{"id":1633,"date":"2010-10-07T15:33:58","date_gmt":"2010-10-07T06:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2010-10-07\/1633"},"modified":"2010-10-09T14:32:45","modified_gmt":"2010-10-09T05:32:45","slug":"shogo-and-namikos-wedding-reception-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2010-10-07\/1633","title":{"rendered":"Shogo and Namiko’s Wedding: Reception, Part II (Cutting of the Cake)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\nNOTE<\/b>: Images with an icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 1600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n17 Cameras<\/span>\n18, if you count one sitting, inexplicably unused, on a table<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

At the end of “Shogo and Namiko's Wedding: Reception, Part 1<\/a>”, about\nmy brother-in-law's\nwedding<\/a> last weekend, guests were swarming the couple to pour them\ndrinks, and this soon turned into a seemingly<\/span>-unending turn of photo ops.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNamiko and Friend<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 75 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 2800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nParallel Photo Ops<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 120 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLet's Just Make It One Big Photo Op<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPro Photogs Get a Clean<\/span> Shot<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPro Photog Enlisted To Use Guest's Camera<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLet the Scrum Begin<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

My hope as a photographer at this wedding was not to document the events\n(there were more than enough cameras there to handle that), but to get\nshots that somehow uniquely added to the memory, beyond just a\nstraightforward<\/span> documentation. I could<\/span> do this, I hoped,<\/span> by using my\nbetter-than-average equipment and skill to turn a bland<\/span> shot into something\nspecial, and by getting myself into different positions from which I could<\/span>\nget a new<\/span> or unique perspective on things (such as the lead photo of the lead post<\/a>). I was inspired<\/span> to seek unique perspectives\nby how much I like<\/span> this photo<\/a> I took<\/span> at a friend's<\/span>\nwedding a couple<\/span> of years ago.<\/p>\n\n

Anyway, that's why after getting the “Scrum of Photographers” picture\nabove, I was satisfied<\/span> that I'd gotten something unique to remember that\npart of the day with, and returned to my seat to actually try to get a bite<\/span>\nof the great food that had been provided.<\/p>\n\n

But moment's later, Anthony calls out “Daddy! Daddy! Look!<\/i>” and\npoints to the couple, who have moved and are about to make the first\nceremonial cut in the wedding cake. This event is an important part of the\nreception, so is not to be missed. Note to self<\/b>: next time I'm at a\nwedding,<\/span> get a schedule<\/span> of events ahead of time.<\/p>\n\n

So, I stand<\/span> up and take a quick<\/span> photograph of the now-enlarged scrum of friend-photographers...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 22 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAbout To Cut the Cake<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

There was a set of stairs nearby (seen a bit<\/span> at the left of the photo\nabove), and not being restrained by any kind of particular photographic\nduty, nor by as strong a sense<\/span> of decorum as a native<\/span> Japanese might have, I availed<\/span> myself of the stairs to get a new<\/span> perspective on the event,\ntaking the first photo shown at the top of this post from half way up.<\/p>\n\n

From all the way up, I got a<\/span> nice shot to document the whole setting...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nReception Room<\/span>\nas the ma\u00eetre d' helps prepare for the ceremonial first cut\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 200 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHold That Pose<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I'm not sure why the first ceremonial cut of the wedding cake is such a\nbig<\/span> part of the day, but it is, and they held that pose for a full<\/span> two\nminutes, until all memory cards were full and batteries depleted.<\/p>\n\n

When I attended my first Japanese wedding 15 or so years ago (of a\nfriend<\/span> from work, Kazushi Inui), there was a long<\/span> list of words you could\nnever, every say at a wedding.<\/span>.. anything along the lines of “cut”,\n“divide”, “tear”, “end”, “break”, etc., as that would be bad luck for the\nnew union. This advice was as strong and important as “don't pick your nose\nwhile at the alter” might be at an American wedding, so I'm not sure how\nthis cake-cutting business reconciles with that.<\/p>\n\n

That being said, Fumie and I did this at our own wedding 11 years ago,\nand it was fun. But we actually<\/span> made not just the first ceremonial cut, but\ncut all the pieces, and passed them out to the guests, personally.<\/p>\n\n

Anyway, there was no advice about taboo words this time, so either I\nexuded<\/span> enough culture that a reminder<\/span> wasn't deemed necessary, or maybe the\nprohibition on those words has waned.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 1800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStill Holding that Pose<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

“Wait, hold on, let me switch cameras and come down for another shot....”<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 4000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStill Holding that Pose<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

“Okay, one more time, but let me get in close with this wide-angle zoom...”<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 5000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStill Holding that Pose<\/span>\n( if I had a smile as nice as Namiko's, I'd hold it<\/span>, too )\n<\/div>\n\n

Of course I didn't really ask them to hold the pose, but merely took\nadvantage of their doing so. Eventually the cake was taken away,\nand two small cakes brought in their place...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 22 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 3600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStagehands Working Between Acts<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

... and this led to some kind of parents-of-the-couple first-ceremonial-cut event...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 1400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Like I said, I don't understand what the cake-cutting is all about, but everyone had a fun<\/span> time, so it all seems good to me!<\/p>\n\n

Continued here...<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the end of \"Shogo and Namiko's Wedding: Reception, Part 1\", about my brother-in-law's wedding last weekend, guests were swarming the couple to pour them drinks, and this soon turned into a seemingly-unending turn of photo ops.<\/p>

My hope as a photographer at this wedding was not to document the events (there were more than enough cameras there to handle that), but to get shots that somehow uniquely added to the memory, beyond just a straightforward documentation. I could do this, I hoped, by using my better-than-average equipment and skill to turn a bland shot into something special, and by [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1633"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1633\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}