Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

FM Forum Rules
Wedding Resource List

FM Forums | Wedding Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

MichaelFrederickPhoto
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

I am shooting a wedding later this year in a really cool barn. Of course it’s all dark wood so bouncing light is off the table.

I found another wedding video on YT of the venue, scroll to 2 min mark for interior.

https://youtu.be/vLVBwa9WjGw?si=35O0U5F1PCzUUeRj

Here is my idea, I have a 2nd shooter/assistant helping me. My client is not using that upper section so I was gonna put my lights on stands with boom arms to be off the lower level floor and be above. The lights will be 8.5-9ft off the floor.

So idea 1 is:

AD200 in the back corner aimed down at a 45* onto the dance floor. The 2nd light be opposite corner facing the bride/groom and people giving speeches, once those are done to have the Asst rotate the other AD200 so I have them in opposite corners so they are both facing the dance floor. I will be using a V1 on my R6 to control the flash powers and have direct flash as needed.

Additionally, for more “cool to have” arial shots, I will have my Fuji camera on a tripod with wide angle aimed down at the dance floor with a flash setup on an interval shooting cycle when the formal dances are done and people are “letting their hair down”.

Idea 2, have the AD200’s just set for the dancing and have an AD400 gridded to focus on just the best man/maid of honor speeches. Thoughts on using grids to keep the light on the dance floor not the tables below the upper deck? As you can see in the video, the dance floor is like 18-20ft wide. Off memory I would guess its 2 cars deep.

I own (2) AD200, (2) AD400 (2)MS300 and the V1 so I have some options. I like the idea of using the more powerful lights so I can shoot at super low power/faster recycle times.

I am NOT a full time wedding shooter, this will be my 4th, I am more of a family/HS SR portrait shooter but I do have decent amount of OCF experience.

I am WIDE open to feedback/suggestions as I would love to hear from more seasoned shooters.

Much thanks!

Mike

Jul 15, 2024 at 08:14 PM

gmccroskery
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

Here's the important thing -- your AD200's, etc. should be solely for fill light to keep your backgrounds from going too dark. So you want broad lighting (e.g. shoot thru umbrellas or decent size soft boxes)-- stay away from grids, etc.. Balance the output of your fill lights, and make sure your on camera flash is about 1 stop stronger than your fill lights.

I see so many reception shots where photographers have these nuclear off-camera flashes set up, resulting in hard shadows going every which direction -- it looks unnatural and goofy.

I am retired now, but shot weddings for about 20 years, before transitioning into corporate events.

Greg

Jul 16, 2024 at 04:22 PM

MichaelFrederickPhoto
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

Thanks Greg, yeah I was leaning towards getting Shoot Thrus to soften the light.

Jul 16, 2024 at 07:24 PM

tschopp
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

I like flash that doesn't completely change the ambiance of the room. In that case the existing lighting is not completely swamped by the flash. The video was 10 years old, but the lighting looked very warm. You might consider gelling your flash to match the color temperature of the ambient light. That should make the post easier as you won't have mixed color temperature lighting. I will usually measure color temperature in camera and then gel flash to match.

Jul 16, 2024 at 10:36 PM

johnld
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

You're lucky that the bride/groom are ok with lights as most are adamant to not use flash for the ceremony. I would certainly soften the lights and put one on each side (behind the first few rows and off to the side) facing the ceremony at a 45 degree or less and use an on camera flash to fill the center if needed. Ideally, I think the stand height should be 7-8 feet. Keep the power on the lower side to be less distracting and turn up the ISO on your R6. It's really clean up to 6400. If I was shooting the ceremony this way, I'd use two 27 inch Elinchrom deep Octa's with a 20 to 40 degree soft grid on both just for the ceremony with B10's set to around half power. Profoto also has a small 1.5x1.5 soft box w/grid that could work nicely if the venue was more intimate. The grids control spill and add contrast for more "pop". Plus, they're less distracting for the guests. We sometimes use bare Profoto B10's in the corners up on stands at either end for dance with the A1 set on the same channel if needed to light um up! We usually just use the A1(w/bounce) on camera with a wider FL and jump right in for a more edgy, club vibe using the shutter to control ambient.
I think the R6 is one of the best wedding cameras for high ISO. Plus, you can denoise in LR for the ceremony photos. However we needed at minimum, the M2 chip and 16gb of RAM for our Mac mini to edit them. Use the flicker control and sand bag anything on a boom with the sturdiest stand leg in-line w/ the boom arm! Keep it simple and use on camera flash as those giving speeches and toasts don't often stand in one place, but tend to meander around and that may not work with static lighting. Same for first dances too!

