Lighting a Ceremony

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Archive 2009 · Lighting a Ceremony

Matt Leitholt
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p.1 #1 · Lighting a Ceremony

How do you guys light the ceremony? I was thinking of having my 580EX II on my 40d with the 70-200 f/4L IS and my 430EX on my XT with my 24-70 f/2.8L, then have the pocketwizards on the camera also with one manual flash either bounced off of a ceiling near the BG or in an umbrella.

How would you do it?

Jan 09, 2009 at 01:27 AM

radioblurs
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p.1 #2 · Lighting a Ceremony

i light the ceremony with house lights

in other words, i don't

flash during the ceremony is quite distracting to the guests and unnecessary-that's why we all use 2.8 or faster lenses-if needed, bring a monopod

daniel

Jan 09, 2009 at 01:48 AM

PhotosByRDD
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p.1 #3 · Lighting a Ceremony

Ceremony + flash = amatuer. Even if it's allowed I refuse to do it.

Jan 09, 2009 at 02:00 AM

RedWhiteandRed
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p.1 #4 · Lighting a Ceremony

I saw some old-school guy have a Quantum in the front (on the stage/alter) pointed at the audience - kind of funny.

Seriously - You can use a good lens and a decent camera or a flash bounce or both. There is no such thing as a church where the bounce will not work.

Jan 09, 2009 at 02:00 AM

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p.1 #5 · Lighting a Ceremony

I had a preacher at my last wedding explain to me why the rules are so, well, we call it restrictive.

To quote the pastor:
"The bride and groom invited all their friends and family here today to see them get married, not to see the photographer running about the sanctuary. I know my rules are restrictive and I'll be happy to restage anything you'd like afterwards, but once the ceremony starts you will be in the center aisle and stay behind the last row of guests. and of course, no flash."

Then he tells me a few 'war stories'. The worst two - Uncle Bob (really, the brides uncle) comes up on the altar, climbing over the little railing thing and stands behind the priest.
Oh, a pro would never do that? Well, he's a had a pro ask him to move during the ceremony! Umm, that's a bit over the top IMO.

Think about it this way. What do the bride and groom expect form the ceremony pics? They have no clue, do they? I've had requests and questions about all sorts of wedding pics from getting ready, details, dances, formals of course, but never ever not one time was I asked about ceremony shots - "can you get...." or "will you be able to get..." or "did you get....." or the worst, "why didn't you get....".

THey don't ask, ever. Why? They have no expectations. And as such, you've got nothing to live up to.

Jan 09, 2009 at 02:46 AM

Tad Killian
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p.1 #6 · Lighting a Ceremony

A large percentage of wedding people ultimately lay down the money down for the 70-200/2.8IS for a reason. That reason is usually because they're shooting in a church/ceremonial enclosure. The lens might be quickly removed and replaced throughout the day, but it's always on one body during the ceremony.

I really, really tried to get around this lens, but I can't.

So, how do I light the ceremony?.................I attend the rehearsal 100% of the time if I have never been to the venue. I make sure the lights are turned on exactly as they will be during the ceremony. I take some readings, look at backgrounds and angles, and try to find some patterns.............then I leave, go have a brew and think about it.

Jan 09, 2009 at 02:52 AM

RedWhiteandRed
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p.1 #7 · Lighting a Ceremony

prof_fate wrote:
To quote the pastor:
"The bride and groom invited all their friends and family here today to see them get married, not to see the photographer running about the sanctuary. I know my rules are restrictive and I'll be happy to restage anything you'd like afterwards, but once the ceremony starts you will be in the center aisle and stay behind the last row of guests. and of course, no flash."

Then he tells me a few 'war stories'. The worst two - Uncle Bob (really, the brides uncle) comes up on the altar, climbing over the little railing thing and stands behind the priest.
Oh, a pro would never do that? Well, he's a had a pro ask him to move during the ceremony! Umm, that's a bit over the top IMO..

It is bad form to ask the officiant to move - the correct move is to gently move them with soft pressure applied.

Jan 09, 2009 at 03:03 AM

Matt Leitholt
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p.1 #8 · Lighting a Ceremony

Ok so it's pretty obvious, no flash. Anyone want to trade their f/2.8 IS for my f/4 IS?

Jan 09, 2009 at 04:30 AM

cordellwillis
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p.1 #9 · Lighting a Ceremony

WhizKid wrote:
How do you guys light the ceremony? I was thinking of having my 580EX II on my 40d with the 70-200 f/4L IS and my 430EX on my XT with my 24-70 f/2.8L, then have the pocketwizards on the camera also with one manual flash either bounced off of a ceiling near the BG or in an umbrella.

How would you do it?

Photography 101......use what works to get the type of images you and your clients expect without interrupting the proceedings. Sometimes you'll need "help"-lighting, other times simply fast lenses, other times both. Then again this is something that should already be known by working with others who are already experienced at wedding photography before attempting to shoot someones treasured day that can not be repeated.

Peace,
Cordell

Jan 09, 2009 at 04:45 AM

Sam Hassas
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p.1 #10 · Lighting a Ceremony

PhotosByRDD wrote:
Ceremony + flash = amatuer. Even if it's allowed I refuse to do it.

