What to do??

[randy55]

I'll be shooting a small wedding the end of the month and was wondering if I should use my 550ex w/omni and buy a flash bracket or use my old flashes and buy an umbrella to shoot formals. Confusing huh? I'm trying not to spend that much to get ready for the event. If this was discussed previously please include a direct link.

Ok.. heres what I have now as far as lighting equipment..

(2) tripods
(1) 550ex w/omnibounce
(2) old flashes (pics below)
(2) optical slave hot shoe triggers

I don't know if I'll be having a low ceiling to bounce the flash so I want to have my stuff ready in case. There are so many flash brackets out there and the cheaper ones I don't really hear good about. In addition to that expense I would have to get the canon sync cable. This option would cost more than a $100 By the way.. do you guys ever shoot the 550ex w/omni straight on?

The other option is to use one or both of my old flashes w/ umbrella triggered by an optical slave on a tripod. The umbrella and holder would cost less than buying a bracket and cable.

I'm not 100% sure how to use the old flashes but this is what I was thinking. I would adjust the distance of the flash w/ umbrella triggered by optical slave from 550ex on camera to get proper exposure. Still with me? If this works then the side lighting would be better than shooting with a flash bracket right?

Which would work better or how would you go about handling my situation without having to spend hundreds of dollars. How about a lightsphere?

http://img272.echo.cx/img272/6823/front9go.jpg

http://img272.echo.cx/img272/6641/rear7hy.jpg

[robertwgross]

Well, first of all, we don't know what you have for a camera.

If you wanted to shoot the wedding, but you don't want to invest in much, then I would put the camera on a tripod, and put the 550EX with or without omnibounce on the camera. Shoot in horizontal/landscape orientation and do not change it to vertical/portrait. I guess that will have to do.

You can shoot just about any small to medium-size group that way. The larger groups will be problematic without more light. Maybe you can shoot outside on a cloudy day.

You stated that it was a small wedding. I guess that means that you are getting paid a small fee.

---Bob Gross---

[randy55]

Well, first of all, we don't know what you have for a camera.

If you wanted to shoot the wedding, but you don't want to invest in much, then I would put the camera on a tripod, and put the 550EX with or without omnibounce on the camera. Shoot in horizontal/landscape orientation and do not change it to vertical/portrait. I guess that will have to do.

You can shoot just about any small to medium-size group that way. The larger groups will be problematic without more light. Maybe you can shoot outside on a cloudy day.

You stated that it was a small wedding. I guess that means that you are getting paid a small fee.

---Bob Gross---

Thanks for the reply Bob. This is what I'll be working with.

Canon 10d
Canon 50mm 1.8
Tamron 28-75mm 2.8
and everything else listed above

Shoot all in horizontal/landscape? Is that my only option? I'm still trying to get used to my flash since I usually work with available light and a reflector. The wedding is in Hawaii and we will be taking shots of the wedding group after the ceremony outdoors which I should be able to manage if I have shade or it being a cloudy day(unlikely). But I think we're shooting in the church after the ceremony as well. I will be at the rehearsal the day before the actual wedding so I'll be able to see where I'll be working and take some test shots too.

I did say it was a small wedding... Around 50 people at the most and yes I'll be getting a small fee. Its family so it's really almost nothing at all but this is something I really would like to add to my portfolio and I don't want to brush it off as a quickie.

I want to learn and experiment with what I have. I read a few posts on here with people using multiple speedlites w/ umbrellas but I can't purchase another flash or two right at the moment (flight ticket and hotel fees). Thats why I was thinking of buying at least one umbrella and using my flashes in manual since my 550ex cant talk to the others and triggering the off camera flashes via optical slaves. Adjusting light moving forward or backward. Thought this would be cheaper than getting a flash bracket and cable.

I'm also leaning towards the lightsphere now since I've been reading more good than bad things about it. At least it would let me shoot verticals. I'd be willing to spend the extra $40

Wow this reply is longer than expected.

[robertwgross]

First of all, if you have to travel to do the wedding, then I would not think that you would want to carry umbrellas and lights and all that crap. This is one situation where a 550EX and the omnibounce would be very portable and probably the optimal solution.

If you have the flash on the camera directly above the lens, then all shadows will appear just slightly underneath the subject, like underneath the chin. This is if the camera is oriented in the horizontal/landscape position. If you tilt the camera over into vertical/portrait, then the shadows will be to the right or to the left, and this is almost universally WRONG.

You can beat that problem if you have a flash bracket with the flip feature, because the flash unit swings around so that it is still over the lens when in either position. So, the flash bracket is important IF you shoot vertically. Personally, I shoot more that way than in horizontal when I am at a wedding. All small groups go vertical, and all large groups go horizontal. But, that is just me.

---Bob Gross---

[randy55]

Ok. I think I'll stick the original methods of this situation and avoid the lightsphere. Multiple flashes would probably drive me crazy trying to figure out my first time anyways. Flash bracket it is! Now to find one a descent one with a reasonable price before I leave.

[OceanRider]

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7552904279&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBI%3AIT&rd=1

good priced flash bracket!! similar to strobframe