Daughters wedding.....HELP!!!

[DegasGoneDigital]

My Daughter is getting married in 3 weeks and I'm doing the pictures. I have never done this and I don't want to screw this up.

I have two umbrella/ stands for small flashes, a 430EX and 580EX. I will be using a 24-105 F4 IS. The church has a low cieling and little lights.

Do I use a bounce flash or direct?

If using umbrellas, where do I position them? Do I point flash into the umbrellas or towards the people without umbrellas in place?


Any help will be greatly appreciated........thanks


Attached are some pic's of the church...

[FlyingPhotog]

Forgive me for being really blunt but why are you, as father of the bride, doing this?

I fully understand the concept of budget limitations but surely you could have found even a budding pro to shoot in your stead?

Seems like a helluva lot of extra stress to put on yourself on top of the already obvious due to the fact it's your little girl getting married...

[Wilt]

Agree...YOU belong in ceremony, at the reception, and where ever else...WITHOUT a stinking camera in your hand!

Who is going to shoot photos of you, driving your daughter to the church?
Who is going to shoot photos of you, walking your daughther down the aisle?
Who is going to shoot photos of you, making the first toast to your daughter and her new husband?
Who is going to shoot photos of you, having the first dance with your daughter?
Who is going to shoot photos of you and your wife, wishing your daugher on a safe and happy honeymoon trip?

These will be among the most cherished photos that your daughter will have/want for the rest of her life!

You say you have never done this before. You do not want your daughter's wedding to be ruined by YOU making beginner mistakes in wedding coverage...even if you have been a photographer for 20 years, you are liable to forget to do something in the emotion of the moment!

[Borbor]

mandatory reading for the OP:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=583443

The answer to all your questions could be found there as well.

[elader]

sheesh!......anyway, shoot at ISO1600 and f/2.8 without flash in raw.

[sapearl]

Sam, have you forgotten that you are running the same thread here:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6496383#post6496383

Several of us offered good shooting advice to you there, as well as the same suggestion that you really should be part of your daughter's cherished day. IMHO I don't believe you will get better answers here.

[DegasGoneDigital]

I understand everyone's point.........I am not going to be taking pictures during the ceremony only afterwards...........This wedding is not going to happen the traditional way. This wedding was changed from Aug/09 to Nov 8, 2008 three week ago! Yes, my wonderful Daughter wants me to pull money out of my ass in three weeks. Well, because of this booming economy and such high rates of return on investments I'm lucky the lights are still on.. I have to do the best I can with what I have. they are moving to Denver a month after the wedding.....SO, after three years and a two year old He is finally going to marry Her.......I need advice not bashing, I feel bad enough.

[sapearl]

Sam, I'm sorry to hear about the turn in circumstances...... things can often be rough.

I can't recall if it was this thread or your other, but somebody suggested that perhaps a fellow POTN in your area could do you a favor, or give an assist, or perhaps some sort of barter. I've seen it happen here when folks get in a jam. Yes, we do get a bit grumpy and judgemental at times - guilty as charged - but some are quite generous in their suggestions as was as actual efforts. - Stu

[Borbor]

The walls are light enough colour that you can bounce the light off and get good results. Try to bounce it at different places instead of bouncing it all straight up.

If you've never done weddings before, stick with KISS. last thing you need is to tinker with off camera flash in such a dynamic situation for ur first attempt.

[sapearl]

Also, don't be afraid to experiment a little bit bouncing off side walls if you are close enough. Sometimes you can get some very pleasing effects that almost mimic windowlight.

[booboo]

where in virginia are you?? I am in Hamton Roads...

[DegasGoneDigital]

Thanks Stu.......I tried bouncing flash when I was practicing this past weekend at the church. Because the ceiling is so low, the light don't travel far. I will be using a 24-105 that I did not have with me that day to see if 24mm will work. I was thinking of renting some pocket wizards and put both flashes on stands angling them towards the center. There are two guys they know there that have done weddings before, and they done want to do it. The guy at the church suggested using only natural light, which theres hardly any. The other guy took pic's of them on the beach that wer not that great.

It would be nice if the church wasn't 2hrs away....

[OdiN1701]

Well if they needed something after they moved to Denver I could have helped.

[Wilt]

Pocket Wizards will be of no direct benefit in your circumstance, since Canon 430EX and 580EX do not have an Auto function that depends upon built in photosensors. And the situation is too dynamic for you to try to depend upon manual power control (if you had a hand held flash meter to use). If you could rent two Auto-capable flash units along with renting three PW transceivers, you could set them up to Auto flash...and lie to one of them about the ISO setting so that it puts out more/less light than the other flash and provides a bit of facial modelling rather than flat lighting.

[DegasGoneDigital]

Sam, I'm sorry to hear about the turn in circumstances...... things can often be rough.

I can't recall if it was this thread or your other, but somebody suggested that perhaps a fellow POTN in your area could do you a favor, or give an assist, or perhaps some sort of barter. I've seen it happen here when folks get in a jam. Yes, we do get a bit grumpy and judgemental at times - guilty as charged - but some are quite generous in their suggestions as was as actual efforts. - Stu

Thanks Stu.......


The walls are light enough colour that you can bounce the light off and get good results. Try to bounce it at different places instead of bouncing it all straight up.

If you've never done weddings before, stick with KISS. last thing you need is to tinker with off camera flash in such a dynamic situation for ur first attempt.

Thanks Borbor.........

Well if they needed something after they moved to Denver I could have helped.

Thanks Odin....

Pocket Wizards will be of no direct benefit in your circumstance, since Canon 430EX and 580EX do not have an Auto function that depends upon built in photosensors. And the situation is too dynamic for you to try to depend upon manual power control (if you had a hand held flash meter to use). If you could rent two Auto-capable flash units along with renting three PW transceivers, you could set them up to Auto flash...and lie to one of them about the ISO setting so that it puts out more/less light than the other flash and provides a bit of facial modelling rather than flat lighting.

Thanks Wilt......A Guy at work is loaning Me His flash bracket to try too....