flashflavor
flashflavor
flashflavor
flashflavor
Riviera Maya Trash The Dress,…
by: Matt
posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 in Photographers  Photographers  Matt Adcock  Sol Tamargo
My awesome photographer fiance, www.soltamargo.com & I shot a wedding on April 9th and ended up going back out the next day with the couple to do a trash the dress session in the middle of the Jungle in the Mayan Riviera. We decided to film a documentary movie (www.delsolphotography.com/ttd/ttd1) with our P&S camera while swimming in a Cenote with our 5d's. We live in Playa del Carmen and have a great knowledge of the surrounding. We have a few locations that are off the path in the middle of the jungle in these amazing caves that are filled with crystal clear water with openings in the ceiling and set up the perfect setting for these type shots | Exotic & OFF THE HOOK. Here we have located our subjects in a spot in the cave located just under an opening in the ceiling. We depended on natural light and exposed for their faces. The speedlights were setup using Bogen Lighting Filters. #106 Primary Red & #181 Congo Blue. The red flash was set to 1/32 power and the blue to 1/8, zoomed in to maximize the 20 foot throw. The red gel speedlight was set on a rock ledge and the blue gel speedlight was sitting on a hotshoe foot. We shot this frame to showcase the 2 flash locations. The documentary movie was filmed next to the location of the blue gel. solc.jpg sola.jpg Here, We actually were only using 1 speedlight. I was holding the speedlight away from the wall so it would wash the color across the back wall...definitely adds some flavor! solb.jpg mattb.jpg matta.jpg This documentary video pretty much tells the story...

Trash The Dress [flash http://www.delsolphotography.com/ttd/ttd1/ttd.flv w=700 h=600]

29 comments for "Riviera Maya Trash The Dress, color gels"

your photos literally take my breath away--you two are the type of photographer that I dream of being (I'm still just an ametur right now) I just did my first 2 trash the dress shoots with my friend (on my blog), and am learning more each time. Thanks for such amazing inspiration
June 03rd, 2008 3:46 am
Lainey says

These are wonderful. This is the kind of wedding photography I would do if I became a professional photographer. I just love the trash the dress series.
June 28th, 2007 7:51 pm
Narelle says

Absolutely stunning !!!! congratulations on some truely amazing ideas, and fantastic photography - I'll definitely be back to check out your blog often :)
June 14th, 2007 11:25 pm
matt says

We actually took the track from the Black eyed peas, song title: Sexy. We did a little editing on the track so it would loop over and be seamless. I thought the track was a perfect fit! Thanks again for the comments!!!!!! Keep em comin! We will have some new stuff coming soon! Cheerios, Matt
May 28th, 2007 3:16 pm
Ade says

Matt, Not to pile on the well deserving accoloades, but this documentary was sweet without measure!! I appreciate your photography style. Its FRESH!!! Of course, your blog has become one of my bookmark victims. Thanks for sharing. For a newbie photography enthusiast such as myself, this is quite an eye-opener. Keep your ideas rollin', dude. Hey, what's the name of the jazz/rap fusion track playing in the background of the video, and who's the artist? Thanks, man.
May 28th, 2007 3:30 am
dancl says

very exciting work... nice job!
May 28th, 2007 1:24 am
matt says

wow, Bjorn, that is a killer comment. I think you have coined a new phrase!!!! I love it! Weddingmagic... humbled by that one for sure! Gracias, keep dropping by. We have some interesting stuff coming! Cheers, matt
May 25th, 2007 2:32 pm

Wow Matt, this is beyond weddingphotograpy, this is weddingmagic! Your blog is great, I have already learned alot, and got alot of new ideas, so I hope you keep up the great stuff! Cheers, Bjorn
May 25th, 2007 12:15 pm
matt says

Erin, please go and check out www.trashthedress.com and look for some inspiration there with the TTD sessions. For sure, there are many ways to have some fun with ttd's. We appreciate your kind words and have some cool ideas coming up to share...please, stick around. Abe... look no further, myspace this baby and stick a youtube link in there :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNCnxqVUpmg cheers! matt
May 17th, 2007 9:59 am
Abe says

wow, this is by far the most amazing documentary on a shoot I have ever seen. I want to show it to all on myspace but its flash and I can't put flash players in a bulletin, darn it.
May 17th, 2007 7:48 am
Erin says

