Reception lighting 101

jcolman wrote in post #12473128
The main reason I don't use the PC ports is that I don't like having a cable coming out the side of the camera. I've had PC cables come loose too many times because my hand is trying to hold the camera at the same place as the PC port. It's much easier just to plug into the hot shoe base and the cable stays out of the way.

I like to use a touch of on-camera flash for fill light while firing off camera lights for my key lights. That's why I will use the above mentioned combo.

Hmm, interesting. I didn't know that this mod actually allowed input as well as output from the 3.5mm socket. This would be useful to those of us with 60d, as Canon in their wisdom took the PC sync port off.

The 580exII doesn't solve our problems either, as the PC port on that is only input, it has no output on it at all so can't be used to trigger our wireless transmitters.

How do you find the exposures? Are they fairly even throughout the room? Have you ever tried this with Canons ETTL optical sync? Do you find you need to adjust the power of the remote flashes at all? Anyone ever knocked over a stand?

Trailboy wrote in post #12534388
Hmm, interesting. I didn't know that this mod actually allowed input as well as output from the 3.5mm socket. This would be useful to those of us with 60d, as Canon in their wisdom took the PC sync port off.

The 580exII doesn't solve our problems either, as the PC port on that is only input, it has no output on it at all so can't be used to trigger our wireless transmitters.

How do you find the exposures? Are they fairly even throughout the room? Have you ever tried this with Canons ETTL optical sync? Do you find you need to adjust the power of the remote flashes at all? Anyone ever knocked over a stand?

Exposures tend to vary a bit, depending on the size of the room. However it's not difficult to compensate for that.

I don't use Cannons ETTL remote system. I tried it once and found it unreliable when out of line of sight with my flash. I use cheap (but reliable) Sunpack 383's speedlights and pocket wizards for off camera lighting or I use Photogenic monolights. I do adjust the power settings on occasion, but usually once I set the lights and meter them, I leave the power settings alone. I've been setting up light stands in public places for over 30 years and I've never had a stand knocked over. But I'm pretty careful where I put them. I also mark one of the legs with yellow tape to make it more visible.

So much useful information here, I thought I would give it a bump. Thanks for all your time responding to questions Jim.

Still bummed we didn't have you come to Denver for my daughters wedding. I would have loved to see you work!!

Chris wrote in post #13976187
So much useful information here, I thought I would give it a bump. Thanks for all your time responding to questions Jim.

Still bummed we didn't have you come to Denver for my daughters wedding. I would have loved to see you work!!

I may be shooting another wedding in Denver soon. My best friends daughter will "likely" get engaged in a month or two. I'll be shooting the wedding whenever it happens. Maybe you can come work it with me.

And since Chris bumped this thread, I figure I would add a few more images with some different lighting techniques. For this reception, I used only two speedlights (at opposite ends of the beach) and some on-camera fill. The wedding was in Cancun so I could only bring a few speedlights with me. Since I was using speedlights and there was nothing to bounce my lights off, I used direct flash.

jcolman wrote in post #13976432
I may be shooting another wedding in Denver soon. My best friends daughter will "likely" get engaged in a month or two. I'll be shooting the wedding whenever it happens. Maybe you can come work it with me.

Wow, thanks for the offer, but I live in Chicago. My daughter lives in Denver. Now if you ever do a destination wedding in Chicago, I would be thrilled to be your gopher, just so I could watch you work!!

Chris wrote in post #13977176
Wow, thanks for the offer, but I live in Chicago. My daughter lives in Denver. Now if you ever do a destination wedding in Chicago, I would be thrilled to be your gopher, just so I could watch you work!!

I'll take you up on that offer if I ever shoot in Chicago!

I just had to bump this because of all the great info. Just assisted my first wedding yesterday and had a bit of difficulty figuring out consistent lighting when changing venues rapidly - this really helps me get some ideas.

Great info here. Just a simple question. The 5th shot of the bride on the beach did you point the flash directly at her for fill using HSS?

boingy wrote in post #14111579
Great info here. Just a simple question. The 5th shot of the bride on the beach did you point the flash directly at her for fill using HSS?

Yes.

Jim,

Thanks for all the great info, I''m hoping to introduce some off camera flash in some coming receptions. You've done a fantastic job of introducing flash without losing all the ambient lighting and mood that I see a lot of photographers do.

When you're firing direct flash with speedlights (as in the beach examples above) where do you like to place them in relation to you and the subject? Are you cross lighting with them?

galen5150 wrote in post #14372809
Jim,

Thanks for all the great info, I''m hoping to introduce some off camera flash in some coming receptions. You've done a fantastic job of introducing flash without losing all the ambient lighting and mood that I see a lot of photographers do.

When you're firing direct flash with speedlights (as in the beach examples above) where do you like to place them in relation to you and the subject? Are you cross lighting with them?

Hey Galen,

Where I place my lights really depends on a combination of things. In the shot of the bride on the beach with the umbrella, I simply used some on-camera flash fill. In the shot of the bride and groom at sunset, I used an off camera light fired into an umbrella, placed high and opposite the couple. But I will often cross light my couples with two lights. Here is an example. Two lights, one on each side of the bridge.

^^^ OK, Wow. Great shots both!! Thanks for the tips. Are you on DWF as well? I think I've seen you're work there as well.

galen5150 wrote in post #14373874
^^^ OK, Wow. Great shots both!! Thanks for the tips. Are you on DWF as well? I think I've seen you're work there as well.

Yes but I don't post all that much.

What does it mean when you say "balance the sunlight"?