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Picking up from yesterday's post about my brother-in-law Shogo getting married, after the “chapel wedding” and outside photo ops, we moved inside for a short hors d'oeuvre reception before the main banquet reception.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/250 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shogo Makes a Short Speech
while Namiko simply radiates
( By the way, a different — and amazing — version of this photo appears here )

Soon the couple was whisked away for some backstage preparations or other, and the guests were left to fend for themselves with an open bar and a wide variety of apparently-delicious hors d'oeuvres that I didn't get around to enjoying myself because I preferred to enjoy the camera.

However, the room made it really challenging, with direct sunlight streaming in on one side, over to dark and cozy shadows at the other. If I had the least bit of confidence with a flash I probably would have made it much easier on myself, but I'm very much an ambient light kind of guy, so I had to make do the best I could...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Room
bright sunlight at left, father of the bride at center, subdued lighting at right

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/320 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony and His Mom and Her Mom
nephew, sister, and mother of the groom
( son, wife, and mother-in-law of me )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Orange Juice in an Adult Glass
( it was fresh squeezed, and very good )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/200 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Curious George Drank Nothing
he's a stuffed monkey, silly
( though he does have a passport )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Father of the Groom Enjoyed a Well-Earned Beer

I'm really happy with the photo above, because it's more than just blind luck. I purposefully put the sunlight at his back, and dropped down to create an imposing angle, knowing (or at least hoping) that his great smile would turn the “imposing angle” into something warm and inviting and fun, something that accurately reflected the mood. It's not the best photo in the world, but I think the result is good.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Some of the Hors d'Oeuvres
veggies presented as a fun and healthy snack

Only some light snacks are shown above, but the volume and variety of hors d'oeuvres were such that I wondered whether that was the main meal, so had to ask. Anthony had enough beef to hold him to dinner, even though a full okosama plate (“Most-Honorable-Child's Meal”) awaited him at the banquet reception.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/160 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Investigating the Offerings

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Blank Slate
prior to the guests being invited to decorate it

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony Adds Some Fruit Slices

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Writing a Note With Chocolate Frosting

Anthony has had some practice writing with frosting, having been able to play with the leftovers from these cookies that Fumie prepared when he turned seven, almost a year ago.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 66 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony's Note
“congratulations”

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
More Friends, More Notes

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Group Effort

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 62 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Creating a Work of Art

The guy in the photo above spent quite a while drawing a picture, but for the life of me I can't find the photo of it that I thought I took, so this is a big fail on my part. 🙁

And speaking of fails, the focus in this next shot is horribly off...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shogo College Buddy
horribly out of focus in the darkest part of the room

I ventured into the darker reaches of the room, and even at f/1.4 and ISO 6,400, I was still pushing my luck. I've written many times about the Nikon D700's low-light prowess (such as in “Impossible Photography: No Light, No Tripod, No Hope. D700 and a 50mm f/1.2”), but you still need enough light to focus well, and enough skill to put it all together, and I was missing both.

I was borrowing the new Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 from Stéphane Barbery, along with his camera (so that I had two Nikon D700 bodies, and could have two lenses at the ready at all times), so maybe I would have had better focus luck by using its autofocus. But I prefer to focus manually, and sometimes pay the price for my arrogance.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Family Meeting
parents of the couple chat, while Anthony downs another OJ

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 4000 — map & image data — nearby photos
No-Nonsense. Serious.
Father of the Groom

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Okay, Maybe Not So Serious
sharing a fun moment with his niece (the oldest daughter of his sister, who is just out of frame)

After this was the full-on banquet reception.

Continued here...