I need help from the PROS (shooting a baptism)

[romster]

I was ask by a friend to shoot her daughters baptism can anyone please help me on this, this is the first time I'm taking picture indoors (church) and restaurant and I have a month and a half to practice on this. I usually take pictures outdoors, urban, candids.

Need tips on: Angles, should I be shooting some candids, what should I be looking for, camera and flash settings, etc.

Sorry if I'm asking too much just wanted to do this right and at the same time not to stress too much about it.

Here is my gear list:

Canon EOS 400D (Rebel XTi)
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II (Lens Kit)
Canon EF 70-200mm f4.0L USM
Canon EF 17-40mm f4.0L USM (renting)
Canon Speedlite 580ex -or- 430ex Flash (renting)

Thank you in advance POTN members

[Mounkey]

hmmm you'll most likely want to add a faster lens in that mixup if $$$ permits. You'll most likely be shooting in low light churches. Get your self a prime 28 or something. otherwise you will be a slave to that speedlight..good luck!

[ClickClick]

What is the building like you are going to be in?

[ryant35]

You may look into renting a lens - something with an F/2.8, or even a 50mm F/1.4 or 1.5 (I don't remember exactly the model)

Also go to the church with someone to stand in to check out your flash settings and if you can even work with out the flash with a fast lens.

[romster]

What is the building like you are going to be in?

I will need to visit the place sometime this weekend and actually see what I'm dealing with re: lighting, usually churches are poorly lighted

[romster]

You may look into renting a lens - something with an F/2.8, or even a 50mm F/1.4 or 1.5 (I don't remember exactly the model)

Also go to the church with someone to stand in to check out your flash settings and if you can even work with out the flash with a fast lens.

I'll see if I can get a faster lens, I knew it I should have shell out the extra cash and went for the f2.8 oh well

[romster]

Thanks for TIPS

[mcmadkat]

Don't forget most primes are faster than zooms, a 50mm f1.4, or 35L would be quite good.

[Mr. Clean]

Sigma 30mm 1.4 has your name written all over it for this one.

[Foggy]

While it is great to have on hand fast lense(s), you will be using that speedlite for compositions involving a larger dof.

Since you are renting a speedlite flash, I'd highly recommend you start shooting and getting familiar with it, (i.e. bounce flashes, FEC etc, your church may have high ceilings, you might have to rely on the 580's built in reflector card) and just knowing the capability/behaviour of it. Thus reducing the possibility of underexposure(or over) for those compositions involving ETTL flash.