How do you prepare for backlit entrance?

In a wedding where bride will be entering the sanctuary with her father from the front door of the church; what do you guys do to prepare for a shot like this sicne you don't realy get the effect of all the ambient light until the door opens? Obviously fill light will be needed but how to you make sure it's not too much flash?

I work in M, meter on my hand around where they would enter, and let the outside blow out.

I send a second shooter to shoot from the back, and Ill shoot from the front. Normally they open the doors to let the bride and her dad in, but then close the doors after they enter. If they arent planning to, have your second shooter (husband if I am correct) close the doors behind them.

Thanks, guys, both good suggestions. I especially like any that involve putting my husband to work! Lol!

I will either set a average meter reading using manual or let the back blow out to create a nice effect.

The only way you are going to get a perfect exposure is if you use flash, at least to my knowledge.

I might also meter on a point which shows a bit of the back light to average it all out..

I had one earlier this year that was really bad in a Cathedral. No flash would have worked even if allowed and the rules of the venue state the Photographer can't change position as the bride is going down the aisle. No choice other than to completely blow the background.

I had to be half way up the aisle at the end of a pew to ensure I could shoot both the bride and groom during the entrance. What resulted worked quite nicely in black and white (I think so at least).

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Red Tie Photography wrote in post #12604249
If they arent planning to, have your second shooter (husband if I am correct) close the doors behind them.

Just make sure they don't creek or bang.

Nice photo, Peter! Beautiful in b&w, you're right. Thanks!

1st shot: blow out the background.
2nd shot: closer and silhouette the couple using the background light.
3rd shot: make sure to get the doors closed

My wife always comes with me to weddings, so I would have her do a practice run before the wedding starts.

bnlearle wrote in post #12609833
I LOVE getting backlit entrances. It looks amazing. Peter's example is a great one


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X2 peter great shot.

First off, no light in the world is going to be able to balance the ambient and compensate for the backlight in peters example. Perfect set up for a black and white as shown. Hopefully someone will close the doors, but either way, your flash is not going to be effective until she gets closer to you.

We always do dry runs 15 mins before the ceremony and i write the settings down and keep them handy for when the actual ceremony starts. Going to have to put it in spot when shes close enough and pick the areas where the flash will be effective. As she gets on top of you you will probably a stop overexposed but if your shoooting raw, simple fix in post.

Plus i chimp like a MOFo when the attendants are coming in so im pretty darn close when the bride starts to march. We always have shooters in different spots, so michelle, tell hubby to get the back half and you get the front half. For me, this is why i like my bracket and where ETTL comes in very handy with the head pointed directly at my bride, spot, probably plus 1- 11/3 and i think you nail the exposure when shes in the isle. never going to get the back door from where peters shot was taken.