Camera settings for candlelight wedding??

[KathiJo]

I've been asked to take pictures at a candlelight wedding that will be in a house. The wedding is at 7pm so it will be dark out. I haven't taken pictures like this before. I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT. Do you have an idea of what settings I should use to start experimenting with? I need a starting place. I have the 420 EX external flash.
Thanks!

[DavidW]

What lenses do you have, how far do you think you're going to be away from the action you're trying to record, and what sort of focal length ("mm zoom") do you think you'll be using? I haven't shot weddings - but I'm going to offer my thoughts, and then learn by what others suggest based on them.


This sounds quite a difficult scenario; you don't want to be using too much flash as that will destroy the mood of the candles.

A 420EX does allow adjustment of FEC, but I believe you have to do it on the camera, unlike the 430EX and 580EX (FEC adjustment is so easy on the 580EX - press the button in the control wheel and turn the wheel, rather like adjusting EC with the rear dial on a 20D). If you're only going to use the flash for fill, you'll be using negative FEC - maybe -1 2/3.

You may be better with some sort of modifier on the flash - though I've not yet picked up what the favourite flash modifiers of the wedding photographers are. It may be something like a Lightsphere II, a Lumiquest softbox, or maybe another Lumiquest product. Something like a StoFen Omnibounce won't be any use unless the ceiling is white and nearby.


The ambient light side of things is going to be awkward. If you're using flash for fill, this suggests Av mode. Even if you decide to underexpose the backgrounds a little and rely on the fill flash for the subject, you're probably still going to be at fairly high ISO and using maximum apertures of your lenses (which is going to be really awkward if all you have is consumer zooms). Shooting with maximum apertures means you have to watch out for depth of field, also it tends to be the setting that most shows the flaws in lenses.

If the groom is wearing black and the bride white, be careful of your metering. Those experienced with weddings will give you tips, but it's probably going to involve the use of partial metering and an exposure correction. I've lost track of whether the recommendation is meter on the bride and use positive EC, or meter on the groom and use negative EC.

Be very wary of shooting in portrait orientation with an external flash if you don't have a flash bracket; the shadows may be very off-putting.

Shoot RAW; there may well be challenging white balance issues if you use the flash, as the flash will be much cooler than candlelight. Candlelight is very warm - low colour temperature. With RAW, you don't have to get the white balance right in the camera.


I suspect going without the flash would be impossible.


This scenario would terrify me, even though I've got a couple of f/2.8L zooms (including the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L, which I suspect is what many people would want on one camera for this job), a more powerful and easier to adjust quickly 580EX flash and am looking to buy a flash bracket. Equipment is just part of the package needed here (and this is a situation that needs good equipment).

The usual advice on weddings applies. They are unrepeatable events, and the main photography is best left to those who have an established track record, and enough gear to have spares with them in case something goes down during the ceremony. I'd only dare shoot a wedding as second photographer; if the couple insist (maybe because they can't afford to pay anyone), it's worth reinforcing that you can't make any promises about the results because of your inexperience in wedding scenarios. It concerns me a little that you don't seem to have any idea where to start.

If you decide to hire equipment, make sure you're experienced enough with it before using it in the ceremony.



David

[MikeRuth]

Your going to get many pices of advice here and I am no expert, but I would suggest this, make an appointment with the people that have the home and go there and do some trial shots in the same lighting as the wedding will be. Take notes on your shots.

I think this will be your biggest advantage to get those once in a life time shots.

[tim]

Excellent advice from MikeRuth there.

There are two ways I can think of to do this:
1) Capture existing light. Get a 50mm F1.4 (or similar) and shoot natural light. This is the least invasive method, but even at ISO3200 you run the risk of blurry photos. Use a monopod at least.
2) Use a flash. Keep the ISO high and the aperture wide open, but use a flash, that way you should get the people reasonably sharp but get nice ambient background lighting. It won't work if the people are moving.

[Tom W]

Excellent advice from MikeRuth there.

There are two ways I can think of to do this:
1) Capture existing light. Get a 50mm F1.4 (or similar) and shoot natural light. This is the least invasive method, but even at ISO3200 you run the risk of blurry photos. Use a monopod at least.
2) Use a flash. Keep the ISO high and the aperture wide open, but use a flash, that way you should get the people reasonably sharp but get nice ambient background lighting. It won't work if the people are moving.

