Wedding Metering

[rvt1000]

Ok, so I've searched and read a bunch of links and threads on metering and zone system and now I've finally confused myself.

In a wedding setting, asides from the difficulties of controlling more variables, why shoot in Av or Tv vs M? I understand that in M you only take in the camera's opinion on exposure and then you EC yourself by moving your SS and Ap around. But when in Av or Tv when you're only controlling one of the two variables, is metering best used as spot? It seems that if a bride's white dress comes into the picture, evaluative metering may not cut it and spot may be the best?

So why worry about camera's EC when in Av/Tv and how metering, when one can just use M and EC yoruself via controlling SS/Ap? I guess for the fast pace of weddings, Av and spot might be best but when composing portraits, maybe M?

So I guess my question is what's the best metering and shooting mode for a wedding and do you find yourselves switching around much?

[CyberPet]

Well, it's all a matter of taste, I know a professional (my mentor) who have shot thousands of weddings, only shoots in Av mode, seldome M, and he swears by it. He also swears by shooting in JPEG only, while others swears by M mode and RAW only.

My choice is to shoot with one focus point (middle) and mainly Av mode, although I do use M and Tv as well as P mode, all depending on the situation. I don't swear by anything really, it all depends on what situation I'm in. But I do prefer half-auto, so I can react fast to something - I often have the camera set to maybe f/5.6 and if I need more shallow DOF I set it to 2.8 or whatever, and if I want more DOF I set it to f/11 or whatever.

[byso]

Cyber, when using the flash do you use FEL and AEL without flash often I find it to be quite accurate for skin tones.

[CyberPet]

You gonna laugh at this one... but I often use P mode for flash - works great when you want fill flash. Some adjustments might be required on the flash, depending on the background, but it often works way better than I thought. So I'm lazy that way.

[byso]

So you rarely use FEL then?

I also think P mode gives adequate results especially when pushed for time and I agree that f/5.6 is a good safe aperture to use to make sure the subject is in focus.

[CyberPet]

I use FEL on the flash yes, not in the camera.

[ricohcam01]

I shoot in M and Raw only. I like the chance to change what I see if I don't like it. I recommend this type of shooting to anyone.

[Wilt]

Two general schools of thought...
1. Use the meter for example, on Av), then use EC to 'adjust' what the meter tells you about the scene. So take a reading in the snow, then dial in EC= +1 and shoot.
2. Use the meter on M, setting your choice of shutter speed or aperture. Match up with manual exposure meter 'needle', then adjust the exposure according to what your experience tells you (e.g. "open up aperture or use slower shutter speed than what the meter tells you to use, when you're on the beach"

I can tell you that in using an Olympus OM-4 for many years, I never used the EC control...I simply took the camera off Auto, and set the desired combination of f/stop and shutter speed directly! On the other hand, I now use EC on my 20D.

3. A third technique that I use all the time is to have my meter on Spot mode (OK...'Partial' on 20D) and simply choose the area I wish to use to meter from. I find it better to think "this area should be 'medium gray' in brightness" and not to think "I need to add 1/2 EV exposure".


Different stroke for different folks...or even for different cameras, as I do!

[tim]

My approach is 90% AV with EC and FEC as required. It doesn't really matter what mode you use, as long as you confident you can capture any scene with it.

[kawter2]

I think weddings are the bigest challenge for ETTL the stark contrast between on shot being a bride in all white then one with the black tux.. the flash will meter diferently

I usually shoot receptions around 1600 2.8 1/30 all nite long

[tim]

You have steadier hands than me kawter! I shot F1.4 and 1/30th at one reception (my first) and had a proportion of the photos come out kinda blurry.

[kawter2]

Originally Posted by tim

You have steadier hands than me kawter! I shot F1.4 and 1/30th at one reception (my first) and had a proportion of the photos come out kinda blurry.

actually believe it or not if you would have shot at 2.8 they would have been sharper.. the only way you can drag the shutter is with a decent flash pop.. at 1.4 your flash was probably putting out very little light, so you were relying on your hands to freeze the motion vs the flash

[Pachekin]

hi all,,im the newest member here,,,,im a wedding photographer..i live in sonora mexico....i use to take my pics in AV and jpg works for me

[tim]

Originally Posted by kawter2

actually believe it or not if you would have shot at 2.8 they would have been sharper.. the only way you can drag the shutter is with a decent flash pop.. at 1.4 your flash was probably putting out very little light, so you were relying on your hands to freeze the motion vs the flash

I was using natural light only, F1.4, 1/30th, ISO1600 on a 20D. For that sitution now i'd go to ISO3200 on all natural light. I would also consider flash, dragging the shutter, and accepting less ambient light.

[ricohcam01]

Hey Kweter and Tim:

I would love to see a 3200 ISO shot in natural light and one with flash. Is there not a lot of noise with this high ISO with the 20D I find with 5D I get some noise. Can you post a couple of examples.