Edited on Jul 17, 2024 at 09:14 AM · View previous versions

Jul 17, 2024 at 06:00 AM

MichaelFrederickPhoto
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

John,

Luckily the wedding itself is outdoors, the barn is just the reception so I am using natural light for the wedding itself. When we went to the venue earlier this year I was upfront that we needed to use flash as it’s just too dark, they understood.

I am trying my best to be as less obvious with the lighting as possible which based on the width of the room has me nervous of using umbrellas/softboxes but I get their use case.

Gelling was on the table too, I have CTO’s already. SLR LOUNGE has a video a couple years ago shooting in the same type of setting, using CTO’s and I really liked the look so was on my plan to use.

As for the computer, I have a Mac Studio 32Gb Pro so that is fast as hell!

Jul 17, 2024 at 09:12 AM

MichaelFrederickPhoto
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

Yeah, the lighting is still the same but that was the shortest video I could find to use as reference.

Jul 17, 2024 at 09:14 AM

johnld
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

Ok, gotcha! Much easier then...
I think two lights in the corners facing the dance floor and one on camera...you'd be set. To bring out the warm, ambient texture of the barn use your camera's WB to set K and then a CTB/CTO's to get skin tones to match. As mentioned, we just crank the ISO a wee bit and use on camera flash starting with TTL and then go from there. It works nicely and you won't have to wonder whether someone's going to knock over the light stand!

Jul 17, 2024 at 09:43 AM

Ziffl3
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

all this soft the lighting..... sorry.... bad look.... lets just light up the place.

pretty simple. set up using 4 flashes. the 400 in the back and the 200up front. all against walls or next to DJ speakers (up front).
Me I would grid the 400 for sure. maybe even the 200.

I would make an area of coverage with light..... all pointing at the main dance floor.
You may have to be proactive and move anybody giving a speech/toast to the dance floor. and bring the couple to stand up there too.
You will get hug photo ops.
Don't be fooled... you will have a large area of light.

The missing part is having an on camera flash for fill and .... softness.
point the flash straight up and use the bounce card. done.

okay.... power:
400 say 1/128 and the 200 at 1/32. this to start.
camera ISO: 2000-3200. maybe 4000 because wood barn suck light.
on camera around 1/128 - 1/32.
everything manual setting for consistency.

400's at least 8-10 ft tall... same with 200.

you can turn your on camera flash off for creative shots ... thinking more on the long side 85mm/135/200.

This is assuming you can control flashed with on camera flash. I ran the godox system for years.
easy peezy.

And many times I was or am shooting by myself.

Bonus: I would have an older flash up stairs for a rim light. pointed straight down to the dance floor.

Jul 18, 2024 at 07:08 PM

elkhornsun
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

I prefer to use a Quantum Qflash with a small softbox on a pole that is RF triggered from the camera. My assistant manages the flash on the pole (monopod). That enables the flash to be about 4 feet above people's heads and out of their way and it provides me with fill flash for the subjects.

Setting up lighting before the reception and taking it down after the very end of the reception adds at least 3 hours to your day and doubtful that your client will be willing to pay for you extra time. There is also the concern about someone tripping on the power cord for the remote lights, including small curious children that are seldom being supervised by anyone.

Jul 20, 2024 at 06:47 PM

Ziffl3
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

elkhornsun wrote:
I prefer to use a Quantum Qflash with a small softbox on a pole that is RF triggered from the camera. My assistant manages the flash on the pole (monopod). That enables the flash to be about 4 feet above people's heads and out of their way and it provides me with fill flash for the subjects.