I love this! I'm not sure many of my brides would be open to the concept, but I'm so going to try for it. Unfortunately, Dallas doesn't have any caves or really even beaches/water...but I'm sure I could come up with something. BTW - I just love love love your lighting. The reds and the blues are beautiful! You definitely inspired me to strive for more than the same old same old. Thanks for sharing this!!!
May 15th, 2007 12:41 pm
matt says

Christine, Joseph was totally a TEAM player with this session. Honestly, i don't thin he had any clue as to the depth of our shoot but once we got in the underground cave, he was in the game! The ocean side shoot worked out and I just threw it out there for him to loose the shirt. I gave him a preview on the LCD and he was even more in to it! these clients ROCK! Cheers & thanks everybody! It is my goal to make awareness of the trash the dress. Because we operate one of our studios in Playa del Carmen, our clients are seeking out exotic shoot ideas... so it is a win win win for us and hopefully everybody else can capitalize on this! saludos, matt
May 15th, 2007 9:29 am
t says

nice work. thanks for sharing
May 14th, 2007 9:55 pm
Christine says

I was glad when the groom finally took off his shirt. I mean, let's celebrate the male body beautiful, too! In all, the shots are breathtaking; inspirational.
May 14th, 2007 7:56 pm
Nick says

The blog will get you noticed Matt. Although I do have a lot of traffic....38 posts and 1 comment sort of stinks, however people do visit! Your doing great, and as I said before...I cant wait to show my next bride this!
May 14th, 2007 6:14 pm
Trent says

Lucky, lucky, lucky. I have for the last three or four years been trying to convince my brides that they want to do something like this. but so far, no takers. I might just have to point them to this to show them sort of what I'm thinking about....
May 14th, 2007 5:12 pm
Will says

Nice! I love seeing what tools other people use and how they are using them. Awesome and inspiring work that you and Sol are doing. I look forward to more great stuff from you guys in the future.
May 14th, 2007 12:35 am
matt says

wow, thanks for taking the time to comment everybody! I am wowed by the participation here. I am just getting this blog going but have lots of cool ideas coming! Please keep an eye on my updates! The Riviera Maya cenote is a one of a kind environment. We have had a couple of sessions in these natural pools and I figured it was about time that I spice it up a little. Our clients FLIPPED out when they saw this. I did too :) Cheers & much love! Matt
May 13th, 2007 9:06 pm
Edo says

wawee, a great body of work. After attending the wppi, i can say this is a beath of fresh air from all the same old stuff. The name concet of Trash The Dress is very dynamic as well. I will be looking forward to new updates on your blog. Thanks, Edo
May 13th, 2007 2:24 pm
brant says

Excellent job! Very creative and original. I bet the clients were very pleased with the results.
May 13th, 2007 1:25 pm
Nick says

Great job guys! I cannot wait until the first bride offers to do this!
May 13th, 2007 1:09 pm
Andy says

Brilliant!! i never thought of this idea, thank you so much for sharing, just wondering how do you attach the flash to the rock?
May 13th, 2007 10:44 am

these photographs are stunning - really great stuff, and a great blog to boot. Thank you very much.
May 13th, 2007 7:53 am

Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Shows what can be done with a whole load of thought and practice. Bride swiming underwater, truly inspiring. The U.K. doesn't really have those locations ... Wokey Hole somehow doesn't really cut it. Thanks for raising the bar ... I may never reach it, but I'll have fun trying.
May 13th, 2007 5:55 am
nika says

I didnt think there was too much you in it at all.. it was nice, as a fellow photographer, to see you all in action .. thanks for putting this together and consider me a new fan of your nascent blog!
May 13th, 2007 2:44 am
Kurt says

Really cool! One the best things on photography I have seen on the web! Great job. Your blog is fabulous. Will bookmark, expecting you to update it very frequently! Thanks!
May 13th, 2007 1:54 am
schmuck says

wow! the lighting effects are awesome. plus the risk of expensive cameras taking a swim, fantastic! the couple must be very pleased with the results.
May 13th, 2007 1:33 am

Great work - very creative and a great idea for a "day after" shoot - great presentation as well. A bit too much you in it -- but that's OK! I'll keep the idea in mind and send a link if I get a chance to do something like it here in Maine. Cheers and thanks for sharing! ~ Roger
May 13th, 2007 1:08 am
tim says

Niiice. Very nice.
May 13th, 2007 12:28 am
Full Name/Nickname (Required)

Email Address (Not Published to Public | Required)

Website (Optional)

Comment (Required)


What is 2+6 (Required)