Lighting a Ceremony

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Archive 2009 · Lighting a Ceremony

RedWhiteandRed
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p.2 #1 · Lighting a Ceremony

Photojournalism is what you make it - flash, no flash, what the heck. One problem with flash is making the entire place look horrible.

Jan 09, 2009 at 05:20 PM

jcolman
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p.2 #2 · Lighting a Ceremony

RedWhiteandRed wrote:
Photojournalism is what you make it - flash, no flash, what the heck. One problem with flash is making the entire place look horrible.
I have no problem making an entire room look horrible with flash. You must be doing it wrong.

Jan 09, 2009 at 06:29 PM

miccullen
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p.2 #3 · Lighting a Ceremony

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

"Photojournalism" means you'd better get the shot, flash or not.

Jan 09, 2009 at 07:21 PM

fotorelic
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p.2 #4 · Lighting a Ceremony

There is no right or wrong. However, I would say that someone who doesn't use flash when flash would definitely help, and is allowed, is doing the couple a disservice. An example would be horribly uneven and harsh lighting on the altar or really bad backlighting from a floor to ceiling window. There are ways around any lighting problem, of course, and artistic renditions of bad lighting situations can only take you so far, so if flash is allowed, not to take just a few with flash during the actual ceremony seems a bit self defeating as a photographer and wedding photojournalist, to say the least.

Jan 09, 2009 at 08:45 PM

ContagiousIdea
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p.2 #5 · Lighting a Ceremony

RedWhiteandRed wrote:
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.

Plenty of churches have VERY high ceilings and even a 580 on bounce doesn't cut it.

Jan 10, 2009 at 03:28 PM

Marcus Watts
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p.2 #6 · Lighting a Ceremony

ContagiousIdea wrote:
RedWhiteandRed wrote:
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.

Plenty of churches have VERY high ceilings and even a 580 on bounce doesn't cut it.

Thank God for walls.

Jan 10, 2009 at 03:31 PM

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p.2 #7 · Lighting a Ceremony

Marcus Watts wrote:
Thank God for walls.

Depends on the church - some are cathedrals and if stand close enough to the wall to get bounce you're too far from the altar. I've had several wedding in a 'church in the round' - the only wall is behind the altar.
I had a wedding this summer (thank god for overcast days) in a chapel with 3 glass walls, 40 foot high dark wood ceiling. Flash was allowed and needed for backlighting reasons, but one had to watch for reflections on the glass walls.

Biggest point being - you are being paid, so you are putting yourself out there as a professional. The client is expecting images, not excuses. So you have to get the images, regardless of the venue or restrictions placed on you. And do it in a professional manner.

Styles differ - some photogs use flash and some don't. I prefer not to use flash and most ceremonies here don't allow it. But when it's needed I have to know how to use it and use it properly.

Being a professional means having the proper and best tools for the job and knowing how to use them effectivley and efficiently.

The darkest ceremony I had all last year was a mid afternoon wedding on a sunny day in july. It was the darkest damned church I'd ever been in. The brightest church wedding I've had all year was last weekend - in a church and I was shooting ISO 800 at 1/125 at F4, at 4 pm in the winter. You have to be able to work with what's available, and that can change on a moments notice.

Jan 10, 2009 at 03:47 PM

KJbruin
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p.2 #8 · Lighting a Ceremony

I'd love to see some ceremony pictures without flash taken in a DIMMLY lit venue. I don't use flash in outdoor or well lit ceremonies but do use flash where allowed so long as the pastor, father, etc has no issue with it. I agree that bouncing is the best option for any dimmly lit venues and my last wedding had very high ceilings which my SB800 handled well.

Jan 10, 2009 at 04:43 PM

prof_fate
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p.2 #9 · Lighting a Ceremony

1/60 at 2.8 and ISO1250

I don't have the info on these pics handy, but i'm sure it's in the same area. I shoot between 800 and 1600 and often see 1/40th and am always at 2.8.

same ceremony

This image is copyrighted by the owner

same church on a preview trip I did a couple years back when I first shot here. Window light only. It's a dark church.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

this was one of those 'church in the rounds' (dark rainy day too)

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This is a composite of two shots to show the worst window in all of photography. The couple was not lit with flash, just exposure comp.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

and these are without flash as well. same ceremony (the window f'd up the color something fierce, so everyhting looks much better in B&W)

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Jan 10, 2009 at 05:27 PM

Yong Ni
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p.2 #10 · Lighting a Ceremony

I often have D3 set at ISO 3200 with 85mm 1.4 mounted. Still, when my clients ask for "the bests shot whatever it takes", I would use flash to eliminate harsh shadows, and even go on stage and behind the officiant to shoot. Too often, bride and groom turn their face to the officiant throughout the whole ceremony, making it impossible to capture their facial expression from the aisle.

I used to be old-schooled shooting from back of churches without flash. Starting recently, I just ask my client how they want their wedding captured without breaking the hard rules. I ask specifically if they want me to go on the stage and use flash, and remind them to check with the officiant.

After all, it is their day and they should decide how the pictures are taken, not their guests. I am hired to implement their plan.

Jan 10, 2009 at 07:31 PM

prof_fate
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p.2 #11 · Lighting a Ceremony

What clients do you have that ask that? 'the best shots whatever it takes'? OK, well it takes a crew of 2 grips and 4 lighting guys, 2 days and 3 photographers and will cost $12,000.

They should decide? I know ultimately they pay the bill and live with the results, but it's YOUR art, YOUR business. Your point of view, your artistic take on things is why they're hiring you and not Bob across town. As soon as you let the client tell you where to stand and how to light why do they need you?

Jan 10, 2009 at 07:38 PM

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