Tips to shoot a baptism?

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Finally the first chance to shoot an event has arrived. I'll be shooting a baptism for free next Saturday, so I think it could be a good chance to practice.
The baptism will take place in a catholic church(flash is allowed). My gear is just a 40D, Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 and 3 Vivitar 285HV.
My questions are:
-I don't feel that comfortable with the use of flash yet, should I just leave it at home and try to shoot just with available light or rent a 580EX II?
-If I decided to shoot just with available light which lens would you rent; Canon 17-55 IS or Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS?
-Besides formals and ceremony pictures, what else should I shoot?
-During the ceremony is better shooting really close or use the long zoom?

Thanks in advance.

[canonnoob]

your most likely gunna want a flash... there is some movement in the ceremony and the lighting isnt that good. so i say get a flash. its up to you.

[shannyD]

i would go to the church, and check out what kind of lighting youll have at that time of day.. and makeour choice on flash then. your 40D is super capeable. and i think your tamron 17-50 would be really nice..

i dont think you will have to rely on the flash that much.. but i would go to the church and check it out. take a few practice shots just to see what your best settings are.

i might even take both lenses so you can make that choice from there if you want to get in close or not.. but i think you will be ok with the lens set up you have now.. i wouldnt spend money if you arent making any.

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

I'm going to check the church this afternoon or tomorrow. I'm guessing the light inside won't be that much and that's maybe the reason they allow flash.
I'll take some pictures with and without flash. I was thinking of using the long zoom so I don't bother the ceremony shooting that close.

[shannyD]

yeah i was going to suggest thqt.. but i would bring both.. so you dont wish you would have brought the other instead. you know?

but for sure check it out. and make sure you get your settings right.. bring someone with you, and see if you can use them as a test subject, that way you can make sure and double sure.

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

I went to check the church this morning. I took these pictures with just available light. What do you think? Is that a poor light scene?
I really didn't like the ones with flash. I think I'll be close to the 10 ft limit and just shooting from behind. If I rent a 70-200mm 2.8 IS, do you think I would be able to slow my shutter speed lower than my Tammy 17-55mm?

http://img385.imageshack.us/my.php?image=church2cv1.jpghttp://img385.imageshack.us/img385/5070/church1wa7.jpg

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/9945/church3xw5.jpg

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/8464/church2cv1.jpg


http://img385.imageshack.us/my.php?image=church3xw5.jpg

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Nobody? Well I think I'll shoot without flash with just my tamron 17-50.
I think I'll get some blurry pictures. Hopefully I'll get a some good pictures.

[canonnoob]

Thye are nice.. but alittle noisey.... can you post the exif data?

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Aperture: 2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 1600

And I used a whibal to setup white balance.
They look noisey . I'm just worried about blurry pictures using that shutter speed. I don't know if a 17-55mm with IS will help

[canonnoob]

well.... your iso is really high.... so your gunna get a decent amount of noise... do you plan on printing for these people?

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Yes. What do you think? should I use flash anyways? Or rent some lens with IS that help me to use ISO 800?

[canonnoob]

i say rent for IS but you need to learn how to use your camera still whne you cant rent one...

[shannyD]

yeah use your flash, lower your iso to 400 if possible or lower. and do some more test shots again. i would play with 3x5 white index card to bounce because those ceilings are huge. but i like the shots you took anyway. if it were a straight artistic thing, longer exposure would have been great... but since you will have movement of people and such.. you dont want that much blur. you would rather have more keepers than not.

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

this pictures was using flash:

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/8213/church1yb1.jpg

http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=church1yb1.jpg

http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=church1yb1.jpg
http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=church1yb1.jpg

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Well I don't like the way pictures look with flash(maybe the ceiling being so high) but you're right I'll get more keepers.

[canonnoob]

try and bounce the flash some... but i dont like the flash photos...

[shannyD]

that is some serious direct flash.. lol.. try a bounce card.. or maybe even a diffuser? but i kind of like how flash looks with a bounce card too..

so just play with it. and see what you som up with..

i personally feel there is enough light to get away without using a flash.. noise can be cleaned up in PP a bit.

maybe pick up a 50mm 1.8? they are like 75 dollars.. but i like your lens line up anyway. i think you can get away with it. but bring your flash.. play with a bounce card anyway, or pick up a diffuser ( about 15 dollars).

im not a huge flash fan myself.. so i try and not use it when ever possible.

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

shannyD if I don't use direct flash the pictures will look like there was no flash(the ceiling is way too high).
Maybe I need a diffuser, and try again. I was think about Gary Fong

[shannyD]

you dont need it to look like there was flash. thats why i suggest a bounce card, diffuser.. or going without flash all together. i think you can get away without using flash. but to be on the safe side.. try a bounce card, or a diffuser.

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Thanks guys for your advice.

[canonnoob]

yup no problem....

[Chris]

If you are only 10' away I think you would be ok with 17-50. Do you have a monopod that you could take with you? That would help out a lot. If you want to rent a lens, try the 70-200 2.8 IS since you already have something similar to the 17-55 2.8. I know you don't have IS but at such a close distance I think you would be ok if you shoot 1600 and 2.8. Use noise ninja or neat image if you need to clean up the images.

If you do rent the 70-200 2.8 IS that would be a great place to take it through its paces. It amazes me at how quickly that lens focuses even in the lowest light situations. It rarely hunts for focus in low light. Best lens I've ever used.

[Geordie Amanda]

I am really interested to know how this turns out. I am going to a Baptism next week as a Godmother and I am probably the only person with a decent camera. Unfortunately I am not blessed with great imagination or talent, certainly not to the degree my kit is capable of. I am not going to be able to see the Church in advance, or take any pictures during the ceremony, but was hoping to catch some shots (hopefully a little candid in style) of the Parents and Grandparents with the newborn child and perhaps a few tight Portraits.

My gear is a 40D, Canon 17-55mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 (well it will be in my bag) and a Speedlight 430. I also use a grip.

I recently watched the ‘Build a better bounce card’ tutorial on line and have fashioned one of my own (well several really) and have played with this a bit. The results seem to flatter my otherwise poor skills and it certainly helps to alleviate hard shadow with the vertical or side main flash and the bounce card providing a nice amount of illumination to the subject. I haven’t a clue what I am doing really but seem to muddle through OK. Therefore if anyone has any solid advice for a numpty with more gear than sense, I would be really grateful. It’s things like- am I better going for Av rather than Tv ?(I doubt I would trust myself with full manual) or if the Church is well lit, go with ambient lighting only and sort the RAW files out later? Also am I better off using single AF point and recomposing the shot and is it wiser to expose for the child at the expenses of the adults slightly or expose for the whole scene? These might seem odd or naive questions, but I usually snap outdoors and as you all know you don’t often a second chance with live events. I will continue to search through the site to see if there is any information on this subject.