shooting a reception

before, i rarely used flash. but since a couple members here suggested i should start out with shooting manual + flash (f5.6 @ 1/250, ISO 400) it worked well for most of the time.

but today, i went to my sister's pre-reception (or whatever it's called) and took some pics.

i noticed i need to bump up to ISO1600, f4, 1/320s, flash +1 to get the exposure right. i had tried f4, 1/60s, ISO400 and the exposure would be spot on, but at 1/60s, anyone moves it'll be blurred.

also, at 1600, i do see some noise in the background already.

all are shot with 5D2 + 24-70 + 580EX2.
see some samples below.

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It sounds like you never really shot an event before. I never went above 400 ISO when using the 580EX. Looking at your venue, the ceilings are low and white. You should be able to use a lot of bounce flash. Have fun, just make sure you stay out of the way of the hired photographer.

I'd question to the need to go up to 1/320 when shooting a reception, unless the dancing was particularly fast paced.

The last reception I photographed I was at f2.8 ISO 1600 and 1/125 (max flash sync speed) but wanted to include some ambient light, hence the wider apeture. I missed focus a few times however, so will probably not go below f4 next time if the light allows. This was with a 580 EX II.

well.. guess ya'll never been to a chinese wedding.. where people cut in front of you just to make a toast to the bride. there will be alot of sudden moves. so that's why i bumped it up to 1/320s.

there won't be a hired photog, cuz it's a very family style reception and sis wanted relatives to have fun and take the pics instead. i probably have the most experience, but i'm a natural light shooter, so using flash is a bit strange to me at time.

soccer13 wrote in post #14755858
It sounds like you never really shot an event before. I never went above 400 ISO when using the 580EX. Looking at your venue, the ceilings are low and white. You should be able to use a lot of bounce flash. Have fun, just make sure you stay out of the way of the hired photographer.

you must have a magic 580......

nothing wrong with pushing past iso 400, i noticed you had a 5dii should be fine up to iso 1600 . make sure you check white balance.

will227457 wrote in post #14767697
you must have a magic 580......

Haha! Sure, you are quite right my friend. I honestly just got my 5D and only used it for portrait work so far. Not that I do a lot of weddings, but the last one I did was with my 60D (and a 40D as my second) and I did fine at ISO 400, bouncing and using off camera flash.

will227457 wrote in post #14767697
you must have a magic 580......

nothing wrong with pushing past iso 400, i noticed you had a 5dii should be fine up to iso 1600 . make sure you check white balance.

yea i'll check the white balance. i shoot in RAW so i can adjust later as well. either way.. i'll try it on Saturday night and see how thing goes.

EOS mE wrote in post #14754970
i noticed i need to bump up to ISO1600, f4, 1/320s, flash +1 to get the exposure right. i had tried f4, 1/60s, ISO400 and the exposure would be spot on, but at 1/60s, anyone moves it'll be blurred.

also, at 1600, i do see some noise in the background already.

all are shot with 5D2 + 24-70 + 580EX2.
see some samples below.

1/320 is totally not necessary. Stick with 1/100 - 1/200. As far as 1/60 and blurring, that all depends on several things including ambient lighting and whether the flash is what's primarily lighting the subject.

ISO1600 is nothing on the 5D2. Don't be afraid to jack the ISO up. Your batteries in your 580EXII will thank you for it too.

thanks Nicksan...

ressley: yes it's going to be one of those chinese wedding.. where everyone is drinking up the storm and crowding the bride. haha

Thanks nicksan - exactly!

When you shoot a wedding indoors you want to show the atmosphere and feel of the place. Most of the time, you'll be well over ISO400 to 'preserve' the lighting of the room and your flash will be providing just a bit of fill light. Also consider learning to use an off-camera flash indoors.

Slava, that's a beautiful shot!

I find that most of the reception halls I shoot in has really ugly lighting. Unless there's a compelling reason to capture some of that ambient lighting (usually none...not to mention crazy DJ lighting on a lot of nights!), I tend to overpower it and create my own lighting with 2 strobes and camera mounted 600-EX-RT. I am usually shoot at f2.8 1/200 ISO800. When I use primes at wider apertures, I'll lower the ISO. If I am shooting my 85L at f1.2, and I do for specific shots, I'm at ISO100-200.

nicksan.. yea i like to shoot at f2.8 on my 24-70L. but with groups of people i'd have to shoot at 5.6 or higher. hate to have some peoples face blurred out. haha

EOS mE wrote in post #14777681
nicksan.. yea i like to shoot at f2.8 on my 24-70L. but with groups of people i'd have to shoot at 5.6 or higher. hate to have some peoples face blurred out. haha

Yeah, sure, you have to stop down for some group photos. I don't tend to shoot a lot of them at receptions. Maybe for table shots, etc. I'll jack up the ISO accordingly.

I cannot FATHOM...shooting any reception at f/5.6 or ISO400. I am regularly ISO1000-3200 and f/1.8-f/2.5, shooting with my 5d2s, often shutter speeds of 1/80 up to 1/160 at the highest for off-camera flash sync. I also use fill flash on-camera plus the off-camera flashes positioned throughout the room. Again, I cannot fathom...f/5.6.