Stellar Year Wedding Photography

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Monthly Archives: January 2012

JEANNE + ALEX: CENTRAL PARK ENGAGEMENT

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

What an odd day we had for Jeanne and Alex. It was October 29, and yet mother nature had dumped almost a foot of snow on the ground! Jeanne and Alex had chosen the date in the hopes of having colorful fall foliage, and we had an eclectic mix of snow, ice, and great leaves.

We started the day at the Bow Bridge bright and early. Antonis almost didn’t make it thanks to some ice on the highway that almost sent his car into the woods. Disaster averted for the first time, we met with Jeanne and Alex at the base of the bridge. There was a coating of ice that sent several passerby down to their rear ends despite our warnings. Even dogs, despite their four-legged advantage, couldn’t stand up!

Without further ado, on to the pictures. Ladies and gents, meet Jeanne and Alex!

The Bow Bridge looked gorgeous in the low morning light. The foliage added a fantastic background.

The mix of backgrounds, snow and leaves, provided great color and lighting opportunities. As in all our engagement shoots, these images were shot with the aid of a small flash umbrella to make sure we got balanced, flattering light. While shooting the image on the right, Pak lost his footing despite having seen 15 people fall before him. He landed in perfect push-up position and barely prevented his camera from hitting the ground. Disaster averted for the second time!

The architectural detailing on the bridge parapet is phenomenal. We used a couple of vantage points to highlight this.

The next stop was Bethesda fountain and the arches nearby. The light was coming from the southwest, which highlighted the stone masonry and allowed perfectly lit portraits at the edge of the water.

The arches provided great context for a variety of shots both outside the tunnel and within its confines.

Under the arches, staying away from the cold, was a great singer. He was doing classics from every decade and threw in both Halloween and Christmas songs in celebration of the freak snowstorm. He was more than willing to play along with our photography. Jeanne and Alex got some dancing done in anticipation of their wedding day!

The detail on the ceiling and walls of the arch tunnel is brilliant and colorful.

Antonis then climbed the stairs up to the balcony that overlooks the fountain. At the very top, he turned and slipped on a protective metal grating. He went down onto his rear and the camera he was carrying (which happened to be Pak’s) slammed into the stone parapet. Thankfully, everything was in working order. Disaster averted for the third time! This shot, taken from the balcony, is a meant to simulate a “tilt-shift” image (usually done with specialized lenses). We love the miniature effect it yields!

Meanwhile, Pak was down below capturing secondary images. It was just too cold to ask Jeanne and Alex to stay jacket-free, so we let them bundle up for the last few images.

Our last stop was the mall with its gorgeous treetop canopy. The color photo on the left shows some of the tree damage caused by the massive snowfall and freezing the night before. The black and white image on the right accentuates the varied lighting we had to contend with and showcases the canopy’s brightness.

While Pak was shooting the images above, Antonis was next to Jeanne and Alex holding the umbrella. Between shots, he captured this close-up image of the couple.

This is a shot of Antonis capturing an image Jeanne and Alex requested. It stems from an inside joke amongst their friends that Alex is Jeanne’s bodyguard. The paparazzi won’t be able to touch them!

Here’s the shot Antonis ended up with.

The image on the left shows the personality Jeanne and Alex share that makes them so good together. They’re so happy, so in love, and comfortable enough in front of the camera to really be themselves. The image on the right demonstrates our lighting technique. Alex thought he could do a better job lighting himself, so we let him have his chance.

That covers our amazing (and cold) day with Jeanne and Alex. The images can’t do their love and happiness justice. Their inside jokes, common interests, and positive outlook are just some of the things that make them an awesome couple. To see more of their shoot, check out this slideshow.

Jeanne and Alex, we cannot wait to spend your big day with you in June. Congratulations again on your engagement, and we’re looking forward to your wedding day on Long Island!!

- Antonis and Pak

Posted in Engagements

Behind the Scenes: Portable Studio Lighting

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Clients often ask, “What does Stellar Year offer that other wedding photographers don’t?” After all, with the advent of digital imaging, it seems wedding photographers are a dime-a-dozen and, especially among the more experienced professionals, there is strong motivation to outdo the newcomers and the competition.

At Stellar Year, we pride ourselves on our use of supplemental lighting during formal portrait sessions. Our packages list this as “Portable Studio Lighting” to better convey just what it means. Essentially, we bring professional lighting equipment with us on site and can set up a quasi-studio to ensure great shots and any number of varied lighting methods. We can create dramatic light, even light, flattering light, or accent light equally as easily. Natural light (whether outdoors in the sun, or indoors near a window) can be gorgeous, flattering, and versatile but supplemental light can give images a different look entirely and provide a diversity to the portfolio we present our client in our final work.

