All language subtitles for Boda Completa

Hello, Patreons.
How are you?

Here we are at the first wedding
with coverage from beginning to end.

I am at Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo.

It's going to be a 3 days wedding.

Yesterday there was a welcome,
something simple...

We went to a mezcalería
and we took few photos

because today is going to be intense.

I think is going to be
more than 12 hours of hard work.

I covered some of it:
the party at the bus, the welcome, and that's it.

I went to bed at midnight

and today I woke up at dawn.

I came to capture some
photos of the beach,

of the islands at the background...

A general coverage of details

to also tell about the place.

The place is
another character at the weddings

and we tend to ignore it,
and only focus on people or the story.

I always like to dedicate
a few hours to the space:

On its magic
and the reason why they choose that place.

I look at the details, the textures,
at how the light hits in different places.

The ceremony for this wedding
will be at 5:00 pm.

As you can see,
the sun is very intense.

A part is going to have to sacrifice.

I'm not sure if I will burn the sky
or to stay more in shades.

I'm going to have to make a decision.

It's a wedding for two guys;
Diego y Manuel.

The ceremony is also going to be
very cool because...

...we usually have only one aisle,

but in this ceremony
there will be two aisles

and the Grooms will walk in
at the same time, separated by people.

So, it is like a little triangle.

I have been talking with the planner
to get more detail on how this will flow.

They are going to get married
by some good friends.

No religious ceremony.

The ceremony will last
around 20-25 minutes.

After the ceremony,
the guests will release turtles.

Release turtles to the sea...

I have never had that at a wedding,
it's going to be interesting.

I hope it looks as cool as it sounds

because many times, that "idea"
and our expectations are very high

when we think in that kind of event.

Like these birds over here...

I love those details.

The celebration will end at 5:00 am.

I normally don't stay that late,
to be honest.

On Mexican weddings,
I normally end at 2:00 am, at most.

The arranging start at 2:00 pm.

I think the guys
will get ready together

That detail will make it special,

in very few weddings
the couple get ready together.

When I got married, we did that.

We don't have photos
because I was starting on this,

and we didn't have money
to hire a photographer

but it was very funny.

I am hoping the preparations
are emotional.

Also, yesterday the grooms
got a henna tattoo in their backs

that says "I'm his" and "He's mine",
something like that.

I had the chance to
register that event in photo...

So...
because of the tattoo

they could not put their clothes on,

so, they had to wait
for the tattoo to dry

and then we took some photos.

We did a mini shoot
of 5-6 minutes, very fast.

We waited for the sun to go down.

Between the video guy and I
did something interesting.

I liked it, and...

I got maybe 2-3 images I can use.

I think that's enough.

What's up, raza?,
How are you all?.

Today is Sunday,
the wedding was yesterday...

A special event...

cool.

As you can see
it was a same sex wedding.

Diego y Manuel,
they were both amazing.

The arrangements were
very simple, in a room...

About the light,
you know, sometimes you can't control light.

We were there just for a while.

The friends in the pool,
it was cool.

Manuel throw a friend
into the pool and it was crazy.

He didn't let them to throw him,
he ran away.

He did it well.

Everything sounds amazing
about this wedding.

The location is a
condominium building.

I like it because it is
very minimalist.

There are some walls
and some arches.

It's the place I'm going
to use the most.

Family photo, grooms photo...
are going to be done there.

And in the post-wedding,
we will see if we can play

after the pool party.

On Sunday there will be a pool party.

In one of the shots
Diego was upstairs,

Manuel was downstairs,

I asked them to stretch their hands
and cover their eyes.

Ideas that I never have clear
why they are made;

they don't have a reason why...

I am not playing with analogies
neither with deep ideas...

It is just about having
a concept that is simple

and that it looks interesting.

When we don't try things
we always keep it safe.

I also do some safe photo,
I did some "look at the camera" photos.

Romantic / simple.

And then I went to my world.

In the session part...

we had plenty of time.

The sun was still a little up,
it was 3:00 pm, so...

we started playing with this structure
we had there, with incoming light...

I always looked to keep my frames clean.

I did some romantic photos.

