Weddings

Glen

Glen

Uncle Glen
Messages
2,431
Name
Glen
Edit My Images
Yes
Last August a friend of mine asked me to film her wedding and create a DVD. Upon completion she was over the moon with the result. I'm due to film her sisters next month. With the first one I also took stills with my fuji 610 and incorporated them into the DVD. I would like to do the same again, also I would like to take some reportage pics and get an album made up for her similar to the ones on Jessops website:
http://www.jessopsphotoexpress.com/wpp/jessopsphotoexpress/buygifts_tour.jsp?type=album

Do any of you who have done weddings have any tips etc..shutter speeds ISO's. As you can see I've got 3 lens ranging from 10-20 - 18-55 - 70-300. Is it best to keep just the 1 on or start chopping and changing, bearing in mind I'll also be filming(the main priority).
 
it depends on your style your looking for and the place where ur doing the wedding,, light etc, i personally would enlist the help of a second person, cos it seems your taking a bit on yourself between photography and filming.

id probably stick the 70-300 on, up the iso, that way you have a bigger range of focal lengths to play with, if its candid you can be far enough back and zoom to get detail,
 
I covered weddings using mostly a 28-80 zoom with a 24 mm for larger groups and interior shots. With film 24mm was considered pretty wide with anything wider being a bit specialist, and you'll need to watch the distortion with wider lenses. With groups particularly, you'll tend to get the people on each end appearing to fall out towards the edge of the frame.

Taking the stills and the video is a pretty big undertaking I'd have thought? I worked alongside a lot of video guys at weddings ranging from the very professional to the downright obstructive. I remember one couple who were presented with 2 solid hours of unedited video tape which they couldn't be bothered to sit through, so don't fall into that trap.

As for ISO, a lot will depend on the weather, but you don't really want to go much faster than 100 or 200 ISO for best quality, and a shutter speed of around 125th or a little quicker with the focal lengths I've described should be enough to safeguard against your camera shake and movements from the subjects.
 
Style wise, I'm just looking for informal relaxed shots of everyone with a few formal groups nicked while the proper photo guys got them set up.
 
Right. Sorry Glen, I thought you were doing THE shots! :)

In that case make sure that you do something totally different to the pro - just don't take the shots he sets up, which happens a lot. What's the point in presenting the couple with two sets of identical shots?

You've an ideal opportunity to take some candid type shots while everyone is engrossed in what he's doing.
 
Editings no probs, the first wedding I had about 1.5hrs of footage which I condesnesd down to 59 mins with additional pics placed in and intro graphics, ending titles and music throughout.

So if I stuck around 200 iso with my 70-300, or would it depend on the day?
 
Grab a load of candids as the guests arrive, do some fun shots with the groom, best man and a few of his mates at the beginning and also make sure you get loads of shots of all the children too, everyone loves those and they make you a instant hero with all the parents ;)
 
I took quite a few of the kids at a friends wedding last summer. Comment since have been that they preferred my shots to a lot that the pro did :)

Apparently one parent did ask the bride who that bloke was taking pictures of her kids - she was reassured but taking pictures of kids does get noticed.
 
Glen said:
So if I stuck around 200 iso with my 70-300, or would it depend on the day?
Click to expand...

If you're going to concentrate on the candid fun type grab shots, which I think is your best bet as Steve has said, then that lens is a good choice. 200 ISO should be fine whatever the weather throws at you really, and you should mostly be using fill flash anyway. :)
 
Not really had chance to try outside daylight flash moments, is there anything special I'll need to do with my 430 or is it OK just strapped on and ready to go.
 
Glen assuming your 350D is pretty much the same as the 20D, then as long as you use the camera in a 'Creative' mode eg AV or TV, then the flash wont pop up automatically when light levels are low. You have to physically raise the flash yourself, the flash then works on the basis that you want to combine both ambient and flash light together. Just make sure the flash is set to TTL. You can still pop up the flash in bright sunshine.

If you haven't done this before then take some practice flash shots outdoors or indoors for that matter as long as you set the exposure for the AMBIENT light.

You'll' be surprised how well it works. ;)
 
Strap it on and fire away, although for best results (depending on the light available on the day) you may be best to reduce the output a little. I would advice practicing beforehand with anyone you can who is willing to be test subject. :)
 
:ponders: assume you mean ETTL, thats what on the speed light.


:embarasse when you say 'set' for ambient light, could you shed more 'light' on this one, as i getting confussticated.
 
Glen said:
:ponders: assume you mean ETTL, thats what on the speed light.
Click to expand...

Yes... that's the same as TTL (Thru the lens) just a bit more advanced. It means that the amount of flash is actually determined by the TTL metering system.
:embarasse when you say 'set' for ambient light, could you shed more 'light' on this one, as i getting confussticated.
Click to expand...

OK if you use most point and shoot cameras in low light where the shutter speed gets below hand - holdable speed, you get the flash operating automatically. The typical result of this you see is the night out type shots in pubs and clubs etc., where the subjects are illuminated by the flash and the room background is dark.The reason for this is that the flash is much more powerful than the room light and overpowers it completely giving a dark background.

When we say 'ambient light' we're referring to the prevailing light be it artifical (in a room) or out of doors (daylight)

Now... if instead of letting the flash dictate to you when it chooses to operate, you choose to work with the ambient light, then proceed as follows. Meter for the ambient light in the room -it may be around 1/10 sec with the lens wide open. Now pop up the flash. When you press the shutter the shutter will remain open for 1/10sec to give proper exposure for the room, but during the exposure the flash will fire with just enough power to illuminate the foreground figures. The result is a nicely exposed group with the flash, but with the room also properly exposed for the ambient light. You can try this in the room where you are now with your wife or significant other - the results are much more pleasant than your typical flash shot. :)

Same principal out of doors as long as the shutter speed doesn't exceed the max flash sync speed of the camera (1/200 sec) Meter for the ambient light, you may have to close down the aperture sufficiently to reduce the shutter speed to 1/200 (or less). Pop up the flash and the shot will be exposed for the natural light, but during exposure the flash will fire with just enough power to provide fill flash and a little more punch to your main subject.

Hope that helps mate. A few practice shots will help to a better understanding. :)
 
Ah...I see, will test some now. Thanks for all yours and everyone elses help.

Very much appreciated. :)
 
Glen said:
Ah...I see, will test some now. Thanks for all yours and everyone elses help.

Very much appreciated. :)
Click to expand...

That's the best way. Let the flash do it's thing. If you find that the flash is a bit too much then just reduce the power gradually on the flash unit till you're happy.
 
right stay with me...

1. I went into AV mode got a reading of 1/5th, went to TV dialed down to 1/5th then poped the flash and took a shot.

2. Then went to P it was 1/60th took the shot.

1st one is more natural than the second, Is this correct?
 
Glen said:
right stay with me...

1. I went into AV mode got a reading of 1/5th, went to TV dialed down to 1/5th then poped the flash and took a shot.

2. Then went to P it was 1/60th took the shot.

1st one is more natural than the second, Is this correct?
Click to expand...


Absolutely. Stick with AV :cool:
 
But keep an eye on shutter speeds during the actual shoot. Due to you using some flash you may get away with slower speeds than normal, but where possible try to keep the speeds up.
 
Get a diffuser for the flash - it makes the world of difference. Like the above, I may grab a couple of "official" shots for our own use, but it is amazing how many super shots you can get with a fairly long lens. Bright sunlight is the time when flash pays - thats why the pros use it all the time - and spare batteries!!!! I usually use AV on my 350, but leave it switched to Programme when it is turned off so I can flick the switch and shoot in a hurry. Flash will only fire when turned on in this mode as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top