Archive for December, 2008

  • 12/29

    Photojournalism – Has It’s Time Passed?

    I’ve noticed that the market seems to be swinging back towards a more traditional approach to wedding photography. The shift has been subtle in some ways and dramatic in others, but I’m quite convinced it’s happening. I see a lot more posed and manipulated shots than I used to, and though I’m a big proponent of documentary work, it’s not hard to understand the appeal of a more glamorous look. As one photographer I know said, “Photojournalism is too harsh for weddings.” Is that really the case?

    Before answering that, I think it’s important to understand that photography exists on a spectrum. There’s going to be some degree of overlap, even when people take different approaches, so even though a photojournalist might shoot a wedding, it doesn’t mean it will come out like a collection of war photographs. A traditional photographer is going to get some unscripted moments, and a photojournalist will still take some portraits. In fact, sometimes, people with opposite approaches will wind up producing the exact same shot. The differentiation occurs from what each photographer thinks is important.

    Photojournalism isn’t a style, a look, or even a feel. It’s the belief that life is at its most beautiful when it is real and meaningful. I know I could never script something as interesting as what really takes place at a wedding. A photojournalist’s skill, then, isn’t the ability to shoot something candid. Frankly, anyone with a point and shoot should be able to do that nowadays. It’s the ability to react to the unexpected and to know how to incorporate it as part of the larger story. Or, to put it another way, it’s the ability to take life’s imperfections, and to use them to make a photograph.

    I watch my two year old stumble across the room, and I’m reminded of how wonderful imperfection can be. Does he walk a little funny? He sure does. And that’s the best thing in the world to me. Not that I’m looking for a shot of a bride stumbling, but my point is that the little things we do that seem less than ideal are often endearing, attractive, and meaningful. Is photojournalism too harsh for weddings? I don’t think so. Weddings are their own microcosm of life, full of warmth, joy, and surprise, and what could be better than pictures that take you right back to the heart of it?

    Here are a few shots from Dana and Jerry on their way to Tribeca Rooftop taken earlier in 2008. In one of the pictures you see below, there is some writing on the ground and a shot of the bride’s sneaker. To me, the writing was the unexpected element that said “New York,” and it was the perfect pairing with her fun and frivolous shoes. In the picture after that, you’ll see a surprised little boy and a smiling police officer. I’d never script it that way, but those are the elements that make the world feel alive and convey the energy and humanity of situation.

    by Spencer Lum

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  • 12/28

    6 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

    For years, I’ve been answering questions from lists on the Web about megapixels, insurance, back-up equipment, and such. Some of the questions are pretty useful, but in general, I’ve felt that there wasn’t enough emphasis on the photography itself, leading me to wonder what would I ask if it were me. Below, you’ll find my 6 essential questions, as well as a list of links to some of the more general questions people suggest. The one on Wedding Bee is pretty good.

    I’ve seen a lot of photographers work from behind-the-scenes, and there are some big differences in working style and general approach, so I focused my questions on things that might help to reveal some of these differences. Rather than provide a comprehensive set of questions, which you can easily find elsewhere, I focused on the picture taking process and creating questions that reward thought out answers.

    1. What differentiates your photography from others?
    I think this one is the most important thing to know. While not every person has a style or look that is so unique that no one can replicate it, every photographer should have an opinion about his or her own work, as well as where they stand in the industry. A photographer should know what they’re going for and why they shoot. A good answer will reveal depth and give you insight into how different situations are handled. You want to know that the person you hire has thought things through and that they’re knowledgeable about the subject matter as a whole. Are documentary moments better than set-up shots? Or is it the other way around? Either way, make sure you find out why the photographer feels the way they do.

    2. What differentiates your business from others?
    This one is harder to answer, because most people don’t know exactly how other businesses operate. What’s important here is that you get a good sense about the general process, about responsiveness, and about the way things are done. How does the photographer see themselves? Is service and support an important component of the process, or is it more about the delivery of a set of files? You’ll also want to think about what type of person you are, as well. There are some people who can have an email not answered for a week without caring, while others will go stir crazy if they don’t hear back in a day. In all cases, you want to know that the photographer cares about the results they provide and that you matter to them.