I always do that kind of photos
to ensure everyone is happy.

The building is divided by a large arch.

In some of the shots

I tried to use this grand
geometric figure.

I put them over a table

to cut the air and the visual garbage
I normally find on the floor.

I always go for leaving air up.
I don't know why...

I am more into the sky
than into the floor.

When I first started,
a photographer that was important to me

that used to do weddings
and now he does more editorial photography

His name is Max Wagner.

Check out his work,
he's very cool, very simple.

He was one of the first
that I saw who worked the "little grooms".

The little people over the cake.

His uses pastel colours.

I like him and I still follow him
on social media,

but he is now in editorial photography.

He doesn't do weddings anymore,
only for close friends or so.

We had the chance to play
with some art.

We found some shells
they covered their faces with...

I hope this to be an amazing wedding,

and that we can create images
that reflect the process and the effort it takes.

To create images that
are iconic for you,

that have your name and your heart
it isn't easy...

That the frustration can paralyze
and freeze you,

and even can tell you:
"Enough!, I can't do this anymore...

I should drop the camera
and... bye!."

Or...
Force it to make better images

and you know that
this is a marathon.

You have to fight and struggle
to get to those worthwhile images.

I struggle with myself...

I struggle with believing
that what I am doing will be fine.

During the day, on weddings,
I am constantly fighting

against that little demon I have inside.

I struggle with handling and mediate
my energy during the day.

This wedding ends at 5:00 am,

and since yesterday,
that they told me this I am like:

"Well, no... I am gonna stay
at 1:00 or 2:00 am, that's it"

But you never know.
Maybe, in that moment

and the party is amazing
you are having fun and you stay...

and you feel the people's energy,
so you stay and keep doing your thing.

I tend to do creative harakiri
on myself.

In the video you will see
my face of frustration,

of desperation because of
those things that are not working for me.

Weddings are about that,
about constant work,

frustration,

52 of every 60 seconds
is about that...

it's not magic.

We go ahead. We think that what
we see on media, or in blogs

didn't take much work to do.

The process, the development,
the constant work

for achieving this final image

that's what we want us to learn.
From this and each video I share with you.

To have your images
is a process and a struggle.

It doesn't happen naturally.
It doesn't flow.

It's not about being touched by the
inspirational muse and then: there it is!.

It takes a lot of work,
and we have to work with purpose.

To know you have to have
these images.

For me, if we divide the wedding on:

Arrangements, portraits, ceremony,

the dance, speeches, party...

I try to make one iconic
or representative photo, for me,

of each one of those sections
of a wedding

If I have one, with which
I am very proud of...

I nailed it!

But, this is important:
When I am taking the pictures

I do not realize if I have it
or if I don't.

So I have to keep working
and forcing myself...

That selection work
is done after the wedding.

The selection, or the edition
while the wedding is happening....

that doesn't work for me.
It is a huge distraction.

I have to be doing my thing.

And I am worried:
"How can I make this photo better?"

I move a lot.
I try to look for the angles that I need.

And I don't know when I have it.

So, it's a constant struggle
to keep working the same image.

So, let's do this, guys.

I start in two hours.

We'll see how this goes.

This little camera
goes to the camera.

Let's do this.
¡Venga!.

Tip 01: Never devalue the group photos.
Always a good attitude.

For this weeding,
I chose to bring only one camera,

to walk lighter.

I brought the lens 24mm,
which I normally don't work with,

but last year, some
second camera friends came with me

and they used it a lot
and I liked it.

I have it now. My wife Sisy
steals it from me to make her videos.

But I will use it for this wedding,
for the party, most of all.

Maybe for the ceremony....
because it will be opened, as in this space,

I think we can show off more
if we use the lens 24mm.

35mm, which is the one
I always bring with me...

and I will also use the 58mm.

I have those 3 lens with me.

So, I changed the 28mm,
(which I normally use)

for a 24mm.

I want to see if there is
this big difference.

The 24mm I have is Sigma,
from the Art series, 1.4.

I will normally be using it at
5.6, 8, flash on camera and... to brust!

That the spotlights are swept
with slow speeds.

