p.2 #2 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
Some environments require something different. I shoot in wine country and 80% of the ceremonies and receptions are outside thus there is nothing to bounce with. I typically rely on off-camera flash and ambient light, I will have a speed light in my hand usually with a fish bowl and use a controller on-camera. This allows me to be nimble and direct the fill light off-axis.
p.2 #3 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
I go with W Eugene Smith who stated that he used available light which meant any damn light that was available. Using only ambient light is the mark of an amateur who does not know how to make proper use of flash.
I use flash 100% on a bracket unless I am triggering a remote Qflash or two for a scene and then the RF transmitter is still attached to the arm of the bracket. The Quantum Qflash are designed for portability and durability and to me make a great deal more sense than monolights and lightstands that take time to setup and time to take back down and where I have to worry about a guest tripping over one and killing the light and creating a liability issue for my business.
There are too many times where the ceiling is too high or too dark or there is no ceiling other than the night sky to think for a second that I could rely on bounced light as my only option.
I use the flash for added autofocus assistance and to provide catchlights and to add color when the normal lighting at a venue is from fluorescent, tungsten, halogen, and LED lamps.
p.2 #4 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
I do use the OC shoe cord as well. Now with the XE-2 its much lighter and easier to hold the camera with one hand and the flash with the other. I use the bracket when I am doing a wedding or social event. Works great and the Lighting is terrific.
p.2 #5 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
I like the SpinLight 360 setup with the plain dome and small reflector. I tilt it a little forward and shoot mostly landscape.
If I have a nice white or reflective surface nearby I can rotate the ring and head toward it and the reflector cuts down on direct light on the subject.
p.2 #6 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
I use flash on the camera and bounced of a wall or ceiling and I also use a flash on a Custom Brackets rig that holds the flash and a RF transmitter so I can fire the flash on the bracket and a remote flash or two at a distance. For the remotes I use the Quantum Qflash as they allow me to use a metal reflector or shoot bare bulb or use a collapsible softbox depending upon the situation.
Fancier rigs are ego gratifying but not going to bring in more revenue and they mean I need my assistant for the entire day and need to take time to setup the remote flash and then wait until the end of the reception to take it down. I am also more at risk of theft with more gear in the reception area and this has happened more than once.
I have shot many an outdoor wedding where the best option was a combination of on-camera flash with one body with a 70-200mm mounted and a flash on a bracket with the 24-70mm lens. The flash is providing fill lighting and good catchlights and better skin tones. If the use of flash is readily apparent in an image the photographer has screwed up and over powered the ambient light. With ISO 6400 capable cameras there is not need to use the flash for more than fill.
p.2 #9 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
I have never in my professional career used an on camera flash directly pointed at a subject. This seems like career suicide.
99% of the time, I use a mixture of Godox flashes throughout the day (AD600s, AD200s & Speedlights). When firing off camera they are typically used in conjunction with foldable softboxes, beauty dishes or MagMod modifiers.
There are rare circumstances when I need to get in the middle of a dense crowd on a dance floor that would be very difficult for my lights to reach due to all the bodies blocking my lights. During these circumstances I will use an on-camera flash but I will bounce off a ceiling (or even the white shirt of an assistance) to create a light source that is either softer or more directional.
With all the tools available there is simply no reason to use direct on-camera flash at a wedding.
p.2 #10 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
> I have never in my professional career used an on camera flash directly pointed at a subject. This seems like career suicide.
Never say never. It's situational.
There's a popular theater near me where many couples get married. Like many old school concert theaters the backstage area walls are painted flat black and the ceiling's a good 30feet up. You want to take a cool photo of the groomsmen next to the sign with an arrow that says "Stage". What do you do? You shoot direct and guess what? It looks like every backstage rock music photo ever taken — which is EXACTLY what a groom getting married at a concert theater wants.
There's a real power in being dynamic in your lighting solutions/schemes that are situation dependent. The weakest associate photographers we've had over the years are the ones who can't mix it up. They get locked-in to their way and can't problem solve new/different scenerios.
Same for posing. Most photographers just lock in a few poses that have worked in the past but aren't building from basic rules that allow for different body types, personalities, etc.
p.2 #11 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
I didn't say I don't know how to direct flash a couple. Just thought I would never do so.
I would almost always attempt to find another solution. But I also can understand and respect the situation you have presented.
p.2 #12 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
Bounce flash for bridal prep
OCF for formals and B&G portraits
Typically both bounce and OCF during the reception.
If I’m in a barn where bouncing is not a great option I tend to use OFC. I’ve been known to throw on the Demb Flip-it on rare occasion if I need some light for a grip and grin.
p.2 #16 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
zalmyb wrote:
tempted to launch into an argument here as I think this is ridiculous, but not worth it
If you feel that direct, on-camera flash is the best solution for the situation.....by all means use it. But it shouldn't be used out of laziness or because the photog lacks equipment. Lighting gear has been very inexpensive these past several years.
p.2 #20 · How are Wedding Photographers shooting with Flash on Camera
Usually bounce flash if I can bounce it give dimension to the photo. If there's nothing to bounce off of outdoors dancing etc), then I stick a MagMod Magbounce on top of the flash. It works. The light isn't too interesting, but it does light the subject.
I prefer to mix the two if I can, especially for the first dance...
This blog post has on camera, off camera and a mix...