    3. In what area would you most want to improve your photography?
    This one is a hard question to ask someone, and I know most people wouldn’t ask it. It smacks of an interview, but if you can find a good way to fold it into the conversation, it can be pretty effective. In fact, I do ask this when I interview photographers interested in working with me, and I find it very revealing. Very frequently, it tells me a lot about a person’s sense of self-awareness, their dedication, and how much they actually know. It can also give you a good idea about a person’s personality.

    4. What would you consider to be your signature picture? How would you describe your style of photography?
    This is essentially a reiteration of question 1, but most people will answer it differently, and it will help you visualize what and understand what is meaningful to the photographer. One of the things that makes finding a photographer so hard is that it’s very hard to know if the work you see represents their best or their average pictures. When you see a great posed shot, it’s natural to assume that all posed shots will be just as good. Similarly, upon seeing a powerful photojournalistic image, it’s a natural assumption that someone is capable of taking hundreds more. However, the reality is that there are pictures that are the tips of the iceberg, and there are the pictures that are just the tip without the iceberg. If someone shoots 40 weddings a year, they’re generating from 40,000 to 120,000 images a year. By sheer volume, there are probably going to be some great poses and great moments. But if you’re looking for photojournalism, you want to know if the majority of the shots will be this way, and not just the few best. If you’re looking for traditional photography, you want to know that your photographer has a great understanding of light, body language, and how to adjust in different locations and times of day. In all cases, your photographer should be versatile enough to generate the type of shots they show you in varying conditions, and not just the favorable ones.

    5. How much do you guide couples and set-up your images during the day?
    This is another thing a lot of people aren’t aware of, but there are big differences in how people achieve the same results. It’s important to find out how your photographer creates his or her images. Are they manufactured or spontaneous? Are they done quickly or slowly? There’s no right way to make a picture. Fine art photography has long standing traditions of crafted images, while photojournalism is largely about found moments, but you should know what to expect. Giving a list of a “candid” shots to a photojournalist makes no sense. You’re hiring them for their unique ability to see into a situation and tell a story, which you can’t do in a pre-scripted fashion. Similarly, if you’re looking for someone who heavily emphasizes “crafted” scenes, you should expect that they will take more time to prepare, and that there may not be as much pure documentation during the day. No less important is the effect your photographer will have on your wedding day. Some photographers provide no guidance or information. They simply capture what happens and leave the rest to you. Others will tell you where to be and what to do every part of the day. If you’re looking for one approach and you get the other, it can be frustrating, so make sure to find out ahead of time about their methodology.

    6. What are you looking for in your portraits and formals? How long does the photoshoot last?
    I refer to the photoshoot as the part of the day where you take the portraits and bridal party shots. Sometimes, it includes the formals (the group shots), as well, but not always. Some couples are looking for a carefree event where they can relax and spend time with family and friends. Others are looking for a lavish affair, with each detail scripted and executed to perfection. The nature of your portraits and formals should fit with your model for the wedding in general. Whether you’re looking for off-the-cuff whimsy, cool and casual, or personal and intimate, make sure your photographer is on board. And this isn’t limited to just style. I’ve seen some photographers who do their shoots in 30-minutes and others who take 3 hours. Whether 3 hours is pampering or agonizing is up to you, but find out what you’re going to get.

    Most photographers have very distinct working styles and preferences, and they run much deeper than you’ll see, even when viewing an entire wedding. This is doubly true if you just look at a set of highlights, so it is important to find out what they stand for and how the accomplish things. There are probably several people who can do a good job for you, so even if no one has the perfect answers, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a good match. But if things are too far off from what you’re looking for, proceed cautiously. You want to hire people for their strengths and not worry about covering up their limitations.

    Some online lists:
    weddings.about.com>
    www.realsimple.com>
    www.weddingbee.com>
    www.herecomestheguide.com>
    www.americanchronicle.com>
    www.weddingfanatic.com>

    by Spencer Lum

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  • 12/19

    Lindsy and Cuong

    People who know me, know that two of my favorite things are complexity and atmosphere. I love the idea of a picture lingering – where the atmosphere is so thick it transports you, or where an expression comes alive in just the right way. It’s the smallest of things – the curl of a lip, the arc of an eyebrow, and, yet, we can feel it right away. It amazes me how everything registers on the human face. You just can’t fake it.