Simple things that
can be very useful for us

and can make a place
or a party to look on fire.

The day after the wedding
there were no clouds, like right now.

The day of the wedding
we had clouds, which was very helpful.

I think the color and tone of the day
was special, it was magical...

We didn't have anything shocking
like lights inputs,

it was just a even light.

It gave you the possibilities
to shoot from many angles.

The entrance of the ceremony was
something unique, I've never seen that before.

We usually have a hallway
and everyone goes through there...

But this time,
the ceremony had a "pizza" shape.

There were 2 hallways.

The grooms entered divided.
One in each.

It was a little complicated
because I thought:

Should I do the close up
with one of with the other one...

And I chose, and committed myself
to stay at the center,

and try to frame them between
the masters of ceremony

(who are good friends of them)

and capture that:
to have the masters of ceremony in the middle

and reach to see the two hallways.

Let's see if this shoot worked...

The ceremony had a metal structure,
there were 4 bars.

That imposes a lot sometimes
because...

I try that the heads of the couple
(or my protagonists) are free.

And when you have 4 structures
and you move here...

You normally have one to rid
and here there were 4 of them.

So, in one of them
I had to compromise my composition

to have the emotion.

Sometimes we have to do that...

aesthetics, art and composition
go to second place to have direct emotions.

Right in the ceremony, the grooms
were very far away from each other...

I think that...
That was an error.

Usually, the couple
can't be away from each other,

you want to be as close
as possible to that person.

And... there were like,
two meters between them.

So, I used it as
a composition element

but, I did struggled with it

because I couldn't have a shoot
with the guests and the grooms,

I had to go to a face or another...

... or, at that time it did not
occur to me how to solve this issue.

At the moment of the kiss
and the delivery of rings

I had a chance.

Before the ceremony
I agreed with the couple who married them

for, once they said:
"You now can kiss"

they move and I could
be at their places

so I was centered...

... and I could capture the kiss
and the guests in the background.

The ceremony was emotional.

I thought there was going to be
a little more tears and expressions,

but there were very good speeches
from the brothers, the parents.

I spent most of the time crouched down,
very close to them.

Trying with the 35mm,
trying with the 58 mm

to capture action and reaction.

I use first frames out of focus
so that the eye goes where the best is happening.

So yes, to fill your frame with faces,
even if they are out of focus,

it sets you the direction of where to see.

At the end of the ceremony, there was
something I've never lived in a wedding before...

Little turtles releasing.

All the guests were in a row,

they had the little turtles,
then they released the turtles.

I think there was something
different and exciting there...

I liked it.

We had to be very careful.

Where you moved
you could step on a little turtle.

A lady shouted at me...

And I told her:
"Relax, everything is fine."

At the end of the night
this lady came to me and told me:

"I did not want to yell at you,
I was a little excited."

"I'm sorry."

I like that about weddings.
That you commit with and meet the guests.

Because you can go a little deeper,
they tell you stories, like...

... what happened with the mom,
the best friends...

...if there is something that
is not going so well in the family...

You can always go a little deeper.

I try to be opened. I say hello to all,
I give a hug to those who let me...

And little by little
they give you that... that opening.

At weddings
we all have emotions on the surface...

... specially them, the protagonists.

This is why it is worth asking
these direct questions.

Normally people open.

The first day that I arrived,
I had the fortune to be with their parents.

One of them is called like me.

We started talking about travel,
about adventures...

... about where their children have lived in.

It was a simple way to break the ice.

And every time I saw them
I hugged them and they felt my energy.

I chose not to ask to the couple
or the parents

(I've seen video or camera people do)

"And how do you feel?"
I don't like to cause that.

I don't like to put them
in the eye of the hurricane.

I think it is obvious, right?

It is more about
they feeling your energy.

And remind them:
"It's an honor for me to be here."

"Thank you for choosing me."

And I think that takes you further
and you leave a better impression

than being like
Judge Judy Tv show or so...

It is a weeding!
Emotions are obviously there.

So, why take them to that path?...

Within my rules is like...
to cheat a little bit.

The party was very cool.

