Wedding Ceremony Lighting

[gcobb]

I asked about the studio lighting/monolights, etc vs using 2 430ex units. What I'm interested in knowing is how you all position your lights, such as in the angle and whether you're firing into an umbrella or using a diffuser. Would the setup be any different if I were doing portaiture? Are both strobes off to the sides?

[AlexMa]

Depending on the umbrella............you can bounce it our shoot through. (kinda like a soft box)

U can get "adapters" and mount your 2x430EX onto light stands and fire into umbellas. I think they have a kit @ B&H for around a hundred bucks.

U just need something to work as a "master" to trip the two 430ex's. I think the 430's can be used as "slave" only.

U would need a 580, 550(I think) or the ST-E2 if you want to fire wirelessly.

Alex

[tim]

The only time I use a flash for the ceremony is when there's a very strong backlight, even then I try to avoid it. The shutter sound is loud enough without flashing all over the place.

[Scott_Quier]

The only time I use a flash for the ceremony is when there's a very strong backlight, even then I try to avoid it. The shutter sound is loud enough without flashing all over the place.
This is good to know. I'm guessing, then, that you compensate with fast glass and high ISO, taking care of the resulting noise in something like Noise Ninja?

[Stan43]

I shoot at 1600 or 3200 with a 50 1.4 or 85 1.8 then, as you suggest process through noise ninja. This is an extreme case of low light during the ceremony.

[imhotep]

I shoot at 1600 or 3200 with a 50 1.4 or 85 1.8 then, as you suggest process through noise ninja. This is an extreme case of low light during the ceremony.

I'm curious about those ISOs you listed. They seem so high to me, but I come from a landscape/nature background. I will however be shooting two weddings before Christmas. Is there a rule of thumb about ISOs at weddings? Is 800 just way too low? In the kind of photography I've done the most of, 800 is considered very high. Anyway, I'm curious and probably need to be straightened out on this one!

[sblais]

I'm curious about those ISOs you listed. They seem so high to me, but I come from a landscape/nature background. I will however be shooting two weddings before Christmas. Is there a rule of thumb about ISOs at weddings? Is 800 just way too low? In the kind of photography I've done the most of, 800 is considered very high. Anyway, I'm curious and probably need to be straightened out on this one!

In nature/landscape, there is plenty of light. In weddings, light is sometimes almost inexistant... There goes Maxwell's equations! ;) We must also keep the shutter speed high (in the ranges of 1/100) to avoid any motion blur. So for a given DOF, we often have no choice but to boost the ISO or use the flash. Many photographers prefer ambiant light and noise vs low noise and flash. It's a tradeoff.

If you do bird photography or shoot (as in "take a picture" :p) moving animals, you must also use very high shutter speeds (1/1000 and up!), so again, you must boost the ISO to compensate (that's my technique anyways ;))