Some advice

Has anybody on the forum shot weddings before>?

Too much pressure for me, i wouldnt mind shadowing the photographer. I guess new photographers like myself first has to build some confidence before attempting a big event where the people are very critical over the photos.
 
mercurial said:
Thanks. Any specific Sigma flash I should look at?
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The EF-530 DG Super is the replacement for the one I have (EF-500 DG Super) and has done a great job for me.

Okay, but can I not tone down the exposure compensation of the flash?
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The light is still harsh and you'll lose the important shadows that give the photo character.
 
bwana said:
whenever possible you want to avoid direct flash and bounce or otherwise diffuse it . . . unless you think they'll enjoy the deer-caught-in-the-headlights washed out look?
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Not only the deer in the headlights look - but a direct flash more often than not creates that huge black shadow effect directly behind someone (if it is near a wall or table) - makes their heads or shoulders look oddly shaped (especially if they are wearing a black suit etc)

Most of the nicer flashes come with a pull-out bounce-card and a diffuser. Also keep in mind the height of the roof. If you are used to bouncing a flash inside a normal sized room and then get to a hall, you may have to adjust the angle of the flash to compensate for the higher roof ? (well in theory at least)
 
bwana said:
The EF-530 DG Super is the replacement for the one I have (EF-500 DG Super) and has done a great job for me.

The light is still harsh and you'll lose the important shadows that give the photo character.
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Oh okay. So in those instances, would it not be better to just use the internal flash for "close ups"?
 
mercurial said:
Oh okay. So in those instances, would it not be better to just use the internal flash for "close ups"?
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The internal flash is best for photographing people you dislike immensely.
 
You really need two photographers. One will follow the groom around and the other will hang out with the bride. And two are still needed when the bridal couple are together. Not sure how you are going to handle the ceremony but you need to cover lots of angles without being in the way - the couple usually face the front but they do turn to face the congregation and you want all those shots. Then there are the formal shots and an assistant can help. And then there is the reception with speeches and grab shots of the guests.

Take a step ladder - it is so much easier taking a table shot from above that trying to make sure that everyone is facing you when you push the button.

And if you can - get a studio flash and a back drop and do shots of everyone as couples, or posing with the bridal couple.
 
Albereth said:
You really need two photographers. One will follow the groom around and the other will hang out with the bride. And two are still needed when the bridal couple are together. Not sure how you are going to handle the ceremony but you need to cover lots of angles without being in the way - the couple usually face the front but they do turn to face the congregation and you want all those shots. Then there are the formal shots and an assistant can help. And then there is the reception with speeches and grab shots of the guests.

Take a step ladder - it is so much easier taking a table shot from above that trying to make sure that everyone is facing you when you push the button.

And if you can - get a studio flash and a back drop and do shots of everyone as couples, or posing with the bridal couple.
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Some more great tips. I wish our wedding photographer had thought to bring a step ladder . . . or continue growing after the age of 15. :o

One thing to keep in mind . . . its an important day and one you will be cursed for all eternity should you balls it up.

But hey - no pressure. :)
mercurial said:
bwana, which lenses would you recommend for weddings?
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That's easy (because I dont have it!) the 24-70mm f/2.8L - second place (also one I dont have) would probably be the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS.

What glass do you own again?
 
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Merc, get the Sigma DG530 Super. It is more or less on par with the Canon 580EX II but for EX 430 II money. I have this flash and I'm super happy with it. Aside from the obvious advantages, it can be triggered with the 40D's pop-up flash, so you can stick it on a tripod somewhere (no cables) and fire away. I think in this mode (as an optical slave) it becomes a manual flash, but I might be wrong.

For events I usually put the camera in M, get a lowish shutter (1/40 seems to be good for me if I'm shooting with the 24-105L IS), 800 ISO and the flash on TTL. This causes it to fill and I generally still get enough of the background exposed to give a pleasing look.
 
bwana said:
That's easy (because I dont have it!) the 24-70mm f/2.8L - second place (also one I dont have) would probably be the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS.

What glass do you own again?
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18-55mm, 70-200mm and the nifty fifty. I'll probably use the first one and the last one most.


koffiejunkie said:
Merc, get the Sigma DG530 Super. It is more or less on par with the Canon 580EX II but for EX 430 II money. I have this flash and I'm super happy with it. Aside from the obvious advantages, it can be triggered with the 40D's pop-up flash, so you can stick it on a tripod somewhere (no cables) and fire away. I think in this mode (as an optical slave) it becomes a manual flash, but I might be wrong.

