3 Yankee Photgraphers

an entry by Associate Rachel Fus

Have you ever heard that phrase "a square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square"? Well, when Don approached me a few weeks back about doing a different sort of project a similar thought went through my mind: 

An album is a book, but a book is not an album.

Don FTP'd me the takes of three different photographers (himself included) from a trip they took together to Charleston and Hilton Head. His guidelines were simple: a softcover, coffee table book, 5.5 x 5.5in, illustrating the different perspectives the photogs had on the same scenes. 

Through an extensive filing system using keywords in Bridge, I edited down the 900+ images to less than 50. There's a lot left to do (TEXT!) but here's the first draft.

An album for your mother

an entry by Staff Photographer (and general assistant) Rachel Fus

I was just thinking I needed to refresh my graphics skills when Don asked if I could do an album for him. I was admittedly rusty to begin with but coupled with new layout software (on a PC, no less!) and a bride who prioritized 300 images as "must have, "and this job started to take a little longer than expected.

Mpix, the program from Miller's Professional Imaging, was easily downloaded (once I acquired all the correct account information) and turned out to be very user friendly. But then came the images. As I started laying out each page I realized our bride had chosen several images of the same pose instead of choosing her favorite expression of the series.

Dear Future Bride laying out her album, I DON'T KNOW YOU! I DON'T KNOW WHICH EXPRESSION YOU LIKE THE MOST! WHAT "SIDE" IS YOUR BEST!

...I did my best.

As I got deeper into the project, I realized there were key items missing. I do a series of spreads by significant event: getting ready, walking down the aisle, exchanging rings., etc. Those were all there, but the first dance wasn't and neither was cutting the cake, which leads me to my second point:

Dear Future Bride Laying Out Her Album, An album should be more than just a conglomeration of pictures. An album must tell a story without the benefit of words; the sequence of events, the emotions must be conveyed through images alone.

So here's the product thus far. It's been edited by Don and now it's off to the bride herself. Check back to see if she makes any changes!

Jaime's Bat Mitzvah

Yakov's straight on approach ^
 my more modern perspective^

...or "An exercise in two shooters"

an entry by Staff Photographer Rachel Fus

When Don sends out Yakov and I on shoots together he always gives the same instructions:

1) synchronize your time clocks

2) put your shutters on single servo

3) DON'T SHOOT THE SAME THING

The first two make perfect sense: time sync is important for combining the frames from both cameras into one fluid shoot. The single servo is because we both shoot like fiends and he doesn't like it when we come home when 2000 images when 1000 would do. 

His last request is always rather puzzling at first glance, though.  When a bride is throwing a bouquet, or in this case, a 13 year old is lighting her candles, when all eyes are on a single event, shouldn't we be paying attention too? 

The answer is yes, but he doesn't pay the both of us so that we can come home with the same 400 photos. So when Yakov is taking the straight on, getting the "money" shot, I go crazy. I'm the lucky one who gets to be creative. I take the side angle or find the balcony. Slow down the shutter for blur, letting the ambient light in. Get low, get high, get wide, get tight...then turn the camera in the opposite direction and start all over again.

But our job splits in other ways as well. I didn't realise until I was integrating the job today that while I was concentrating on the kids in the ballroom, Yakov was capturing a whole other party with the adults at the bar. Later, when we were taking family portraits, Yakov arranged the bigger picture (making sure all heads were visable) while it was my duty to catch the details (the clasp of mom's necklace, Jaime's stray lock of hair, the aunt still clutching a napkin). 

Together, Yakov and I produced, what I think, is some of our best work to date. It's about trust, anticipation, and teamwork. "It's all about the experience"...? I think Don just made a new believer out of me.

A Real Show Stopper

We (two company photographers and myself) set up our booth near the runway with our two Event Realities (Wedding Professional Group) associates. We laid out albums, put poster-sized framed enlargements on easels, and had a video playing our latest and greatest images. It was the zip screen (on the right), however, that was the "show stopper." Patrons stopped to watch the images scroll and other exhibitors came by to ask where we got it.

Still, the flow of brides was slower than years past. Was it the Super Bowl that evening that had turned brides off (unlikely)? Was the recession making an impact (most likely)? The reduced pace meant we could really talk to the brides and show them our work. We booked THREE weddings that day alone! Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth!