Hello all. I'm not normally over here in the wedding forum, but I've recently made the switch from PJ/Edit. to wedding and portrait, so I imagine I'll be here pretty regularly from now on.
But to break me in...
I'm in a bit of a bind and am looking for some advice. I've been hired at the last minute to do a wedding which will take place in the late afternoon /evening. As it'll be dark by the time the ceremony ends, all the B&G shots will have to either be room-lit or strobe-lit. We only have 30 minutes with the B&G (I asked for more, but no dice) and not much flexibility when it comes to locations. It'll either be outside the reception (a nice brick alley) or inside (brick walls, studio-type space).
What lighting gear would you bring for such a thing? I thought two 580ex-es with umbrellas (my normal on-site gear) but am a little worried about set-up / take-down time. I realize it's difficult to know, but how would you prepare for this?
Any advice would be HUGELY appreciated. Like I said, I'm new at this and have yet to make all the necessary mistakes (ie. learn the lessons). If I can avoid one or two, I'd be grateful.
If you have an assistant, or at least someone that can babysit your lights, you could probably save some shooting time by setting up prior to the actual shoot.
Are you mostly concerned about the formal portraits or the rest of the event in terms of lighting? I have often found that the video guys usually bring decent lighting for the reception. Works like a charm for me!
My main concern is the B&G shots. The preparation will be in daylight, the ceremony will be lit (not well, but lit) and I'd planned on using a flash (on bracket) for the reception (indoors), but the bride and groom portraits, which to me are among the most important when it comes to making an artful album, will be at night.
I suppose I'm just wondering what the various lighting setups are that people here use for a) B&G portraits (if at night) and b) the reception (if different from a bracketed flash). Just mining for ideas.
Benjamin Moore wrote:
My main concern is the B&G shots. The preparation will be in daylight, the ceremony will be lit (not well, but lit) and I'd planned on using a flash (on bracket) for the reception (indoors), but the bride and groom portraits, which to me are among the most important when it comes to making an artful album, will be at night.
I suppose I'm just wondering what the various lighting setups are that people here use for a) B&G portraits (if at night) and b) the reception (if different from a bracketed flash). Just mining for ideas.
A high speed lens. I have all the usual f/2.8 zooms but I find my 50 f/1.4 gives me some opportunities I just don't get with the zooms. E.g. I can take shots handheld at night with no flash at ISO 1600 (which is very usable on a 5D). Great for ambience sometimes if you can avoid the flash. You might need a monopod if it's REALLY dark.
For a quick and dirty lighting setup I have 3 light stands with mounts to hold my flashes and umbrellas. With a wireless trigger on my camera I can have 1-3 lights set up anywhere in minutes and the whole thing fits in a single bag. Since it's all on battery I can set it up in a field if I need to.
What only you can determine is what is available in terms of a location. I've had shots done on a yacht at night on the deck with the city lights in the background. Or at night under a street lamp on rain slicked streets painted with reflections of neon lights. Or in a subway station framed by an arch and with the blur of the train passing behind them... or any number of other possibilities. Scout out the locale and figure out what you have to work with there has to me more than a brick wall! Does the building have roof access? Upper floor windows that look out over the city? This is why they pay you the big bucks, find a way to create an intimate moment... heck, if there's a park within walking distance you can get some pretty sexy looking shots in a park at night under street lamps.
unblinkable wrote:
Hey, Ben! Did you get my reply in e-mail from the letter you sent me? I received a failure notice, but can't tell why!
Hi Melanie. No, unfortunately I didn't (and I have to admit I was a little worried that I'd made myself a bother to you Maybe PM is the way to go? The questions certainly still stand!
radical/morgan/sejanus: Thanks for the advice. Right now I have a 50mm/1.8, 70-200/2.8, 17-40/4 and a 24-105/4 in my kit, but will see about renting a 35mm for the day if possible. That should give me options, anyway...