I'm gonna assume your somewhat in the south.I'm in California and use flash during the ceremony ALL the time. I've yet to have one officiant tell me it wasn't okay. (Did 25 or so weddings in 08'). I'm shooting a wedding in Texas next month and guess what, there is a restriction on flash. I had one client REQUEST a bare strobe effect during their ceremony.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Jan 09, 2009 at 05:30 AM

Tad Killian
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p.1 #11 · Lighting a Ceremony

Wow Sam, that's pretty regional of you...........I'm gonna assume your somewhat in the south

25 weddings in 08? Whatever.

Jan 09, 2009 at 05:33 AM

Ryan Britton
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p.1 #12 · Lighting a Ceremony

We typically use flash during the ceremony unless asked otherwise (we do make sure to get the okay). We actually had the couple from our most recent wedding ask us to use it because they knew how dark it was and wanted better lit photos.

Jan 09, 2009 at 06:12 AM

dannyrod
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p.1 #13 · Lighting a Ceremony

Sam Hassas wrote:
PhotosByRDD wrote:
Ceremony + flash = amatuer. Even if it's allowed I refuse to do it.

Jan 09, 2009 at 06:26 AM

wernerh
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p.1 #14 · Lighting a Ceremony

tcamper wrote:
.

So, how do I light the ceremony?.................I attend the rehearsal 100% of the time....

Unfortunately, in South Africa a rehearsal will be a 1% occasion. It just does not happen here. Maybe, i've just been unlicky not to have any weddings with rehearsals. Most of the time the chuch will not be accessible before the wedding. So on the day of the wedding, you have to think on your feet and get it right (we don't have a choice do we). We get paid to do the job and do it properly.

Yes, a flash is always a last resort, but sometime you can't get along without it. My wife will shoot with the 17-55 f2.8 IS and i'll have the 70-200 and 50 f1.4.
Werner

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:00 AM

eosphotoguy
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p.1 #15 · Lighting a Ceremony

We shoot with a 70-200 2.8 IS and in most churches or halls we find ourselves in, 2.8 just isn't good enough. 2.8 gets us 1/60th of a second at ISO 1600. which is OK for static objects (people)... but not for when the bridesmaids and bride are coming down the aisle. I'd also prefer not to use ISO 1600 due to noise.

So other than going all prime and dealing with that hassle of changing lenses etc, how do you pull that off without flash hmmm?

Jan 09, 2009 at 03:12 PM

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p.1 #16 · Lighting a Ceremony

prof_fate wrote:
......
Oh, a pro would never do that? Well, he's a had a pro ask him to move during the ceremony! Umm, that's a bit over the top IMO.
....

I was a guest at a wedding where the pro shouted to the officiant "I missed that - can you do it again?" in the middle of the service - and he did it for him again!

Jan 09, 2009 at 03:25 PM

form
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p.1 #17 · Lighting a Ceremony

I believe that there are circumstances when the available light for the ceremony isn't adequate: Outdoor ceremonies towards sunset is a very risky time to shoot, because sunset is always earlier than the couple thinks and the ceremony typically starts a little late. I have had one wedding ceremony where I absolutely had to use flash because even my f/1.8 lens at ISO3200 only got about 1/20th sec. shutter speed. That wasn't acceptable or printable. I had to bounce flash off the ground.

I have another wedding coming up, probably in March, with the same conditions expected. If that's the case, I hope the 5D II comes in time to be able to keep up with the fading light on that day.

So, outdoors sunset ceremonies may often call for additional light because people think that sunset is when the sun goes down, but sunset actually takes place much sooner when your horizon is not perfectly level and you have a mountain range the sun will hide behind.

Oh, and the same applies for when people are walking down the aisle outdoors in the evening; as someone else said, you need even faster shutter speeds to catch that, and so flash becomes the only option for stopping motion.

Jan 09, 2009 at 03:25 PM

PhotosByRDD
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p.1 #18 · Lighting a Ceremony

paulhodson wrote:
prof_fate wrote:
......
Oh, a pro would never do that? Well, he's a had a pro ask him to move during the ceremony! Umm, that's a bit over the top IMO.
....

I was a guest at a wedding where the pro shouted to the officiant "I missed that - can you do it again?" in the middle of the service - and he did it for him again!

Just because someone hangs out a shingle, charges fees and calls them self a "professional wedding photographer" doesn't make it so.

Jan 09, 2009 at 04:18 PM

PhotosByRDD
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p.1 #19 · Lighting a Ceremony

Sam Hassas wrote:
PhotosByRDD wrote:
Ceremony + flash = amatuer. Even if it's allowed I refuse to do it.

Didn't use flash during the ceremony when I was located in the Mid-west either.

In most cases it's a religious ceremony, officiated by a religious figure head... something that's supposed to be somewhat reverent and solomn. As such I feel using flash is largely inappropriate and will only do so if that's the only way to get the images. I have shot ceremonies that were after dark or in conditions where it was going to be impossilbe to get a shots without some supplemental lighting. But if at all possible I do not use flash during ceremonies... regardless of whether there are resetcitions against doing so or not.

Everyone has a different approach... uses different techniques... applies different standards. In general that's a great thing.

Jan 09, 2009 at 04:27 PM

The Grays
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p.1 #20 · Lighting a Ceremony

The ceremony is photojournalism even if you don't shoot that way, so to do it "right" you should not use flash.

We never use flash except for the processional/recessional during a ceremony.

-Zach

Jan 09, 2009 at 04:43 PM

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