Yep, the trick is to balance flash output with the ambient light. You do NOT want the flash to overpower the candlelight in any way. No flash is the best, but there may not be adequate light for that. Next bet is bouncing flash off the ceiling (if it's a white ceiling) and using a combination of relatively high ISO, manual mode (so you can set your shutter and aperture as desired), and (-) flash exposure compensation. You probably want it to appear that the candles are the main light, or perhaps the only source of light.

Take MikeRuth's advice and try to do a trial run with the candle light to get exposure right. See how you can work with the situation. Don't be afraid to suggest additional candles, or dim incandescent lighting (similar color temperature to candles, so white balance may be easier).

[KathiJo]

Thanks for the advice. I have a 75-300 zoom. I think I will be fairly close to them as it is a very small wedding. It is the third wedding for them. They are not paying for the wedding themselves. Everything is donated by friends. They can't afford an experienced wedding photographer who has experience with this kind of situation. They were just going to have someone with a point and shoot camera take the pictures. I've done a couple of church weddings and I do family photography, mostly outdoors. I also do outdoor photography. This is why this is a challenge for me. I think I will just let them know what a challenging situation this is for any photographer and then let her decide if she still wants me. At least now I have some idea where to start with my camera. Thanks for all the tips.

[PhotosGuy]

Your going to get many pices of advice here and I am no expert, but I would suggest this, make an appointment with the people that have the home and go there and do some trial shots in the same lighting as the wedding will be. Take notes on your shots. Good advice! Yep, the trick is to balance flash output with the ambient light. You do NOT want the flash to overpower the candlelight in any way. No flash is the best, but there may not be adequate light for that. Next bet is bouncing flash off the ceiling (if it's a white ceiling) and using a combination of relatively high ISO, manual mode (so you can set your shutter and aperture as desired), and (-) flash exposure compensation. You probably want it to appear that the candles are the main light, or perhaps the only source of light. I'd try some with a warming gell (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=45189&is=REG&addedTroughType=search) on the flash & bounce it off the ceiling, too.

[tim]

Thanks for the advice. I have a 75-300 zoom. I think I will be fairly close to them as it is a very small wedding. It is the third wedding for them. They are not paying for the wedding themselves. Everything is donated by friends. They can't afford an experienced wedding photographer who has experience with this kind of situation. They were just going to have someone with a point and shoot camera take the pictures. I've done a couple of church weddings and I do family photography, mostly outdoors. I also do outdoor photography. This is why this is a challenge for me. I think I will just let them know what a challenging situation this is for any photographer and then let her decide if she still wants me. At least now I have some idea where to start with my camera. Thanks for all the tips.

That lens, if it's the F4- F5.6 zoom, is **WAY** to slow for this situation without flash. An F1.4 lens is more like what you need, which will capture between 4 and 8 times more light than your zoom. Even with the 1.4 lens you might not be able to work without flash.

[Todd Jacobsen]

I'd also recommend FEC at least a stop or two. Your camera's meter will be thrown off by the candles, creating darker pictures than you will want. That goes for any light surrounding the subject, not just the light on the table.

This is a perfect situation where a spot meter, even for reflective light, is a useful tool.

[tim]

Using the flash on manual and a flash meter might be an alternate idea, if you are confident enough to do it.

[PhotosGuy]

Using the flash on manual and a flash meter might be an alternate idea,
A simple solution to the, "Your camera's meter will be thrown off by the candles, creating darker pictures than you will want." problem, isn't it? ;)

[tim]

A simple solution to the, "Your camera's meter will be thrown off by the candles, creating darker pictures than you will want." problem, isn't it? ;)

Yep, I wouldn't trust ETTL for that.

[MikeRuth]

I've been asked to take pictures at a candlelight wedding that will be in a house. The wedding is at 7pm so it will be dark out. I haven't taken pictures like this before. I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT. Do you have an idea of what settings I should use to start experimenting with? I need a starting place. I have the 420 EX external flash.
Thanks!

Have you shot this wedding yet?


Mike