Wedding Sunset set ups?

I get asked to photgraph lot's of wedding couples at sunset. With a 5DMk2 I am limited to 1/200 sec sync speed unless I use HSS with my Pixel Kings, this obviously drops the power output. I want to experiement and get a better working set up. Ideally, I would like to have softened light and be able to work with the flash at a distance suitable for both full length couples to head and shoulders.

Can you show me/tell me what set up you use please?

Thanks in advance,
Geoff

If it's actually at or around sunset I usually don't use flash. Examples one, two, three, four,five, six I just put the sun behind the subjects and shoot into it.

When the sun is more over head I do something like this which was 5D2, 16-35, F/20, 1/160, direct flash ISO 800

By the way, the link to your facebook in your signature needs to have the .com taken off to work.

Thanks Adam, will look at the link tomorrow.

Re - shooting in to the sun - yes - I have that covered but with no flash, I am not getting enough variety. The WITH flash example is not really the setting sun on the beach with a dark sky that I am looking for - I would say your direct flash shot is merely "balancing daylight". Besides, I am trying to improve the quality, so not keen on direct flash.

I certainly appreciate your comments though- thanks again.
Geoff

Sunsets are easy. I use off camera flash for 95% of all my shots.

jcolman wrote in post #14934336
Sunsets are easy. I use off camera flash for 95% of all my shots.

or sometimes no flash

Jim.. Great examples. I NEVER shoot against a backlit sky W/O an OCF Flash..this was with a senior last night..I do weddings the same way

A really simple solution is to place the flash on camera as you would for fill flash, ETTL. Set camera to AV mode and chose desired aperture, let the flash sort out the exposure of your subject. Underexpose the background by 1 or 2 stops using exposure compensation.

I know this is a very basic method and you will be lucky to get results as stunning as those posted above... but it's a great way to get "decent" photographs especially if you have a limited lighting set up/limited lighting knowledge.

Jim, impressive photos as usual!

Now that's more like it! I do use OCF myself and I shoot without flash to mix it up and give variety. I also back light at sunset (OCF) but am interested to hear hear about what gear and (approx) what settings other people use?
Here are a couple of examples in this blog post
http://www.paphosweddi​ngphotography.com …ge-paphos-allison-andrew/

jcolman wrote in post #14934336
Sunsets are easy. I use off camera flash for 95% of all my shots.

or sometimes no flash

You use hss flash?

jcolman wrote in post #14934336
Sunsets are easy. I use off camera flash for 95% of all my shots.

Well executed. Results outstanding!

Giorgos wrote in post #14935629
You use hss flash?

No. I used cheap sun pack 383's and pocket wizards.

jcolman, Many thanks - OK, we have established the gear used, would you mind sharing the settings and method as well please? For example, how may 383's - what diffusers (if any) chosen method of exposure etc?

Get ambient exposure of background. Im so use to off camera flash that its always like f4-f8, iso 100, 1/160th.

Perhaps put your camera into tv mode at 1/160th (for sync speeds). Read what your aperture is from that. Then go back to Manual mode put all those settings in and dail in your external light.

Probably easier with just one strobe which is powerful enough.


An example:

f8, iso 100, 1/160th.
Paul C buff Einstein with Paul c Buff Beauty Dish. Also used another light for more rim (canon 430exii).

G.. wrote in post #14936605
jcolman, Many thanks - OK, we have established the gear used, would you mind sharing the settings and method as well please? For example, how may 383's - what diffusers (if any) chosen method of exposure etc?

I use two flashes side by side, firing into an umbrella. I simply underexpose the background a bit and set my flash power for the aperture I want to use. I shoot everything in Manual mode. In the first photo, my setting were ISO 400, f/4.5 @ 1/160 sec. The light was placed about 8' away and held up high.

In the second photo, I used the same two light + umbrella combo. My settings were ISO 100, f/5 @1/200 sec. Obviously I had more ambient light in the second photo so my settings had to compensate for it.