Groups and settings for inside a church

[multiverso]

Hi,

I'm shooting a wedding where the bride wants to make large group shots (40-50 people) inside the church, on the altar stairs. I have experience in shooting large groups outside, but not like this, so I hope someone that went through this experience could give me some advice.

I'm shotting the ceremony with a 20D with 24-70L & 16-35L and 580EX. I have an Omnibounce and a Manfrotto tripod 055 Pro. I was supposed to shot these groups outside with the 16-35 on tripod and available light, but the bride changed that. Now I have to shoot on a semi-dark church. I wonder what would be the best settings. I'll still shoot on tripod with the 16-35, but with so many people on the picture I can't shoot without flash (I tend to avoid flash as much as possible) becasue a slow shutter speed for sure will blur someone. The bride wants sharp faces and also wants to show the lovely altar behind.

I'm thinking about the best settings here. I'm worried if my 580EX will be powerful enough to light and freeze everyone while still showing the background (she's ok with a nicely blurred altar, she just doesn't want "pitch-black" backgrounds) I can shoot at 2.8 with the 16-35 at say ISO 800, but then I'm worried about the sharpness of the picture. I can shoot at lower ISO with f8 but then I'm worried about lightning everyone correctly. Just one more note, ceiling is very high so I can't bounce the flash. What settings (ISO/f) would you use here? Would you use the difusser retractable panel (not the white card) on the 580EX? Would you use A-DEP, M or Av?

I shoot this weekend and don't have time to so some tests on location (and with that many people!) so any comment would be greatly appreciate.

Thanks!

[tim]

Tough shot. Try and get above them so you're about the same distance from each person so they're illuminated evenly. Use the flash to illuminate them, drag the shutter to get the background.

[song4themoon]

Sounds difficult. Is is possible for you to bring studio lighting for this? That would probably offer the best lighting for this task.

[MDJAK]

Sounds to me like a very picayune bride who knows just enough about photography to be dangerous. She doesn't want pitch black backgrounds, but she wants you to freeze 50 people with a slow shutter speed and no studio lights?

As Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) once said: I'd like a toilet bowl made out of solid gold, but it's just not in the cards, baby.

Good luck and post your results.

mark

[rlhphotos]

IF you dont have studio lights buy some, youll probably need them and you can get a set for fairly inexpensive, this will givey ou more than adequate light and make your work a lot easier.

[sapearl]

All is not lost - you may be in better shape than you realize. My largest indoor group was only about 29, but check out my post for about 25 or so people in "Largest Wedding Party."

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=151991&page=2

Take Tim's suggestion and drag the shutter. I'd suggest a shutter speed of 1/30 with the camera set to manual, aperture set at the infamous "f8 and don't be late." My shot was done with a medium format and film, ASA 400, but the principals are similar. I was using a big Metz, but your 580 should do the trick. You're using the 20D so you could probably get pretty good results with ISO 800 and the 16-35L, set near its widest angle so you don't have to step too far back from the crowd.

Use a small stool or ladder, something that will give you at least 20" of elevation. To keep that many people from spreading out too much, you should "stack" them in four rows, possibly with some of the groomsmen kneeling at the bottom of the pile. Done in this fashion, you may be able to fit everyone in and only be about 22 feet or so away from the first row.

If the 1/30, f8, ISO 800 combo gives results that are too dark, then, still keeping the camera in manual set the shutter for 1/15. I don't know if your lens has IS, but the flash should freeze most shake or movement if you're not using a tripod. Or you could keep 1/30 but open up to f5.6, although that will give you slightly less depth of field for the folks in the back row. I just got the 580 myself but have not tried out all the automation yet - I'm sure it's smarter than I am, but until I get a number of consistent results under my belt I'll do some of my shots (like this one) manually.

And the most important point is ...... keep your cool, and take your time in setting up this shot. The bride know it's a huge group, and as such will need a little patience and TLC. Postion people, step back and look... do it again, and again until you feel the composition is right. Smile... say please... be gentle - the guests will respond well to this. Trust me; been there, done it. Have fun!!:D