Which AF Mode do you use for Weddings?

[digital paradise]

Originally Posted by MarxPhoto

What is back button focus? I'm going to guess that it's the AF button on the back of the camera?

I've never gotten used to the back button focusing. I just press the shutter half way down. I get successful BIF shots, etc. I only use AI Servo for the isle walk. One shot for everything else.

[Tigerkn]

Originally Posted by MarxPhoto

What is back button focus? I'm going to guess that it's the AF button on the back of the camera?

Some info about BBF and voting can be found here: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/....php?t=1179023

[EL_PIC]

The smart Wedding Photog uses single one shot and pre instructs the wedding party to stop
for an instant in the walk to camera. Some use tape on floor or hand signals.
AI is too un reliable on any camera and wedding walks are a one time event.

[paul33]

Originally Posted by EL_PIC

The smart Wedding Photog uses single one shot and pre instructs the wedding party to stop
for an instant in the walk to camera. Some use tape on floor or hand signals.

Phew ..... thank heavens I'm not smart enough to do that to any of my weddings !!!

[Gatorboy]

AI-Focus does not work as advertised. Just stick with AI-Servo. You may want to switch to One Shot during formals.

[brokensocial]

We went between AF-S and AF-C for our first wedding yesterday.

[digital paradise]

Originally Posted by EL_PIC

The smart Wedding Photog uses single one shot and pre instructs the wedding party to stop
for an instant in the walk to camera. Some use tape on floor or hand signals.
AI is too un reliable on any camera and wedding walks are a one time event.

I will have to keep that in mind.

[Christina]

Originally Posted by EL_PIC

The smart Wedding Photog uses single one shot and pre instructs the wedding party to stop
for an instant in the walk to camera. Some use tape on floor or hand signals.
AI is too un reliable on any camera and wedding walks are a one time event.

"Smart" is definitely not the word I'd use to describe someone who employed that technique.

[Red Tie Photography]

Originally Posted by EL_PIC

The smart Wedding Photog uses single one shot and pre instructs the wedding party to stop
for an instant in the walk to camera. Some use tape on floor or hand signals.
AI is too un reliable on any camera and wedding walks are a one time event.

Are you referring to someone who calls themselves the "Smart Wedding Photog" or are you saying if wedding photographers are smart, they use this technique?

[Numenorean]

One shot all day.

[Numenorean]

Originally Posted by EL_PIC

The smart Wedding Photog uses single one shot and pre instructs the wedding party to stop
for an instant in the walk to camera. Some use tape on floor or hand signals.
AI is too un reliable on any camera and wedding walks are a one time event.

Yeah and the really smart ones go up during the ceremony and pose them for the ring exchange and first kiss to make sure they stop long enough to catch that - after all it's really important.

Then the super smart ones have the DJ put in pauses in the first dance so that the couple can strike a cool dancing pose and they put tape marks all over the dance floor.

[Numenorean]

Originally Posted by digital paradise

I will have to keep that in mind.

I would summarily ignore that and any other advice that person has about weddings if I were you.

[MarxPhoto]

I shot the wedding this past Saturday and stayed with one shot all day. This was one of the darkest churches I've ever been in (no windows), and the lighting was kept really low. Thank God they let me use my flash, although I chose not to use it for the vows because the stage was lit ok. Anyway, I was afraid to use AI Servo in low lighting condition because on the Canon 5D you don't have the confirmation red light and beep when focus is achieved like you do in one shot mode. Very disconcerting.

[Christina]

Originally Posted by MarxPhoto

you don't have the confirmation red light and beep when focus is achieved like you do in one shot mode. Very disconcerting.

For your next wedding - I would suggest that you disable the beep and get used to not having it. I would never let my camera beep during a quiet ceremony. But, sounds on just about anything make me crazy - I turn off all the clicks as soon as I got my iphone, too.

[umphotography]

Originally Posted by EL_PIC

The smart Wedding Photog uses single one shot and pre instructs the wedding party to stop
for an instant in the walk to camera. Some use tape on floor or hand signals.
AI is too un reliable on any camera and wedding walks are a one time event.

Actually

A smart wedding photographer will not do this.

The reason.

They have been posing for formals all morning, they have had a camera in the dressing room while they are getting ready, Most couples these days do a first look because most church's want them out of there for the 4:00Pm services. At some point you have to sit back and let your photo journalistic skills go to work and just let her walk down the Isle and Enjoy the moment.

A smart photographers job is to know what his camera is going to do, set it at F/3.5 and get a shutter speed someplace over 250, put the dam flash in HSS and get the shots. Really that simple.

OK so i was being a lot sarcastic.

But I hope you get the point. There is no such thing as a smart way to do it. Ive never put tape on a floor that I would have to photoshop off later. My brides know im at the end of the isle waiting for them. When they ask me what they should do i tell them this

you are about to take the most important steps of your life. Enjoy the experience, Kiss your dad goodbye and dont worry about it because im not going to miss the shot of you walking down the isle.