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presents
Denis Reggie
PhotoChat: Denis Reggie
May 15, 2001
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Skip:
Can the photos be edited or changed after they are shot and developed?
Denis Reggie:
Absolutely. Cropping, which means selecting a favorite part of the image and excluding the rest, or even changing an image from color to black and white, is quite possible, and in fact, often done today. With the onslaught of digital imagery, the sky is the limit.
Mystic:
Denis, what in your eyes is the essence in combinations that make a perfect picture?
Denis Reggie:
Perfect is a tough word. But certainly, expression, I believe, is most important. Even if a photograph is slightly out of focus, has motion blur, camera may be tilted, the bride's slip may be showing slightly, hair may be somewhat askew, these are all fine in my eye, if the moment is magical. I often view a photograph and first ascertain whether the subjects of the image were actively aware of the photography process, and I find that my personal favorites are ones captured without the subject, say the bride and groom, even aware of the camera. People generally look best when they are being themselves, and not primping for the camera.
QamuSHa:
Denis, in an instant a photograph is taken, you know that, that moment has passed and will never happen again and you have just captured something and frozen time. How do you know when to take that shot and to know its going to be perfect?
Denis Reggie:
I believe that timing is one of the great assets to being a world-class photographer. I think that right brain skills, like intuition, and anticipation, even sensitivity to a scene or moment, allow the photographer to be in sync with the event. To almost know what's going to happen, a microsecond before it occurs. I find that there is almost a rhythm of quiet observation, a skill I personally learned back in my days as a football photographer, on the sidelines, watching the quarterback, anticipating whether it was going to be a pass or run, those skills serve me well today, as I attempt to anticipate moments at a wedding. The photo I took at the wedding of J.F.K. Jr. in 1996, exiting the small chapel with his stunning bride, is a great example of this anticipation. I had only time for one photograph, and I watched them through my viewfinder, as the scene unfolded. As I pressed the shutter, I sensed that his princely gesture, and her expression, not expecting his actions, was so telling of the magic moment at that chapel. I was confident that a very special image was on my roll of film. And I saved that roll in my pocket, to isolate it from the dozens of others. Not until the following day, when I processed only a handful of rolls, was I able to confirm my suspicion that the now famous photograph of the two of them had been captured. I was honored to have been hired by them and thrilled that I was able to share that special moment with the world.
SydneyGal:
How much do lighting factors change when alternating from indoor and outdoor shoots?
Denis Reggie:
A lot. I actually change my approach when going from outside to inside, and even the film that I choose. I like the softer contrast of Portra NC film when I am using a flash on my camera, but once I go outside, I want more punch, so I choose Portra VC, for my available light work. And, photographs made from these two different films still look great side by side in an album, because they were created in the same family of film. I would guess that most weddings in the U.S. are photographed with Portra films -- for good reasons. Another thought for outdoor photography often done without a flash, unless lighting dictates, is that I often choose longer lenses, particularly with 35mm cameras. My coverages today mix the use of medium format cameras and 35mm.
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