For events I usually put the camera in M, get a lowish shutter (1/40 seems to be good for me if I'm shooting with the 24-105L IS), 800 ISO and the flash on TTL. This causes it to fill and I generally still get enough of the background exposed to give a pleasing look.
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Okay, I'll look into it. Why do you use such a slow shutter though?
Also, what did you mean by master and slave?
 
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mercurial said:
Also, what did you mean by master and slave?
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One flash is away from the camera, and is triggered by one on the camera. Here, a pic taken with a 420ex and a 430ex (both in slave mode) triggered by a 580ex (master) on the camera. The 400 flashes were on either side of the stone:



You can get rid many of the shadows using setups like this (or introduce enhanced side shadows). Canon flashes can't be triggered by the onboard flash like the Sigma - they need to be triggered by a 550ex or a 580ex. Be aware that there are problems with the Sigma flash triggering Canon flashes.

[edit]IIRC, the slave flashes are triggered by infra red beams[/edit]
 
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mercurial said:
Okay, I'll look into it. Why do you use such a slow shutter though?
Also, what did you mean by master and slave?
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I shoot as if I'm shooting without flash, so that the background will have a reasonable amount of content. To that end, it doesn't matter if the background is one or two stops under - it still gives context to the image. Then the fill flash makes sure that the subject's faces are properly exposed.

If I'm shooting with a non-IS lens, I'll probably use a faster shutter, but with the 24-105L I'm pretty safe a 1/40 as long I'm not shooting people moving about.
 
BigAl-sa said:
One flash is away from the camera, and is triggered by one on the camera. Here, a pic taken with a 420ex and a 430ex (both in slave mode) triggered by a 580ex (master) on the camera. The 400 flashes were on either side of the stone:



You can get rid many of the shadows using setups like this (or introduce enhanced side shadows). Canon flashes can't be triggered by the onboard flash like the Sigma - they need to be triggered by a 550ex or a 580ex. Be aware that there are problems with the Sigma flash triggering Canon flashes.

[edit]IIRC, the slave flashes are triggered by infra red beams[/edit]
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Thanks Big-Al ;)

koffiejunkie said:
I shoot as if I'm shooting without flash, so that the background will have a reasonable amount of content. To that end, it doesn't matter if the background is one or two stops under - it still gives context to the image. Then the fill flash makes sure that the subject's faces are properly exposed.

If I'm shooting with a non-IS lens, I'll probably use a faster shutter, but with the 24-105L I'm pretty safe a 1/40 as long I'm not shooting people moving about.
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I see what you mean. Thanks.
 
mercurial said:
18-55mm, 70-200mm and the nifty fifty. I'll probably use the first one and the last one most.
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Since I've got almost the same glass . . . for most of the ceremony I'd probably keep the 18-55 on one body and the 70-200 on the other and then switch out the 70-200 for the 50mm at the reception.

For the reception I'd keep the flash on the 18-55 and use 50mm with available light. That's assuming the reception is afternoon/evening into the night.

I'd shy away from using the flash as a fill if means the shutter is too slow - people are always moving about at weddings and you'll be hard pressed to redo too many shots.

Have you seen the venue?
 
bwana said:
Since I've got almost the same glass . . . for most of the ceremony I'd probably keep the 18-55 on one body and the 70-200 on the other and then switch out the 70-200 for the 50mm at the reception.

For the reception I'd keep the flash on the 18-55 and use 50mm with available light. That's assuming the reception is afternoon/evening into the night.

I'd shy away from using the flash as a fill if means the shutter is too slow - people are always moving about at weddings and you'll be hard pressed to redo too many shots.

Have you seen the venue?
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Thanks bwana. No, I haven't seen it yet. I will need to find out if it is an evening thing but now that I think about it, I'm convinced it would be a day thing. So as far as that is concerned, I won't need the flash, but the other event will definitely be an evening thing so then I would need a flash.
 
mercurial said:
Thanks bwana. No, I haven't seen it yet. I will need to find out if it is an evening thing but now that I think about it, I'm convinced it would be a day thing. So as far as that is concerned, I won't need the flash, but the other event will definitely be an evening thing so then I would need a flash.
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If its daytime you should have enough ambient light to be able to use the flash as fill so for the wedding I'd keep the flash on the body with the 18-55 and have the 70-200 on the second body.
 
bwana said:
If its daytime you should have enough ambient light to be able to use the flash as fill so for the wedding I'd keep the flash on the body with the 18-55 and have the 70-200 on the second body.
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Okay. I don't have a second body though :p
 
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