When the grooms entered
the people went so excited.

Everyone shouted.

The DJ went crazy,
we had the deal with him

to throw white light to us.

Otherwise it would look
like children's party.

Lights everywhere.

When that happens
I normally commit with the strongest light.

Many of the pictures
are overexposed because of that.

But when you get that shot
good things come up.

I won't be adjusting my exposure
and chasing the light...

I try to identify the most intense light,

and the most soft light

and I normally go with the intense light,
to have hard contrasts on the pictures.

For the lighting of this wedding...

I send a link to all my couples
about the importance of light,

and I also talked to the planner
to see which kind of light they

will use during the dance...

I also asked him to put some lights
over the groom's table.

That their table is a little more
illuminated that the rest of the things.

A time ago, in a friend's event
(Rafa Ibañez)

a theater illuminator
gave us an speech and I loved it.

And I think we have to educate

the wedding planners
to help us with the lighting.

I don't like to be "flashing"
all of the time...

I just do it in extreme cases
when I definitely need to.

But I do ask them to give me
these spotlights or an ambient light

so that I do not blind the guests.

During the dinner
I walk... I look to find details,

hands, reactions...

To tell how the place looks
but with people in it.

It is this invisible eye
that is worth to capture it...

Many times (as a photographer)
this is the time for a break

but I like to dedicate
15 / 30 minutes,

identify the people, take pictures
from far away... (paparazzi mode)

and to have those photos
that can tell you how it felt to be there...

and not just how we looked.

When the dance...
we already knew about those sparks.

That always drives me crazy.

It became a light cage.

So, you take the risk to be out
and not having anything

or you go inside and solve it.
Always be aware of your exposure.

I stayed inside.

The DJ didn't go crazy
and throw the white light to us.

When people passed by,
it became a beautiful silhouette.

I had to try to block the light beam
using the grooms.

I committed myself to that exposure.

When the sparks ended,
there were these two shadows of them

with the smoke of the sparklers.
It was magical.

I am always worried about:
"Will the photo be focused or not?"

So, I shoot a lot in those sequences.

During the party
I chose to use the 24mm...

...the whole night.

Very close to people.
Little by little, earn they trust.

The first half hour of the party
people do not understand me

because I say to them:
"Do not look at me!...

... you just keep dancing."

Many people get offended.

But they have to feel your energy.
I say it smiling.

And some people are like:
WTF with this guy?...

And when I do the second round,
I see they see me but they ignore me.

So, we start playing
and achieving beautiful photos.

The party was amazing.

I divided it. Almost half of the party
was with flash on camera...

...and the other half was ambient light.

ISO 3200
ISO 1600

I ended this wedding at...
1:00 am / 1:30 am.

We went with the planners,
we had a couple of beers,

we talked about what went well
and what went wrong..

Constant feedback.

I hope we have had
fucking great pictures.

I'm always with the question of
whether I did well or not...

This time I felt the pressure more
because it is for you, Patreons.

So, let's see...
Let's see how it ends.

In Mexican weddings
what worries me is... people's mood.

Because these are three days
of a lot of drinking,

and many times
the post-wedding is cancelled

because they are very drunk
and the photos are not that good...

So, we hope these guys
can be measured.

I hope they still are semi-whole.

Just a little drunk
so that they have a good time...

and that they
feel good with themselves.

But, well...
I hope them to give me that moment.

On more than one occasion
it has happened to me...

...that the post-weddings
are cancelled

because the couple wether
are drunk, or with a hangover,

or they just simply don't want to
because they are very tired...

And I get it,
I totally get it.

There were many group photos,
many family photos.

I tried -between the photos-
to capture expressions,

to capture hugs, smiles...

Because I only had
one camera, I felt free...

sometimes it is kind of tired
to have two cameras

and also, you can drive
yourself crazy.

I'm liking it...
to work with just one body, to be honest.

You limit yourself
because...

You choose a lens
and you commit to work at that distance.

Your subconscious is
always telling you: "Change it!...

...you need the large lens!"
Or, "you need the wide-angle" ...

But to say:
"This is the one I have... here I go!."

I really liked that.