    Lindsy and Cuong had the type of wedding that brimmed with emotion despite its casual veneer. It was as relaxed as it was intimate, set on a perfect day in October, and after being married in church with some of their closest friends, they had their reception at New Leaf Cafe near the Cloisters.

    by Spencer Lum

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  • 12/19

    Quick Tips: Staying On Time

    There are any number of reasons for delays, but if I could only name one, I’d say it’s transportation and traffic. Still, there are any number of things I’ve seen happen. Here a few that came to mind, while I was stuck in traffic today.

    • Make sure your limo can fit as many people as they say it can. A 10 passenger limo filled with flowers, luggage, a big wedding dress, and papers in the front seat won’t always hold the whole 10 passengers.

    • I’ve seen any number of limos arrive late. Make sure that you have enough margin, so if they’re not exactly on time, there won’t be huge delays.
    • Fridays are awful. In and around town, things can take triple what they take on a weekend. And going to the Botanical Gardens up the West Side Highway is always a trip. Make sure to bracket for time on Friday events.
    • Getting in and out of places takes more time than it seems like it should. Even time walking out of a hotel to the door isn’t always what you’d expect, when it’s you and 8 other people.
    • Sometimes, the hair just doesn’t work out as easily as it should. Giving the hair stylist and make-up artist time is important.
    • Bustling the dress is the hidden surprise in many days. It can usually be done pretty quickly if you’ve tried it before, but doing it for the first time on a wedding day can sometimes throw people off.
    • Impromptu receiving lines pop up more than you’d think. If you’re looking to avoid it, hiding after the ceremony works well.

    Remember, some delays are just part of the day, and they can even be good things. Adding little bits of padding into the schedule not only keeps you on schedule, but it helps keep you relaxed and lets you enjoy the day!

    by Spencer Lum

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  • 12/15

    Two Engagement Sessions

    I’ve always emphasized the documentary aspect of what I do, so I don’t talk a lot about engagement sessions. However, I do a quite a few each year, so I thought it’d be a good idea to do a little bit of show and tell. I picked the engagement sessions for Anne and Mike and for Patricia and Rich, because they represent the two opposite ends of what I shoot.

    Anne and Mike were the classic Manhattan couple. Stylish, intelligent, and just a ton of fun to work with. They wanted an engagement session that was one part Manhattan and one part fashion, with pictures throughout the City. I looked at any number of fashion magazines for inspiration, but, most importantly, I wanted to make sure that it felt a little “glossy.” A little more perfect and more dramatic than regular life.

    Patricia and Rich had an incredible sense of self-assurance. They are passionate individuals who really know what they are about. Both of them are artists and teachers, as well as native New Yorkers. With the shoot being in Coney Island during the off-season, I thought it was the perfect chance to impart the feel of an older, harder-edged Brooklyn. It made for a great counterpart to the softer, almost introspective sense of connection between them. Most importantly, I wanted everything to feel very real.

    by Spencer Lum

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  • 12/12

    Umami

    The hottest French chef in the late 1800s was Gilles Escoiffier. Not only was he unrivaled in his accomplishment, but he had created a flavor that was absolutely new. He discovered a special ingredient, creating a taste that was uniquely his own. Adding it to dishes just made everything better. It was veal stock, and unknowingly, he had found a fifth taste. We know the other four. Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Umami is the fifth.

    I always thought if I weren’t a photographer, I’d be a chef, so cooking metaphors are a big thing with me. When I was in high school, there were three things I wanted to do. Graphic design, photography, and cooking. I was a graphic designer, and I am a photographer. A chef? Well, probably not in the near future, but maybe when I retire.

    Umami wasn’t around when I was a kid. I only learned of the four other tastes. It is derived from the Japanese word for savory, and it’s that richness you get in foods like mushrooms and cheese. It’s also that earthy something you sense, when you say something has a meaty flavor. If you watch the Food Network, it’s that thing that awakens the taste buds, and you’ll find it in soy sauce (no surprise it’s for a Kikkoman campaign).