What about receptions held at night? Do any of you guys use one of those lightsphere things for such purposes, or a camera bracket? How do you handle that side of the shoot, when setting up a light isn't an option?
radical/morgan/sejanus: Thanks for the advice. Right now I have a 50mm/1.8, 70-200/2.8, 17-40/4 and a 24-105/4 in my kit, but will see about renting a 35mm for the day if possible. That should give me options, anyway...
What about receptions held at night? Do any of you guys use one of those lightsphere things for such purposes, or a camera bracket? How do you handle that side of the shoot, when setting up a light isn't an option?
i really second the idea of renting the 35L. the majority of the reception shots i've taken are with this lens, ambient light or with bounce flash. i used the 24-105 at my first wedding; i learned the hard way that f4 just doesn't cut it.
JH: The reception is going to be held at On Canvas gallery, right next to Ferris' Oyster Bar. Brick walls, etc...should be nice aesthetically, but I'm worried about bouncing because the ceilings are quite high (and black, if I remember correctly) and the brick walls will result in a red cast if I bounce off them. I can use a regular diffuser for horizontal shots, but it's the vertical I'm trying to figure out.
Sejanus: I've heard mixed reviews about the lightsphere. Like I said above, it's the portrait shots I'm concerned about.
That's a fair number of people toting the 35L...I'll get on it!
I know the spot. If using wide apertures and high iso wont give you what you are looking for I would recomend trying to setup flashes with shoot through umbrellas in the room to provide more ambient.
OR
As an alternative take a look at Flash Flavour it provides many good ideas of how to use flash for a reception. http://flashflavor.com/
I don't use a LS, but I do have a Stofen. Works well for what it is and its extremely portable.
I do use a flash bracket, mine is the RRS wedding pro bracket. Very light at 11oz and easy to use.
I had to shoot in environments like you describe - pubs with black painted ceilings. You're not going to get much bounce in there so go for the highest ISO and the quickest lens you can in order to maximize the ambient light. For bouncing in such an environment you can use a Lumiquest Big Bounce to create a larger light source. Be warned, it's big and bulky.
If you have time, you should run to the place before the wedding to see how the light will be at the time you will be taking pictures, bring a friend with you and do some test in diferent locations. doing this you will save lots of time planning ahead.
probably one person from the place can assist you during the sesion
J Handysides wrote:
I know the spot. If using wide apertures and high iso wont give you what you are looking for I would recomend trying to setup flashes with shoot through umbrellas in the room to provide more ambient.
OR
As an alternative take a look at Flash Flavour it provides many good ideas of how to use flash for a reception. http://flashflavor.com/
radical wrote:
I don't use a LS, but I do have a Stofen. Works well for what it is and its extremely portable.
I do use a flash bracket, mine is the RRS wedding pro bracket. Very light at 11oz and easy to use.
I had to shoot in environments like you describe - pubs with black painted ceilings. You're not going to get much bounce in there so go for the highest ISO and the quickest lens you can in order to maximize the ambient light. For bouncing in such an environment you can use a Lumiquest Big Bounce to create a larger light source. Be warned, it's big and bulky....Show more →
Noted. I'm usually wary of stepping over hte 800 ISO mark, but I may have to get acquainted with 1600 and *cough* 3200. Speaking of which, has anyone tried the 3200 on the 5D? How are the results?
If you have time, you should run to the place before the wedding to see how the light will be at the time you will be taking pictures, bring a friend with you and do some test in diferent locations. doing this you will save lots of time planning ahead.
probably one person from the place can assist you during the sesion
good luck and BE ON TIME!!!
Marcelo
Thanks Marcelo, I'm going to do exactly that. My fiance/beautiful assistant and I will be taking a trip down there in a couple of nights to suss things out. Then I'll know at least what I'm in for and can be as prepared as possible. The B&G have also asked if they can do their portraits when they return from their honeymoon (in the daylight!!) and I've agreed, so that bullet was dodged. Now it's just the reception I have to think about.
Maybe PM is the way to go? The questions certainly still stand!