How would you light this reception with just speedlights?

I'm going to check the place out this week, but it sounds like i'm going to have my first challenging reception venue this December. It is a HUGE room to seat 250+ people, with 50+ft high black ceilings.

I like being very mobile at receptions, and I dont think i'm going to have enough lights/stands/triggers to put speedlights up all over the place to cover the whole area.

Should I set up off camera direct speedlights that will cover the important areas and use on camera direct flash for fill? Any area not covered by the speedlights I would just use direct flash.

I know most people say that flash modifiers on the hotshoe do very little to improve direct flash, but I have a feeling i'll be using direct flash a fair amount so i'd love some tips on how to improve it!

Thanks!

Tall stand with a speedlight in the corner [or two corners] to act as rim/hair light. On camera flash with demb bounce card.

Thomas Campbell wrote in post #15295176
Tall stand with a speedlight in the corner [or two corners] to act as rim/hair light. On camera flash with demb bounce card.

just a question. if the walls or corners were white would you point the flash at them to bounce? or still aim them into the room? assuming flashes had enough power to bounce and still expose properly. and would you gel them?

I always gel. And I would point straight in.

Can you give us a link to images of the venue ? This sounds like a fun challenge.

Thomas Campbell wrote in post #15296928
I always gel. And I would point straight in.

you prefer a half cut or full cut? does it depend on the venue? also, just wanted to say your about me section is awesome.

I would go bare flash. Here's a rather large venue I shot a few weeks ago. I used mono lights (three of them) plus a speedlight, but you could achieve the same effect with just speedlights. However your light recycle time will be a factor.

This venue was really large. My lights were probably 100' apart.

You are a master of this approach, Jim.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Here is a link to the venue: http://www.pracarts.co​m/event.html

Few specific questions:

How tall are your lights?
Are they in ETTL or manual, on camera flash in ETTL or manual?
Are you just careful to always keep the off camera lights across from you (so you aren't double flashing) or do you ever put 2 lights in opposite corners and use very little on camera fill flash?

tnis0612 wrote in post #15299411
Thanks for the replies everyone. Here is a link to the venue: http://www.pracarts.co​m/event.html

Few specific questions:

How tall are your lights?
Are they in ETTL or manual, on camera flash in ETTL or manual?
Are you just careful to always keep the off camera lights across from you (so you aren't double flashing) or do you ever put 2 lights in opposite corners and use very little on camera fill flash?

That venue looks pretty easy to light as you have a couple of choices. Since the walls are white, you can bounce your flash for nice, soft light. Or you can go direct for a "punchy" look.

I put my lights up fairly high, but you have to be careful not to block the light by placing them too high. Also, the higher the lights, the more unstable your light stands. Prudence is often preferred over optimal light placement. Make sure your lights are out of the way as best as possible.

I shoot in all manual mode with my off camera light and ETTL mode if I use any on-camera fill. I find it easier that way because if my lights are too powerful or not powerful enough, I know exactly what to do. I rarely have my lights above 1/4 power.

Light placement varies for each venue but I usually try to have two, off-camera lights in opposite corners, facing each other. I then put a third light as a backlight. I sometimes will use a fourth light, depending on the venue. Then I have one or two additional lights that I can move around for things like cake cutting, exit shots, etc. Yes, that is a lot of lights, but I use cheap Sunpack 383's + pocketwizards for my portable lights. Total cost, including a good stand is about $250-$275 for each light. My stationary lights are mono lights + pocketwizards. I have a couple of 580EX's that I can use for on-camera fill if needed.

I sure hope your photos come out better than the crap that is on the venues website.

Try bouncing off the ceiling at full power at ISO 1600, f/4, 1/80 just to confirm to yourself that you can't bounce (I think you can). Those ceilings aren't terribly high.

The tricky part about using Jim's method here is that you have those beams that are in such a place as to cast shadows on the head table (I think that was the head table..) almost no matter where you locate your lights.

DeepWrecks wrote in post #15297552
you prefer a half cut or full cut? does it depend on the venue? also, just wanted to say your about me section is awesome.

Ha, thanks. That was a place holder and has been such for several months now.

What gel I use depends on the venue and the couple. Sometimes a little orange from the tungsten goes with the wedding, sometimes it doesn't. I've even shot 1.5 CTO on like 2600K to make everything even bluer. All to taste.

Christopher Steven b wrote in post #15299654
Try bouncing off the ceiling at full power at ISO 1600, f/4, 1/80 just to confirm to yourself that you can't bounce (I think you can). Those ceilings aren't terribly high.

The tricky part about using Jim's method here is that you have those beams that are in such a place as to cast shadows on the head table (I think that was the head table..) almost no matter where you locate your lights.

Good point about the beams. You don't want shadows on the head table, but you can always move a light, shoot some shots at the head table, then move the light back for the dance floor. It's not like you'll be shooting the head table all night long.

I also love bouncing my light, but doing so will really limit where you can point your camera as the walls will become blown out white blogs. But it doesn't take much work to go from bounce light for some shots, then direct light for more dramatic dancing shots.

Thanks everyone, some good info to digest.

Jim, my only question is what exactly you mean by "you have to be careful to not block the light by placing them too high"? I have pretty heavy duty light stands and will use sandbags or tape them to the floor. My stands are 13' max. Would you say you have your flash in the 10ft area or more like 8ft? Thanks!

Well, that's still an easier venue than my first wedding reception It was about 1/3 that size with a low, black, slanted ceiling and walls covered with gray stone and wood paneling. Ouch!

Christopher Steven b wrote in post #15299654
Try bouncing off the ceiling at full power at ISO 1600, f/4, 1/80 just to confirm to yourself that you can't bounce (I think you can). Those ceilings aren't terribly high.

The tricky part about using Jim's method here is that you have those beams that are in such a place as to cast shadows on the head table (I think that was the head table..) almost no matter where you locate your lights.

The ceiling height isn't bad, but the black color is just going to suck up so much of the light. Might work with the flashes at full power, but will eat batteries fast and might give an odd color cast to the bounced light.

I agree to be mindful of the columns, especially if using direct flash. Especially when lighting the head table, you don't want bars of shadow across any of the wedding party.

It looks like there are several places in the room where you might be able to use a Super Clamp in lieu of a stand. That eliminates the possibility of someone tripping or knocking over your stand.