Matt says,
>I am a wedding photographer happily using film when everyone is telling me to go digital.
Hi there, and welcome. There are not many of us - wedding photographers - here on prodig list, but for several years now I have found PRODIG an invaluable aid to learning about digital imaging and a great community of generous, creative people.
>I just cannot see the benefits...
I went digital some four years ago now, shooting on Olympus E1 and E10s, price around �1200ish. You can pick up a second hand E10 on Ebay for about �350. I have a PC with a good graphics card, 40Gig Hard drive,1Gig of RAM, DVD/CD writer, Wacom tablet. You could get a PC like mine for around �1000, plus broadband �20/month for sending pics to lab online. I have an Epson 1290 printer for printing arty pics and office work. So moneywise it is not what I would call 'huge expense'. Some of the people on this list, doing different work from ours use different and very much more expensive equipment. The *real* expense has been time spent learning, but if I can be of help please get in touch, maybe off-list.
> I already have an analog system that works fine.
Yeah, so did I ... used to... and that is good. If it works for you why change? It is a bit like that TV ad running at the moment (in UK) where the idea is that 'What if' is better than 'OK' in encouraging creative thinking in product design. My old system worked fine, digital has given me something that - for me - is better, an opportunity to have fun during and after the wedding. Five years ago I was bored, boring and middle aged. Now I am not. Your life situation may be different.
>Secondly, the added workflow found in post production when having to correct up to 300 images.
Yup, there is that, only it is more like 700-900 pics after a wedding for me. Because the number of shots is no longer a financial consideration, we shoot a lot more candid, photo-journalistic images than when I was using film.
On the other hand, I sleep nights! I finish the wedding, download, and KNOW that the pics are there, exist, are OK. I look thro the job with my assistant (and a gin and tonic), back them up on CD and do not worry. In the olden days I had to wait for the films to be processed to know that I had actually rememberd to put the correct film in the correct camera back, that my exposures were ok, that the lab had not scratched/dropped/lost the film... whatever. (Shudder)
I DO NOT have to CORRECT the images, btw. I edit, of course, but do not colour correct or sharpen. As if by magic (auto white balance on the camera) bulk of the pics do not need anything done to them. They just go to the lab and print beautifully. The lab does not do anything to them either, apparently. However, for example I often choose to retouch and soften the close-up shots of the bride before sending to the lab. I also routinely 'move heads' in group shots. That is - choose the group shot with most people looking good, and if someone is better in the next shot move his head to replace the one where he might not look his best...5minutes, and everybody smiles.
I know people who also print their pictures successfully on the big Epsons, but I chose not to go that route, I just send online to the lab.
>exposure is so critical with digital, especially when you have a white wedding dress floating around
Yes, and the groom in his black suit next to her... True, but you have to remember to 'expose for the highlights' not like with film when we used to 'expose for the shadows and print for the highlights'. Mostly you would find a bit of shade to photograph her in anyway, whatever equipment you use.
> With film I just point and shoot in the knowledge that the film's latitude will cope with all situations, leaving me free to think about images.
That is exactly how I feel, except about digital <G>
Aaah, the old Hasselblad, with the lovely portrait lens and a big lenshood, and a few softars, maybe a vignyette too, on a Benbo tripod...and the lightmeter in my pocket, and a few backs and several rolls of film, black and white and colour....how I do NOT miss the weight of it all!
Digital does not suit everybody, you already have a system that works. Why do YOU think you might want to go digital?
Liisa
=============================================================== GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ ITEMS for SALE
