'Mini studio' at the reception

[drogos]

I was wondering how many of you guys actually set up lights and backdrop during reception... if so what percentage of all photos are those "studio" formals ?

[picturecrazy]

never. use a nice wall, stairs, window, whatever. anything is better than dragging a huge backdrop and studio lighting IMO. It's not a really friendly/flexible setup if you start getting out of town, or even out of country weddings. So I like to keep my wedding kit small enough to fit into one bag!

[drogos]

well yeah that too but i was thinking of another aspect of all that ....i love PJ shooting style and i truly hate formals ....i do them obviously but still if it was up to me i wouldn't take a one posed picture ...anyways ...my clients often ask about studio setup and i am always trying to talk them out of it one way or another

[tim]

I occasionally set up a speedlite on a tripod with an umbrella, or if I know there will be a lot of portraits or group shots I might even set up a studio strobe off to one side if there's space. I would never use a background, it's a wall or nothing, generally a wall or something is better otherwise the background is a black hole.

[sblais]

No studio on location here either. I prefer to give the couple souvenirs of their wedding day, not their photography day.

[sapearl]

I use what's on hand for the backdrop and setup. If it's available we'll go outside in formal garden areas for the formals. I work alone so I like to keep my "luggage" to a minimum, and have not wanted to go the investment route yet in studio lighting.