Vicar said no flash, for Wedding togging.. Oh no!!

Moos3h said:
I really don't mean to sound cruel, but I wouldn't dream of being the main (commercial) photographer at a wedding with a (single) 400D and your selection of lenses, it's all superb enthusiast-grade kit, but in my opinion when it's a professional job then you should have professional gear and backups of everything, including bodies. I have always hired or borrowed a second body and selection of lenses if I didn't feel my kit stretched far enough.

I guess my post is really a warning to others more than a comment about your situation - but it's common that lots of people are 'having a go' at weddings because they have entry level dSLR equipment. Many are big sucesses, but under-spec'd equipment can cause you a headache and potentially run the risk of falling short of the quality expected by the bride and groom.
♦
Cheers,
James
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I'm not sure I can agree with all of this. Certainly if you don't have the basic understanding and confidence, you can find you've bitten off a lot more than you can chew on the day, but everyone has to start somewhere.

I certainly wouldn't dream of doing a wedding without two of everything including bodies ... Hell.. especially bodies, but I don't think those bodies need to be top end gear by any means, the OP's 400D is more than capable of the job. When I started out as a yoof I was using gear which many would have considered well below pro standard, in fact I overlapped with a few Hasselblad toting togs at churches where they delighted in asking me "Your're surely not using THAT are you? " :D
 
Canon Bob the wedding is on the 24th, yes Christmas Eve this year. The bride was hoping for snow.. - That isn't going to happen I think, quite rare in the southern hemisphere now.

Phew.. Thank god for that.. WOudl have had all those blown highlights to think about then.... :-)
 
Fabs,

The wedding is at St.Marys (Runwell) nr Rettendon.
 
Yeah I know.... Joking! I meant Southern Hemisphere of Britain. We don't get much snow down here nowadays - Global Warming an all.
 
Actually as a photographer and a Christian I have to stand up for the vicar,Weddings and Baptisms are sacramental services within the church in which the people involved are standing before God and making declarations for themselves and others.It is not a bun fight and as such should be treated with the respect of such an occasion.If you want all singing dancing and flashing lights go for a civil ceremony rather than one in church.

Having said that there are vicars,priests,ministers etc who have no problem with flash but the wishes of each vicar should be respected.
 
I feel that in this day and age the vicars are the ones that should be realising that people want their weddings photographed and regardless of weather they like flash or not or think it interupts the service its the couples day and they want the best pics.

Nothing winds me up more than a grumpy vicar who doesnt allow flash photography yet will say nothing to the guests who are using flash on their mobiles or compacts.

Thankfully out of the 11 weddings i did this year only 1 was a grumpy vicar
 
the last wedding i went to, someone stood up with a nikon d60 and a 70-300 set to auto. the onboard flash went off bout 6 times as it did the usual settings thing. stopped the wedding for a couple of seconds. the registrar looked dazed. after seeing it i understand why they dont want it during the ceremony.
 
How about a couple of discreetly placed video spots lighting the couple?
 
jcoutts said:
Canon Bob the wedding is on the 24th, yes Christmas Eve this year. The bride was hoping for snow.. - That isn't going to happen I think, quite rare in the southern hemisphere now.

Phew.. Thank god for that.. WOudl have had all those blown highlights to think about then.... :-)
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It's a shame the wedding is on Christmas Eve as I was just about to offer to come and give you a hand but I'm busy that day with family stuff so I won't be able to make it. If things change I'll be in touch, what time is the wedding?

Enjoy it and try not to get too stressed!
 
jcoutts said:
Fabs,

The wedding is at St.Marys (Runwell) nr Rettendon.
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Is this the place, up the hill out of Wickford and on the right ?

http://www.essexchurches.info/church.asp?p=Runwell&ty=e&id=001&ts=001

I went to a wedding there about 16 years ago and if I could find my old film photos ( all been lost during a move), I would probably have some daytime photos from inside and outside the church.

Have you had a chance to go in during the daytime to see if the light is any better ? The windows look very small.
 
Actually I think Captain Penguin has a point. Strangely enough, it's a church service and as such should be respected. Ok I know on these reduced church attendance times that churches are seen as a location rather than a place of worship...

I'm sure the vicar/couples would agree for some posed photos after the service.

It was like that for the last two civil ceremonies I attended. The registrar made the point of asking for no photography during the ceremony and even spoke to a couple of people who pulled out their point and shoots.



Oh and for ownership - The Church of England has 16,200 church buildings. About 12,200 of these are listed by the Government as being of special architectural or historic interest, including around 45 per cent. of all Grade I and 20 per cent. of all Grade 2 buildings.
 
