180 Better Available Light Digital Photography
This photograph was taken after all the guests had departed, leaving the bride and groom alone. They danced
together for one last song, totally unaware of the waiters and waitresses clearing off the tables in the back-
ground. This background actually gives the photograph more interest than one of the couple alone. Barry
would never stage this scene. The light level was very low, and not knowing how long the couple would dance,
he didn’t dare go across the room for a tripod. At fi rst, Barry wished the staff weren’t working in the back-
ground, but then he realized how much they added to the shot. His exposure was^1 / 6 of a second at f/2.8, ISO
set to 1600. Experience told him that camera blur was going to be an issue, so he took approximately 50
images of this scene. From that original 50, only 2 shots were usable, and this one was just right. The couple
was sharp, with neither one facing away from the camera. The digital noise in the photograph was reduced
from the RAW fi le with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. A perfect ending to a joyful celebration. © 2007 Barry
Staver.