that was the only picture that I saw that resembled Faith! haha...but I am a big fan of the "noise" pictures. I LOVED #19 & #21! Very Cool! I like the traditional posed pictures and all but I just adore your candid shots! There's just something about capturing someone in the middle of a moment....I don't know- I love it! The only thing is that in #11 her eyes look a bit OP..could just be me, I don't know but that is the only thing that really stood out to me. But I just love your work!!
> 
> Just a quick Q- what is backwards flash?


 
Hey Stacey,
You made my morning!  Thanks for the kind words!!!!!!
What is OP?  Sorry, my brain isn't awake yet. 
Ah, the backwards flash thing.....I shoot kinda funny.  My flash is normally turned all the way around backwards when I shoot.  I just like the light better that way.
It's so funny though, because so many people come up to me at weddings, trying to be helpful of course, and say, "Ummm, sorry to bother you but I wanted to let you know your flash is on backwards". :lmao::lmao::lmao:
They think I'm truly insane when they find out it's like that on purpose. Hehe.
Thanks again!!!!!


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## elsaspet (Dec 28, 2007)

Oh, I think I know what you mean about number 11.  I think I sharpened them too much. :-(


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## Jeepnut28 (Dec 28, 2007)

I love them all.......the cake cutting shot.....how did you get that one?


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## Jeepnut28 (Dec 28, 2007)

elsaspet said:


> Oh, I think I know what you mean about number 11. I think I sharpened them too much. :-(


 

just their eyes look off to me......


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## elsaspet (Dec 28, 2007)

Jeepnut28 said:


> I love them all.......the cake cutting shot.....how did you get that one?


 

Thank you Jeepnut.

The cake shot is one of those that I have the camera way over my head and shoot.

Sounds hard, but it isn't. Hit your preflash, and if you see the red preflash on their face, you are good to go. I shoot wide, so it's pretty hard for me to mess up doing it that way.

It also works well in a pinch.  If something happens really fast, and you don't have your eye to the camera, just point it like a gun, and go.  That doesn't always work, but it does work most of the time.

It also works for some pretty darn funny dancing stuff. Play with it a bit, and you'll see what I mean.

Thanks again. And yeah, I definately overdid the eyes I think. :hug::


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## butterflygirl (Jan 3, 2008)

elsaspet said:


> No post on her teeth, so yeah the Dentist loves her!
> Ok, I'm really weird about how I do the reception stuff.......
> 
> I know a lot of people who bring lights into the reception but I nevernevernevernever would do that. These ladies spend a lot of money getting that ambience. If I brought in lights, not only would it be super annoying to have them going off all the time, but it would wreck that atmosphere that she paid so dearly for.
> ...



These are SO GORGEOUS! Every time i see your photographs I want to cry "how can I get that good?!!"

But please enlighten me - what is the backwards flash thing? I've never heard of  it!  I use a fong bong which seems to work pretty well, or I bounce the flash. Maybe I need to try a new technique.

Again BEAUTIFUL images!


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## elsaspet (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank you so much Butterflygirl!!!!

You cracked me up with the Fong Bong....that's really more what it looks like.  I've always heard it called a Fong Dong....which is pretty darn funny too.

Anyhoo, when I put my flash on, I crank the head of it all the way backwards. 
 The flash part, actually rests on the top of my head.  I don't bounce at all.  What I'm doing is using that little bit of light that leaks forward.  The trick is, you have to be really close, and that's why I'm pretty much always using my 35mm 1.4.  (It's on my 5d, so it's actually a true 35mm that way, so it's pretty wide).

The Fong Dong/Bong....(LOL still cracking me up on both accounts) does pretty much the same thing.  It leaks light, but it also bounces it a bit.
The only difference is that I'm "leaking" with no bouncing.  I'm looking for "just a kiss" of light.

Thank you so much for your warm and wonderful comments.  One of these days I'll post a photo of what I'm talking about, but I warn you, it looks utterly ridiculous.  

Thanks again!


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## acaldwell (Jan 3, 2008)

Love #2 and #20!  She is so gorgeous.  You did fabulous as usual!


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## photo gal (Jan 4, 2008)

Wonderfully done!!!  : )


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