Wow, thanks to all the people for their tuppence worth, appreciate all the feedback, frank honest and helpful. Plus the offers of help in many ways.

Even had the offer of the use of someones kit - Which is just amazing. What a lovely bunch on here. :clap:

Leaky5 - Yes that is the exact church.

Well been back in this morning, lovely bright day today. If its like this on the day I'll be laughing :lol: Surprising how much light the stain glass windows actually let in, though yes they are very small. Very decieving, because from the outside they look black. Very dark at one end, the entrance the bride begins her walk where the huge organ is based (So no windows). Will look to get her and her father further down where the light is better.

Inside at the main part of the church, the windows actually let quite a lot of light in and so I was able to get away with ISO800, at about 1/50 for a reasonable exposure. Setting to "TV"..

Using "AV" at f4.0 shutter speed was about 1/15, too slow to avoid shake. IMO though I look like I did O.K wouldn't chance that on the day though :nono: f2.8 was about 1/25, wide open still O.K but again I think that would be still too slow to guarantee no blurring.

Will be reviewing the pics tonight along with the EXIF, see if they are not blurred! They look O.K. on screen (In camera), but all in all a lot more happy. Just pray for a brightish day on the day....

Thanks again guys.
 
OK, another lateral thought, hire a couple of those generator lights and provide your own external sunshine through the windows?:D
 
jcoutts said:
Wow, thanks to all the people for their tuppence worth, appreciate all the feedback, frank honest and helpful. Plus the offers of help in many ways.

Even had the offer of the use of someones kit - Which is just amazing. What a lovely bunch on here. :clap:

Leaky5 - Yes that is the exact church.

Well been back in this morning, lovely bright day today. If its like this on the day I'll be laughing :lol: Surprising how much light the stain glass windows actually let in, though yes they are very small. Very decieving, because from the outside they look black. Very dark at one end, the entrance the bride begins her walk where the huge organ is based (So no windows). Will look to get her and her father further down where the light is better.

Inside at the main part of the church, the windows actually let quite a lot of light in and so I was able to get away with ISO800, at about 1/50 for a reasonable exposure. Setting to "TV"..

Using "AV" at f4.0 shutter speed was about 1/15, too slow to avoid shake. IMO though I look like I did O.K wouldn't chance that on the day though :nono: f2.8 was about 1/25, wide open still O.K but again I think that would be still too slow to guarantee no blurring.

Will be reviewing the pics tonight along with the EXIF, see if they are not blurred! They look O.K. on screen (In camera), but all in all a lot more happy. Just pray for a brightish day on the day....

Thanks again guys.
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I have the Canon nifty fifty from the tour if you need it. Just need your details and I'll be able to send it on Saturday morning. You will need to send it on to whoever is next on the list though.

As for the vicar not allowing flash I totally agree. I've been to so many weddings where the tog uses flash and it just puts you off, like you're at a photoshoot. You expect him to start saying "that's it work the camera baby.."

Choccy...
 
Agree with CT on this one. Reach a compromise with the Vic, tell him/her you will limit to 6 frames with flash and that you will not intrude on the most devout parts of the ceremony, discuss those with the Vic, get your 6 with flash right first time and stand back for the solemn section. Job done.
 
J Gordon said:
Agree with CT on this one. Reach a compromise with the Vic, tell him/her you will limit to 6 frames with flash and that you will not intrude on the most devout parts of the ceremony, discuss those with the Vic, get your 6 with flash right first time and stand back for the solemn section. Job done.
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Why do you need flash at a wedding. It's not a photoshoot or the Beckhams coming out of a club. If you're going to have flashing lights might as well have some techno music coming from the pipes.;)

Choccy...
 
Choccy said:
Why do you need flash at a wedding. It's not a photoshoot or the Beckhams coming out of a club. If you're going to have flashing lights might as well have some techno music coming from the pipes.;)

Choccy...
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:lol: Think the Vic might just object to Techno during the ceremony. Try the drum 'n' bass route......:naughty:
 
Hi Leaky5,

Thanks for asking. Yes it went O.K. well very well actually. A few pics I wasn't happy with (A Deviation sign and some cars got in the way on that busy road). but I was able to take some of it out for the prints (Thank you Photoshop).

A couple are not quite in focus and I can see what happened, but you only get one crack don't you and if you;ve missed it - you've missed it!! :bonk:

Main thing was the B&G were over the moon with them.. :clap:

Here they are if you want to take a gander....

http://www.photoelements.110mb.com/

As I have said I have done some more work on the dodgy ones and the ones I am not happy with for print - B&G know this, but they just wanted to see them, so I posted them up soon as.

Please you lot be gentle, it was my first wedding!!!!.... :lol::lol::lol:

Thanks for the interest.
 
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