OFF CAMERA FLASH.
Three daunting words to amateur photographers. I knew this was the next thing on my photography agenda, and what better way to learn it than hands on during a workshop. And what’s more, a summer wedding photography workshop at the stunning Norwood Hall with James Davies.
Arriving early, I wandered in through the beautiful front entrance and took advantage of the pastries and coffee awaiting us. James soon gathered us up and we got comfortable for the inevitable introductions. Happily it turned out to be a great bunch of people for the day, and once we had shared our experiences and hopes for the day we were keen to get going.
We had the pleasure of a beautiful model bride (Cara) and handsome model groom (Oliver) for the day, who were doing their best to look familiar despite having never met before. The supplier dream team was the stunning venue Norwood Park, beautiful dress from Holmes & Co, make-up by Georgia Eve, hair by Kimberley Rose, and flowers by Kay.
The sun was streaming in through the windows so we headed upstairs to the bridal preparation room to take advantage of all the beautiful natural light to start with. Good natured squabbling ensued as we waited our turn to have a moment with the bride, while James gave us constructive criticism and direction where required until we were happy. The same set-up with the Groom followed, but this time going for a more moody look, with the use of reflectors to counteract the harsher light from one side.
And then it was lunchtime! We took advantage of the hospitality and then regrouped to see what was in store next. It was time for the off camera flash. Strobes. The big boys, no speedlights in sight. It seems counter-intuitive to use heavy duty flash on a summers day with bright sunshine but James showed us how it was done. Taking it in turns we photographed Oliver in the grounds using a softbox held overhead by James’s assistant.
Moving to the lawn area we took it in turns to create our own ‘veil shot’ with Cara and Oliver in front of the hall. This involved a lot of waiting around for a breeze, reminding the others to turn their radio triggers off, and then being super quick with the continuous shoot! We all managed to get what we wanted and soon enough we headed indoors for a debrief.
It was a bit of an eye-opener and I’m not sure this type of flash photography is something I’ll pick up quickly. It involves heavy duty, very expensive equipment and an assistant, and if not done ‘quite’ right, it can leave the subject looking a little superimposed. There’s definitely a lot more to learn here. However, it was a great chance to network with fellow photographers, I’ve come away with some great contacts and had a ball in the process!