Setting up lighting before the reception and taking it down after the very end of the reception adds at least 3 hours to your day and doubtful that your client will be willing to pay for you extra time. There is also the...Show more →

MHO... this is how not to shoot weddings. I roll in roughly 30 minutes early. maybe more if I am talking with other venders, etc. Takes me 15 minutes tops to set up 4 flashes. speed lights to AD200.
I may pre-place them if I know the place/DJ/Band ... or wait until reception time (Indian wedding).

question for me is to grid or not too.

Plus I can alway grab one for formals or couple epic shots outside at sunset or after.
Now this time is double if I have multiple location - ceremony and then reception if I need 4 lights.
I think once I needed 4 light for a ceremony..... in 10+ years of shooting.

Video takes me a little longer because I use different lights. same concept.
battery powered with option to go electric. I bring extension cords and duck tape.
I have been good with lights lasting 4-6 hours.... plus during dancing the lights go very low on power.

We need to bring light and wield it as needed or for the creative option.... but it should not be a mobile studio setup at reception.
Couple formals... if inside because of a particular ask..... then soft box umbrellas come out. Plus we have time in the schedule for this.

The main take away is being mobile, with all the light you need.

Jul 24, 2024 at 08:29 PM

johnld
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

Keep it simple. No duct tape or wires to deal with. Keep the ambience of the space and don't convert the lighting to an airport lobby. Concentrate on the moments and not whether your light stands are safe from boozy guests. All opinions are valid, but keeping it simple adds to the mood and emotion of the night. the intimacy of slow dances is quickly blown out by harsh lighting and body dysmorphia. Here's a few first dances from very dark venues, but we use this same technique for reception and dances too. One bounced or gridded (A1) on camera and sometimes one on a stand safely tucked away and bagged in the corner up and looking down at a 45 degree angle (Profoto B10). We have the ISO up and shoot with fast lenses. It works nicely, but keeps it simple allowing you to capture the candids, and emotions, b/c it's all about the candids lately!

Jul 25, 2024 at 10:27 AM

josephrobert
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

I understand you wanting to go above and beyond and maybe it's just a style thing but I think just bump that ISO and give them some nice images that feel warm and fuzzy. they won't remember how you lit their wedding like a CVS pharmacy but they will remember the photos haha.

or just bounce around a hot shoe flash. honestly if it were my wedding id be kinda bummed to see not 2 but 4 strobes being bounced around the dance floor? idk maybe im old school and prefer the grainy reportage vibe. but just playing devils advocate here. I doubt the bride/groom are requesting you get in there and bounce around a bunch of studio lights

especially since they're getting married in a barn says a lot about the style of photos they're wanting

attached photo was in a windowless room with just soft glow from chandelier and candle light.

sorry I might be cancelled for this comment lol.

Jul 29, 2024 at 08:59 AM

MichaelFrederickPhoto
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

See you crap on CVS lighting, I was more thinking Dollar Tree.

. Deliciously white trash is the 2024 Wedding look! Lol

OT: gave you a follow on IG, really like your style.

Jul 29, 2024 at 07:00 PM

josephrobert
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

MichaelFrederickPhoto wrote:
See you crap on CVS lighting, I was more thinking Dollar Tree.

. Deliciously white trash is the 2024 Wedding look! Lol

OT: gave you a follow on IG, really like your style.

hah! yeah im def more of a family dollar guy myself.

dude, thank you! ill hit ya back right now.

I dont know shit honestly but I think I would go the route of a fill light vs completely lit by strobe. maybe like 65% ambient and 35% strobe but I also just love a warm cozy vibe

Jul 29, 2024 at 08:42 PM

tschopp
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Barn wedding reception lighting setup ideas

Any update on how this went? Especially if you have a link to the photos. What did you end up using for lighting?

Sep 08, 2024 at 05:52 PM


FM Forums \| Wedding Photographer \| Join Upload & Sell

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.