Managing Flash for Walking Down the Aisle

[Peacefield]

For coming down the aisle, my typical approach is a camera-mounted 580 with a home-made foam light scoop as a diffuser. The results don't look bad, there's a lot of control, it's not terribly intrusive, etc. That said, I have at my disposal two 580's and an old Sunpak 544 as a third flash plus a set if cybersyncs and I think if trying something a more sophisticated in the interest of image quality.

On some instructional wedding DVD's, I've seen photographers set up with strobes off to the sides of the church (sometimes even with umbrellas) and fire them remotely. Certainly, more sophisticated, but also complicated: setting it up, metering, tearing it all back down. It also seems like all of that firepower would be a little intrusive. Does anyone use this approach and does it pay off in meaningful improvement?

[DennisW1]

For coming down the aisle, my typical approach is a camera-mounted 580 with a home-made foam light scoop as a diffuser. The results don't look bad, there's a lot of control, it's not terribly intrusive, etc. That said, I have at my disposal two 580's and an old Sunpak 544 as a third flash plus a set if cybersyncs and I think if trying something a more sophisticated in the interest of image quality.

On some instructional wedding DVD's, I've seen photographers set up with strobes off to the sides of the church (sometimes even with umbrellas) and fire them remotely. Certainly, more sophisticated, but also complicated: setting it up, metering, tearing it all back down. It also seems like all of that firepower would be a little intrusive. Does anyone use this approach and does it pay off in meaningful improvement?


For "down the aisle" shots I used to pick a row where I would photograph the subject(s) as they walked down the aisle. In the row in front of that and off to the side I would place a light stand with a second flash with a remote trigger and use it as a nice little "kicker" light. It gave some very nice depth to the shots. Because I was using portable speedlite type flashes, I never considered an umbrella as it soaked up too much of the flashs' output.
This was several years ago, and I used to do all my flash work in full power manual using Vivitar 283's and 285's. Once you figured out your F-stop for any given distance (eg: full length's were f8 at 11 feet with a "standard" lens, 3/4's were f11 at 7 feet and so on and so on.....) metering became pretty simple. Usually the kicker light was around 15 feet or so, and didn't overpower the main on-camera light.
Setup was very simple; one portable strobe on a light stand, took about 30 seconds to set up and take down after everyone had walked in or out.

[tim]

I don't do a lot of church weddings, but personally I rarely use flash unless it's really dark. ISO3200 F2.8 1/80th is preferable to flash for me in this situation. I have the equipment to flash it any way I want, but time is limited and flash can be intrusive. If I must use flash I use on camera flash, landscape orientation so I don't get side shadow.

I'd like to hear what everyone else does though. This is one of the harder shots of the day.

[bnlearle]

I have NO problem with using it - but it hasn't happened to me yet where I couldn't get away without flash. I know my primes have helped me tremendously here...

[form]

ISO3200 F2.8 1/80th won't cut it for some churches I've worked in. On a few occasions I have used bounced and/or umbrella-diffused flash to add to the available light. Last month I bounced my alienbees b1600 off the ceiling and used three flashes with a single umbrella pointed towards the altar (both stands resting on the second floor) to get some good light, and it worked really well for the formals too. I used the 85L and 35L for the whole ceremony.

[DennisW1]

I don't do a lot of church weddings, but personally I rarely use flash unless it's really dark. ISO3200 F2.8 1/80th is preferable to flash for me in this situation. I have the equipment to flash it any way I want, but time is limited and flash can be intrusive. If I must use flash I use on camera flash, landscape orientation so I don't get side shadow.

I'd like to hear what everyone else does though. This is one of the harder shots of the day.


and one of the most important. i wouldn't be trusting this one to available light. a simple bracket to get the speedlight up and above the lens in portrait mode (singles and couples just don't look right in landscape mode IMO) is a much better solution than the dreaded side shadow.
in the end, I suppose everyone has their own favorite way of doing it, but mine always was and is to light it as well as possible under the circumstances, its one shot you don't want to miss or to do it poorly

[tim]

and one of the most important. i wouldn't be trusting this one to available light. a simple bracket to get the speedlight up and above the lens in portrait mode (singles and couples just don't look right in landscape mode IMO) is a much better solution than the dreaded side shadow.
in the end, I suppose everyone has their own favorite way of doing it, but mine always was and is to light it as well as possible under the circumstances, its one shot you don't want to miss or to do it poorly

Depends on your location and what ambient is doing. Can you describe your method more, you say you use a kicker light but where's the main?

I have a bracket, I hate the thing, haven't used it in years. I'd rather use off camera lighting, but direct you'll either be intrusive or get shadows. Bounced isn't often possible in big dark churches.

[cabandrew]

If the church allows flash, a 580ex with just the clear part of
the Garry Fong light diffuser works great, just make sure its
not over exposed.