Sunset Portrait

I had contacted Debbie & Andy asking them if they had wanted to do a "free" sunset portrait session. The reason being, I really wanted to do something more for them since the weather and location wasn't able to do them justice during their recently past event (if that makes any sense) you could say I felt bad and it was eating away at me. Honestly I love doing the strobist thing every chance I get, so it's down to a secluded spot in Kona for another sunset shoot!

Strobist info noted. Lenses used: Nikon AFS 24-70 f2.8, & AFS 50mm f1.4, processed with Nikon Capture NX2 & Photoshop CS3

ISO 200, f13, 1/160 sec, SB600 camera right  @ 1/2 power

ISO 200, f13, 1/125 sec, bare SB600 camera right (between subject and background)

ISO 200, f13, 1/125 sec, bare SB600 camera left @ full power

You know, I dont know why my photos that I post start to look blurry when viewed, must be the way that I'm uploading or resizing the images, perhaps I should be uploading tiff files instead of jpg? Either way the original files dont look like that, and it seems to be a common problem with blogger, perhaps I picked the wrong blog to display my images, I'm too poor to get the fancy version of wordpress, I gottah figure this one out.

Debbie & Andy

We had booked a small family affair at the "Keahou Hideaway" this was the first time I had been to this location, and proved to be the most difficult weddings I've had to shoot. We started off at 4:00pm with a wedding ceremony at 5:00, followed by the sunset which was scheduled to set at about 5:30. Combined with all sorts of mixed lighting, half-lit interiors and exteriors, busy backgrounds and a lack of time, I was a little worried how things would turn out. I think the most difficult thing I had to deal with was the confined space of the wedding ceremony itself. It was hard trying to frame shots with such busy backgrounds. Following the ceremony the bride and groom elected to do the group shots, I had set up my strobes for some sunset family shots only to find a huge kukui nut tree blocking the entire sunset (and a slightly overcast sunset it was) There were a lot of complications, that I found difficult but more so dissapointing. As a photographer you always wish for good lighting... I've learned to deal with bad lighting situations, and expect bad lighting rather then good and have learned to over come this. But this was the first time I had to deal with backgrounds I felt were less than ideal, and my DSLR didn't have the "terrible background compensation button" to bail me out. I know that the Bride and Groom were okay with it, but it was bugging me and it still is. We ended up staying an hour longer then contracted, and I had also offered to do a free sunset portrait of the bride and groom at a later date. Through no fault of mine, I just felt bad things were less than idea (in my honest opinion) Would it have been better if I had known before hand what this location had in store for me? Probably not, what could I have done if I had known... give them the cold shoulder? Even though it seems like I was worried (which I was) I think things turned out pretty good, and I think they'll be happy!

 
Strobist: I used a SB600 shooting through a umbrella camera left, and/or a bare sb600 camera right bouncing off of a high reflector for some of the group shots. which I havent posted which makes it pointless for me to even be talking about it. Lenses used, Nikon 24-70 f2.8, Nikon 50mm f1.4. Processed with Capture NX2 & Photoshop CS3

shoot through umbrella camera left ISO 200, f5.6, 1/40 sec

on camera flash diffused with small softbox

Ahi & Scott!

My wife's good family friend, who was also my classmate had called us up and asked to for some engagement/portrait work. I told them I'd do it but had not set a date or time, at the end of this very busy day, I was somehow able to squeeze them in for some sunset photographs during the late afternoon. I had fun taking these shots, got carried away, and remembered we needed to leave our location before we get locked in... made it out just in time.  I love the orange color cast from the setting sun.

shooting info: first shot, bare strobe camera right, ISO 200, 1/160, f18. second shot, SB600 camera left shoot through umbrella, SB600 camera right behind subjects ISO 200, 1/50, f2.8, the third shot I used strobes and shoot through umbrellas, but decided this looked good as a silouette. Last shot, single strobe camera left shot through a small soft box ISO 200, 1/60, f5.3. Lenses used: AFS 24-70 f2.8, AFS 70-300 f4.5-5.6, AFS 50mm f1.4. Processed with Nikon Capter NX2, & Photoshop CS3

Bare SB600 strobe camera right, ISO 200, 1/160, f18

SB600 camera left shoot through umbrella, bare strobe camera right ISO 200, 1/50, f2.8

SB600 camera left, softbox, sunset providing orange rim light, ISO 200, 1/60, f5.3