Wedding Reception - Help please

Hey guys. I don't normally post in this section because I don't normally shoot weddings but this weekend I have a wedding reception to shoot. That's right, ONLY the wedding reception. I have no idea how long it will run for but they have me booked for 4 hours. Granted it's like many receptions, it will be dim lit so I plan on bringing my 580EX II, YN-560, and Elinchrom Ranger RX Speed AS (only one head).

My question for those of you wedding warriors is: When shooting receptions, how do you set up your lights? Are they static and triggered wirelessly? Or are you putting a speedlite on camera and using that only? Perhaps both? Fill me in please. I'm confident I can and will make this work regardless, but I'd love some tips from those of you that do this all the time. Thanks a lot!!

Oh, and please feel free to show example setup photos and examples of the images produced from that setup if you can and don't mind.

What are the ceilings like ? How large is the space ?

Christopher Steven b wrote in post #15167971
What are the ceilings like ? How large is the space ?

I honestly don't know yet. It's an hour+ drive from home and the shoot is on Saturday. I'm not able to see the venue until the day of, unfortunately.

I moved this to TALK for now, as the OP is not planning on sharing anything yet. The images posted here are those of people answering the question the OP has put up. So, I think we'll see who responds here.

I usually set up room lights if the room is big and shoot with those for the speeches, first dance, etc... then i switch to a gridded on camera flash for the rest of the dancing shots.

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1238218

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=646469

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1044801

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1065846

you're welcome

Read those links, they give you heaps of information.

Do you have off-camera triggers for the speedlites?

JohnThomas wrote in post #15168971
Do you have off-camera triggers for the speedlites?

Yes.

And thanks for the links MJay!

What are your fav 2 weddings lenses? I'm gonna go with my 30 and 10-22

Correction: 2 fav reception lenses

Aressem wrote in post #15167979
I honestly don't know yet. It's an hour+ drive from home and the shoot is on Saturday. I'm not able to see the venue until the day of, unfortunately.

are you able to google this venue? they may have a website with some pics of their venue, and there is also the possibility that other weddings have taken place there before, and some pics will have been posted....

^ has a good suggestion. Most of these places have websites and often show the function rooms where wedding receptions are held...and sometimes pictures from actual weddings there. That can give you a pretty good feel for the venue. I'll usually have a speedlite on camera and a couple of strobes positions to better illuminate the dance floor and head table, with the option of using either or both, depending on what I'm trying to shoot.

Aressem wrote in post #15170307
Yes.

And thanks for the links MJay!

What are your fav 2 weddings lenses? I'm gonna go with my 30 and 10-22

The 30 is great.. The 85 1.8 would be nice too. You will not use the 10-22 to much but it is nice to have.

As far as lighting the venue.. You never really know unless you scout. If things are tight, I might use two speedlights.. If I have a LOT off room, I use use two AlienBees and a speed light.

I did one wedding a few week ago and no way I could use any lighting on a light stand safely. Last weekend I was only able to set up one speed light.

If you plan on shooting using external flashes on light stands, you better have liability insurance.

Gaffers tape is your friend too

My most used reception lens is the 70-200, so I get the photos but stay out of the way. I also use the 24-70 heaps, and occasionally the wide lens. I sometimes use a fast prime for the dance if I shoot ambient, but I always light receptions so fast lenses are useless to me. Ambient light usually equals poor quality light in the receptions here, no thought has ever been giving to lighting design.