[Closed] Photographing a wedding next weekend

We've not had one of these for a while 8)
They should be paying a professional obviously - p'raps

Yeah thanks for that gem 🙂

Remote fill in would be my choice, probably through a softbox if I could fit it in. Perhaps two...

I don't really like HDR, and don't think it would really work in that setting anyway (too much movement).

Get between the window and the couple?

Hire a decent diffused remote flash?

I don't think HDR will fair well, unless your camera does bracketing of exposures very quickly? The different exposure shots would need to be in rapid sucession to avoid blurs and line up in post processing.... which is another thing, the editing might take forever.

I'm a commercial photographer but have done a few weddings for colleagues. Its always seems to be the case that there is a nightmare lighting situation. This is not a good one!!

Forget HDR, to do it properly you have to take more than one exposure. Not something I would attempt with moving subjects.

Flash...possibly. But during a ceremony?! Its not always allowed. Depends on who is conducting it.

If you can get the couple to face the window that would be the best option. Use the available light. If that is not an option you will have to expose for the couple and have the windows blown out. This is going to suck as you could get a halo effect depending on how strong the daylight is.

Long cables are a pain. Get some radio triggers. Where are you based? I could lend you some stuff if you are anywhere nr leeds.

Have you done a recce? Looked at the venue etc? You could just tell the couple what will and will not work from a photographic perspective?

Another thought - is there anywhere to pop a couple of reflectors? Bounce the natural light back onto the couple...

Get the remote flash 🙂
(yes it's still here)

Remote fill flash - rent one if you don't want to buy. HDR is not going to cut it. Or reposition people if you can. See if you cna get 15 minutes to do some test setups first so you know what you're doing under pressure.

Good luck. I've done a couple of weddings for family, not fun.

Another thought, try and find some shots of previous weddings at the venue and see what they did.

As previously pointed out, I agree that the flash might be a bit intrusive... nothing else quite lets you know you're being photo'd. A constant light source might be better, E.g. [url= http://www.theicelight.com/ ]Something like this?[/url][img] [/img]
Obviously, ideally stand mounted or just ask the mother of the bride to hold it maybe?

Another option could be that you don't photograph the couple straight on.....against the windows. If you shot from an angle you could use the light from the windows as a highlight. Avoid the flare.

molgrips
Fast lenses and a camera (ideally two) that can handle low light would be a good start.

You should be moving around a bit anyway to get different shots so the light will be changing as you do.

Shooting weddings is all about the time, or lack of it! Are they getting married at 12 o'clock and sit down meal at 2 and want 20 groups shots taken? How far is church from the reception venue? etc etc etc........................etc..

I've turned down so many weddings when the times just do not add up.

I would say a camera that can produce very little noise at 3200 ISO and a selection of lenses with a minimum of f2.8 would be a starting point.

Flash just kills the atmosphere and you will not have time to prat around with light modifiers.

Go and have a look at the venue at roughly the time of day the wedding will take place and see what light levels are like.

If you do have to use flash then you want to keep the shutter low to say 1/60 sec to allow the natural /venue lighting add to the atmosphere then add in the flash to just slightly under expose the scene, just to make sure you don't blow out any white dresses!

Golden rule Shutter speed controls the natural /venue lighting, aperture controls the flash 🙂

Get their early have a shot list written down / memorized, if you are using flash take some test shots just to make sure you dialing in before people arrive inside the venue.

Good Luck!

Shut the curtains

As above, I'd rather go fill in flash but you may get a good result using dual iso through magic lantern (if you've got a canon).

Just my opinion but photos from the actual ceremony aren't that important. Maybe a close up from exchanging the rings and 'the kiss'. I think it's a better time to get some candid snaps of friends and family watching.

Good tips folks thanks.

Have you checked out the Strobist blog for lighting ideas?

Personally, I'd try to use the windows as a diffuser and use either a remote or flash on a cord as fill.

Lock in a few "must have" shots. Ring exchange, the I-dos,bride walking in, groom + best men. During the ceremony shoot a few candids (parents, friends, front row). If there is a balcony try and get an aerial shot.

If you can cart a load of stuff and have the time post ceremony, then consider some staged shots with a diffuser, separation light (important for the bride to show off the hair that she's spent all that time and money doing) and off camera fill if you need it.

Good luck! Oh, and if you're a friend of the couples then remember you will want to enjoy the wedding too. Negotiate a time with them by when you will be off duty and can let your own hair down. I was at a wedding where the cameraman was a mate of the couples. Halfway through, he got bored being the photographer. Palmed his camera off on me and buggered off.

Expose for the light outside and use flash to lighten the inside. By doing this, daylight from the windows will still look like daylight coming through the windows. Say its 250th at 5.6 outside, shoot that inside too.

I never used a diffuser or softbox in my wedding photography days, just a massive Metz and a Bronica before digital times rolled in. We didn't have the option of changing "film speeds" as readily as today.

when going back outside, pull the flash down a stop or stop and a half to maintain shadows on peoples faces if its sunny, if overcast, just take the flash off.

Just bounce of the wall/ceiling with ETTL and experiment beforehand with it 1/3-1stop under exposing the flash so it doesn't kill the mood and make them look like startled rabbits.

I've used Flash for various weddings, esp when there is strong natural light to cast shadows everywhere. Normally bounce of the ceiling if it's low enough and light coloured.

Good luck! I agreed to shoot a friends wedding and it was the most stressful thing I've ever done.

The lighting was tricky there too. Windows behind them for the ceremony then loads of small dark rooms for the reception!

I'd not used separate flashes so went with some fast lenses high ISO on one body and a bounced flash on another.

The results were appreciated as the bride and groom didn't have a clear idea of what they wanted. I just explained before that I'd just try to capture the day in a natural way. We only had one posed group photo in the park afterwards. Again I was glad as hadn't really done any formal or staged group shoots and wouldn't have been confident in organising that.

+1 for bouncing off the ceiling if possible, just remember to remover diffuser first.

Oh and consider shooting in raw then you can tweak exposure issues afterwards too...

Ceiling is waaaaay high in this place. I'm formulating a plan. For the ceremony I'm going to stand at the back with a zoom lens and meter on the couple, and then maybe stand in the wings by the windows and try and shoot back into the room - if it's laid out as I'm expecting. But as said - won't do many, it'll be offputting.

I've bought a remote flash now - never tried to use one off-camera for fill in - will have to do lots of messing aroudn tomorrow.

Just pray for overcast weather for the ceremony!

I'm hoping for rain so I don't have to schlepp to the other side of Cardiff to take the incongruity shots that seem popular these days 🙂

No offence, Stacey, if you ever read this, I just don't care for those shots, I always think 'what're they doing out there?' 🙂

if it's laid out as I'm expecting

Hah, we're not that serious.

[img] [/img]

Anyone got some sunglasses?
That's a horrendous picture. If you're not going to go down and have a play with levels and flash positioning, there's not much to offer in the way of advice.
Fill in flash so that the window isn't washed out or close ups making the background less important.

I think the worst thing about that picture is that they are standing so far apart. I'd not know where to point the camera. Can't take a couple picture like that.

You think that's the worst? 😆

Not the only!