Outdoor wedding... Flash Help

[shimmishim]

I don't know yet as to how much available light there will be outside during the reception. By the time the reception starts it's going to be dark or getting darker.

I plan to have one light on a stand setup behind the dance floor. Now the problem becomes... how do I fill the light in front? They're going to do a first dance and dances with their parents...

I don't want to direct flash if possible but I'm not sure how else to fill the front since I'll have nothing to bounce off of.

Any suggestions or am I going to have to direct flash (but carefully)?

Any examples?

[matonanjin]

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. But the primary photograher at this wedding is not going to want you to set up a light stand.

[shimmishim]

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. But the primary photograher at this wedding is not going to want you to set up a light stand.

but i am the primary photographer. :)

i just want to know what other photographers do. i've asked a few others but they didn't give me a definitive answer. POTN usually pulls through at that point. :)

[AB8ND]

Direct on camera or on axis fill isn't that bad, if it is fill, just watch your ambient so you can keep is it balance. You could try a ring flash, Orbis or Rayflash are nice portable units
that work great for on axis fill.


jack

[cory1848]

Try using a bounce card... I have found the little cheapo white index card with rubber band to give good results. Direct flash outside at night isnt that easy to pull off naturally...

[shimmishim]

Try using a bounce card... I have found the little cheapo white index card with rubber band to give good results. Direct flash outside at night isnt that easy to pull off naturally...

The only other person that has given advice said to use a bounce card. He said the bounce card from the 580EXII was sufficient. I also have a demb flip it which has a bit more area.

[cdifoto]

Bouncing outdoors? Pointless. Even with a card. Unless it's big and scoopish in nature so it sends everything forward. Of course with such a modifier it's not really bouncing per se.

[shimmishim]

Bouncing outdoors? Pointless. Even with a card. Unless it's big and scoopish in nature so it sends everything forward. Of course with such a modifier it's not really bouncing per se.

what would you recommend?

[cdifoto]

When outdoors, direct. It doesn't eat batteries as much and you're going to have enough trouble getting that little Speedie to balance out with the sun as it is. Plug the CP-E4 in. That's during the day.

At night, I haven't done a lot of these outdoors but last time I put a couple of flashes on stands up high and pointing down. Sort of a stadium light type of situation. Covered as much area as possible and used my on-camera flash (again, direct since pointing at the sky doesn't do a thing), to fill in. In this case, fill is more like primary illumination but with lights behind filling up the area itself as best as possible it's not as bad.

[form]

I use umbrellas (and one bare flash for edge light) for outdoors nighttime receptions, especially for the dances and groom retrieving the garter. Bare flash from multiple directions and set at low power for bouquet/garter toss. Umbrella flash for grand entrance if outdoors. I did this just a week and a half ago as second photographer (other shooter didn't have any flash with him).