    Umami is hard to pinpoint, but you know it when it’s there. And it’s much the same in photography. I think of it as implication and atmosphere. That certain something – a richness in meaning – that goes beyond the bright-line elements you can easily identify and makes a picture come alive. It’s a detail in the background, a little extra arch in the back, or a light bouncing off a wall in just the right way. It’s creates a sense of suspension, like something just happened and something is still to come. It’s the secret ingredient that transforms a picture of a blank stare into a thoughtful moment, a simple glance into a meaningful connection, and a normal kiss into true romance.

    Patricia and Rich were married in November. She got ready in her childhood home in Brooklyn. One of the great things about starting the day in your home is that it’s filled with cues that connect with your life. The light, the details, the plant in the corner, or the window sill in the background. The atmosphere is palpable – full of umami, so to speak. I knew I wanted this set of pictures to say Brooklyn. To say that this was her life, her home, and her wedding.

    As an aside, here’s an extra picture that didn’t make it in, but that really registered with me. I had to choose between this one and the picture in the slideshow, where we see a reflection of her in the mirror, smiling. I chose that one, because I felt it better fit the story being presented, and it put a punctuation mark on the hair and make-up session with a clear cut expression. Despite that, the one below lingers with me more. There was a resonance created by everyone else looking on, the complexity of her expression, and the details of the environment.

    by Spencer Lum

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  • 12/10

    What Do You Want to Know About?

    Let me know what topics would be interesting to you! Send me an email or post a comment. I’d love to hear your ideas, whether they’re related to 5 West Studios, wedding photography, or photography in general!

    by Spencer Lum

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  • 12/05

    Getting Started

    The blog is back! As many of you may know, I tried to do some blogging in the past, but I had a hard time keeping up. The next thing I knew, 2008 was over, and not a single posting! It’s shameful, I know. But we were busy – really busy. Still, it’s no excuse. So, here I am, back to it.

    I know that it’s common convention to post a set of pictures from every recent wedding. I probably won’t be doing that, though I’ll try my best. But there’s something more important that I want to get out. I want to make sure to take the time to talk about what we do and why we do it, both here at 5 West Studios and as wedding photographers. I’ve been to weddings where I was really impressed with the photographer. Just as frequently, I was completely appalled. I’d always wonder to myself how the couple chose their photographer. Sometimes, I think it’s a bit of a crap shoot. After all, how do you know what your photographer will be like and how your pictures will turn out?

    The truth is that a photographer will miss more pictures than they capture. Which is fine. It’s how things are. But the real question isn’t what will they capture. It’s what will they choose to miss? That’s where I think the real differences are.

    For example, to get a really great shot of a dress during the prep period can easily take over 15 minutes in some locations. A nice shot might take just 5 minutes on the other hand. So, with 1 hour of time to catch the preparation, do you go for just a nice dress shot, which gives you 10 extra minutes documenting the interplay between a bride and her bridesmaids? Or do you get the perfect shot of the dress – something that someone may have labored over finding for weeks on end? Documentary decisions beg the same questions. Is it better to spend half an hour for the perfect expression? Or just to ask someone to pretend to do something, and get a good, but less personal moment?

    These are the types of choices that define each photographer and their collective set of pictures. With about 8 hours of coverage, the day is going to be packed with choice after choice about what to shoot and what not to. In fact, it never stops until coverage is over. It is intense, exciting, exhausting, and everything in between, which is part of the fun of wedding photography in my mind. This is also the subject matter that will probably appear most frequently on my blog, in some fashion or another. How do I make my choices? What do I choose to miss?

    I suppose like many a photographer, I always think the right choice for everyone out there is to hire me. When I hear that someone didn’t, I think to myself, “What? Why didn’t you choose me?!?” I’m dedicated. I don’t stop trying. Every shot matters to me, and, hey, I think I can take a pretty decent picture, if I do say so myself. But I know the truth – I’m not always the right choice. No one is, and if there is anything I hope to put out there, it’s to give everyone enough information about me, that they know what to expect and what I stand for. If I’ve done that, I’ve done my job.

    by Spencer Lum

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