How do you Flash the Bouquet toss?

Here is what I do:
AI Servo, Continuous shooting, 1/125, ISO400, f/4, so of course my Speedlight is not flashing fast enough to keep up with 6+ frame per second therefore I usually have some shots with flash and some without.

If I set "3 frame per second" instead of "continuous shooting" to get just 3 shots, or max out the shutter speed of 1/250 would either one of those change help? I will find out.

If you have any tip that could help me to make it better, please advice. Thanks in advance and good day!

Kevin,

You need to get a battery pack. I just got a Quantum battery pack and flash, and they work PERFECT for things like the cake cutting, garter and bouquet. If you arent looking at getting a battery pack, bump up your ISO and shoot with a wider aperture to help the flash work less. But a battery pack is AMAZING.

I just shoot it.

If I get it in mid-air, great. If not it's no big deal. Everyone knows the bride threw it.

Thank Bryan!
If you don't mind, how much did the Quantum B. pack and flash cost you? Being on the conservative side, I mostly cap my ISO at 400 on both 40D and 50D (wish I can afford a 5D mk2/mk3 (soon). Until I get the B. pack, I will try to bump my ISO up to 800 also maybe drop my F stop from 4 to 2.8.

I was at Wedgewood again last night, btw. It was a great time as the B&G, the Bridal party and both Families were awesome individuals.

Thanks for always helping my Bryan!!!!

RT McAllister wrote in post #13128378
I just shoot it.
If I get it in mid-air, great. If not it's no big deal. Everyone knows the bride threw it.

What setting and gears do you use to "just shoot it" RT M?

I use all off camera lighting. Usually mono lights but sometimes I use speedlights. Recycle time with mono lights is much quicker.

However I still only shoot one shot of the actual toss. What I do however, is tell the bride that the first "toss" will be fake. I tell her not to let go of the bouquet. I focus on her with my 85L and snap the pic just as her arm goes up. Then I switch to my second camera with my 35L mounted on it. I focus on the girls and snap the pic just as they go up to catch the real toss.

Two flashes on stands, radio triggered, probably on about 1/8th power with battery packs. I can shoot 2-3 frames a second with no problems. I might have a flash on camera too, instead of or as well as the off camera ones.

ISO1600, 1/100th, F4.5 would be my starting point.

Quantums fry non-quantum flashes very often.

I use combo of bare and bounced multiple flashes to light both bride and catching group separately, higher ISO 800-1600 and a fairly wide aperture f/2.8 or larger, get plenty of frames always exposed the same.

I use 2 flashes with pixel battery pack on each at 1/16th -1/8th power with ISO 1600-2500. I focus on the group while my mentor focuses on the bride. He uses 1 off flash and 1 on camera bounces of the ceiling and tilt to the side.

Tigerkn wrote in post #13128402
Thank Bryan!
If you don't mind, how much did the Quantum B. pack and flash cost you? Being on the conservative side, I mostly cap my ISO at 400 on both 40D and 50D (wish I can afford a 5D mk2/mk3 (soon). Until I get the B. pack, I will try to bump my ISO up to 800 also maybe drop my F stop from 4 to 2.8.

I was at Wedgewood again last night, btw. It was a great time as the B&G, the Bridal party and both Families were awesome individuals.

Thanks for always helping my Bryan!!!!

Sorry I never got back to you about Wedgewood. Honestly, I dont have any secrets about the place, so I am sure you did great.

I bought the quantum Turbo 3, and its expensive. The flash was $645, the battery pack was $624. Expensive setup, but I think I am liking it so far. Im still on the fence.

form wrote in post #13129227
Quantums fry non-quantum flashes very often.

I use combo of bare and bounced multiple flashes to light both bride and catching group separately, higher ISO 800-1600 and a fairly wide aperture f/2.8 or larger, get plenty of frames always exposed the same.

Ive heard of quantum packs frying flashes as well, but I think you can do it as long as you are constantly aware of the situation. Dont fire it too much, swap out flashes to let it cool down, and keep an eye on how hot it is getting.

Ai servo?
Is the bride running or you tracking the bouquet in mid air?

I aim for one great shot instead of a combination of mediocre & unusable shots. It sounds pretentious, but the bride wants expressions. She doesn't care if the bouquet is in midair or not. You can get her crazy face when she tosses it or you can get the girls scrambling for it. A safe bet is to shoot wide and get the whole thing in one image.

I don't rapid-fire the bouqet and garter toss. Pick your spots: a shot just before it's tossed, one just as the bouqet is released, one just before it's caught. and one just after it's caught. I have an on-camera flash, typically bounced with a large bounce card to light the bride and a second flash on the group; sometimes bounced and sometimes direct. Both are 580's w/o battery packs, but I try to shoot at only 2 stops above ambient so it doesn't require much power. With fresh batteries (I always make a change at this stage in the evening), recycle times are plenty fast.

I try to be up around f4+ and am shooting fairly wide so I get a lot of DOF. Nonetheless, I look to focus on the thrower for the first two images and the group for the second two.

Nothing creative or artistic about this shot, but an example of this approach with a groom and the garter toss:

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I find myself often shooting the group, and the other photographer with me shooting the bride.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #13130854
I find myself often shooting the group, and the other photographer with me shooting the bride.

That's the best because you can do some cool things that way. I typically shoot alone, though.