1st Christening.. be honest please

Trev Rich

Trev Rich

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Trev
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Ok my 1st Christening, taken in favour for friends of mine.
I've never covered a Christening before.. or actually been to one so I didn't really know what to expect.
I arrived 30 mins early to check with the vicar where the family & family would be stood, and wheres the best place for me to be located.
He was very helpful.. started the service and did the total opposite of what he said and had to quietly re-position.

I think it went quite well, and my friends are over the moon with the resulting images.
Here are 3 for you crit....

1.
Am quite pleased with this as there are no harsh shadows and the expressions are great.
IMG_1558.jpg


2.
love the timing here, coupled with the expressions on both faces..
Am gutted with the harsh shadow but I had no-where to bounce the light due to the high ceilings.
IMG_1566.jpg


3.
Love the father daughter in this.. but am not sure on the windows.
IMG_1561.jpg
 
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I love all three and would be over the moon.

I am more into the expressions on peoples faces than anything else.
 
I like the father/daughter one. Keep the windows, they don't overpower anything but add context.

To avoid harsh shadows that you don't like, get the flash off camera (even if it's on a cord) and use a diffuser of some sort. Stofen and Gary Fong Lightsphere are the ones favoured for quick, portable use.
 
I'm with Ali, definitely invest in some diffusion. (y)

Also look into a technique called dragging the shutter.

It's a flash technique that involves using slower shutter speeds, allowing much more ambient light through but then freezes the scene sufficiently with a little flash for sharpness.

It's a very effective technique that can grant a much more pleasing result.

It works so much more effectively than nuking the seen and having those harsh shadows as seen off the vicars back in no: 2 and the black holes as seen at the edge of the frame, camera left in number 1.

You've taken some nice shots there but IMO, the faster shutter speeds, narrow apertures (f/14 in no:2) combined with aggressive flash in a dimly lit environments really effect the narrative.

Have a go with dragging the shutter and slow sync and you'll be well chuffed.

T.
 
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Dragging the shutter ...mmmmmmmmmm whats this I ask myself......................so started reading .................................excellent link which i have bookmarked to read it all..........................

thanks tomas...
 
Thanks Ali....
Have had a quick play at dragging the shutter but am still getting some harsh shadows.
In the examples used in that site. none of the subjects are really that close to a wall as in my pics
thinking.gif
 
jolsterj said:
Dragging the shutter ...mmmmmmmmmm whats this I ask myself......................so started reading .................................excellent link which i have bookmarked to read it all..........................

thanks tomas...
Click to expand...

No bother at all Jo, it'll take a bit of familiarizing yourself with but you'll find that it opens up a new world of shooting at much slower shutter speeds that would normally have you grasping for a tripod.

You still have to keep a steady hand and motion blur will still be apparent if folk skip the light fantastic about the place but it's an invaluable technique all the same.

It's worth mentioning that there will be a choice of front or rear curtain sync.
Which is basically choosing at which point you would like the flash to fire, at the beginning of the exposure or at the end.

Personally, I like the flash to go at the end of the exposure as any movement will appear to flow in the correct direction.
So, I have my camera permanently set to rear curtain, the only exception is when I actually want a backwards appearance to motion blur. (hardly ever)

CT had a very good post on front and rear curtain sync but I can't find it :crying:
 
Trev Rich said:
Thanks Ali....
Have had a quick play at dragging the shutter but am still getting some harsh shadows.
In the examples used in that site. none of the subjects are really that close to a wall as in my pics
thinking.gif
Click to expand...

Can you post an example with full exif mate? and what mode is your flash set to?
 
Trev Rich said:
ahhhh was just the mrs hand near a wall..
Flash was set to TTL.
manual settings, iso 800, f.5.6, 1/15 secs
Click to expand...

I'd probably say that you have the flash pointed straight at your target rather than upward, if the unit has a bounce card then use that too.

Bouncing off walls and ceilngs is always a better bet (much softer) but understandably not always possible (high ceilings etc).
 
yes I know how to bounce flash... but in the church the ceilings are too high.
I hate directing flash straight at the subject but in the christening I really had no choice :(
 
Trev Rich said:
yes I know how to bounce flash... but in the church the ceilings are too high.
I hate directing flash straight at the subject but in the christening I really had no choice :(
Click to expand...

Yeah, sometimes it's unavoidable but the church scenario would benefit with a slower shutter speed, soaking up much more ambient, a wider aperture and then a gentle pop of diffused flash, this is where the light sphere that Ali B recommended would come in handy. Also a Lastolite 20-80.

All tricks to get those harsh shadows under wraps and the light softer.

Here's a rather boring shot of my dog, this is the only shot I can find that illustrates the shadow and black hole issue.
Look under Maddie's chin, the shadow is very soft.
A narrow aperture, fast shutter speed and aggressive pop would cause a very distinctive shadow under her chops and a black hole toward the back of the room.

_TDW5239.jpg


T.
 
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Trev Rich said:
Agreed and thanks a lot for the help.
Tis a big learning curve this. And good to have peeps like you on the forum.. thanks :)
Click to expand...

No bother at all fella, any questions, anytime just send us a PM or summin.

I evidently have a lot to learn myself, but if I can help anyone out at all, I will! (y)
 
Good to see you getting sorted. I use the same kind of technique as Tomas for first dances at weddings. I actually have the settings saved to an SD card so I can upload them on the 1Ds without having to remember them when my brain is mush at the end of the day.

I use rear curtain sync too with the camera on ISO100, f8 and the shutter somewhere between 1/30 and 1/60 depending on the amount they are jigging about :)

The flash can be on camera but I tend to shoot one handed with the flash in the other. It can be fitted with a diffuser or bare depending on how much lighting effect I want since I'm usually mixing with the disco guy at this point.

Does your flash have a bounce card?

It's a little white card that pops out with the wide angle thingie. If you do then you need to worry less about bouncing off ceilings, that will trow some light forward with the flash pointing up. If not have a look for buildabetterbouncecard online. Plenty of DIY tips. :)
 
I have one to do in a few weeks so i gathered some nice tips here.
Thanks...
 
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