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 p.1 #2 · Wedding Hardware and Settings? | |
Nice collection of gear but none of the lenses are ideal for weddings / events and I don't see any flash gear listed. The problem with ambient is while there might be plenty of light for exposure the direction is usually not very flattering (shaded eyes).
A gear combination I find overs all the tasks in a event like a wedding (albeit not ideally for all of them) is:
24-70mm or 24-105mm (You don't want to be swapping lenses. With your bring the UWA for room shots, 35 /50 for candid and groups and 85 for couples portraits. If photography is allowed during ceremony a longer lens with IS will be helpful. Put a second body in back of church for wide establishing shot when people are not moving to avoid blur.
580ex or 600ex RT Master flash on a camera filp bracket (e.g. Stroboframe) with scoop type diffuser
580ex or 600ex RT slave flash on stand with umbrella bracket, cold shoe to hold flash, scoop diffuser for candid reception shots and white umbrella for posed portraits.
Equipped with dual flash you have the option to use the ambient (if it's flattering) or over-power it with more flattering flash lighting when necessary. For insight all how to use that gear see the "How I use Canon Flash" tutorial on my web site: http://photo.nova.org
The more difficult part of weddings, which comes with experience, is the logistic of managing the people for the posed shots and knowing how to set up the candid events like the toasts, cake cutting, flower/garter toss, etc.
If shooting ambient and the room lighting is consistent manual exposure will yield more consistent results. In Av mode light fixtures on walls, reflections on mirrors, changes in scene context (big white dress) will have you chasing correct exposure shot-to-shot with EC. If the room light is consistent once you find an M setting that works it should work for most shots in the same lighting.
The same is the case with flash indoors. With flash I use M with ISO 200 - 400, 1/125th @ 5.6 as a starting baseline and adjust as needed for creative reasons. I keep the flash in ETTL mode for candid shots, adjusting exposure with FEC per the clipping warning in the highlights.
With ambient in M mode select the aperture desired for DOF, the shutter you can hold without blur and adjust ISO to obtain correct exposure. Keeping the clipping (black-out) warning on in the playback will tell you when and where you are losing highlight detail and when exposure adjustments are necessary.
Shoot RAW and don't use AWB. It changes WB shot to shot. Pick the nearest preset for shot-shot consistency. You can then batch correct color in PP. See my site for tutorials on this in the technical / post processing sections. Using gray card in test shots of portraits will make color adjustment easier.
Practice technique around the house and scout the reception and test shoot if practical so you are not trying to figure out the technical stuff at the wedding. Throw a white shirt / black suit on a chair and try to expose for detail in both.
Google for a list of standard wedding shots. Discuss it with the couple. Ask them about any "must have" shots they want with grandparents, friends, etc. and add it to the list so you don't forget.
Ask them to get a relative, not in the wedding party, like an sister of the bride's mother to assist you in wrangling the people for group shots. You want someone who knows everyone. Have a printed list of the shot you need to take.
At the reception coordinate with caterer / planner so you know when things will happen. You don't want to be in the bathroom or taking a smoke break when the best man is toasting or the couple is cutting the cake.
Don't shoot to the last frame on the card or when the batteries are low so they don't die unexpectedly. Swap out during breaks in the action.
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