The level of lighting we decide to use depends, of course, on variables such as the subject matter, the pose used, the time available, space limitations,and any other factors that influence an image’s composition . Our lighting scheme may vary from using several strobes mounted in softboxes and umbrellas to organizing a small army of flashes in various locations. All of our strobes and flashes are triggered using Pocketwizards (FlexTT5′s and Plus II’s) for the Canon flash system.

For instance, at Jen and Luigi’s wedding, our studio was set up at The Mezzanine for the portrait session. The original plan had called for formal portraits in the park, but rain canceled our plans and we had to create an ideal setting in less than ideal conditions (a large, dark room with a high ceiling and reflective floors). Our lighting scheme used two strobes. One strobe, fired into a large softbox, was used as the main light and was set to camera left. Another strobe, firing into a large umbrella, was used as the fill light. The umbrella, a Photek Softlighter, had its diffusion panel mounted to soften the light. Lastly, a single Canon 550EX flash, mounted on a tripod, was used as the background fill light.

We used this elaborate set-up at this event because of the room’s size. A smaller room would have allowed a simple scheme, but we always ensure we have enough equipment with us to cater to any situation. With this set-up, we were able to take advantage of the marble floor’s reflective nature. We allowed for a beautifully subtle reflection of the subject in the marble to add depth to the image. The resulting soft, dramatic light perfectly accents Jen’s beauty and creates a versatile system for a single person or groups of people.

During Jen and Luigi’s engagement session, Pak’s vision for a dramatic night-time image was realized on the Brooklyn Bridge. We used a single flash behind Jen and Luigi to produce an extremely powerful composition. This was done with two Canon flashes triggered from a Pocketwizard on the camera. One flash was used to light the umbrella, and the other provided the backlight for the silhouette.

In Eunice and Henry’s wedding, we did a portrait session in the church after the ceremony, and at the outdoor gardens before the reception. Both sessions were done with three Canon 430EX II flash units mounted inside a single softbox. This set-up is incredibly versatile because of the range of power settings available and the large, soft light source provides even, flattering light. In the first set of images, the softbox was at camera left, aimed slightly downward at the subject. In the outdoor image, the softbox was at camera left but positioned much further away and set at full power to ensure even lighting across the scene.

In Jeanne and Alex’s engagement session in Central Park, we carried a small umbrella with a single Canon 580EX II flash mounted inside it. This created soft light when positioned close to the couple, and dramatic directional light when held further away. The versatility allowed us to work quickly and create a varied portfolio for Jeanne and Alex. In the first set of images, taken on the famous Bow Bridge, we used the umbrella to provide fill light in the harsh sun. In the first image, Antonis was standing behind and to the right of the couple, holding the umbrella on a long monopod above the couple’s heads and aimed downward towards camera left to light the dark shadows. In the right-hand image, the umbrella was positioned just to the right of the camera, facing towards the sun, to again counter harsh shadows. In the second set of images, taken along the long walkway in the Central Park Mall, the umbrella was held much closer to the subject to provide dramatic directional light intended to replicate the beams of sunlight coming through the branches.

We hope that little glimpse into what we offer is enlightening (you knew there had to be a pun in this post somewhere…). We offer the capability to create and execute varied, professional-quality lighting schemes for our clients that give us a step up on the competition.

- Antonis and Pak

Posted in Behind the Scenes

YOLI + BECKER: BRUNO’S ON THE BOULEVARD (NEW YORK) WEDDING

Thursday, January 5, 2012

It’s always a blast to shoot weddings from different cultures. The customs, languages, interactions, and party styles are awesome to witness and be a part of. Yoli and Becker’s wedding was no different. The family is incredibly tight-knit, and the two sides interacted so seamlessly that we were often wondering whether a given person was from the bride’s side or the groom’s. That’s a strong sign that the marriage will be a long and happy one, and Yoli and Becker’s relationship doesn’t leave a shadow of a doubt. Yoli and Becker, you’re both amazing and we wish you the very best in your life together. Thank you so much for braving the bitter cold and working with the unexpected snowfall! Uno, dos, tres and ¡felicitaciones!

Now to the images from their great, great day…

The transformation!

Yoli’s dress had incredibly intricate detailing on the back that was painstakingly done by her bridesmaids.

We love, love, love when couples opt to do a first-look before the ceremony. The raw emotions and resulting images are just awesome.

The original plan called for this shot to be done closer to the castle. The snow played an evil trick on us and came down in droves the night before. Everyone was more than happy to play along. Yoli was freezing but didn’t complain. (Not nearly as much as the bridesmaids and groomsmen did…ahem.)

Married! Becker will say that Yoli couldn’t wait to kiss him and came in for a huge kiss as soon as the officiant announced them man and wife! I have a feeling Becker was excited, too!

Pak counts, “One, two, three” before every picture. We’re not sure if he realizes he’s doing it. But he switched to Spanish for one shot, and the image on the right is the reaction he got.